River Rats Stump Devils 3-0

November 23, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


Lowell, MA - Ryan Bayda scored two goals and added an assist as the Albany River Rats shutout the Lowell Devils 4-0 Friday night at Tsongas Arena, snapping a 3-game road-losing streak.

Defenseman J.D. Forrest making his AHL debut for Albany, after missing the entire 2006-07 season due to a knee injury, almost scored his first AHL goal within minutes of the opening face off. Forrest eluded several defenders in the high slot but was robbed by Lowell starter Jordan Parise's diving save. The Devils held off an early Albany power play, but for the eighth-straight game the River Rats would score first. Albany grabbed the lead at 13:59 of the first period when Ryan Bayda skated down the left wing, evaded two defensemen and then slid a clever pass back into the slot for defenseman Mark Flood. Flood ripped his shot off the inside of the left corner post and into the roof of the net for his second goal of the season, assisted by Bayda and Casey Borer.

Michael Leighton replaced Albany starter Kevin Nastiuk for the beginning of the second period; Nastiuk had appeared shaken up but stayed in the game after a pile-up in the crease within the last first minutes of the first period. Leighton did not face as many shots as Nastiuk did in the first period, but he was forced into several strong saves to keep the River Rats in the lead. At the other end Jordan Parise thwarted more than a few River Rats chances to build on their 1-0 lead.

Ryan Bayda was in Raleigh early this morning, but after being reassigned by the Hurricanes, he flew to Boston and met the team bus in Lowell a few hours prior to tonight's game. Bayda did not show any signs of travel fatigue as he knocked in a rebound from Jakub Petruzalek and Brett Carson at 3:45 of the third period, putting Albany ahead 2-0. Lowell could not even catch their breath when Bayda lit the lamp again less than two minutes later. Bayda blasted a slap shot through Parise at 5:40, his second goal of the game and fourth of the season, assisted by Petruzalek. That goal sealed the shutout for the River Rats, who out-shot Lowell 12-4 in the third period en route to a 3-0 win.

Kevin Nastiuk only played the first twenty minutes of the game, but stopped all 16 shots he faced to improve to 4-0-0 on the season before leaving with an injury. Michael Leighton preserved the shutout by turning aside all 14 shots he saw over the final two periods. Jordan Parise took the loss in goal for the Devils; making 26 saves on 29 shots. Albany improves to 9-8-0-1 on the season, but were 0-for-9 on the power play; Lowell falls to 6-10-1-0 and finished 0-for-6 with the man-advantage.

In the middle of their second consecutive week of three games in three nights, the River Rats will return home to face off against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday, November 24th; a special 5:00 pm Saturday face off at the Times Union Center.

Partial season tickets packages and flex tickets for the 2007-08 River Rats season are on sale now. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.



American Hockey League Stories from November 23, 2007


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