Saturday, March 1, 2008

Devils Sink Admirals, 5-2
Lowell holds Norfolk to 18 shots in win

LOWELL, MA - The Lowell Devils allowed a season-low 18 shots in defeating the Norfolk Admirals, 5-2, on Saturday at the Tsongas Arena.

With the score tied 1-1 after the opening stanza, the Devils rattled off a season-best 19 shots in the second to own a 3-2 lead after two.  It began with two quick goals by Lowell less than four minutes into the frame.  Petr Vrana took a drop pass off the far wall from Ivan Khomutov and sniped a wrist shot from the far circle over Marc Denis at 1:50.   Just over two minutes later Rosario Ruggeri rifled a slap shot through a screen that found the back of the net to make it 3-1 in favor of the Devils. 

Karl Stewart closed Lowell’s lead back to one goal at 17:03, pushing a rebound under the right leg pad of goalie Dave Caruso.  

The Devils got the breathing room they needed just 3:25 into the final period on a heads-up play by Rod Pelley.  As Ryan Murphy’s rising slap shot deflected up off the back glass, Pelley quickly gloved the puck to himself and stuffed a shot off of the pad of Denis and into the net. 

Lowell’s 44 shots in the contest tied their season-high, while Caruso only needed to make 16 saves for the win. 

The Admirals took a 1-0 lead at 8:22 of the first period when the Devils lost track of the puck in their own zone and Radek Smolenak was able to sneak a wraparound shot inside the near post. 

Awarded with three power plays in the first period, Lowell would tie the score with 1:29 until the break on their final chance in the frame.  Ruggeri’s point shot ricocheted off of a shin pad to the far post for a wide-open Khomutov, who shot it in for his ninth goal of the year. 

Lowell went 1-for-6 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. 

It’s a special Sunday on March 2 when the Devils host the CVS Celebrity All-Star Game at 1:30 p.m.  See former NHLers like Andy Brickley, Bob Beers, Ken Hodge and Don Sweeney.  The first 1,000 fans will receive a special gift bag containing more than $100 worth of merchandise.  Your ticket to the Lowell/Bridgeport match that afternoon at 4:05 p.m. gets you into both games.  Tickets start at just $10; call the Devils office at (978) 458-PUCK for more information or visit www.lowelldevilshockey.com.