Saturday, April 12, 2008

 

Devils Chomped by Sharks, 4-1
Lowell wraps up season on Sunday against Providence

WORCESTER, Mass. – Despite Ryan Murphy’s marker 33 seconds into the game, the Worcester Sharks answered four straight goals to defeat the Lowell Devils, 4-1, on Saturday at the DCU Center. 

The Devils gathered the early lead as Nicklas Bergfors skated the puck behind the net, reversed direction and hit Murphy in front for a forehand shot that beat Tyler Dakers to the right side. 

Worcester would come back to knot the score at 13:27 when Brennan Evans worked up the near boards before feathering a backhand pass toward the crease that Dennis Packard banged by goalie Jeff Frazee. 
 
Though Lowell had a chance to break a 1-1 tie with a power play to begin the second frame, it was Worcester taking a one-goal lead.  Craig Vallette caught up to a clearing pass by Derek Joslin and took it into the Devils zone on a breakaway, where he fired a quick shot past by the blocker of Frazee at 1:10 of the period.

The Sharks used their own man-advantage later in the second to make the score 3-1 as Frazee made a save on a Steven Zalewski’s point shot, but couldn’t get a piece of the rebound chance from the near post by Lukas Kaspar at 13:56. 

Making his professional debut out of the University of Minnesota, Frazee was relieved in net after the second period by Frank Doyle.  The second round draft pick of the Devils (#38 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft took the loss with 22 saves on 23 shots. 

Doyle could not stem the tide in the final period as Mike Iggulden completed the scoring at 13:37 with the Sharks’ fourth goal of the game. 

Lowell went 0-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. 

The Lowell Devils complete their three-day, three-game weekend and the 2007-08 campaign on Sunday, April 13 at 4:05 p.m. versus the Providence Bruins.  Tune into WCAP-980AM to hear Ryan Johnston bring you all of the live play-by-play action.