Friday, November 9, 2007

Falcons Power Play Dooms Devils, 4-2
Two goals from Noah Clarke not enough for Lowell

SPRINGFIELD, MA. – Noah Clarke scored two power play goals, but the Springfield Falcons (6-5-0-2) tallied three of their own to send the Lowell Devils (5-6-1-0) to a 4-2 defeat Friday night at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

Defense was the name of the game in the first period, as scoring chances were at a premium for both clubs. Despite each side having a power play, neither was able to generate any scoring against the two starting goaltenders – Frank Doyle for Lowell and Jeff Deslauriers for Springfield. The Falcons started out as the aggressors, but the Devils squeezed off nine of the last eleven shots of the period. Nonetheless, the score remained tied after twenty minutes.

As they have done in seven of twelve games this season, the Devils were the first to show up on the score sheet. Noah Clarke, who came in with a three-game point streak, buried a wrist shot at 2:50 of the second frame on the power play. Petr Vrana, riding a three-game point streak of his own, assisted on the goal alongside Grant Marshall. The Falcons would tie the score later in the second with a power play goal of their own. With Jason Ryznar in the box for boarding, Marc Pouliot tallied his first of the season for Springfield. Shots after two periods were tied at 17.

Special teams continued to hurt the Devils in the third, as Colin McDonald put the Falcons ahead for good with his own power play goal, stuffing a loose puck past Doyle for his second of the season. Springfield padded their lead less than five minutes later as Pouliot, just out of the box, took a pass from Liam Reddox, maneuvered past Devils RW Barry Tallackson, and surprised Doyle with a backhand that beat the Lowell netminder glove side. The Devils cut the lead to one on Clarke’s second goal of the night on the man advantage, but Danny Syvret put the final nail in the coffin with Springfield’s third power play goal of the night at 17:38 of the third.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Falcons, while sending the Devils to their third straight setback. The line of Clarke, Vrana, and Marshall contributed all the scoring for the Devils (2g-4a-6pts), and Doyle stopped 24 Springfield shots in suffering the loss.

The Devils’ two-game road trip continues tomorrow night in Manchester, as the Devils face off with the Monarchs at 7:05 p.m. Lowell is 2-0 so far this season against their rivals to the North. Tomorrow night’s game will not be broadcast on WCAP 980, but will be available over the Internet at the following address:  mms://208.67.186.169/lowell. The Devils return home on Saturday, November 17 to host the Hartford Wolf Pack. Game time is 7:05p.m., and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a Lowell Devils knit hat, courtesy of Pepsi.

For more information or to reserve your tickets, contact the Devils at (978) 458-PUCK (7825) or log on to www.lowelldevilshockey.com.