Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Devils Defeated By Bruins In Shootout, 6-5
Tallackson’s two goals help Lowell rally

PROVIDENCE, RI. – Barry Tallackson tied the game twice in the third period for the Lowell Devils, but his team could not complete the comeback, falling in the shootout, 6-5, to the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Though the Devils never held the lead in the contest, they did come from behind three times to knot the score and force the extra session.   It seemed the Providence had put Lowell away for good when Sean Curry’s power play goal gave the Bruins a 5-4 edge with just 5:48 remaining in regulation. 

The Devils, however, refused to go away and Tallackson made sure his team would get at least a point when he scored his second goal of the game with 2:01 left in the third period.  Tallackson stationed himself in front of goalie Andy Franck and redirected Olivier Magnan-Grenier’s point shot into the back of the net for his seventh of the year.  

Following an overtime period that saw neither team score, the Bruins quickly converted on their first three chances in the shootout.  On the other side of the ice, Franck stopped the first three Lowell shooters he faced to give his team the victory. 

The shootout loss extended the Lowell’s winless streak to four games (0-3-0-1), while Providence raised their record in the season series to 3-0-0-0.

After Nate Thompson broke a 3-3 tie for the Bruins early in the third with a goal on the man-advantage, Tallackson gathered his first tally of the evening when he intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and made a move in the slot before tucking a backhander under the pad of Franck.

Down 3-1 in the second, Lowell started their first rally of the night.  At 12:08, Rosario Ruggeri leaned into shot from the point that was blocked down at the crease, where Ryan Murphy was in position to sweep the puck over the fallen goaltender.  The Devils then tied the score at 15:37 on a power play goal that was almost a carbon copy of the previous marker. This time, Olli Malmivaara’s wrist shot from atop of the zone did manage to reach Frank, but Patrick Davis was able to reach out and lift the rebound into the open net. 

The first period was a penalty-filled affair that saw the Bruins receive four power plays to the Devils’ one. 
Providence took a 1-0 lead on the second of those opportunities when Pascal Pelletier blasted home a one-timer from the far circle at 7:45. 

Almost three minutes later Providence pushed their lead to two goals as a face-off win by Wacey Rabbit came to blueline for a Matt Lashoff slapshot that bounced by Jordan Parise.  It took only a minute for the Devils to respond and get their first goal of the match when Pierre-Luc Leblond fed Jason Ryznar at 11:27 for his third of the season.   The assist was Leblond’s first point in Lowell this year.

Byron Bitz provided Providence’s third goal of the game at 9:32 of the middle stanza.  The Devils’ special teams went 1-for-2 on the power play and 6-for-8 on the penalty kill.  It was the third time this season that the Devils had scored five or more goals.   

On Friday, December 14, when the Devils face the Albany River Rats at 7:05pm, two lucky fans will leave with a Christmas tree courtesy of North Pole Xmas Trees of Nashua. The following night on Saturday, December 15, it’s Devils Dawg’s birthday as the Devils take on the Providence Bruins at 7:05pm.  Help Lowell’s mascot and his friends celebrate the big day, as the Devils will be giving away Devil Dawg bobbleheads to the first 2,500 fans courtesy of Pepsi.  Listen to all of the action live on 980AM-WCAP as Ryan Johnston brings you all of the play-by-play.  Ask about our Holiday Hat Trick; call the Devils office at (978) 458-PUCK for more information or visit www.lowelldevilshockey.com.