Sunday, December 30, 2007

Devils Edge Sharks, 4-3
Lowell makes it four wins in a row

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Lowell Devils notched three power play goals, two off of the stick of Barry Tallackson, as they downed the Worcester Sharks, 4-3, on Sunday at the DCU Center.  With the victory, the Devils extended their season-high winning-streak to four games.     

As was the case in last night’s contest, Lowell entered the third period deadlocked with the opposition, but again was able to pull away the stretch.  With the score 2-2, the Devils received their second 5-on-3 power play midway through the frame.  Though they wouldn’t score on the two-man advantage, the ensuing 5-on-4 saw Noah Clarke fire a perfect backhand pass at the blueline for Petr Vrana who buried his wrist shot at 10:53.  The goal was part of a three-point night for Vrana (1g, 2a) and a 3-for-8 effort on the power play from Lowell.  

Forty-nine seconds later and up a man once again, Tallackson beat Taylor Dakers clean with a slapshot from the point, scoring his second of the game and putting the Devils up 4-2.  The Sharks needed only a span of forty-two seconds to pull back within one when Tom Cavanaugh registered his second goal of the evening, a snapshot that bounced off the backboards and goalie Frank Doyle before trickling across the goal line.  

Starting his fourth straight game, Doyle would stand tall through the rest of regulation to help the Lowell Devils tie their club record for consecutive wins.  The last time the Devils won four straight was November 12-19 of last season. 

Lowell trailed 1-0 at the beginning of the middle period, but was able to tie the score at 4:32 thanks to their first two-man advantage of the game.  A pass across the crease from Vrana popped up on Tallackson at the near post, but the big forward was able to bat the puck into the net for his eleventh goal of the year.  The Devils then took their first lead of the contest at 10:26 on Pierre-Luc Leblonde’s first goal of the season, but Mike Iggulden tied the game for the Sharks just forty seconds later.  Assisting on both Devils goals was Grant Marshall, who finished with three helpers in the game.

The Sharks owned a 4-2 edge in the power play department after the opening period, but the Devils only found themselves down 1-0 heading into the first intermission after Cavanaugh scored on the advantage at 12:37.

The Devils finish their road trip against the Portland Pirates on New Year’s Eve at 5:35p.m.  Listen to all of the action live on 980AM-WCAP as Ryan Johnston brings you all of the play-by-play.  Lowell returns home to battle the Falcons on Dollar Dawg Night on Wednesday, January 2 at 7:05p.m. Call the Devils office at (978) 458-PUCK for more information or visit www.lowelldevilshockey.com.

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