Pirates Foil Devils in Shootout, 4-3 LOWELL, Mass. – The Lowell Devils battled back from a two-goal deficit in the third period, but would fall in the shootout, 4-3, on Saturday at the Tsongas Arena. Nick Palmieri scored twice to help Lowell gain a point, but the Devils would see their home winless streak extend to five games. After a Derek Whitmore goal put Portland ahead, 3-1, at 3:37 of the third period, the Devils would rally on two quick goals later in the period. Lowell started the comeback at 8:39 after Tim Sestito held in a Portland clearing attempt at the blueline. His long distance shot from the far point was tipped down past J.P. Lamoureux by Nathan Perkovich for his 13th goal of the season. Palmieri knotted the game three minutes later with his second of the night as his pass from behind the net ricocheted off a skate and across the goal line for his team-leading 17th goal of the year. The contest would head into an overtime period dominated by the Pirates who outshot Lowell, 3-0. Portland carried that momentum into the shootout where Tyler Ennis and Marc-Andre Gragnani beat goalie Mike McKenna. Lamoureux stopped all four Devils shooters and made 25 saves overall for his first win since December 19. The Devils would take a 1-0 lead at 12:38 of the first when Palmieri put the puck into the top left corner off of a drop pass into the slot from Tim Sestito. Portland struck quickly at the beginning of the second period to take their first lead of the match. Kyle Rank’s wrist shot from the near point skittered under the leg pad of McKenna, who then had his outlet pass intercepted 80 seconds later and dumped into the open net by Mark Mancari at 4:24 to make the score 2-1. McKenna stopped 26-of-29 shots through overtime in his third non-regulation loss in his last five games. The Lowell Devils start up a four-game road stretch on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:15PM versus the Norfolk Admirals. Go online to AHLlive.com to listen or watch all of the live Devils action. For tickets to Lowell Devils home games, call (978) 458-PUCK or go to www.lowelldevilshockey.com. – devils –
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