Wolf Pack Score Thanksgiving-Eve Win in Lowell

Dale Weise scored two goals, and Chad Johnson stopped 22 out of 23 shots, Wednesday night at the Paul Tsongas Arena in Lowell, as the Wolf Pack defeated the Lowell Devils, 4-1.

AHL scoring leader Corey Locke and Bobby Sanguinetti had two assists each for the Wolf Pack (12-8-0-1, 25 points), who moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with the victory, one point ahead of Springfield.

The two teams traded goals in a 33-second span for the first period's only scoring.

The Devils' Patrick Davis gave Lowell a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 9:30, breaking down the left-wing side and cutting in front, before slipping a shot underneath Johnson's pads.

The Wolf Pack's Evgeny Grachev responded at 10:03, on a rebound of a Brodie Dupont shot. Lowell netminder Mike McKenna got his pads on Dupont's drive off of right-wing, but Grachev battled the rebound loose at the left side of the goalmouth and put it in.

Hartford had 12-6 shots advantage in the period, but Lowell missed on two prime opportunities, one when Vladimir Zharkov shot wide on a breakaway and the other when Brad Mills and Nick Palmieri were unable to convert on a two-on-none inside the final 30 seconds of the frame.

The Wolf Pack again controlled the territorial play in the second period, outshooting the Devils 14-8, and the Pack scored a pair of goals.

Jordan Owens gave Hartford its first lead at 5:40, on a disputed goal. Owens took a pass from Corey Potter and cut around Lowell defenseman Rob Davison on right wing. Owens poked the puck past McKenna just as the net was dislodged behind him. After an extended conversation among referee Terry Koharski and linesmen Chris Aughe, and a consultation with the goal judge, the goal was allowed.

The Wolf Pack then made it 3-1 with a goal in a delayed-penalty situation at 15:25. After Johnson made a big save on Louis Robitaille, the Wolf Pack broke out on a three-on-two and Weise finished off a pretty three-way passing play among himself, Dane Byers and Corey Locke. Locke found Byers in the left-wing circle and Byers one-touched the puck in front to Weise, who had an open net.

Hartford had to kill three penalties in the third period and did so successfully, and Weise created the final margin with an empty-net goal, his seventh tally of the year, at 19:16.

The victory by the Wolf Pack denied the Devils a franchise-record sixth straight home win. Lowell (12-7-3-0, 27 points) came into the game tied with Manchester for first place in the Atlantic.

The Wolf Pack return to action Friday night at the XL Center, hosting Kevin Dineen and the Portland Pirates at 7:00 on Guida's Family Value NIght.

Hartford Wolf Pack 4 At Lowell Devils 1
Nov 25, 2009 - Paul E. Tsongas Arena

Hartford 1 2 1 - 4
Lowell 1 0 0 - 1

1st Period-1, Lowell, Davis 4 (Taormina, McKenna), 9:30 (pp). 2, Hartford, Grachev 6 (Dupont, Sanguinetti), 10:03. Penalties-Murray Low (boarding), 1:47; Couture Hfd (tripping), 8:24; Sauer Hfd (interference), 10:14.

2nd Period-3, Hartford, Owens 3 (Potter), 5:40. 4, Hartford, Weise 6 (Byers, Locke), 15:25. Penalties-DiDiomete Hfd (fighting), 3:13; Robitaille Low (fighting), 3:13.

3rd Period-5, Hartford, Weise 7 (Sanguinetti, Locke), 19:16 (en). Penalties-Dupont Hfd (tripping), 4:03; Couture Hfd (double minor - high-sticking), 11:26.

Shots on Goal-Hartford 12-14-5-31. Lowell 6-8-9-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 0 of 1; Lowell 1 of 5.
Goalies-Hartford, Johnson 9-5-1 (23 shots-22 saves). Lowell, McKenna 7-4-0 (30 shots-27 saves).
A-1,189
Referees-Terry Koharski (10).
Linesmen-Chris Aughe (74), Joe Ross (92).