LOWELL, MA – Jonathan Bernier made 33 saves and Scott Parse scored two goals as the Manchester Monarchs blanked the Lowell Devils, 3-0, on Friday at the Tsongas Arena. The loss brought an end to the Devils’ three-game winning streak both overall and versus the Monarchs this season.
Manchester needed only 1:59 to take a 1-0 lead as a cross-ice pass from Justin Azevedo at the Lowell blueline got Parse behind the defense. The Monarchs right wing skated in on a mini-breakaway before slipping a backhand through the five-hole of Dave Caruso.
Parse then put his team up 2-0 at 7:20 of the same period with his second of the game. Able to win a battle along the near boards, Azevedo found Parse in the high slot, where he whistled a one-timer inside the near post.
Neither team would manage a goal again for almost the duration of the contest until the Devils gained a late man-advantage. Pulling Caruso in favor of the extra attacker, Trevor Lewis capped off the win for Manchester with an empty-net shorthanded goal with 46.1 seconds left in regulation.
Caruso stopped 21-of-23 shots in the loss. Lowell was 0-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Devils host the Providence Bruins Saturday, January 31 at 7:00 p.m. It’s Mr. Potato Head Night as the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a Lowell Devils Mr. Potato Head, courtesy of Trinity EMS. Listen to game live at 980AM-WCAP or online at ahllive.com or watch on LTC – Channel 8. For more information about individual tickets and group packages for Devils home games, call (978) 458-PUCK (7825) or log on to www.lowelldevilshockey.com.