Lowell, MA - The Lowell Devils cut their gap to three points in the race for fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 2-1 win over the Portland Pirates. The Pirates are still just four points back of the first place Bruins in a tight race, with Portland holding games in hand on two of the three teams ahead of the Pirates in the division.

The Devils scored first, when Nicklas Bergfors took a big hit along the boards to center the puck to Jon DiSalvatore who beat Portland goaltender Jhonas Enroth up high for his fifteenth goal of the year. Bergfors and Anssi Salmela got the assists on the first goal of the game at the 7:13 mark of the first period. Just under ten minutes later the Devils extended their lead on a power play goal when Jon DiSalvatore blasted a slap shot from the left point and it was deflected past Enroth by Patrick Davis. Davis's ninth goal of the year came at the 16:58 mark of the first period on the power play, with DiSalvatore and Tyler Eckford grabbing the assists.

The two teams played a scores second period, with Jeff Frazee making 11 saves and Jhonas Enroth stopping all nine shots sent his way.

The Pirates got on the board in the third period when Cliff Loya backhanded a weak shot from the center point. Frazee made the save but couldn't hold onto the rebound and Derek Whitmore put it in the top shelf to cut the deficit down to one goal. Colton Fretter and Cliff Loya assisted Whitmore's seventh goal of the season at the 12:23 mark of the third period. The Pirates couldn't find an equalizer late though and fell by a final score of 2-1.

Portland goaltender Jhonas Enroth made 32 saves on 34 shots and took the loss. Jeff Frazee stopped 33 of 34 shots he faced to grab the win.

Allied Home Mortgage Three Stars of the Game: 1. Jon DiSalvatore (LOW) 2. Jeff Frazee(LOW) 3. Patrick Davis (LOW)

Notes: Jhonas Enroth made 30 plus saves for the seventh time in eight games...Nathan Gerbe did not play...Tim Kennedy returned to the lineup...Attendance: 1,008.

The Pirates next home game is Friday, January 23, 2009 against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7:00 pm. The Portland Pirates will give away Kevin Kaminski bobbleheads, sponsored by MEMIC, to the first 2,000 fans in attendance. It will also be Forecaster Friday Family Night, so take the family to the game for only $35. Redeem the coupon from that week's edition of the Forecaster at the Civic Center Box Office.

In partnership with the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education, Unum will recognize six teachers and four school administrators who have made a daily difference in the lives of students in our public schools and who represent excellence in the educational profession. The ten people to be honored at this game were nominated and selected through Unum’s Fourth Annual Maine Educators' Hall of Fame, supported by the Portland Pirates.

Fans can follow the Pirates on U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network or watch the game LIVE on the internet courtesy of AHL Live by clicking the icon on the left side of the home page. The U.S. Cellular Pirates Radio Network includes the Pirates flagship station, the Bay 1400AM and 1490AM (Portland) and affiliates WEZR 1240 AM (Lewiston-Auburn), WTME 780AM (Rumford) and WKTQ 1450AM (South Paris).