The River Rats were shut out for the eighth time this season, as Lowell turned Anssi Salmela's goal 6:18 into the third period into the team's third straight victory.

Devils goalie Jeff Frazee stopped all 36 shots he faced, including 20 in the third period, for his second shutout of the season. He was also helped on a controversial non-goal call by referee Nygel Pelletier.

Nicolas Blanchard stuffed in a second rebound attempt after Mike Angelidis initial wraparound was stopped, but Pelletier waved it off, saying the puck never crossed the goal line. Overhead replays appeared to show the puck completely over the line, and the goal judge turned on his red light, signifying a goal.

Pelletier did not confer with the goal judge or his linesmen, and the decision stood. Albany has now dropped two straight games heading into Wednesday's New Year's Eve matchup in Binghamton.

Rats goalie Justin Peters had 22 saves.

Lowell 0 0 1 — 1
Albany 0 0 0 — 0
First period — None. Penalties — Reed, Alb (interference), 5:12; Herauf, Alb (slashing), 13:00; Zharkov, Low (holding), 16:11.
Second period — None. Penalties — Weston, Alb (hooking), 2:01; Flood, Alb (delay of game), 3:43; Letourneau-Leblond, Low major (fighting), 9:07; Weston, Alb major (fighting), 9:07; Spiller, Low (hooking), 14:30; Ruggeri, Low (roughing), 16:19; Spiller, Low (slashing), 17:55; Pelley, Low (slashing), 20:00.
Third period — 1, Lowell, Salmela 5 (Spiller, Swift), 6:18. Penalties — Paiement, Alb (tripping), 10:13.
Shots on goal — Lowell 11-4-8 — 23. Albany 8-8-20 — 36.
Goalies — Lowell, Frazee 9-4-1-2 (36 shots-36 saves). Albany, Peters 5-10-2-2 (23-22).
Power-play opportunities — Lowell 0 of 5. Albany 0 of 5.
A — 2,618. T — 2:11.
Referee — Nygel Pelletier. Linesmen — Mike Emanatian, Frank Murphy.