Devils Bounce Back, Beat Chiefs, 4-3

Published on March 24, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


Trenton, NJ, March 24, 2010 - Jeff Lerg made 21 saves in his professional debut, supporting a two-point night from Ryan Ginand, who scored the first goal of the game and assisted Jeff Prough's game-winner. The Devils outshot the Chiefs in every period of play, and ended with a 42-24 shot advantage.

The first period ended 0-0 with Trenton doubling Johnstown's shots 16-8. The Devils eased Lerg into the pro game by limiting shots, however, the young netminder managed to demonstrate his athleticism early with a number of stretching pad saves and by snaring a rising wrist shot with his glove during a Chiefs power play just under three minutes left in the first.

Trenton went up 1-0 at 6:10 of the second as Ryan Ginand netted his 13th of the season on helpers from Kyle Kucharski to Chris Poli in the slot. Just feet from the goal, Poli cut from right to left in front of Mayotte, dropping a pretty pass behind him for Ryan Ginand to slam past the glove of Mayotte as the keeper's body followed Poli across the goal mouth.

Less than three minutes later the Chiefs knotted the game 1-1 by driving the net on an odd-man rush. Leading goal scorer Chanse Fitzpatrick batted in the rebound for his 28th of the season, assisted by Connor Shields and Brian Kaufman at 8:51

Jack Combs regained the Devils lead with his 23rd goal of the season on the team's third power play opportunity of the game at 15:53. Mayotte made the initial save on Justin Pender's one-time slap shot from Vokes, but just got a piece of Combs' rebound as the puck found its way to the top left corner for a 2-1 Devils lead that they would hold until the end of the second.

The Devils lost and regained their lead in just a six minute outburst in the third period, goals coming about two minutes or less apart. Johnstown went up 3-2 on a power play goal stuffed in by Sean Berkstresser, his 20th at 2:54, shortly followed by Bear Trapp's fifth of the season, a forehand deke on a breakaway down the right side, beating Lerg to the far left post for his fifth of the season at 4:45

David Leaderer quickly answered for the Devils at 6:48, tying the game 3-3 on a patient backhand shot with his back toward the goal from low in the left slot, assisted by Dan Charleston and Dan Eves.

Jeff Prough scored the game-winning goal for Trenton on the power play at 8:39 by wristing a puck past Mayotte from nearly the same exact spot as Leaderer's goal less than two minutes earlier. The Devils clamped down defensively and

The Devils (29-29-4-5) and Chiefs (16-40-7-4) remain at the bottom of the standings in the American Conference at 11th and 12th place respectively. Trenton, still six points back of Reading for the last playoff spot, will travel to Elmira this Friday, March 26 before returning to Trenton to host the Jackals on Saturday, Sunday and then again on Friday, April 2, for the last home game of the regular season.

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