Devils Continue Domination of Elmira, 5-3
April 2, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release
Trenton, NJ - The Trenton Devils kept themselves alive in the final playoff push with a resolute, 5-3, victory over the Elmira Jackals, but the Reading Royals forced the Wheeling Nailers into overtime, earning a point and shattering the Devils hopes of a playoff berth.
The Devils have defeated the Jackals in 11 of 14 total contests this season, also having won the last five consecutive meetings. Dave Caruso made 14 stops for his 21st win of the season opposite Chris Holt with 40 saves. Dan Eves scored twice, eclipsing the 20-goal plateau in his second professional season, now with 21 goals in 2009-10.
The teams traded power play goals late in the first, both on delay-of-game penalties for shooting the puck over the glass. Eves tallied first, rebounding on Justin Pender's point shot at 14:41, also assisted by Trevor Kell. Justin Donati evened it for the Jackals with his 40th of the year at 17:59, a sharp feed across the crease from his brother Tyler Donati on the right side and Olivier Proulx on the power play cycle.
Jack Combs regained a 2-1 Devils lead with his 24th of the season at 18:57, a snapshot goal from the slot on a beautiful pass from Tim Kunes, pinching behind the net and digging the puck out from the boards and away from the Elmira defense. Matt Vokes got the secondary assist.
With the first period just seconds from ending, Eves took a blistering slap shot from the red-line on a rush out of the zone that seemed to catch Chris Holt off-guard, beating the goaltender low for Eves' second goal of the game and 3-1 Devils lead at 19:56.
The Devils scored another blue-collar goal early in the second, Kell doing the dirty work along the boards behind the Elmira goal, allowing Ryan Ginand to fish the loose puck from the back of the goal and stuff it past Holt on the glove side post for his 14th of the season and a 4-1 lead at 3:32, with a second helper to Chris Poli.
Elmira closed the gap at 16:49 on a power play goal by Thomas Beauregard, his 39th of the season on a blind backhand feed from Justin Donati, dishing to Beauregard before circling behind the goal, also assisted by Proulx for the period's final tally. The Donati history-making assist gave him 100 points for the season, the first time brothers on the same team both attained 100 points in a professional season.
Trenton tacked on another goal early in the third on a point shot from Jeremy Akeson. After Zancanaro won the face off in the left wing circle, Dave Leaderer passed to Akeson for the drive which deflected off a Jackal defenseman and over the glove of Holt for his seventh of the season at 3:03 for a 5-2 advantage.
The Donati twins connected again for the last goal of the game as Justin rebounded a Tyler point-shot that kicked off a defender to Justin in the left-wing circle, wristing it past Caruso for his 41st goal of the year, also assisted by R.J. Anderson at 15:31.
The Devils (33-29-4-5) finish the 2009-10 season tomorrow night against eight-seed Reading at 7:05 p.m. The Jackals (36-26-6-3) will visit Johnstown for the final ECHL game at the Cambria County War Memorial and Elmira's last game before heading into the playoffs against Florida.
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