Devils take three of four games going into the All-Star Break

January 19, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


TRENTON, N.J., -- The Trenton Devils won all three of their home games for the week and lost on the road in Reading to complete a 3-1 week going into the All-Star Break. The Devils will stay in Trenton for the weekend, with a Friday night contest against the Elmira Jackals and a game against the Johnstown Chiefs on Saturday.

SNETSINGER HELPS DEVILS TAKE OUT CHIEFS: A four-point night by Brad Snetsinger helped the Trenton Devils to an easy 6-1 victory Wednesday night over the Johnstown Chiefs. The Devils set the tone with four first period goals, the first coming while the Devils were shorthanded. Snetsinger led a two-on-one with Jeff Prough, and passed it to the left circle, with Prough hammering home his 11th goal of the season at 2:36. Snetsinger then scored the first of his two goals on the power play as he whacked in a Tony Zancanaro rebound from the far post at 9:10. At 14:36, Snetsinger followed up with his second goal of the evening as he fired a wrist shot from the slot that eluded Chiefs goalie Kris Mayotte, giving the Devils a 3-0 lead. ECHL All-Star Matt Cohen ended the first period scoring with a goal in his second straight game, as he fired a wrist shot from the slot, which came at the 18:45 mark. The Devils continued their roll into the second period, as Prough took a feed from Snetsinger and wrapped it in around Mayotte for his second of the game just 30 seconds into the stanza. The Chiefs would score their only goal in the second, which would be matched by a Jeremy Akeson breakaway goal in the third that made it 6-1. In addition to Snetsinger's four points, Prough had three points while Zancanaro added three assists.

RADOSLOVICH NETS PAIR IN WIN OVER DAYTON: Matt Radoslovich scored two goals for the first time as a Trenton Devil, including the game-winner midway through the third period, leading the Devils to a 3-2 win over the Dayton Bombers Friday night. Radoslovich scored the deciding goal with 9:22 left, as he roofed a shot past Dayton goalie Paul Drew. Chris Dyment set up Radoslovich after he faked a shot from the high slot and fed it cross-ice to Radoslovich in front of the net from the right circle. The Devils had built up a 2-0 lead in the second period, as Jeremy Akeson and Radoslovich each put the Devils on the board. Akeson scored 4:26 into the stanza on a wild scramble in front of the goal, with Akeson backhanding the puck into the net. Radoslovich would score his first of the game at 15:27 of the second, as he whipped a shot from the left circle in between the legs of Drew, his fifth goal of the season. The Bombers would come back with two straight goals, as Dan Reidel and Brock Wilson scored in the second and third periods, respectively. The tie would be broken in the third on Radoslovich's second of the game and sixth of the season, giving the Devils a 3-2 win, their eighth in nine games. Gerald Coleman made 28 saves to improve his season record to 11-2-0-1, his ninth win with the Devils. Ryan Gunderson, who was named to his second ECHL All-Star Game before the contest, tallied two assists.

ROYALS TAKE THE CROWN OVER DEVILS: A three-goal second period by the Reading Royals snapped a three-game win streak for the Trenton Devils, who lost 4-2 Saturday night on the road. Matt Cohen started the scoring 5:22 into the game as he took an Eric Castonguay pass in the slot and fired it past Royals goalie Michael Ouzas for his seventh goal of the season. The Royals tied the game at 13:48 of the first while on the power play, as Steve Ward shot the puck from the blue line and fluttered it past Charlie Effinger for his fifth goal of the season. The second period would be dominated by the Royals. Peder Skinner broke the tie at 7:31 as he fired the puck from the right circle on the power play. Tyler Doig then scored an unusual goal from behind the net at 15:50, giving the Royals a two-goal lead. The Devils were given a chance to get back in the game on the power play, but could not capitalize as Kirk MacDonald scored a shorthanded goal at 16:38, completing the Royals' big second period. Thomas Harrison ended the string of four unanswered goals by Reading 2:27 into the third, as he whacked in a rebound from a Dave Leaderer shot. Despite outshooting the Royals 15-8 in the third, Trenton's effort was not enough as they fell to Reading, 4-2.

ZANCANARO LEADS DEVILS OVER THE JACKALS: Three power play goals and a three-point night by Tony Zancanaro led the Trenton Devils to their sixth straight win at Sovereign Bank Arena, a 4-2 victory over the Elmira Jackals Sunday evening. The Devils started the scoring at 5:18 of the first, when Zancanaro blasted a rebound that had been left in the slot past Jackals goalie Michael Teslak on the power play. Benoit Doucet tied the game 1:19 later as he slammed in a pass from Derek Couture into the open net, his eighth goal of the season. Trenton re-gained the lead at the 11:07 mark, when Eric Castonguay streaked along the right wing and sneaked the puck in past Teslak from a sharp angle. The goal was Castonguay's 12th of the season. In the second period, Doucet tied the game up for a second time as he whacked in a rebound from in front of the net at 5:36. Less than three minutes later, the Devils took the lead for good, as Dylan Quaile shot a knuckler past Teslak from the blue line for his third goal of the season. The power play for Trenton continued to perform well late in the second, as Jeff Prough fired a sharp angle shot from the left side to give the Devils a 4-2 lead they held onto for the rest of the game. Zancanaro was named the first star of the game with a goal and two assists.

RYAN'S SEEING STARS AGAIN: Ryan Gunderson was named as a replacement player for the ECHL All-Star Game last week, and will be starting in the game on Wednesday. Gunderson is the second Trenton player to make two ECHL All-Star Games, the other being Scott Bertoli, who played in 2001 and 2006.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Devils have been unbeatable at home since a loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on December 28. Since then, the Devils have taken six straight at Sovereign Bank Arena, their best streak since they won seven in a row from February 20 to March 21, 2004, which is a team-record. In their last six games at home, the Devils have outscored their opponents, 28-10.

QUICK HITS: The Devils had a 16-game power play goal streak snapped in Friday night's game...The Devils have won in each of the six games that Matt Cohen has two-or-more points...Paul Roper was selected as one of the broadcasters for this week's All-Star Game, joining Joe Zydlo and Mike O'Brien as Trenton broadcasters to have received All-Star honors.

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday, January 23, 7:30 p.m. -- Devils vs. Elmira Jackals

The Devils come out of the All-Star Break the same way they came into it, by taking on the Elmira Jackals at home. The Devils have won the last three games between the two squads, although Elmira has a 4-3-0-0 season series advantage. Mitch O'Keefe is 3-1-0-0 with a 1.96 goals-against average versus the Devils this season.

Saturday, January 24, 7:00 p.m. -- Devils vs. Johnstown Chiefs

The Chiefs come to Sovereign Bank Arena for the final time this season Saturday night, as they try to stay near the top of the American Conference North Division standings. The Devils now own a 4-3-0-1 season series advantage, taking the last three games over Johnstown.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, January 23, 7:30 p.m. -- Youth Hat Giveaway at Sovereign Bank Arena

The first 1,000 kids ages 12-and-under will receive a Trenton Devils Youth Hat, courtesy of Lighthouse, Inc.

Saturday, January 24, 7:00 p.m. -- Spongebob Squarepants Night at Sovereign Bank Arena

Spongebob Squarepants visits the Trenton Devils! Fans have an opportunity to take their photo with the star of the hit Nickelodeon show.

Practice/Game Schedule: (subject to change)

Tuesday, January 20 -- ALL-STAR BREAK

Wednesday, January 21 -- ALL-STAR BREAK

ECHL All-Star Game in Reading, PA -- 7:05 p.m.

Thursday, January 22 -- Practice at Grundy Recreation Center, 10:00 a.m.

Friday, January 23 -- Pre-game skate at Sovereign Bank Arena, 10:00 a.m.

Game vs. Elmira -- 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 24 -- Pre-game skate at Sovereign Bank Arena, 10:00 a.m.

Game vs. Johnstown -- 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 25 -- Day Off

Monday, January 26 -- Practice at Grundy Recreation Center, 10:00 a.m.

DEVILS GAME BROADCASTS: Tune in as Paul Roper brings you all of the Devils' hockey action live Saturday and Sunday on www.trentondevils.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. Video broadcasts are available for a charge of $7 per game, while audiocasts are free of charge. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.



ECHL Stories from January 19, 2009


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