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Devils Take Three Out of Six Points in the Week

February 9, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


TRENTON, N.J., -- The Trenton Devils split a pair of overtime games at home against the Reading Royals and lost on the road to the Elmira Jackals in the previous week. The Devils will host the Wheeling Nailers at home Wednesday night before going on the road for games against the Jackals, Johnstown Chiefs, and Royals.

PROUGH LEADS DEVILS TO OT WIN: The Trenton Devils fended off a resilient Reading Royals team in overtime thanks to Jeff Prough, who scored twice, including the game-winner, to lead the Devils to a 3-2 win at Sovereign Bank Arena Friday night. Prough scored the deciding goal with 23 seconds left in overtime, as he sneaked in a shot between the legs of Reading goaltender James Reimer after stealing the puck from Dan Rudisuela in the corner. Prough got the Devils on the scoreboard first, with a sharp angle shot from the near corner 8:23 into the game. Dylan Quaile and Brad Snetsinger got the assists on the goal, which came during a delayed penalty call against Reading.

Snetsinger recorded his second point of the game at 9:46 when he scored his 10th goal of the season. The forward beat out a diving Reimer to the puck in the slot, and tipped it into the open net. With 2:20 to go in the first period, the Reading Royals answered back. Kyle Hagel cut the Devils lead in half with his seventh goal of the season. After a scoreless second, the Royals tied the game early in the third period on the power play.

Rob LaLonde fired a wrist shot from the far circle at 2:13 to even the score, forcing overtime. It appeared the Devils had gained momentum as Tyler Doig was called for a high sticking penalty 1:16 into the extra frame, but the Devils were unable to capitalize on the man advantage. With a shootout on the horizon, Prough ended any notion of that by forcing a turnover and scoring his second of the night, giving the Devils their ninth win in a row at Sovereign Bank Arena. Gerald Coleman made 30 saves to preserve the victory for the Devils.

ROYALS TURN THE TABLES IN OVERTIME: The Trenton Devils came back to tie on a pair of two-goal deficits, but the special teams made the difference in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Reading Royals Saturday night. The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak at home for the Devils. Pat Wellar scored the deciding goal on the power play at 3:12 as he whacked in a rebound past Gerald Coleman to hand the Devils their first loss at Sovereign Bank Arena since December 28, 2008. The Royals got on the board first when captain Mac Faulkner scored 2:52 into the contest on a one-timer feed from Tyler Doig. The Royals notched their first power play goal of the evening at 15:12. Chris Stevens picked up the power play goal with Wellar and Dan Rudisuela getting the assists. The Devils were able to rally late in the first period, scoring two goals in 1:30 to tie up the game. Snetsinger scored with a backhander at 16:59 and then Jeremy Akeson evened the score with his eighth of the season at 18:29. In the second period, the Devils continued to roll when Trevor Kell scored the Devils' third straight goal off a pass from Akeson to give them a 3-2 lead.

With just under five minutes to go in the second period, Reading answered back. After serving a penalty, Doig scored his 11th of the season to tie the game at three. Reading took the lead in the third period on two goals 35 seconds apart. Rob Lalonde broke the deadlock at 6:27 and then Rudisuela gave Reading a two goal lead at 7:02. The Devils would not go down without a fight. Scott Bartlett put the Devils within a goal at 8:28 with a backhander from the slot, his third goal of the season. At 10:05, the Devils tied the game once again as Matt Cohen threw a wrist shot from the right point to get his ninth goal of the season. Neither team could break the tie in the second half of the third period, so for the second straight night they went to overtime. In overtime, Matt Torti was called for a penalty and Reading took advantage. Wellar scored the game-winning goal to cap a three-point night. Bartlett, Snetsinger, and Akeson each led the Devils with a goal and an assist. For Bartlett, it was the first two-point night of his career.

JACKALS DEFEAT DEVILS: A three-point night by Jeremy Akeson was not enough for the Trenton Devils as they lost on the road to the Elmira Jackals Sunday afternoon, 4-3. The Jackals applied pressure on the Devils throughout most of the first period, and were able to break through at 12:15 on Benoit Doucet's 14th goal of the season. Doucet provided the Devils with a goal at 6:20 of the second period as he turned the puck over to Akeson, who broke in on goal and fired a wrist shot past Michael Teslak for his ninth of the season. The deadlock would be short lived, as 50 seconds later Pierre-Luc Faubert notched his 16th goal of the season to put the Jackals back in front. That lead would not last as long, as 1:05 after the Faubert goal, Jeff Prough knocked in a loose puck from the crease to score his team-leading 18th goal of the season at 8:15.

The Jackals took the lead for a third and final time on the power play, as Chris Korchinski whacked in a rebound left at the bottom of the far circle at 13:35. Mike Sgroi scored what ended up as the deciding goal at 3:25 of the third period. Sgroi took a one-timer pass from Steve Yetman and fired it past Charlie Effinger after the Devils were unable to clear the puck out of their zone. Akeson put the Devils within one with 1:29 left in regulation, as the teamscored with the extra attacker for the first time this season, and just the 10th time in team history. Unfortunately, the comeback fell short as the Devils lost consecutive games for the first time since late-December.

PROUGH OFF TO A GOOD START IN 2009: Devils forward Jeff Prough continues to impress for the Devils. The team's leading goal scorer (18) has averaged over a point per game in 2009, with 17 points (10g, 7a) in his last 16 games. His 18th goal Sunday afternoon marked a career-high, as he scored 17 during his sophomore year at Brown University.

QUICK HITS: Brad Snetsinger has a six-game point scoring streak (2g, 6a)...Ryan Gunderson (3rd), Matt Cohen (T-8th), and Dave Leaderer (T-14th) are each in the top 20 amongst defensemen in points. The Devils have the most defensemen in the top 20.

UPCOMING GAMES

Wednesday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. -- Devils vs. Wheeling Nailers

The Trenton Devils will host the Wheeling Nailers for the first time this season after playing their four first games against the Nailers in Wheeling. The Nailers own a 3-1-0-0 season series advantage; though they have a considerably weaker lineup since the Devils last played them on December 21, a 6-2 loss. Since that game, the two teams have gone in opposite directions. The Nailers are 8-10-1-1, while the Devils have gone 13-4-1-0.

Friday, February 13, 7:35 p.m. -- Devils @ Elmira Jackals

The Devils play the Jackals for the sixth time in five weeks, with the Jackals winning the previous two contests. The Jackals lead the season series, 6-5-0-0. Coming into the week, the Jackals sit in second place of the ECHL's American Conference North Division, eight points ahead of the Devils. Trenton has five games in hand on the Jackals.

Saturday, February 14, 7:05 p.m. -- Devils @ Johnstown Chiefs

The Devils return to Johnstown to play the Chiefs for the final time this season. The Devils have won four straight against the Chiefs, and lead the season series, 5-3-1-0. The Chiefs are in the fourth and final playoff spot in the division, six points ahead of the Devils, who have two games in hand.

Sunday, February 15, 5:05 p.m. -- Devils @ Reading Royals

The Devils finish up their week with another tilt against the Royals after the two teams split back-to-back overtime games at Sovereign Bank Arena. David Nimmo leads the Royals with six points (2g, 4a) in five games against the Devils.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, February 10, 2:00 p.m. -- Face Off for Fitness, Milford, NJ

Trenton Devils Athletic Trainer Michael Bronstein and a Trenton Devils player will visit the students of Milford Public School in Milford, NJ to teach them about healthy eating and exercise habits. The Face Off for Fitness program is part of the Trenton Devils P.L.A.Y. Program, sponsored by NJEA.

Wednesday, February 11, 7:00 p.m -- Dollar Hot Dog Night ay at Sovereign Bank Arena

Fans attending the game can purchase hot dogs for a dollar from various concession stands during the Devils' game against the Wheeling Nailers.

Practice/Game Schedule: (subject to change)

Tuesday, February 10 -- Practice at Sovereign Bank Arena, 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, February 11 -- Pre-game Skate at Sovereign Bank Arena, 10:00 a.m.

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

Thursday, February 12 -- Practice at Grundy Recreation Center, 10:00 a.m.

Travel to Elmira

Friday, February 13 -- Pre-game skate at First Arena, 11:15 a.m.

Game @ Elmira -- 7:35 p.m.

Travel to Johnstown

Saturday, February 14 -- Pre-game skate at Cambria County War Memorial, 11:15 a.m.

Game @ Johnstown -- 7:05 p.m.

Travel to Reading

Sunday, February 15 -- Game @ Reading -- 5:05 p.m.

Return to Trenton

Monday, February 16 -- Practice at Sovereign Bank Arena, 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.

Along the Boards returns February 25! Join Paul Roper with Trenton Devils coaches and players live from the Lawrence Grill at the Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrenceville, NJ. Fans are invited to come out to the show, which starts at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25. The show is streamed online at the Devils' official website, www.trentondevils.com, courtesy of B2 Networks.



ECHL Stories from February 9, 2009


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