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Energized Devils Dethrone Royals, 4-1

February 5, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Devils delivered a royal beating Friday night as first place Reading fell to Trenton 4-1, the Devils first victory against the Royals in nine games this season. Matt Vokes contributed a point on every Devils goal, scoring an even strength tally with three assists. Ryan Ginand scored both of Trenton's power play goals, including the game winner, with Trenton going two for five on the night while allowing a shorthanded goal. Jack Combs also scored a goal with two helpers. Dave Caruso made 25 saves opposite rookie Matt Dalton who saved 52 of the Devils season-high 56 shots on goal.

Outshooting Reading 26-8 in the first period, the Devils seemed determined to make amends for their shortcomings just two nights previous, a 3-0 loss to Johnstown. The offensive line of Vokes, Combs and Brett Wilson demonstrated the tenacious and intelligent play that the team had lacked in their shutout loss to the lowly Chiefs. Vokes lit the lamp at 4:54 on the Devils fifth shot of the game, scoring before Reading even registered their first shot on. Solid forechecking by Vokes and line mates Combs and Wilson led to an extended offensive zone possession. Combs sent a pass to point man Tim Kunes, who wristed a shot in the direction of Vokes at the left post, redirecting the biscuit past Dalton for his fifth goal of the season.

A scramble in front of the Devils goal 22 seconds into a Chris Clark cross-checking minor led to a shorthanded slap shot goal by Charlie Kronschnabel at 6:10, his ninth of the season, assisted by Marc Cavosie.

Not to be outdone on their own man advantage, the Devils battled back to regain the lead with just nine seconds left on the same power play. Ryan Ginand worked through a tight stick check to the left of the Royals goaltender, spun around and fired a low shot past the pad of Dalton for his tenth of the season. Combs and Vokes assisted on the play, giving them each two points by the end of the first.

Quality took precedent over quantity in the second period as Trenton scored another two goals, this time on 18 shots. Ryan Ginand netted his second of the evening and eleventh of the season on a two-man advantage at 7:26, pounding home a rebound after Slavomir Tomko's initial slapshot from the point was stopped and Vokes had the first crack at a putback with his body near the left post, squirting it across to the right post for Ginand's score.

Vokes added another helper on a goal by Jack Combs at 19:24 by keeping the puck in the offensive zone on yet another solid forecheck. Wilson picked up Vokes' keep-in off the left wing side-boards, skated hard toward the left post, all the while eyeing Combs cutting down the opposite side of the ice. As the defense converged on Wilson, he found Combs in the front of the cage for a one-timer ripped high over the shoulder of Dalton.

The Devils protected their lead in the third period, allowing just seven shots and adding 12 of their own with zero goals for either team. In concert with an Elmira victory over Wheeling, Reading (23-19-1-3, 50pts) vacates first place in the East for the first time since November 27, ironically a win against Trenton. The Devils (17-21-4-5, 43pts) are still in third place and next play the East's new first place team, Elmira (23-17-3-2, 51pts), at 1 p.m. Sunday.

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