Five Unanswered Lift Devils Over Nailers

January 2, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Trenton Devils toppled the Wheeling Nailers 5-2 on Saturday night to stay undefeated in 2010 with an impressive come-from-behind victory. Jack Combs and Tony Zancanaro led the way with two goals each, and Gerald Coleman picked up his sixth win of the season.

Less than two minutes into the contest, Wheeling right winger Chris Davis took advantage of a fortuitous bounce to give the Nailers a 1-0 lead. Alex Grant unleashed a rocket from the right point that was blocked in front, and before Gerald Coleman could recover, Davis picked up the rebound and slid the puck past Coleman into the net.

Wheeling doubled their lead with nine minutes remaining in the first courtesy of a T.J. Fox power play tally. With Tim Kunes in the box for a delay of game penalty at 10:32, Wheeling's special teams unit took to the ice. It didn't take long for the Nailers' fifth-best power play to cash in, as Fox walked out from along the right wing boards and beat Coleman with a high wrister from the circle for his 12th goal of the season 28 seconds into the man advantage.

Despite the discrepancy on the scoreboard after the first, the shots were even at seven a piece after one period of play, and the T-Devils had a number of quality chances denied by Wheeling goaltender Michael-Lee Teslak, including a spectacular stop on Brett Wilson. Midway through the first, Zancanaro found Wilson streaking down the middle and threw a centering pass into the slot from the top of the left circle. Wilson was able to re-direct the puck on goal, but was turned aside by the left pad of Teslak.

Just 1:37 into the second, the Devils had another quality chance courtesy of Zancanaro's keen passing, and this time, they made no mistake converting the opportunity into a goal. Zancanaro again found an open Devils forward, hitting Combs with a beautiful breakaway pass at the blue line to send him in all alone against Teslak. Teslak slid to his right to make the initial stop, but left a loose puck sitting to his left just shy of the goal line. Matt Vokes won the race to the crease and poked the puck into the gaping net for his first professional goal to pull the Devils to within one.

The Devils fortunes continued to turn later in the second when Kory Nagy's hard work along the end boards drew a hooking penalty at 11:33, and 33 seconds later, the T-Devils would go to work on an extended five-on-three power play courtesy of Cliff Loya's delay of game penalty. After numerous passes by the T-Devils without a shot on goal, Tim Kunes obliged the anxious crowd and one-timed a feed from Justin Pender towards the net. Combs was able to deflect Kunes' bid from in front and the puck fluttered past Teslak to tie the game 2-2 heading into the final period of play.

After an uneventful start to the third, Jack Combs completed the T-Devils comeback with his second goal of the night. Andy Thomas sent a point shot towards the Wheeling goal that was turned aside, but Combs buried the rebound behind Teslak for his sixth tally of the season to give Trenton the 3-2 lead.

Although the Devils failed to convert on a flurry of chances during an extended Trenton power play, the T-Devils added an insurance goal just seven seconds after the man advantage ended thanks to Zancanaro. Slavomir Tomko, facing his former team for the first time since being acquired from Wheeling on December 17, sent a backhand pass through the slot to Zancanaro, whose one-timer caught a piece of the outstretched blocker hand of Teslak but still found its way into the net to put the Devils up 4-2.

Shortly after, with Chris Poli serving two minutes in the box for a high sticking penalty, it appeared Wheeling would have an opportunity to climb back into the game, but it was the Devils who would seal the game for good. Zancanaro gained control of the puck on the penalty kill and dumped the puck into the Wheeling zone from just past center ice. The clearing attempt headed on goal, somehow eluding Teslak and finding its way into the cage for a shorthanded marker.

The goal gave the Devils a commanding 5-2 lead and Trenton never looked back, closing out the game with a number of impressive saves by Gerald Coleman, who finished the night with 15 saves.

The T-Devils next take to the ice on January 6 in Cincinnati for a 7:30 p.m. matchup against the North Division leading Cyclones.



ECHL Stories from January 2, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central