Titans split to stay in second place

February 26, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Devils News Release


TRENTON, NJ - The Trenton Titans went 2-2-0 this past week, but could not gain any ground on the division-leading Cincinnati Cyclones. Trenton took the ice on Tuesday for a road game against the Dayton Bombers and came out triumphant, 7-4. The Titans then returned home to host the Cyclones for two games and a potential battle for first in the North. They could not close the gap, however, falling on Friday, 4-3, before gaining redemption in a big way on Saturday with a 7-1 drubbing. Trenton had one last chance on the weekend to gain some ground on Cincinnati, but could not muster any offense in a 3-0 loss to the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday. Heading into this week, the Titans still remain in second place and prepare to hit the road for games against the Toledo Storm on Friday and Saturday and the Dayton Bombers on Sunday.

FINDING A WAY: Jim Henkel's first hat trick of the year and a nine-point effort from the line of Henkel (3g), Scott Bertoli (3a) and Troy Riddle (1g, 2a) helped lead the Trenton Titans to a 7-4 victory over the Dayton Bombers on Tuesday. Despite skating with a depleted line-up, the Titans jumped out to a 3-0 lead 9:11 into the first period that chased starter Dan LaCosta in favor of Adam Berkhoel. The Bombers would battle back to make the score 4-4 heading into the third period, but Henkel's final goal of the night, a power play goal at 8:51, proved to be the game-winner.

DIGGING A HOLE TOO DEEP: It took only the first 9:52 of Friday's night game for Cincinnati to stake a 3-0 cushion en route to a 4-3 win over Trenton. New acquisitions for the Cyclones Travis Lisabeth and Mike Wirll both put the puck in the net, while Matt Rogers' unassisted goal sent goalie Joel Martin to the bench. Scott Bertoli got the Titans on the board eighteen seconds later to make the score 3-1. The two teams would skate without another goal until Sam Ftorek completed a two-on-one at 5:52 of the third period. That marker would prove to be the deciding goal, as Mark Pandolfo and Bertoli beat Ben Gray with time dwindling down to make a game of it. Gregg Naumenko took the tough luck loss stopping 22-of-23 in relief.

SEVEN'S HEAVEN: The Titans responded after Friday night's defeat at the hands of the Cyclones with a 7-1 whitewashing Saturday at the SBA. Though Sam Ftorek notched the first goal of the game at 14:35 of the opening period, Trenton would go on to score the next seven to run away with the match. After Benoit Mondou tied the score at 16:59 of the same period, Scott Bertoli's power play goal gave Trenton the lead for good with 30.8 left until the first intermission. In the second period Luis Tremblay picked up his first goal as a Trenton Titan and Jim Henkel gathered a tally on the man-advantage to make it 4-1. From there it was penalty-filled affair that saw 192 minutes of infractions combined for both squads. Mark Pandolfo added two goals for the Titans and Bertoli also recorded his second of night to complete his four-point (2g, 2a) effort.

NOTHING LEFT IN THE TANK: After an emotional and lengthy game the previous evening, the Titans could not find their legs in a 3-0 loss to the Wheeling Nailers on Sunday afternoon. The Nailers came out flying, outshooting the Titans 20-5 in the first period and taking a 1-0 lead into the locker room thanks to Jonathan Foster's goal at 6:34 of the stanza. While Trenton was able to generate some offensive chances in the second, they fell further behind after a shorthanded goal by Richard Colwill and power play tally by Ryan Moren at the end of the period. Andy Franck kept the puck out of his net with 25 saves in the game.

500 FOR BERTOLI!: Scott Bertoli tied a team-season high with four points (2g, 2a) on Saturday against the Cyclones. More significantly, with his first assist of the night, Bertoli tallied the 500th point of his professional career. The Titans' all-time leader in games played (501), goals (167), assists (331) and points (499), Bertoli has also registered five points (2g, 3a) in 13 AHL contests.

CENTURY MARK FOR HENKEL: With his power play goal in the Titans' 7-1 win over Cincinnati on Saturday, Jim Henkel registered his 100th goal as a pro. Now in his second season with Trenton, Henkel has recorded 40 goals in 100 games with the Titans and was the team's leading goal scorer last season with 22. Henkel set his career high for goals scored when potted 32 with the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies during his rookie year in 2002-03.

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: True to the ECHL's mission of being a developmental league, the Trenton Titans currently have nine players from their roster in the American Hockey League. Defensemen Olivier Magnan and Bryan Miller and left wing Mike Pandolfo are currently on assignment with the Lowell Devils, while the Philadelphia Phantoms have recalled forward Gino Pisellini and d-man Rosario Ruggeri. Blueliner Jerramie Domish signed a standard player contract with the Norfolk Admirals, while forwards John Laliberte and Gregg Johnson inked PTOs with Milwaukee and Bridgeport, respectively.

QUICK HITS: Scott Bertoli had his eleven-game scoring streak (7g, 14a) snapped on Sunday against Wheeling...The Titans are averaging 4.83 goals a game in six contests against the Cyclones this season...Trenton is 0-for-14 on the power play in their last two games versus Wheeling...The Titans are 13-1-1 when Troy Riddle has a multi-point game...Trenton is averaging 3.55 goals a game and is 21-4-2 when scoring four or more in a game

ALONG THE BOARDS: "Along the Boards," the Trenton Titans' weekly talk radio show, will return to the Sportsman's Pub Wednesday, February 28 at 7pm. This week's guests will be Assistant Coach Vince Williams and #25 Evan Shaw. "Along the Boards" will be heard this week on WBCB-1490AM at 10:30pm following The Bill Clement Show. The Sportsman's Pub is located at 819 Lalor Street in Trenton, NJ.

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday, March 2, 7:35pm - Titans @ Toledo Storm

Saturday, March 3, 7:35pm - Titans @ Toledo Storm

The Toledo Storm come into the week having won four of their last five matches, but now face a brutal schedule that has them playing five games over the next six days. The Storm own the league's best winning percentage at home (.792) with a 19-5-0 record at Toledo Sports Arena. Former Titan Matt Zultek leads Toledo with 38 points (16g, 22a) in 49 games. The Titans trail the season series 2-3-0.

Sunday, March 4, 5:00pm - Titans @ Dayton Bombers

The will be the tenth meeting out of eleven this season for the Titans and Bombers. Trenton owns a 3-0-0 record at the Nutter Center thanks to a 7-4 win on February 20. Dayton has lost three consecutive games after dropping two to the Royals this past weekend. Dayton is 24th in the ECHL on the power play (14.0%), but clicking at only 11.9% at home. Trenton leads the season series 5-2-2.

TITANS GAME BROADCASTS: Tune in as the Voice of the Titans, Mike O'Brien, brings you all of the Titans hockey action live on WBCB-1490AM Sunday through Thursday and WTSR-91.3 FM on Friday and Saturday. Fans can also watch or listen in on the Titans website, www.trentontitans.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. Video broadcasts are available for a charge of $6 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 February 26, 2007


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