News

Estero, FL, January 30, 2010 - Offensive firsts propelled the Devils to a 6-3 victory over the Everblades Saturday at Germain Arena. Ryan Ginand posted Trenton's first hat trick of the season, Justin Coutu scored his first goal of the season and Andy Thomas marked his first multi-point game, as Trenton took the rubber match of the three game series.

Saturday's contest mirrored Friday's, with roles reversed. It was Trenton taking a two-goal lead in the first period and fending off numerous comebacks from the Everblades. Ginand set up Trenton's first goal at 3:38, skating the puck to the goal mouth with a few whacks from him, Thomas and the eventual scorer, Matt Vokes. Ginand got his second goal on a shorthanded breakaway at 8:51. His fantastic stick handling fooled Chris Beckford-Tseu for the 2-0 Trenton lead.

Brandon Buck closed the gap with a power play goal for the Blades at 9:27, but Ginand reasserted Trenton's two goal edge with his second of the game at 17:04, handling through the mid-slot before rifling one past Beckford-Tseu's shoulder, with Thomas and Tony Zancanaro assisting. The Devils led 3-1 at the end of one period.

Milan Gajic replicated Friday's two-goal, scoring twice in the second period to knot the game 3-3. Both came on the power play in the first seven minutes of the period as Florida ended up converting on three of its seven extra-man chances. The Devils lone power play goal reclaimed the lead at 10:07. Ginand, who had several chances to pick up the hat trick, finally tallied his third goal during a Devils five-on-three. With Slavomir Tomko and Tim Kunes working the puck at the points, Ginand took the puck from the left wing and fired it toward the goal mouth and it snuck past Beckford-Tseu for a 4-3 advantage.

The Devils added insurance late in the second, as Justin Coutu blasted one from the neutral zone on goal that ticked off Beckford-Tseu's glove and into the net for his first goal of the year at 19:28. In the third, Kyle Kucharski's breakout pass set up a two-on-one led by Dan Eves. Down the right wing, Eves used pin-point accuracy to beat Beckford-Tseu just inside the long post and under the cross bar for the final score of the night at 5:36, his tenth of the year.

Dave Caruso was solid in net, making his first appearance since suffering a knee injury in Reading nearly two weeks ago. The former Ohio State Buckeye stopped 33 of 36 Florida shots.

The Devils (16-20-4-5, 41pts) return to New Jersey collecting four out of six possible points on their trip to the Sunshine State. They remain in third place in the East Division, eleven points better than Johnstown. Trenton will play its next eight games against East Division Rivals, starting with the Chiefs Wednesday at 7 p.m., the first of a four game homestand.

--devils--