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DEVILS WEEKLY: MARCH 2 - 8, 2010

Trenton, N.J. - The Devils (25-26-4-5, 59pts) earned an important two points on the road this week to keep pace with the pack in the hunt for the playoffs. The Devils, who are 7-3 in their last ten games, sit in eleventh place in the American Conference. Trenton needs to jump three teams for the eighth and final playoff spot with 12 games to play. The Devils are one point behind the Gwinnett Gladiators (27-26-4-2, 60pts), three points behind the Wheeling Nailers (28-28-2-4, 62pts), and five points behind the Reading Royals (30-25-1-3, 64pts), who sit in the final playoff spot. The seventh place Toledo Walleye (31-25-1-3, 66pts) and the fourth place Kalamazoo Wings (34-17-5-3, 76pts) visit the Sun National Bank Center this week as Trenton looks to gain ground in the American Conference playoff hunt.

QUICK HITS

-Jeff Prough marked two multi-point games this week, scoring two goals and notching one assist on March 6 and recording one goal and an assist on March 6. The Brown alum has accumulated nine points (5g, 4a) in the last five games and leads the Devils in points (46) and goals (24).

-Tony Zancanaro had a six point (4g, 2a) week this week, including multi-point performances on Saturday and Sunday. Zancanaro notched one goal and recorded two assists and was named the second star of the game in Saturday's win over Wheeling. The Trenton, MI native has recorded nine points (2g, 7a) in the last five games and has recorded 41 points (15g, 26a) with the Devils this season.

-Both Dan Eves and Kyle Kucharski were productive in their returns to the lineup this weekend. After sitting out three games, Eves made his presence known, scoring two goals in his return to the bench on March 6 and added an assist on March 7. The Lake Superior State grad has amassed 29 points (14g, 15a) in 47 games with the Devils this season. Kucharski was scoreless in his return but recorded three assists over the weekend. The Saugus, MA native has recorded 21 points (8g, 13a) in 43 games with the Devils this season.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

ROYALS HALT DEVILS' STREAK, WIN 6-4

Trenton's winning streak was stopped at six games in a 6-4 loss to the Reading Royals on Tuesday at the Sun National Bank Center. Dave Caruso had an assist and made 36 saves in the loss while Matt Dalton stopped 41 shots for the win. Both teams came out firing in a wide open first period. Brett Wilson got the Devils on the board early in the first with his tenth of the year. Jeff Prough extended Trenton's lead to 2-0 at 8:27 with his team-leading twenty-first of the year. Trenton's Chris Poli and Reading's Scott Langdon traded goals less than two minutes apart in the middle of the first. After a breakout pass from Caruso, Poli weaved through four Royals before beating Dalton under his right pad on the long side. The Royals closed out the frame with two goals, one by Andrew Sarauer and one by Matt Ward, who scored his first professional goal. The second period was much more defensively minded and remained scoreless until Royals defenseman Ryan-James Hand scored his first goal of the season on a wrist shot from the point at 17:34, putting the Royals ahead for good. Rob Slaney extended the Royals' lead to 5-3 at 14:42 in the third. With Dave Caruso pulled for an extra attacker, Matt Vokes' low snap shot beat Dalton to slice Reading's lead to one goal at 18:32. However, Stefano Giliati's empty net goal with a minute left to play sealed the win for the Royals.

WALLEYE TOP DEVILS WITH FIVE-GOAL THIRD

The Walleye out-dueled the Devils, 5-3, Friday night in Toledo, remaining perfect in four meetings this season against Trenton. Stifled by Dave Caruso on their first 27 shots of the game, the Walleye began the third period trailing 1-0, but surged to lead three minutes into the frame and did not relent. Dan Eves scored the lone goal in the first two periods at 13:31 of the first. Parked between the circles, Eves directed a high-slot drive from Tim Kunes which carried past goalie Alec Richards for the games' first score. Two fights late in the first pinned Trenton's Justin Pender against Adam Keefe, followed shortly by Chris Murray scrapping with Mark Nebus, the latter receiving a game misconduct. Toledo scored five goals in the third period, overtaking the Devils with goals from defensemen Jonathan Carlsson and J.C. Sawyer by the 3:09 mark. The Devils responded quickly to even the score. Eves moved into the zone on a pass from Dan Charleston and blasted his second of the game past Alec Richards. Maxime Tanguay and J.C. Sawyer scored two in succession to give the Walleye a 4-2 advantage in the first half of the third. Andy Thomas cut into the Toledo lead at 13:30, blasting a shot from the neutral zone that Richards couldn't control. Tanguay put the game out of reach with his second of the game at 15:05. The 5-3 Walleye victory was cemented with Dan Charleston in the penalty box for high sticking at 17:31, preventing any chance of a late Devils rally. Dan Eves registered two goals after spending three games out of the lineup and Dave Caruso 38 shots for the loss.

DEVILS SKATE PAST NAILERS, 6-3

Trenton snapped a two-game skid with a 6-3 victory over Wheeling Saturday at the WesBanco Arena. Jeff Prough and Jack Combs scored two goals each and Tony Zancanaro registered three points in the win. The Nailers seemed to grab the momentum early on an apparent goal from Jordan Fox; however, the goal was waived off because it had been determined that Fox had kicked the puck past Coleman. Jeff Prough scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season at 12:40. Prough fired from a tough angle but the puck glanced off the inside of Teslak's pad and stick and through his legs for a 1-0 Devils lead. Carryover penalties led to a four-on-four goal 21 seconds into the second period for Wheeling. A rebound goal from Casey Pierro-Zabotel tied the game 1-1 but Prough responded quickly to establish a 2-1 lead for the Devils. Dave Leaderer extended the lead to 3-1, winning a one-on-one race for the puck toward the left wing circle. The shot from a tough angle glanced off Teslak's left pad and into the net at 14:30 of the second. Blair Yaworski got one back for Wheeling on a shorthanded breakaway at 17:40, beating Coleman inside the long post and just under the crossbar. Jack Combs rebuilt the Devils' advantage with two scores in the third, his 19th and 20th of the season. Combs' goals sandwiched a Billy Ryan power play marker midway through the third but Trenton's defense clamped down, killing two Wheeling power plays in the final minutes. Tony Zancanaro scored a short-handed empty net goal in the finals two minutes to secure a 6-3 Devils victory.

NAILERS HOLD OFF DEVILS, 5-3

The Wheeling Nailers took the early lead and fended off Trenton comeback attempts to hold on for the 5-3 win Sunday afternoon at the WesBanco Arena. The Nailers snapped a six-game winless streak and avoided dropping behind Trenton in the playoff hunt. TJ Fox got the scoring started for the Nailers with a goal five minutes into the first. Like the Nailers in the previous game, the Devils had a goal waived off in the first, as a series of goalmouth chances pushed a fumbling Michael-Lee Teslak across his goal line with the puck seemingly underneath him. The goal light went on, but the officials ultimately determined the puck never entirely crossed the goal line. A two-on-one breakaway got the Devils on the board early in the second period. Matt Vokes created a turnover at center ice and pushed the puck to Jack Combs across the blue line on the left wing. With only one defender back for Wheeling, Combs passed to Brett Wilson on the right side who buried the puck for his fourth goal in five games. The 1-1 tie was broken less than two minutes later when Aaron Clarke buried his 19th of the season. The Devils tied the game at the end of the second on a goal from Tony Zancanaro. Just 25 seconds into the frame, Fox scored his second of the game, on the power play, to put the Devils ahead for good. Jonathan D'Aversa added an insurance goal at 11:15 of the third to make it 4-1 Wheeling. Kyle Kucharski helped Trenton get one back with his third assist in two nights at 11:25. Kucharski made a sudden, sharp feed from behind the goal perfectly to Prough in front for the score. With Caruso pulled for an extra attacker, Billy Ryan scored an empty netter to seal the Nailers' 5-3 victory, the first win for Teslak since January 26. Teslak made 29 saves for the win while Dave Caruso stopped 20 shots in the loss.

CARUSO NAMED ECHL GOALTENDER OF MONTH

Dave Caruso won seven of his nine games in the month of February with a 2.00 GAA to help the Devils to their strongest month of the season. Caruso ended the month with a career-best six-game win streak that began with a 5-3 win against Reading on February 12 and allowed only one goal in five of his nine starts last month. Visit www.trentondevils.com to read the full press release.

VOKES NAMED REEBOK HOCKEY ECHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

Matt Vokes recorded 20 points (9g, 11a) in 11 games with the Devils in February, including three game-winning goals, to help Trenton go 8-3-0. The Auburn, MA native led rookies during February in goals, assists, game-winners, and plus-minus. Vokes registered a career high four goals against Wheeling on Feb. 21 and tied a career high with three assists against Reading on February 5, at Elmira on February 14 and at Johnstown on February 20 and tallied three-or-more points in four of his 11 games during the month. Read the full press release on www.trentondevils.com.

THE WEEK AHEAD

UPCOMING GAMES

Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Devils vs. Toledo Walleye

Friday, March 12, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Devils vs. Toledo Walleye

Trenton plays Toledo (31-25-1-3, 66pts) for the second and third time in a week and hosts the Walleye at the Sun National Bank Center for the first time all season. When the two teams last met on March 5, the Walleye scored five goals in the third period to overcome the Devils 5-3. Toledo is coming off a 2-1 loss to the Charlotte Checkers on Sunday. The Walleye sit in seventh place in the American Conference, two points ahead of eighth place Reading.

Saturday, March 13, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Devils vs. Kalamazoo Wings

The Devils host Kalamazoo (34-17-5-3, 76pts) for the first time since October and play the Wings for the first time since November 22. Last time the two teams met on November 22, the Devils pulled off a 4-3 victory in Kalamazoo. The Wings sit in fourth place in the American Conference and are coming off a 6-5 overtime loss at the hands of the Reading Royals.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS

Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Dollar Dog Night

Hot dogs are just $1 at select concession stands.

Friday, March 12, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Trenton Devils Flag/Jersey Raffle

The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive at Trenton Devils Arena Flag courtesy of the Trentonian.

Don't miss your chance to own a Jim Henkel White Trenton Devils jersey! Visit the table behind section 115 for your chance to win. Raffle tickets are just $2.

Saturday, March 13, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - Pierre-Luc Leblond Bobblehead/Jersey Raffle

The first 2,000 Devils fans will receive a Pierre-Luc Leblond Bobblehead courtesy of NJEA.

Tonight's game-worn jersey raffle is Pierre-Luc Leblond Red Trenton Devils jersey. Stop by the table behind section 115 for your chance to win. Tickets are just $2.

Saturday, April 3, 2010, 7:05 p.m. - Bus Trip to Reading

Ride our chartered bus to Reading to cheer on your Trenton Devils in their last game of the regular season as they face-off against the East Division-leading Royals on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are just $35 for admission to the game, transportation to and from the Sovereign Center, and a Trenton Devils fan pack. The bus will leave at 4:00 p.m. from the Trenton Devils front office located at Roebling Market, 635 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08611. Contact Kristen Bartholomew to reserve your seat at 609-599-9500 or email kbartholomew@trentondevils.com.

DEVILS GAME BROADCASTS: Join Dan D'Uva for all the play-by-play action at www.trentondevils.com and select games on Z88.9-FM, plus interviews on You Tube. Upcoming Z88.9 broadcasts include March 12 and March 19-21.

For the latest news on your Trenton Devils visit www.trentondevils.com.