Trenton Devils End Scoring Woes to Force Overtime Win Against Wheeling Nailers

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com –

TRENTON, NJ (November 25, 2007) – The Devils ended their scoring drought in a big way Sunday evening, blasting two goals within a minute of each other to come from behind and force a shootout against the Wheeling Nailers.  It was a shootout that they would win, as Jason Smith made three stops and the Devils hung three goals on the board to get the extra point, emerging victoriously, 3-2.

Trenton brought about an overtime with little time to spare in the third period.  Down 2-0 9:30 into the last frame of regulation, the Devils worked a power play to perfection to pick up their first goal in over 180 minutes of regulation.  Jay Pemberton, playing the point, received a feed from Ryan Gunderson along the blue line, and rocketed home a slapshot, beating Brown to the right side of the net. 

In what was Pemberton’s first goal of the season, Gunderson and Jason Paige would get assists on the play.

The Devils were energized coming off of the goal, and newcomer Matt Rogers would send the crowd to their feet less than 33 seconds later.  Forcing his way into the attacking zone, Rogers evaded one defender and spun out to the left side of the crease with the puck.  Creating an opportunity, he lifted a shot by Brown and into the back of the net, tying the game at two.

Recently acquired by the Devils, it was Rogers’ first goal for Trenton, and his first tally of the season.  Assisting the play were Joe Rooney and Eric Castonguay, leaving Rooney and Gunderson tied for the team lead in points with ten.

After a scoreless overtime period the teams traded goals through the shootout, until Gunderson took to the ice again.  Shooting the puck past Brown close to the crease, the rookie defenseman created a lead which Smith would succeed in holding, stopping the final two Nailers skaters and earning his second win of the season.

David Laliberte and Aaron Clarke would both score for Wheeling, as Brown played spectacular defense into the third period.  The netminder stymied the Devils for fifty minutes, stopping 39 straight shots before the fortieth, Pemberton’s, blasted through.  Coming off of the wrong end of two shutouts, the Devils would end a scoring drought lasting 190 minutes and 53 seconds.

The Devils finished with a season-high 53 shots on goal, all but six of which came in regulation.

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