Devils’ Brodeur robs Bruins’Pouliot with the glove

Sabres’ Miller with the quick stick against Jets’ Tanner Glass

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Bordson, who received the night’s First Ace, scored his 10^th goal on the power play with 1:53 remaining in the first period, erasing an early 1-0 Royals lead via a goal by John Scrymgeour.

His second, his 11^th of the season, came just 32 seconds after Everett Sheen had given the Roya;ls a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Key on the play was an assist from Ryan Hayes, who earned the Second Ace.

The game-winner was scored by Third Ace Matt Germain less than three minutes later, with 15:25 left in the second period, his ninth of the season.

In outshooting the Royals 56-25, the Titans scored their fourth straight win over the Royals and closed to within four points of Reading in the ECHL Atlantic standings.

“It could have been our best 60-minute effort of the season,’’ said Titans head coach Vince Williams.

The Titans will complete a demanding 3-in-3 weekend by traveling to Elmira for a 4:05 p.m. meeting with the Jackals Sunday.

Reading 1 1 0 – 2
Trenton 1 2 0 – 3

1st Period-1, Reading, Scrymgeour 2 (Brenner, Ryan), 9:32. 2, Trenton, Bordson 10 (Thomas, Phillips), 18:07 (PP). Penalties-Stoesz Tre (slashing ), 10:49; Liotti Rea (slashing ), 16:14.

2nd Period-3, Reading, Sheen 4 (Brenner), 0:50. 4, Trenton, Bordson 11 (Hayes), 1:38. 5, Trenton, Germain 9 (Cameron, Silva), 4:35. Penalties-Mallaro Tre (high-sticking), 7:16.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Reading 11-7-7-25. Trenton 14-21-21-56.
Power Play Opportunities-Reading 0 / 2; Trenton 1 / 1.
Goalies-Reading, Dainton 6-4-2-1 (56 shots-53 saves). Trenton, Phillips 4-6-0-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-3,827

The Road Warriors Brett Robinson scored the opening goal of the game at 2:03 into the first period to give Greenville the 1-0 lead. Gwinnett outshot the Warriors 11-6, but still remained down by one to end the period.

Forward Andy Brandt initiated the 9^th Annual Teddy Bear Toss with a goal that beat Greenville’s netminder Jason Missiaen to tie the game 1-1 at 2:44 into the second period. Captain Paul Flache collected the helper with a pass to the glove side of Missiaen from the near circle for Brandt to deflect helping him collect his eighth marker of the season.

The goal unleashed a flurry of fur onto the ice that halted the game for over 10 minutes as the teddy bears and stuffed animals were collected.  Over 5,000 bears and stuffed animals where collected that will be donated to local charities in North Georgia.

The Road Warriors took a 2-1 lead at the 15:39 mark of the second period with a goal from Justin Bowers with the help from Robinson and Marc-Oliver Vallerand. Greenville kept the one-goal advantage to end the middle period.

Gladiator Colin Vock battled through the defense to get the puck to defenseman Cody Brookwell who passed it to Nikita Kashirsky. Kashirsky danced into the zone with the puck and pulled up at the top of the circle to tee up the shot that beat Missiaen to tie the game 2-2 at the 1:22 mark of the final period. Kashirsky’s goal was his first goal since December 2^nd against the Florida Everblades.

Brookwell notched another point on the night as he set up the game-winner from just inside the blue line. Brookwell set a season best with two assist in the win. Justin Milo had the goal deflecting Brookwell’s shot from the point.  Chris Clackson add an assist on the marker. Clackson has 12 assists on the season and is tops for Gwinnett in plus/minus ranking.

Netminder Jeff Jakaitis notched his 12^th win for the Glads with 12 saves. Gwinnett had more than double the shots of Greenville, outshooting the Road Warriors 38-14 in the contest.

The Gladiators will return to the Arena at Gwinnett Center to host the Greenville Road Warriors on Monday at 12:30 p.m. to observe MLK Day.

Elmira, NY

Box Score

The Jackals kicked off the scoring at 9:48 of the first period when defenseman Mike Devin fired a shot past Stingrays goaltender Philipp Grubauer (W, 17 saves on 18 shots) from the right-wing point. Forwards Jordan Pietrus and Rob Bellamy earned assists. The Stingrays responded with a power-play tally from forward Chris Doyle at 18:08 knocking home a rebound under the pads of Jackals keeper Brian Stewart (L, 34 saves on 36 shots) along the left-wing post. Defenseman Zach Tarkir and forward Mike Hamilton assisted on Doyle’s fifth goal of the season.
Stingrays forward Maxime Lacroix buried the game-winning goal on the man advantage at 4:08 of the third frame forcing a shot between the legs of Stewart along the near pipe. Defenseman Nick Tabisz and Hamilton grabbed assists. The Stingrays ended the night 2-for-5 on the power play while the Jackals went 0-for-2.

The Stingrays wrap up a seven-game road trip Monday, January 16 against the Reading Royals at 1:00 p.m. at the Sovereign Center and return to the North Charleston Coliseum Friday, January 20 against the Greenville Road Warriors at 7:05 p.m. for Dog Days of Winter featuring a Super Weiner Dog Race!

A few hiccups along the way were to be expected. But with 43 points in 36 games, including a stellar 11-2-2-1 mark at Ricoh Coliseum, it’s hard to imagine how things could have gone much better so far in 2011-12. Some extra good news was received this week when it was announced that Marlies’ forwards Joe Colborne and Nazem Kadri were named to the AHL’s Western Conference All-Star team.

Although Kadri is playing with the Maple Leafs and his participation at the league’s showcase event at the end of January in Atlantic City, N.J. is unlikely, the fact remains that there are a number of Toronto players who could have received consideration to be recognized as all-stars. But in addition to winning, the Marlies are responsible for having players ready when the NHL call comes. Four who have seen time with the AHL club this year are now playing their home games at the Air Canada Centre.

The Marlies have the best penalty killing in the league, are eighth in the league in goals against per game and have five shutouts this season (including three from the recently smoking-hot Jussi Rynnas). In addition, they’ve led 14 games after two periods this season and won them all. The numbers prove that the Marlies are paying attention in their own end and doing a lot of little things properly when they don’t have possession of the puck.

Here is a brief look at some of the top performers over the last few weeks. (with AHL statistics in parentheses):

Joe Colborne – His point-per-game clip helped him earn that all-star spot. But the 6-5 center from Calgary has turned some heads with his shooting percentage of 19%. He’s usually seeing the opponents’ top line and he’s handling tasks at both ends of the ice quite well. (25 GP — 11 G – 13 A – plus-4 — 8 PIM)

Jerry D’Amigo – One of just four players to see action in every game so far, the Binghamton, N.Y. native had at least a point in five of his last six games heading into the first weekend of January. He leads the team with three game-winning goals. (36 GP — 9 G – 11 A – plus-6 — 16 PIM)

Jussi Rynnas – After starting the season with a shutout it was a bumpy ride for the 6-5 native of Finland, in his second year with the club. But look out now. He’s allowed just one goal in his last three starts and he’s gotten his stats back to respectable levels. (14 GP – 7-7-0 – 2.70 GAA — .908 SV% — 3 shutouts)

Mike Zigomanis – With nine points in his last six games, the team’s scoring leader is still a reliable contributor and he’s as good in the face-off circle as anyone in the league. He’s fourth in the AHL in power-play assists and 18^th in points. (33 GP — 7 G – 25A – minus-3 — 24 PIM)

– Barry Schickling can be contacted at Barry.DoubleSMedia@rocketmail.com

Lundqvist denies Briere on the Penalty Shot

Rupp Beats Bobrovsky low to the glove side

Nice Glove save by Henrik Lundqvist

Gotta Love When A Goalie Scores!

Just a Sick Save By Backstrom

Hayes admits that this offseason was a strange one, but is happy to be back in a familiar setting, “Somehow I found my way back (to Trenton) and I’m pretty excited to be back.  I’m doing pretty well and the team is doing a lot better and we are starting to win.”  Winning is something the Trenton Devils did not do much last season on a regular basis, something Hayes feels the Titans are capable of, “It helps everybody (winning).  When the team is positive, everything is positive.  Last year we would win one game  then lose two then win one and everyone was kind of off on their own page.  This year it’s been better since we seem to be putting wins together.”

In 21 games as a Titan this season Hayes, the native of Syracuse, NY, has 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points.  His 20 points on the season (1pt in Greenville) trail Bordson and Bohmbach by 1 for the team scoring lead.  Hayes is on pace to eclipse his numbers from last season (50 points in 63 games) which is something that does not surprise Head Coach Vince Williams, “He has come a long way since I had him last year (With the Devils).  I think he has a really good skill set and if he keeps doing the little things can improve more.”

Williams also admits that trading Hayes at the beginning of the year was not a decision he took lightly, “At the time, we were looking to get a little older.  Given what we were getting (Schepke who failed his physical), you have to give something up to get something.”  Once Hayes became available, the coach was eager to bring him back to the State Capital, “I did not think twice to pick him back up.  If you don’t know Ryan Hayes, he is a great kid and I knew what I was getting.  He is a hockey player and he loves to play and takes pride in his game.”

His pride has shown throughout this season and if he continues to contribute we could see the re-formed Titans make a push for the postseason this spring.

Jakaitis turned aside all 23 shots faced for his third win in-a-row in his fourth straight start. Daren Machesney made 21 saves to keep the Stingrays in it, but the Glads made their lone marker on the night count.

Gwinnett got the offense going early in the second, as Will Colbert blasted a slapper from the point past a screened Machesney just 36 seconds in. Forwards Igor Gongalsky and Nikita Kashirsky added the assists on Colbert’s second tally of the season and Gwinnett held the 1-0 edge through two periods.

South Carolina upped the pressure in the third, but the Gwinnett defense and Jakaitis stood tall, including during a late two minute 5-on-3 for the Stingrays. After totaling just 11 shots through the first two periods the Rays had 12 in the third, but Gwinnett held on for the 1-0 win.

These two teams meet again Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. at North Charleston Coliseum.

Defenseman Jordon Southorn, who arrived back from loan to the AHL Rochester Americans, defenseman Ray DiLauro, a cagey veteran playing his first game with the Titans, forward Steve Silva, playing his first Titans game and Matt Germain, seeing more playing time, were the key operatives.

Southorn scored the Titans’ initial goal, DiLauro had his first two Titans assists, Silva also contributed a pair of assists in his first appearance after a long stint on Injured Reserve and Germain had his first two-goal game.

Germain captured the evening’s first Ace, Silva the second and Southorn the third.

With the win, the Titans move to 10-12-2-1-23, while the Walleye fell to 10-13-0-1-21).

Following a goal by talented Toledo defenseman Barry Rufenach with 10:42 left in the first period, Southorn tied the game with at most a second remaining in the first period, assisted by Randy Rowe.

The Titans took the lead with a goal by Ryan Hayes, off DiLauro’s first assist, with 6:58 left, but Toledo knotted matters at 2-2 on a goal by Phil Rauch 33 seconds later. The Titans then took the lead again good on Germain’s first goal with 58 seconds left in the period for a 3-2 advantage. Silva and Eric Baier had the assists.

Andres Nestrasil tied the contest at 3-3 with 15:37 remaining, but a power-play goal by Dustin Cameron with 12:28 remaining gave the Titans the lead for good as J.S. Berube and Rowe, who also contributed a pair of assists, set things up.

Germain’s second goal of the evening, from DiLauro and Silva with 9:56 remaining, put the game away.

The Titans and Walleye skate again at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Toledo 1 1 1 – 3
Trenton 1 2 2 – 5

1st Period-1, Toledo, Rufenach 9 (DiDomenico, Lewicki), 9:18. 2, Trenton, Southorn 4 (Rowe), 19:59. Penalties-Berube Tre (interference), 11:48.

2nd Period-3, Trenton, Hayes 7 (DiLauro), 13:02. 4, Toledo, Rauch 4 (DiDomenico, Rufenach), 13:35. 5, Trenton, Germain 3 (Baier, Silva), 19:02. Penalties-Page Tol (hooking), 5:54.

3rd Period-6, Toledo, Nestrasil 1 (Page, DiDomenico), 4:23. 7, Trenton, Cameron 6 (Berube, Rowe), 7:32 (PP). 8, Trenton, Germain 4 (Silva, DiLauro), 10:04. Penalties-DiLauro Tre (slashing ), 0:27; Page Tol (tripping), 1:57; Page Tol (hooking), 6:07; Rufenach Tol (interference), 10:52; Rowe Tre (roughing), 11:37.

Shots on Goal-Toledo 10-9-14-33. Trenton 14-10-5-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Toledo 0 / 3; Trenton 1 / 4.
Goalies-Toledo, McCollum 2-4-0-1 (29 shots-24 saves). Trenton, Caruso 6-8-1-1 (33 shots-30 saves).
A-3,101