The Johnstown Chiefs overcame a four-goal deficit to force overtime against Trenton but the Devils spoiled the New Year’s Eve party.
Trenton’s David Leaderer scored with 15 seconds left in overtime, giving the Devils a dramatic 5-4 win over the Chiefs in front of 3,589 fans at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
The Chiefs earned a point the hard way.
A wild comeback seemed to be unlikely after Trenton dashed to a 4-0 lead in the second period. But the Chiefs chipped away.
Neither team scored in the first but they combined for eight goals through regulation.
Chiefs all-star goaltender Kris Mayotte turned aside several solid Trenton scoring opportunities in the first.
Mayotte made a toe save on Jeff Prough from close range with 17:55 showing in the first. Prough had three shots in the sequence.
With less than seven minutes left, Mayotte stopped Thomas Harrison, who took a shot near the crease.
After the scoreless first period, Trenton broke the shutout via Brad Snetsinger’s goal 53 seconds into the middle period.
Snetsinger and Chiefs all-star defenseman Jon Landry were tied up in the low slot, when Snetsinger got free and beat Mayotte through the five-hole.
Twenty-one seconds later, Chiefs defenseman Trevor Hendrikx and Trenton’s Harrison fought, bringing the large crowd into the game.
But Trenton quickly quieted the fans after Prough scored with the Devils having an extra attacker on a delayed penalty call against Johnstown at 9:07.
The Devils scored two goals 16 seconds apart to make it 4-0 with 4:01 left in the second. Matt Cohen converted a power play and Prough scored before the goal even was announced.
The Chiefs got back into the game thanks to a couple big efforts by center Ryan Del Monte.
Del Monte converted a power play by knocking in a Mike Knight rebound at 17:44.
With the Devils skating on a double minor power play late in the period, Del Monte hit the puck off the backboards, caught up to the disc behind the net and skated to the right circle before passing to Hendrikx in the slot. Hendrikx wristed the puck past Gerald Coleman for a short-handed goal with 14 seconds on the second-period clock to make it 4-2.
Chiefs wing Jarrett Konkle stole the puck and scored Johnstown’s second short-handed goal of the night with 3:41 left in the third to cut the deficit to one.
Del Monte tied the score after an end-to-end rush set up by Marty Mjelleli and Landry at 18:02.
Notes: Enforcer Mike Sgroi was released from his tryout with AHL Syracuse and is expected back with the Chifs this weekend. ... Defenseman Kyle Wharton was called up by Syracuse prior to Wednesday’s game.
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