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Reading Royals

Royals Get Experience of a Lifetime in Scrimmage with Capitals

January 15, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Arlington, VA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL today had a once in a lifetime experience, playing the team's parent NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, in a scrimmage at Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. The Capitals requested that the Royals participate in the scrimmage as part of their preparation for the start of the NHL season on Saturday, January 19.

Although the Capitals dominated on the scoreboard, 8-0, the Royals represented the organization and the ECHL well, playing a competitive back-and-forth game, generating a number of quality scoring opportunities. The two teams swapped goaltenders with Washington's Braden Holtby starting for the Royals and playing through the 10:13 mark of second period. The Capitals' Michal Neuvirth took over in net for Reading for the final 29:47. Reading's Brandon Anderson and Sergey Kostenko split the goaltending duties-and pitched the shutout-for the Capitals. Reading's best scoring chance may have come on a penalty shot awarded to defenseman Adam Comrie 8:19 into the third period. Kostenko rejected that. The Capitals got their production from a number of sources, including Alexander Ovechkin. He factored in three of Washington's goals, including wiring a rocket out of the right circle short-side high on Holtby forty-four seconds into the second period. He also ran into teammate Marcus Johansson mid-way into the first period, which sent both players tumbling to the ice-Ovechkin ended up with a bit of a scrape on his chin.

Head Coach Larry Courville was proud of his team's effort. "We played hard. I believe that we provided the Capitals with the level of opposition that they were looking for at this stage of their preparation. I would have preferred that we would have scored. But it was our goaltenders who got the shutout, so it's hard to be too upset about that. But, overall this was a great experience for our guys, and I'm proud of them and glad to have been a part of this scrimmage."

The Royals now return their attention to action in the ECHL. The team will complete a four game road trip tomorrow (Wednesday, January 16), with a morning game (11:00 am) at Sun National Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, against the Trenton Titans. The game day broadcast will kick off on CBS Sports Radio 1240 am and 98.5 fm at 10:30 am with the Pre-Game Warm-Up Show presented by Steve Moyer Subaru. Royals multi-game flex plans for the Royals 2012-13 season presented by Steve Moyer Subaru are currently available. Get more at www.royalshockey.com. Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook at Reading Royals and "Follow" us on Twitter @RRoyalshockey for the latest team information.

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