Chiefs Conquer Royals

Published on December 30, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


Reading, Pa. - The Johnstown Chiefs picked up their 10th consecutive victory over the Reading Royals on Tuesday night; winning by a 4-3 score.

The win gave Johnstown 43 points moved it back into a tie with Wheeling for first in the North Division

Johnstown gave up the early lead when Shawn Snider scored his seventh goal of the season, third against the Chiefs, 1:15 into the game. Ian Keserich left the rebound from Snider's first shot atop the crease and the Royals' forward cashed in.

Johnstown showed great poise, though, by killing off two Reading power play after the initial goal, and then coming back with a power play goal of its own. Greg Gallagher used a screen in front of Michael Ouzas to get a wrist shot in from the left point for his second goal of the season. Wes Clark and Mike Bartlett assisted on the goal at 12:33. Andy Contois gave Johnstown a 2-1 lead with a wrist shot from the left wing that deflected in off of Ouzas' glove at 17:56. Jarrett Konkle, skating in his first game with Johnstown, earned an assist.

Defense was the word of the second period as neither team could put a shot past the goaltenders. Reading did manage 13 shots in the middle frame, aided by three power play chances, meanwhile Johnstown launched nine shots on Ouzas. Tempers flared at the end of the second as Mike Knight tried to square off with Kyle Hagel with 1:19 left in the second, and Trevor Hendrikx wanted to go with Dinos Stamoulis after the period had ended. Each time, though, the linesmen interceded before the combatants could go at it.

The Chiefs and Royals traded two goals each in the third period, which worked out in Johnstown's favor. Contois' second of the game made it 3-1 after 4:56, but Mac Faulkner got it back within one at 12:34. Konkle, already with two assists scored the Chiefs' second power play goal of the game, and eventual game winner, at 17:04. It became the game winner because Faulkner added a power play goal for Reading with seven seconds left in regulation to set the final.

Ian Keserich won his second straight start at the Sovereign Center by making 35 saves, while the Chiefs' power play ended the night 2-for-6.

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