ECHL Reading Royals

Nailers Defeat Royals With Late Game Surge, 2-1

Published on March 19, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV-In a cautious and conservative defensive battle that had all the markings of a playoff game, the Reading Royals (37-18-7=81) scored first and held a 1-0 lead into the third period, but were unable to close things out against the Wheeling Nailers, who picked up two third period goals-including the game winner with just 2:01 remaining-to win, 2-1. This game marked the first time this season that Reading has lost in Wheeling and only the second time the team has lost in regulation after holding a lead as they entered the third period.

After 36:08 of scoreless play, the Royals scored the game's first goal, while playing a man short, when Larry Courville sprang Chris Bala on a break down the left wing side. Bala fired a shot that went five-whole on Wheeling goaltender, Andy Franck, but he got just enough of the puck as it went between his legs to redirect it wide of the left post. Bala, however, tracked the puck down behind the net, and with Franck out of position, was able to feed T.J. Kemp, who had joined the rush and was planted at the right pipe for an easy tap in. For Kemp, that was his thirteenth goal of the season and his first short-handed goal as a pro. For the Royals, that marked the fifteenth short-handed goal of the season, which places Reading tied for second in the league in that category.

The tight defensive battle continued until the 10:45 mark of the third period when the Nailers were finally able to solve Reading's goaltender, Yutaka Fukufuji. After a Wheeling shot from the right circle had deflected off the Royals' Malcolm MacMillan and gone just wide of the left post, the Nailers' Jordan Cameron was able to track the loose puck down on the end wall and walk out from behind the Royals' goal to the top of the crease. From there, Cameron chipped the puck over Fukufuji, who went down on his right side in an effort to make a stacked pads save, and tie things at one. The Nailers then broke the deadlock in the waning moments when Wheeling's Sean Collins freed a puck off the left wing wall into the left circle where the Nailers' Brendan Hodge was able to gain possession and quickly rip a wrister low, stick side on Fukufuji to give Wheeling a 2-1 lead with 2:01 remaining. Despite a valiant effort as time ticked down, the Royals' were not able to duplicate the comeback magic of the night before against the Johnstown Chiefs.

The Royals are in Toledo this Sunday afternoon (3:00 pm) for the last time in the regular season before returning to the Sovereign Center on Tuesday for another matchup against the Nailers. On that night, the first 2500 fans in attendance receive a Royals poster courtesy of the Reading Eagle. Royals' game day broadcasts can be heard on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata and www.royalshockey.com with pre-game beginning 30 minutes before the opening face-off. Streaming video is also available through the Royals' website on a pay per view basis provided by B2 Networks.

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ECHL Stories from March 19, 2006


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