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ECHL Reading Royals

Reading Falls in Game One of Semifinals, 4-1, at Wheeling

April 29, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals (loss, 4-4-0) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, were defeated by the Wheeling Nailers (win, 5-2-0) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, 4-1, in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinal best-of-seven playoff series at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. With the win, the Nailers have taken a 1-0 win in the second round post-season series.

In the Royals' first playoff game beyond the first round in three years, Reading got off to a good start, generating several quality chances; but those were met with a staunch response by Wheeling goaltender Brian Foster, who gave his team enough time to get their skates underneath them and score on their first power play chance of the night late in the first. The Nailers then got a fluky home bounce early in the second that resulted in what proved to be the game winner. Although the Royals broke through on a second period power play, the team was held at bay during several chances with the man advantage down the stretch and couldn't muster much offensive opportunity against the Nailers, who pulled away in the third for their fourth straight playoff win.

Wheeling struck first 16:34 into the opening frame on a power play set up that started on the left half-wall with Jarrett Burton, who slipped a pass to the goal line to John McCarron, who in turn tapped a back-hand pass across the top of the crease where Cody Wydo stepped in for the weak-side chip up and over the extended left pad of goaltender Martin Ouellette for Wydo's fourth of the playoff season.

The Nailers then tapped into the home ice advantage 2:18 into the second, when Burton won a neutral zone face off to defenseman Matthew Maione, who settled and sought to rim the puck off the glass into Reading's defensive end. The puck, however, had another idea-to deflect off one of the glass supports just inside the blue line and ricochet directly into Reading's net, as Ouellette, who had gone out of the goal in anticipation of stopping the rim behind the cage, attempted to scramble back into the net. The puck eluded the sliding right pad of Ouellette and ended up in the net for Maione's fifth of the playoff season.

Reading cut the lead in half on the team's third power play chance of the night 9:16 into the second frame when Mike Marcou fired a shot from the high slot that got blocked by heavy traffic out in front of the Nailers' net. But the puck fell to the left circle where the only player close to it-Jesper Pettersson-took a quick snap shot that found the open left side of the net, as Foster was contending with the big battle ensuing in front of him. For Pettersson, that was his first goal of the playoff season-and his first pro post-season goal.

Despite trailing by only a goal, Reading spent most of the third on their collective heels, getting outshot 13-5, while the Nailers were able to convert a couple of failed clears-and ensuing aggressive attacks-into a pair of insurance goals. The first came 5:58 into the third, when what appeared to be an easy out, turned into a nightmare scramble, which ended when Jordan Kwas settled the puck in the low slot with his back to the net and turned and wheeled one to the far right side for his second of the playoff season. The second came with 8:11 remaining in regulation on another scramble around the net which resulted in Wydo's second of the night.

From that point forward, things continued to unravel for the Royals as discipline became fast and loose and the hope for a comeback push dissipated in turn.

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