Royals Battle Back For Shootout Win In Elmira, 3-2
November 12, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Elmira, NY - Despite a spirited start, the Reading Royals (4-8-0 = 8; 6th North Division) of the ECHL fell behind early but battled back to earn a tie in regulation against the Elmira Jackals; and then snapped a four game losing streak with the team's second shootout win of the season, 3-2. Ned Lukacevic extended his personal goal scoring streak to three games, as he scored the game tying goal late in the second and was the only player to bag his shootout attempt. Goaltender Danny Taylor (win, 2-7-0; 37/39; 5/5 in shootout) made several big stops in big moments to preserve the tie and win the shootout; Elmira's Michael Teslack (0-1-1; 28/30; 4/5 in shootout) was equally solid; but failed to register his first ECHL win. Reading was blanked in two chances with the man advantage; while the Jackals racked up one power play goal in ten chances.
Although the Royals got off to a quick start and pressured in the early going, it was the Jackals who got on the board 4:52 into the game. Elmira got the puck deep in the left wing corner and worked a textbook cycle with Pierre-Luc Faubert ultimately taking the puck behind the Royals' net and feeding it right back up the gut to the charging Josh Aspenlind, who split the Reading defenders down the slot and forced the puck under Taylor for his second goal of the year. The Royals fought off the Jackals for the remainder of the first; but Elmira struck early in the second with their lone power play goal of the game. After pressing with the man advantage, Chris St. Croix ripped a shot from the high slot that was deflected by Steve Yetman. It appeared that Taylor made the original stop and was searching for the rebound, when Tyler Donati crashed and punched the puck home for his fifth of the year.
The Royals bounced back with a pair later in the second. The first came when Matt Curley, playing in perhaps his first shift of the season as a forward, was sprung behind the Elmira defense with a brilliant stretch pass from Dinos Stamoulis. Just as Curley was about to run out of real estate, he punched the puck between the legs of Teslack for his first goal as a pro at the 12:42 mark of the second. The Royals tied the game at the 16:12 mark of the third, when Lukacevic started the play by finishing his check behind the Elmira net. That set up a turnover on the right wing wall where Jason Payne stepped up and stole. Payne threw a low shot towards the Elmira net, and Lukacevic came to the top of the crease, where he angled the re-direct behind Teslack for his third goal in three games with the Royals.
Reading weathered the storm in the third, as the Jackals tacked on four more power play chances-including 42 seconds of five-on-three early in the period. The primary stabilizing force for Reading during this stage of the game was Taylor who made a number of quality stops at critical junctures in the game. Taylor kept it up through the five minutes of overtime and through all five Elmira shooters in the shootout, rejecting everything that the Jackals threw at him. At the other end, the Royals were able to get the one that mattered in the shootout. Again, Lukacevic shooting first for the Royals bagged his effort to give the Royals all they would need to take home the two points.
The Royals return to the Sovereign Center for a pair this weekend-Saturday (November 15) against the Trenton Devils (7:05 pm) and Sunday (November 16) against the Cincinnati Cyclones (5:05 pm). This weekend's games will be live on the Royals Radio Network Presented by Transmissions by Arbogast (True Oldies WRAW 1340 am in Reading; and The Ticket WLAN 1390 am in Lancaster), as well as on the internet through the Royals website. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.
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