ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Beat Titans, 5-2, In Pre-Season Game

October 15, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Monmouth Junction, PA - The Reading Royals bounced back from a 2-1 first period deficit, scoring four unanswered goals to win, 5-2, in the first of the home-and-home pre-season series with the Trenton Titans.

The Royals got out of the gate quickly, as Greg Hogeboom scored on the team's first shot of the game. Hogeboom took a Tyler Hanchuck pass out of the defensive zone and skated untouched to the top of the left circle in the Titans' zone, where he ripped a snapshot over the left shoulder of Trenton goaltender, Martin Houle 1:24 into the game. From that point on, however, the first period belonged to the Titans, who ended up out-shooting the Royals nineteen to five.

Reading goaltender, Yutaka Fukufuji, was spectacular, repeatedly robbing the Titans' on multiple breakaways and point blank opportunities. Fukufuki could only do so much, however and at the 10:48 mark of the first, the Titans tied things at one when Aaron Gill broke in all alone and sent Fukufuji sprawling. The Royals' goaltender made the first stop, but Brian McConnell fired the rebound home. The Royals first period troubles continued at the 11:14 mark when Hogeboom was called for a major elbowing penalty after a crushing blow sent Trenton's Mark Wires to the ice. Although later video review revealed that the hit was clean, the five minute power play provided the Titans with a succession of scoring opportunities that resulted in wearing down the Royals' defense. With 1:28 remaining in the major penalty, defenseman T.J. Kemp chipped one out of play and was called for delay of game, sending Trenton on the five-on-three power play. The Titans quickly capitalized when Rosario Ruggeri fired one from the top of the left circle over Fukufuji's shoulder to make it 2-1.

In the second, Reading re-grouped, turned the tables by outshooting Trenton 16-8 and scored three unanswered goals. The second period scoring spree was started at the 4:46 mark when Malcolm MacMillan snuck behind Trenton's defense, broke into the offensive end and dropped one between his legs to a trailing Grant Jacobsen, who ripped it over the shoulder of Houle to tie things at two. Less than two minutes later, Larry Courville picked up a loose puck in front of the Trenton net and shot it over a sprawled Houle to make it 3-2. Then, while the Royals were a man short, Mike Kompon broke behind the Titan defense and went five-hole on Houle to make it 4-2.

Doug Christiansen added a power play goal mid-way into the third to give the Royals the three goal lead; but it was really the other side of the special teams that shined in the third, as the Royals had to kill off a long stretch off power play time for Trenton, including an almost full two minutes of five on three. Fukufuji was solid in net rejecting all nine Titan shots in the third and stopping 32 of 36 in the game.

These two teams will do it again on Monday night at the Body Zone in Wyomissing. Game Time is 7:05 and limited tickets are available at the Body Zone or at the Royals Fan-Attic on Penn Street in Reading.

The Royals 5th Anniversary Season officially begins at home in the Sovereign Center on Saturday, October 29 against the Titans. The Royals will raise the North Division regular season championship banner prior to the drop of the puck. For ticket information including; season, half-season and quarter-season ticket packages visit the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com or call the Royals Hockey Headquarters at 610-898-PUCK (7825).

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ECHL Stories from October 15, 2005


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