ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Blank Grizzlies, 3-0

Published on January 8, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (10-24-2= 22; 7th North Division) of the ECHL won for the first time in 2009 behind the shutout goaltending of Michael Ouzas, defeating the Utah Grizzlies, 3-0, at The E-Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The win snapped a three game losing streak for the Royals, who weathered a first period onslaught from the Grizzlies and scored a pair of power play goals in the second to get all they would need to pick up the two points. Goaltender Michael Ouzas (win, 12-8-1; 35/35) racked up his third shutout of the year-and his first as a Royal in his third start for the team; while Mike Mole (loss, 9-14-5; 25/27; eng) took the loss in his first career start against Reading. All three Reading goals were scored by the special teams-two on the power play (2-6) and the third an empty netter while playing short-handed. The Grizzlies power play was kept off the board in seven chances, one of which covered the final 1:58 of the game.

The Grizzlies stormed out of the gates in the first, out-shooting Reading 18-4 in the opening twenty minutes; but the Royals held on during the early game attack to get to the locker room in a scoreless tie. Reading broke through at the 5:05 mark of the second, while the Royals were on their second power play of the night. After Rob LaLonde and Tyler Doig moved the puck on the perimeter, Peder Skinner settled at the top of the right circle, drove towards the Utah net and fired from just above the face-off dot, beating Mole low to the stick side for his sixth of the year.

The Royals took a 2-0 lead on a power play that resulted from a too many men on the ice penalty against the Grizzlies mid-way into the second period. After Reading won an offensive zone face-off, Tim Branham found Mac Faulkner at the top of the right circle. Faulkner fired a cross-ice feed to Brock Hooton who was planted deep on the left side. Hooton quickly fired and hit pay dirt as Mole attempted to make the big stop with dramatic lateral lunge from his left to right. The Grizzlies pressed hard in the third, particularly during the four power play chances they had during period, but Ouzas and the Royals' defense held Utah at bay; and, as time ticked down, Hooton bagged his twelfth of the season with a short-handed empty netter with 4.8 seconds remaining.

The Royals return to action on Friday night (January 9 @ 9:05 et) when the team travels to Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, to face the Idaho Steelheads. Friday's game will be broadcast 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 via webcast hosted by Sportsjuice.com, which can be accessed 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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ECHL Stories from January 8, 2009


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