ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Blanked By Everblades, 4-0

Published on November 22, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Estero, FL - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (9-5-1-1=20, 2nd East Division), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, were defeated by the Florida Everblades, 4-0, at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. The loss, which marked Reading's first shutout against this season, snapped the Royals season long win streak at four games. Reading goaltender Matt Dalton (2-2-0-0; 24/28) took the loss; while Florida's Chris Beckford-Tseu (2-2-0-1; 33/33) picked up his second shutout of the year. The Royals power play was held off the board despite getting the final five opportunities with the man advantage of the game (0-8). The Everblades scored their second and fourth goals while on the power play (2-8).

For the second straight night, Florida scored early. In this one, the Everblades got on the board 4:23 into the game when Colin Nicholson fired a shot from the left point that Dalton kicked out with the left pad. The rebound fell to the top of the crease, where Steve McJannet stuffed it back in for his first goal of the year. Florida increased their lead to 2-0 at the 9:24 mark of the first with one second remaining on a five-on-three power play. Ernie Hartlieb fired a perfect cross-crease pass from the left side of the net to Rob Hennigar on the back door. Dalton got a piece of the back-door one-timer, but not enough to keep it out, as Hennigar registered his eighth of the year.

The Everblades got more insurance 9:53 into the second period, when Nicholoson dropped a perfect pass from the right wing wall in the neutral zone to a point just inside the Royals' defensive zone, where a hard-charging A.J. Thelen picked up and carried for a clean break on Dalton. Thelen ripped a perfect shot low stick side for his fifth of the year. Later in the second, while Florida was playing with the man advantage, it appeared that the Royals were poised to steal and clear the puck from the low slot; but instead turned it over to Ross Carlson, who fed Scott Hotham low on left side of the Royals' goal. Hotham fired a perfect shot across the body of Dalton for his fifth of the year. Despite having five power play chances-and outshooting the Everblades 16-1-in the third period, the Royals were unable to solve Beckford-Tseu who made all of the stops that were required to pull at the win and the shutout.

Reading's five game road trip continues on Wednesday night when the Royals travel to Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania-where Reading is winless in the team's last eight games (0-6-2)-to take on the Johnstown Chiefs. Game time is 7:05 pm on Wednesday, and the radio broadcast on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast kicks off at 6:35 pm.

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ECHL Stories from November 22, 2009


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