ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Break Through In Johnstown, 7-3

Published on December 16, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Johnstown, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (15-9-1-233, 1st East Division), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, defeated the Johnstown Chiefs, 7-3, at Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. This victory snapped a ten game winless streak for the Royals in Johnstown dating back to January 27, 2008. The seven goal output matched the season best for Reading-as did the four goal differential. Ben Gordon, who tied a team record with a five point night, registered the first hat-trick of the year for the Royals. Goaltender Matt Dalton (Win, 7-4-0-1; 42/45) picked up his first win in four starts against the Chiefs. Johnstown's Shane Connelly (Loss, 3-7-2; 25/31, 1 eng) dropped to 1-3-0 against the Royals this year. Reading did not get a chance on the power play during the game (0-0). This marked the fourth consecutive game that Reading's PK held the opposition's power play off the board (0-7).

Reading struck 14:44 into the first when a strong forecheck created a scramble around the Johnstown net. Ben Gordon took possession at the right side of the net and fed back up into the slot to Nick St. Pierre, who settled and slipped the puck into the left circle to Daniel Steiner, who unleashed a high, hard bullet for his tenth of the year. The Royals stretched the team's lead to 2-0 with 2:29 remaining in the first. Gordon foiled a Johnstown breakout at the offensive blue line, took control of the puck, carried back into the offensive end, and ripped a rocket out of the left circle that beat Connelly high to the short side for his first of the night and twelfth of the year.

Johnstown cut the Royals' lead in half (2-1) 2:37 into the second period, when Sean Berkstresser won a battle on the right wing wall, forced his way to the net and trickled one through at the right pipe for his eighth of the year. Reading regained the two goal lead at the 12:15 mark of the second when St. Pierre drilled a bullet from the top of the right circle that blew by Connelly for his second goal of the year. The Royals got what proved to be the game winner while playing short-handed with only ten seconds left in the second. After a sequence of sustained pressure from the Chiefs, Eric Werner made a strong defensive play and freed the puck to Gavin Morgan in the neutral zone. Morgan sprang Marc Cavosie on the short-handed break, and Cavosie was able to slip one through five-hole on Connelly for his third of the year.

Once again, Johnstown made a move towards climbing back in with a goal by Bryan Marshall 5:31 into the third. Greg Gallagher rimmed the puck into the offensive zone and defenseman R.J. Anderson picked it up on the right half-wall. He then carried all the way around, behind the Royals' net, and through to the left half-wall before firing a cross-ice feed to Marshall, who ripped a high, hot one-timer for his eighth of the year. Gordon then racked up his second of the night, when Cruthers sent a pass behind the Johnstown net to Steiner, who slipped the puck to the top of the crease, where Gordon punched it back in for his thirteenth of the season. Gordon completed the hattrick at the 12:53 mark of the third with another goal scored by crashing the net. On this one, Morgan dropped a perfect pass at the offensive blue line to Stefano Giliati who carried deep into the offensive end and fed it back into the crease, where Gordon forced it home for his fourteenth of the year. The Chiefs made it 6-3 with 4:42 left in the third, when Berkstresser took control of a loose rebound between the hash-marks and ripped it under the bar for his second of the game. Johnstown pushed late, pulling the goaltender with three minutes left in the game, but were unable to break through; and the Royals' Charlie Kronschnabel picked up an empty netter with 17 seconds left to ice the win.

The Royals return home on Friday night (December 18 @ 7:05 pm) when the Elmira Jackals visit the Sovereign Center. Every fan in attendance will get an opportunity after the game to shoot and win a Holiday Ham courtesy of Berks Packing. Fans are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for donation to the Berks County Food Bank. Reading's game night broadcast on Friday on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast will kick off at 6:35 pm.

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