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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Come Back To Pull Out First Win of Season

October 18, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Reading Royals (1-1-0 = 2) of the ECHL rang off three third period goals to pull out the team's first win of the season in come-from-behind fashion over the Trenton Devils (0-2-0=0) at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. The Royals entered the third period trailing 2-1, but the first career goals for Joe Cooper and Dan Rudisuela proved to be the difference, as Jason Nobili also picked up his first win as a pro head coach. In this night of firsts, goaltender James Reimer (1-0-0; 25/27) had a solid night in picking up his first pro win in his first pro game. Jason Smith (0-1-0; 18/21; 1 eng) played well in a losing effort for the Devils. The Royals still have not broken through this year with the man advantage, going 0 for 3 tonight (and 0-8 on the season)-but the team did bag its second short-handed goal of the year. The Devils were 1-7 with the man advantage.

Trenton struck first 4:40 into the game on their first power play chance of the night. Ryan Gunderson fed Eric Castonguay in the high slot. Castonguay fired a shot through traffic, which Reimer stopped; but the rebound bounced to the top of the crease, where Trevor Kell put it back for his first goal of the year. Reading tied the game at one with the team's second short-handed goal in as many games at the 10:54 mark of the first period. This one went to Brock Hooton, who was sprung on the short-handed break by Mike Salekin. He beat a Trenton defender to the Devils' net and got a shot off that Smith stopped; however, Hooton refused to give up and forced the puck through for his first goal of the season. Last year, Hooton racked up a total of six short-handed goals for Reading-three in the regular season and three in the playoffs (which tied an ECHL record for post-season short-handed goals).

The Devils regained the lead when Dylan Quaile picked up his first goal as a pro at the 18:53 mark of the first. Kell and Tyler Burton worked a nice sequence of give-and-go passes deep into the Royals' end before Kell tried to feed Burton in front of the net one last time. The puck struck a Royals' back-checking defender and slid towards the low slot, but everyone close to it was crashing towards the Royals goal; so the trailer, Quaile, who was unguarded, was able to take control and chip it over Reimer to make it 2-1, Trenton.

After a scoreless second, the Royals tied the game at two 3:45 into the third when Joe Cooper scored his first goal as a pro. The Royals fore-check created a turnover in the offensive end, and Dan Rudisuela took control in front of the Devils' net. Rudisuela's shot was kicked out by Smith. The rebound went straight to Cooper who drilled into the open portion of the net to re-tie the game. Reading then took the team's first lead of the season at the 9:31 mark of the third, when it was Rudisuela's turn to pick up a rebound goal. After the Royals forced off the fore-check again, defenseman Scott Langdon took a shot from the point that hit a body out front and fell to Shawn Snider at the top of the left circle. Snider immediately fired on net, and Smith made the stop, but Rudisuela slipped a back-hand through for the game winner. Mac Faulkner added an empty netter with 32 seconds left to send the Royals' Road Warriors (a large group of Reading fans who had bused to Trenton) into a wild frenzy.

Next up for the Royals is the home opener at the Sovereign Center in Reading on Saturday, October 25 against the Johntown Chiefs. Game time is 7:05 pm with the pre-game show on the Royals' Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast (WRAW 1340 am in Reading; and WLAN 1390 am in Lancaster) beginning at 6:35 pm. To become a part of Royals' hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log on to www.royalshockey.com.

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