Royals Come From Behind to Win Over Wheeling, 4-2
Published on February 11, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Johnstown, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (1st Atlantic Division, 30-12-2-3=65), 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 Wheeling Nailers (1st North Division, 29-17-0-2=60), 4-2, at Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Royals scored first but fell behind 2-1 in the first period. Reading scored the next three straight to pull out the team's fifteenth come from behind win of the year. The win ran the Royals' record to 6-1-0 against the Nailers this season with five more games to be played between these two teams. Goaltender Michael Hutchinson (win, 8-3-1-3, 23/25) won his first start at historic Cambria County Arena. Wheeling's Patrick Killeen (loss 17-10-0-1; 27/31) dropped to 1-4-0-1 against Reading. Neither team was able to capitalize on the power play (Reading: 0-5; Wheeling 0-3).
Reading struck forty-two seconds into the game when Louis Liotti shot from the right point. The puck hit a defender's skate and slid directly to the stick of Ryan Cruthers who was wide open at the top of the crease. Cruthers quickly fired beating Killeen for his sixteenth of the year. Wheeling tied the game at one 10:35 into the first, when Jason Weeks picked off a pass by a Reading defender directly in front of the Royals' net and fed to Andrew Orpik in the right circle. Orpik fired across the body of Hutchinson high glove side and in for his fifth of the year.
Wheeling took a 2-1 lead with 1:47 left in the first, when Reading goaltender Michael Hutchsinon came out of the net and attempted to clear up the left wing wall. Wheeling's Kelly Miller picked it off on the half-wall and found Orpik in the right circle for another point blank chance which he buried for his second of the night.
Reading tied the game 7:32 into the second when Reading defender Cody Wild activated off the left point and tracked the puck deep in the left wing corner. He slid a pass to the slot where a waiting John Scrymgeour ripped a quick snap shot high glove side on Killeen for his fifth of the season. 2:03 later, the Royals got what proved to be the game winner while playing a man short when Eric Castonguay poked the puck free in the defensive zone, sprinted into the neutral area and took off on a two-on-one short-handed break with Rob Slaney. Castonguay carried down the right wing side, used Slaney as a decoy and drilled it high short-side on Killeen for his ninth of the year.
The Royals added some insurance 10:33 into the third, when Liotti fired from the right point. The puck went in-and-out of the catching glove of Killeen, fluttered into the air and bounded to the ice, where Tyler Murovich, who was tumbling to the ice at the top of the crease, punched it through for his fourth of the year. The Royals did a solid job of protecting the lead from that point forward, as the Nailers were only able to muster seven third period shots, as the Royals picked up the team's seventeenth road win of the year (17-7-1-1).
The Royals returns to the Sovereign Center in Reading tomorrow (Saturday, February 12, 2011 @ 7:05 pm), where they'll face the Trenton Devils and the first 1500 fans 21 years of age and older will receive a Tenth Anniversary Commemorative beer glass courtesy of Coors Light. The Royals game day broadcast will kick off with the pre-game warm-up show presented by The Works at Wyomissing on the Royals Broadcast Network (WRAW 1340 am in Reading, www.1340wraw.com) at 6:35 pm. You can also catch all of the Royals away games this season on Royals TV exclusively on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Season tickets for the Royals' 2010-11 season are currently available. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.
ECHL Stories from February 11, 2011
- Reign beat Jackals in SO - Ontario Reign
- Condors Get Revenge, Beat Steelheads 4-3 - Bakersfield Condors
- Late Goal Sinks Steelheads, 4-3 - Idaho Steelheads
- Royals Come From Behind to Win Over Wheeling, 4-2 - Reading Royals
- Cyclones Skewer Everblades, 6-1 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Stingrays Extend Winning Streak Over Gladiators With 4-1 Victory - South Carolina Stingrays
- Shorthanded Nailers Battle, but Fall Short to Reading 4-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Blades spun out by Cyclones, 6-1 - Florida Everblades
- Road Warriors Feast On Walleye - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Owen Stifles Gwinnett In 4-1 Rays' Win - Atlanta Gladiators
- Jackals Acquire Goaltender Petizian - Elmira Jackals
- Petizian Traded to Elmira - Ontario Reign
- ECHL Transactions - February 11 - ECHL
- Jackals Game Preview: Elmira at Ontario - Elmira Jackals
- Stingrays Receive Del Monte from Cincinnati - South Carolina Stingrays
- Cyclones Trade for Forwards Dan Eves and Samson Mahbod - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Walleye Welcome Back Trio of Players - Toledo Walleye
- Forward Ryan Cruthers Returned to Royals from Manitoba - Reading Royals
- Nailers Sign Forward Jason Weeks - Wheeling Nailers
- Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati Vs. Florida - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Leisenring Returns to Bridgeport - Kalamazoo Wings
- Turner Heads to AHL Binghamton; Sauer to AHL - Atlanta Gladiators
- Greenville Road Warriors Game Preview - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Stingrays Gameday: Stingrays Celebrate Scout Night Against Gladiators - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Today - February 11 - ECHL
- Vegas Falls to Utah, 3-2 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Grizzlies Win 3-2 in Las Vegas - Utah Grizzlies
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