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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Come up Empty in Elmira, 3-0

March 4, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Elmira, NY - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (27-26-3-461, 3rd Atlantic Division), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, were defeated by the Elmira Jackals (36-21-2-276, 1st Atlantic Division), 3-0, at First Arena in Elmira, New York. The Royals were only able to muster a season-low fourteen shots on goal, as the team was shutout for the fourth time this year-this one in the rubber game of the three-game weekend series against the Jackals (1-2-0-0).

Mark Owuya (loss, 8-3-2-1, 28/31) made a number of quality saves to keep the Royals within striking distance, but sustained his second consecutive regulation loss to the Jackals. Elmira's Brian Stewart (win, 21-10-1-0, 14/14) did all he had to do to register his first shutout of the year-and the first shutout for the Jackals in a span of 106 regular season games dating back to 2010. Reading's power play was ineffective in the two chances the team had with the man advantage (0-2). Elmira got what proved to be the game winner on their first chance on the power play (1-7).

For the second consecutive game, the Jackals converted for an early goal-this one came 4:12 into the first period while Elmira was playing with the man advantage. Dustin Gazely fed Jordan Pietrus in the left corner, and Pietrus settled and threaded a perfect cross-crease pass to a hard-charging Rob Bellamy who redirected the back-door tap-in for his ninth of the year.

Elmira got some insurance 15:16 into the first, shortly after Reading misfired on a 3-on-1 break. The Jackals gained possession, charged into the Royals end, and immediately created a wild, multi-shot scramble around Reading's net, which ended when Pietrus forced the puck from below the goal line to the top of the crease, where Corey Cowick punched it through for his fourth of the year.

The Jackals added another 2:13 into the second after a costly defensive zone turnover by the Royals. Louis Liotti battled to gain possession low in the corner and fed Mikael Bedard with a breakout pass; however, the Jackals forced the cough-up, and Benjamin Dieude-Favel ended up with the puck and a clear path to the low slot. He carried deep into the zone and drilled a bullet over the right shoulder of Owuya to make it 3-0. That would prove to be way more than the Jackals would need in this one, as the Royals went meekly into the evening, dropping to 19-11-2-1 on the road with three more regular season away games to play.

The Royals are off until Friday (March 9, 2012 @ 7:05 pm) when the Toledo Walleye visit the Sovereign Center for the final regular season match-up between the two teams. That night, the Royals and the Sovereign Center will host a 'Happy Hour' at the Corner Bar and Restaurant (6:00 pm - 7:30 pm). Friday's game night broadcast will start at 6:35 pm with the Red Robin Gourmet Burger Pre-Game Warm-up Show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Reading. Streaming audio is available free of charge courtesy of America One through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com.

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