ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Come Up Short In Trenton, 5-3

Published on March 14, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Reading Royals (21-37-4= 46; 7th North Division) of the ECHL gave up a pair of short-handed goals, including what proved to be the game winner, in a 5-3 loss to the Trenton Devils at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. After falling behind in the first period 3-0, the Royals twice battled back to get within one (at 3-2 and 4-3); but each time, the Devils responded to rebuild the two goal cushion. Michael Ouzas (loss, 18-18-1; 36/41) had his two game win streak snapped; while Gerald Coleman (win, 24-7-2; 33/36) remained unbeaten against the Royals (4-0-1). Reading not only gave up the two SHGAs, but was also held off the board on the power play (0-5). Trenton scored their fifth goal while playing with the man advantage (1-4).

Trenton struck 9:19 into the game, when Eric Castonguay slid a perfect pass out of the right corner to the mid slot, as defenseman David Leaderer stepped down the middle of the ice and found himself wide open and all alone for a quick shot that slid under Ouzas for his eleventh of the year. Trenton took a 2-0 lead at the 16:11 mark of the first with their first short-handed goal of the night. A soft and careless pass in the offensive end by the Royals' power play unit was picked off by Castonguay, who sprang Jeff Prough for a long and clear breakaway. Prough didn't waste the chance burying a snap shot high to the glove side for his twenty-sixth of the year. The Devils extended their lead to 3-0 1:21 later when Jim Henkel carried deep on the right wing side until he ran out of space. He then slid the puck towards the top of the crease, where it hit the skate of a Royals' defenseman, who was collapsing towards the net, and ricocheted into the goal for Henkel's seventeenth of the year.

Reading bounced back, however, twelve seconds later when Tim Branham chipped a puck into the Devils crease, which Dan Rudisuela kept alive long enough for Chris Stevens to swoop in and bat into the net for his eighteenth of the year. Reading cut the lead to one (3-2) at the 7:28 mark of the second while the teams were playing four aside. Patrik Hersley took a wrister from left point that Rudisuela deflected between the legs of Coleman for his eighteenth of the year. The Devils bounced back, however, to regain the two goal lead with their second short-handed goal of the game. This one came off another odd-man rush in which Prough carried deep on the left wing side and dished back into the mid slot for the trailing Castonguay, who uncorked a beautiful one-time rocket that went bar-and-in for his seventeenth of the year at the 15:03 mark of the second period.

The Royals cut the lead to one again (4-3) eleven seconds into the third, when an aggressive fore-check by Stevens created a turnover deep in the offensive end. Rudisuela took control below the goal line and slid a perfect pass to Ben McLeod, who was planted deep in the slot. McLeod fired a snap shot behind Coleman for his first as a Royal (in his second game with the team) and ninth of the year. The Devils, however, once again bounced back to re-gain the two goal lead at the 8:03 mark of the third with a power play goal. Ouzas stopped a sharp angled shot by Brad Snetsinger from along the goal line on the right wing side, but was unable to immediately cover the loose puck. As Ouzas was attempting to gain possession, it appeared that he was pushed away from the puck by a Devil in the crease, allowing Henkel to get to the puck where the Royals believed it was kicked in. Despite the Royals' protestations to waive the goal off, it was allowed to stand. Once again, the Royals pressed to the buzzer and created several good scoring chances; but were unable to get any closer to victory against Trenton, as Reading fell to 3-6-2 against the Devils this year.

The Royals and Devils go at it again tomorrow (Saturday, March 14 @ 7:05 pm)-but this time at the Sovereign Center in Reading, where the Royals will host "St. Hattrick's Day" when some luck fan could win as much as one million dollars; and the first 2000 fans will receive a Royals' hat courtesy of Quadrant Engineering. Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the Royals Radio Network Presented by Transmissions by Arbogast (True Oldies WRAW 1340 am in Reading; and The Ticket WLAN 1390 am in Lancaster), as well as on the internet via webcast hosted by Sportsjuice.com, which can be accessed through the Royals website. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 14, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central