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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Continue Road Success With Win Over Chiefs, 3-1

January 27, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Johnstown, PA - The Reading Royals (24-16-3=51, 3rd North Division) of the ECHL extended the team's road win streak to four games with a 3-1 win over the Johnstown Chiefs at Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. During that four game streak, the Royals have only allowed a total of four goals against. In this one, Reading fell behind with an early goal by the Chiefs, but settled down and bounced back with three second period goals to pull out the team's third win in three tries this season in Johnstown. Jon Quick (16-10-2; 26/27) made several big stops at important moments to win for the fifth time in his last six games; while Andrew Penner (4-8-1; 21.24) took the loss in his first outing against the Royals this year.

Johnstown struck first 3:46 into the game, when a breakdown at the defensive blue line, allowed the Chief's Rob Drummond to carry deep on the right wing side. Drummond threw a cross-ice feed to Mike Sgroi, who drew Quick towards the left side of the goal and slipped a tap pass across to the top of the crease to Jean Derochers who was set up at the right pipe. Desrochers jammed it in for his eighteenth of the year. The Royals tied things early in the second while on the penalty kill. Mike Salekin intercepted a Chiefs' pass and got the puck to Brock Hooton who chipped it out of the defensive zone. Kevin Saurette picked up the puck above the defensive blue line and charged off to the races. Saurette and went to the low slot in the Johnstown end, where he ripped a high snap shot glove side on Penner for his seventh goal of the year-and the tenth shorthanded goal of the year for the Royals-1:03 into the period.

Saurette scored what proved to be the game winner 10:07 into the second when Hooton carried through the neutral zone where he ran into a couple of Johnstown defenders and was dropped to the ice. Hooton, however, fought through the checks and to his feet, where he regained possession and carried deep on the left side. Hooton then fired a hard pass to the top of the crease, where a charging Saurette, re-directed the puck into the net for his second of the night and eighth of the season. Reading got a bit of insurance 1:53 later off a transition rush, when Chris Blight carried into the offensive end on the right wing. Blight dropped to the top of the right circle, where Rob LaLonde, took control and carried deep into the slot where he fired a hard snap shot high glove side for his seventh of the season. Although the Royals power play failed to capitalize on a long sequence with the man advantage in the latter stages of the second, the Chiefs power play was also unable to break through on the Royals penalty kill (4 for 4), either. The Royals PK has now allowed only one power play goal against in the last thirty-two chances for the opposition over the past six games.

Reading is off until Friday night (February 1, 2008) (7:05) when the Chiefs visit the Sovereign Center for the Royals' "Pink In The Rink" festivities. The first 5000 fans that night will receive a pink bracelet, and the Royals will wear special pink jerseys which will be auctioned off for charity after the game. The game night broadcast on Friday will begin at 6:35 pm with the pre-game warm-up show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata, as well as on the internet through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com. Streaming video is available on a pay per view basis through the B2 Networks.

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ECHL Stories from January 27, 2008


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