ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Drop Cliffhanger in Elmira, 4-3

Published on November 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Elmira, NY - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (3rd Atlantic Division, 3-5-0-0=6), 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 (1st Atlantic Division, 6-1-2-0=14), 4-3, at First Arena in Elmira, New York. The Royals battled back from two deficits to tie the game in the third, but gave up a goal to Samson Mahbod, playing in his first game as a pro, as a power play chance for Elmira expired mid-way into the period which proved to be the game winner. Goaltender Matt Dalton (loss, 1-2-0-0; 38/42) was at his acrobatic best, repeatedly robbing the Jackals throughout the game on point blank scoring chances and a couple of clean breaks. The Jackals Mike Brodeur (win, 1-0-0-0; 30/33) was good as well in picking up a win in his first game for Elmira, as the Royals generated a number of quality scoring chances including a flurry in the waning moments with the sixth attacker on the ice. Elmira essentially scored on both of their power play chances, although technically time on their second PP had expired when the Jackals' fourth goal was recorded (1-2). The Royals did not get a power play chance (0-0).

Elmira struck first 12:26 into the game when the Jackals' Yannick Tifu gained possession behind the Royals goal and walked out to the left side of the crease. He did a complete 360-spin-a-rama as he sent a pass across the top of the crease that slid through the blade of the Reading player's stick trickling to the right side of the crease, where Andrew Sweetland was waiting to pound an easy one-timer home. Reading tied the game at one with the first goal of the year by Richard Greenop. Matt Generous dug the puck off the left wing wall and sent a cross-ice pass to Rob Slaney who was planted on the right side of the crease. Slaney immediately slid a cross-crease pass of his own to the waiting Greenop who got enough of the one-timer to force it home with 2:41 remaining in the period.

The Royals took their only lead of the game at the 5:29 mark of the second, when Matt Caruana and Chris Blight battled at the offensive blue line to keep a puck from escaping into the neutral zone. Blight fired a pass below the goal line to Andrew Sarauer, who slid it back into the slot, where Caruana found a seam for a one-timer that fluttered over Brodeur and into the net for his fifth of the season. Elmira re-tied the game at two 2:25 later off the rush, when Tifu fed the trailing defenseman John DeGray who got great look from the mid-slot and buried his shot high stick side for his first of the year. The Jackals re-took the lead (3-2) at the 15:20 mark of the second when Tifu bagged a snap shot out of the right circle while the Jackals were on the power play. Tifu's shot beat Dalton, who appeared screened by a Reading defender, high to the glove side.

Once again, however, the Royals battled back to tie the game (at three) at the 6:04 mark of the third period when Louis Liotti kept right point and worked the puck behind the Jackals' net. John Scrymgeour forced the puck from behind the goal out into the crease, where it sat for a fraction of a second before Ben Gordon punched it in for his first of the season. Reading then seemed to feed off that goal taking the momentum of the game for a pretty good chunk of the period. However, the Jackals re-grouped and put the Royals back on their heels long enough to draw a penalty on Reading's Caruana at the 10:40 mark of the third. Although Reading's PK did a good job of disrupting the Jackals' PP, late in the sequence, Samson Mahbod started a rush into the Royals' zone. Dalton rejected Mahbod's original bid from point blank range and made another brilliant stop on Michael Dubuc on the rebound. The rebound on that shot, however, fell to the crease, and before Dalton could find it (or his teammates could clear it) Mahbod reached back into the crease and swept it in for what proved to be the game winner.

Reading pressed hard down the stretch, including creating several gut wrenching flurries in the waning moments with the sixth attacker on the ice; but couldn't break through for the equalizer, dropping to 0-3-0-0 against the Jackals this season.

The Royals and Jackals go at it again tomorrow night (Saturday, November 6 @ 7:35 pm) at First Arena in Elmira, New York. The Royals' broadcast will kick off with the pre-game warm-up show presented by the Works at Wyomissing at 7:05 pm on the Royals Broadcast Network (WRAW 1340 am in Reading, www.1340wraw.com). You can also catch all of the Royals away games 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.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from November 5, 2010


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