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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall Again on Late Game Goal by Cincy, 3-2

March 3, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (1st Atlantic Division, 35-16-2-375), 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 Cincinnati Cyclones (3rd Division, 25-22-6-359), 3-2, at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Royals battled back from a two-goal first period deficit to tie, but for the second time in the last three games Reading gave up a late third tie-breaking game winner against. The Royals have lost three consecutive games in regulation for the first time since games three through five in October.

Reading's Michael Hutchinson (loss, 9-5-1-3, 41/44) made a number of spectacular stops to keep the Royals alive in some tough moments; but proved the hard-luck loser. Cincinnati's Brian Foster (win, 3-1-0-0, 26/28) was equally good in his first outing against the Royals. Reading got on the board early in the second on the team's first power play chance of the night (1-3). The Royals' penalty killers were perfect (0-3) for the ninth time in the last twelve games.

For the first time in the last eight games, the Royals' opposition scored first, when the Cyclones' broke into the offensive zone with a two-on-one rush. Samson Mahbod and Barrett Eghoetz made several hot-potato passes as they approached the Royals' net with Eghoetz finishing on the back-door for his thirteenth of the year 5:22 into the first. The Cyclones took a 2-0 lead with 1:11 left in the period on another odd-man rush-this time with three Cyclones-Mathieu Aubin, Kevin Roeder, and Dustin Sproat-entering the offensive zone for a multiple-pass tic-tac-toe sequence with Sproat finishing this one on the back-door.

Reading got on the board 6:55 into the second with a power play goal by Chris Blight. Matt Caruana gained possession on the right half-wall and landed a perfect saucer to Andrew Sarauer who was planted on the right side of the goal with his back to the net. Sarauer slipped a cross-crease, no-look, behind the back pass to Blight, who was set up on the back-door to jam in his fourteenth of the year. Reading tied the game at two 16:59 into the second, when Ryan Cruthers found himself wide-open all alone just inside the offensive blue line for a clean break on the Cincinnati net. Cruthers hit the pipe with a fore-hand, back-hand effort, but didn't give up on the puck. Instead, he intercepted the Cyclones' break-out effort at the left point and fed to the low slot where a waiting Olivier Labelle ripped a quick snap-shot over the right Foster's right shoulder for his thirteenth of the year.

The two teams traded chances in an energetic third period, and the two goaltenders traded quality stops at both ends of the ice. With 3:56 left in regulation, the Cyclones got what proved to be the game winner when Phil Youngclaus fired a shot from the right point that was deflected once by Dan Eves and then a second time directly at the right side of the Royals' net by Mathieu Aubin, who deftly angled the puck over the blocker of Hutchinson for his eighteenth of the year. Reading pressed hard down the stretch and got several Grade-A chances, but the team misfired on a couple and Foster made several solid stops to preserve the win.

The Royals return to action tomorrow (Thursday, March 3 @ 7:00 pm) when the team will face the Toledo Walleye at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. 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 6:30 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 .

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