ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall In A Shootout To Toledo, 4-3

Published on February 11, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (27-11-6=59) battled back with a third period goal to tie things at three but could not complete the comeback effort as the Royals lost in the shootout to the Toledo Storm, 4-3. This marked the fifth time in the last six games that Reading ending regulation time in a tie with the opponent, and the Royals have only taken the two points in one of those games, dropping the last three in row-two of which were in the shootout. Despite the difficulties in post-regulation play, the Royals did extend the team's unbeaten streak to eight games, 4-0-4.

The Toledo Storm scored the game's first goal on their first power play of the night when a clearing attempt by Reading's T.J. Kemp from behind his own net deflected off the Storm's Ken McGowan, who was pressuring on the forecheck. The puck ended up deflecting to the right side of the Royals' net where Toledo's Todd Jackson took a quick shot that beat Reading goaltender, Cody Rudkowsky, at the 2:03 mark of the first period. The Royals' answered back when defenseman Tyler Hanchuck found Brent Ozarowski with a pass on the left wing side in the neutral zone. Ozarowski, in turn, made a brilliant one-touch pass to the breaking Grant Jacobsen, who slipped behind the Toledo defense and buried a beautiful backhand high to the glove side on Toledo goaltender, Bryan Worosz at the 13:12 mark of the first. The Storm came right back and regained the lead two minutes and two seconds later, however, when Bracken Kearns sent Mike James charging into the offensive zone on the right wing side-his off wing. James got low in the right circle and ripped a high, hard shot behind Rudkowksy on the short side to make it 2-1, Toledo.

In the second, the Royals tied things at two, when Malcolm MacMillan picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and bulled his way to the net, using his body as a screen and getting a deft shot to slip behind Worosz at the 13:39 mark. Toledo broke the two-two tie early in the third when Jackson scored his second of the night off the rush just 1:20 into the period. The Royals, however, battled back again, getting a goal from Graig Mischler at the 7:31 mark to tie things at three. On that one, the Reading created a turnover in the offensive zone when Shay Stephenson pressured behind the Toledo net and sent the puck to the front of the goal, where Dany Roussin had a point blank chance. Worosz made a brilliant stop on that one; but the rebound bounced to the right side of the net, where Mischler took control and stuffed the puck in for his second goal in four games with the Royals this year. The two teams battled to a tie through regulation and the five-minute sudden death overtime, sending it to the shootout. In the shootout, four Royals scored on their chances (Roussin, Mischler, Larry Courville, and Stephenson); but five Toledo players scored on their six shots (Chris Blight, Todd Jackson, Gerry Burke, Jeff Attard, and Kearns), thus giving the two points to the Storm.

Reading and Toledo go at it again tomorrow at 1:00 pm at the Sovereign Center. On Sunday, the first 1000 fans 12 years of age or younger receive a CTCE Puck Bank and the first 2000 fans get Comcast Thundersticks. Royals' game day broadcasts can be heard on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata and www.royalshockey.com with pre-game beginning 30 minutes before the opening face-off. Streaming video is also available through the Royals' website on a pay per view basis provided by B2 Networks.

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