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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall In Dayton, 3-2

November 30, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Troy, OH - The Reading Royals (5-13-1= 11; 7th North Division) of the ECHL broke a two-game scoreless streak, but were unable to stop a four game losing streak, as the Dayton Bombers came back from a two goal deficit to beat Reading, 3-2, at Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio. The Royals' struck 5:05 into the game to halt the team's scoreless streak at 141:28 (over four games) and built a 2-0 lead by the mid-point of the second period; but the Bombers bounced back with three straight to knock off the Royals for the second time in two tries this year. Goaltender Bryan Bridges (loss; 0-1-1; 22/25) sustained the loss in his first start as a Royal; while Tyler Plante (win; 2-3-1; 30/32) won in his first game against the Royals. Reading was held off the board in five chances with the man advantage; and the Bombers were one for three on the power play.

Reading scored at the 5:05 mark of the first when Ned Lukacevic threw a pass from the right point to the low slot, where Kevin Harvey battled through several Dayton defenders and swiped the puck through Plante for his second goal of the year. The Royals took a 2-0 lead 11:13 into the second when Joe Cooper stepped up and laid a thundering body check separating a Dayton defender from the puck just below the goal line near the right side of the Bomber goal. Lukacevic then stepped in, took control of the puck, walked out in front of the Dayton goal, and went high short-side on Plante for his fourth goal of the year.

1:33 later, the Bombers got on the board, when Danny Lapointe stole a puck in the Dayton defensive zone and charged towards the Royals' end. Lapointe carried inside the zone and slid a pass to the mid-slot where a charging Justin Bowers appeared to partially misfire on the puck-but got enough of it to slide it through Bridges for his eighth goal of the year. Dayton tied the game at two with a power play goal at the 17:11 mark of the second. The Bombers dumped the puck behind Reading's net, where it appeared that a Reading defender would have a clean chance to control and clear. But Dayton's Bryson Busniuk and Jarrett Lukin closed quickly on the forecheck, created a turnover, and fed Dan Riedel at the left side of the Royals' goal. Riedel forced the shot through Bridges for his ninth of the year. Dayton got the game winner at the 6:03 mark of the third. Christian Gaudet won an offensive zone face-off in the left circle, sliding the puck towards the Reading goal. As the puck slowed, Ryan Smyth stepped in and slipped a back-hander along the ice that slid between the legs of Bridges for his fourth of the year. Reading pressed down the stretch, which included a late power play chance; but Plante and the Bombers held on for the win, as the Royals' winless streak stretched to five games (0-4-1).

The Royals take on the Dayton Bombers again tomorrow night (5:00 pm) but this time at the E.J. Nutter Center at the campus of Wright State University. Sunday'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.

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ECHL Stories from November 30, 2008


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