ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall in Morning Affair with Wheeling, 3-2

Published on October 28, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (t-2nd Atlantic Division, 1-4-0-02), 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 Wheeling Nailers (1st Atlantic Division, 3-0-2-08), 3-2, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. For the fourth consecutive game, the Royals allowed the game's first goal and were unable to dig themselves out of an early hole. As has also been the case in each of those losses, the Royals' goaltender kept things tight and gave the team a chance to win as the game progressed. In this one, it was Ben Scrivens (loss, 1-3-0-0; 38/41) who sustained another hard-fought loss for Reading despite turning away thirty-eight shots. Wheeling's Patrick Killeen (win, 4-0-0-0; 19/21) made a game saving stop on the buzzer to keep his perfect record in tact.

The Nailers apparently got out of the better side of the bed this morning, and it paid off 4:37 into the first with a power play goal by David Marshall. On the sequence, the Royals penalty killers created a short-handed scoring chance, as Eric Castonguay charged into the offensive zone on a two-on-one break with Matt Caruana. However, Castonguay's cross-ice pass from the left wing side, skipped over Caruana's stick; and the resultant turnover gave the Nailers a chance for the counter-punch. Andrew Lord fired a pass from the defensive zone to the breaking David Marshall who carried deep down the left wing side before firing a sharp-angled shot that beat Scrivens high to the glove side for Marshall's fifth of the year. The Nailers took a 2-0 lead at the 11:19 mark of the second when Scrivens rejected a shot from the right side, but the rebound slid behind the Royals' goal where the Nailers won the battle for the loose puck. Kris Vernasky took control and fed the puck back out front to the top of the crease, where a waiting Nick Petersen punched it back through for his first ECHL goal.

The Nailers extended their lead to 3-0 at the 12:41 mark of the second, when Dan Henningson retrieved a loose puck in the neutral zone and then circled back into the offensive end, grinding deep down the right wing side. Henningson attempted to slide a pass from wide on the right side to the top of the crease, but the puck deflected off the stick of a back-checking Reading defender and ricocheted into the upper corner of the net for Henningson's first of the year-and what proved to be the game winner.

The Royals finally broke through at the 16:00 minute mark of the second with a power play goal by Olivier Labelle. Alain Goulet fired a blast from the high slot that Killeen kicked out with the left pad. The rebound fell to the top of the crease, where Olivier Labelle, who had battled for inside position, was able to punch it back in as he was dropped to the ice by a Wheeling defender. Reading made a one goal game of it a the 11:19 mark of the third, when Todd Perry stepped up and stopped a Nailer rush in the neutral zone. He then carried into the offensive zone and fed to Labelle, who was burning down the center of the ice in the mid-slot. Labelle ripped a rocket bar-and-in for his second of the game and his team-leading fifth of the season. The Royals battled hard down the stretch and got what they wanted in the waning moments with the goaltender pulled and the sixth attacker on the ice: a point-blank blast from Ben Gordon, who had picked up assists on both of Reading's goals. Gordon got great wood on the quick shot, but somehow Killeen was able get a piece of it and preserve the Nailers fifth consecutive win as time ticked away.

The Royals and Nailers go at again tomorrow night (Friday, October 29 @ 7:35 pm) at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. 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 .

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ECHL Stories from October 28, 2010


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