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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall in Wheeling for Fourth Time in Four Tries, 6-5

January 10, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals (loss, 20-10-1-142) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, were defeated by the Wheeling Nailers (win, 15-16-0-030), 6-5, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, WV.

The last time the Royals lost on the road, Reading blew a lead to fall in a one-goal decision to the Wheeling Nailers at WesBanco Arena (back on December 14, 2014). This was a different day, but the same result. Only in this one, the Royals blew three separate leads to fall for the fourth time this season in four tries in Wheeling. Reading scored first and also held leads of 2-1 and 3-2, only to give up three goals in a span of 1:33 late in the second period to find themselves suddenly trailing by two. From that point forward, Reading was chasing the Nailers, who bagged three power play goals-including the third period game winner-on just four tries with the man advantage. The loss snapped a three game win streak for the Royals, as well as the team's six game road win streak.

First Period (2-1, Reading) 4:27 (1-0, Reading) Reading Goal Mullane (12); Watters and Marcou (rebound of a deflected slap shot from right point) For the second consecutive game against the Nailers, the Royals struck first when Mike Marcou ripped a low hard slap shot from the right point that was deflected by Ian Watters on the way in. The deflected puck clanked off the cross-bar and fell in the blue paint, where Pat Mullane stepped in and tapped it home for his twelfth of the year.

6:31 (1-1, Tie) Wheeling Goal Johnson (7); Murovich and Skelly (multi-shot rebound after walk out and jam attempt) After giving up the first goal of the game, Wheeling came back with a vengeance, pinning the Royals in the defensive zone. The Nailers then forced one home, when Chaz Johnson powered his way from the below the goal line to the top of the Royals' crease where he had multiple whacks at a loose puck before chipping it up and over goaltender Martin Ouellette for his seventh of the year.

14:11 (2-1, Reading) Reading Goal (Penalty Shot) Hatch (2) (snap shot from mid-slot) Nine seconds into the first power play of the game, the Royals Matt Hatch took off on a short-handed breakaway and was hauled from behind by the Nailers' Zach Torquato. Hatch was awarded his first pro penalty shot, and he did not waste the opportunity, carrying the puck to the mid slot where he ripped a hot rivet that slipped under and through the right arm of Palazzese for Hatch's second goal of the year.

Second Period (5-4, Wheeling) 12:49 (2-2, Tie) Wheeling Goal (Power Play Goal) Torquato (8); Ellis and Ratchuk (slap shot from high slot) Wheeling tied the game on their second power play of the night when Zach Torquato fired a seeing-eye laser from the high slot that slipped through heavy traffic in the middle of the ice to beat Ouellette on the stick side for his eighth of the year .

15:29 (3-2, Reading) Reading Goal Hatch 2 (3); Molle and Mullane (hard shot out of left circle) 2:40 later, the Royals took the team's third lead of the night when Matt Hatch tracked down the puck in the left circle and fired a hard shot that snuck through the body of Palazzese for his second of the night and third of the season.

16:39 (3-3, Tie) Wheeling Goal McGrath 2 (3); (fortuitous redirect off a shin pad) Just 1:10 after that, however, the Nailers tied the game for the third time, when Patrick McGrath gained possession deep on the low left side and just fired a shot into a forest of shin pads in and around the Royals' net, resulting in a fortuitous bounce that ricocheted by Ouellette for McGrath's third of the year.

17:16 (4-3, Wheeling) Wheeling Goal Skelly (2); (breakaway snap shot high blocker) A mere thirty-seven seconds after that, Wheeling took their first lead of the game when Shawn Skelly scampered off on a break into the Reading end and ripped a bullet high stick side for his second of the year.

18:12 (5-3, Wheeling) Wheeling Goal (Power Play Goal) Johnson 2 (8); Rathchuk and Torquato (rebound put back) The Nailers stretched their lead to two fifty-six seconds later on their second consecutive power play goal. Mike Ratchuk fired a shot out of the right circle that hit the upper body of a Reading defender and fell to the right side of the crease, where Chaz Johnson corralled the loose puck, turned and buried it for his second of the night and eighth of the year.

19:56 (5-4, Wheeling) Reading Goal (Power Play Goal) Watters (2); Cruthers and Marcou (rebound batted out of mid air) Reading drew back within one with a power play goal with just four seconds left in the second period. Ryan Cruthers fired a shot from the left circle that Palazzese stopped with his blocker. The puck, however, fluttered up into the air, and Ian Watters stepped in and batted the puck baseball-style behind Palazzese for his second of the year.

Third Period (6-5, Wheeling) 11:23 (6-4, Wheeling) Wheeling Goal (Power Play Goal) Ellis (5); unassisted (snap shot out of left circle) Wheeling got what proved to be the game winner on their third straight power play goal of the night. Derek Army got a point blank look, firing a hard snap shot to the blocker side on Ouellette, who got a chunk of the shot, but not enough to keep it in front of him, as the puck trickled over his right arm towards the goal line. A Reading defender then stepped in and swept the puck away from the goal line, but in the ensuing scramble, Morgan Ellis took possession of the puck below the Royals' goal line. Ellis then worked his way back above the goal line and turned, wheeled and fired a hot snapper across the body of Ouellette that caught the upper right corner of the net.

15:53 (6-5, Wheeling) Reading Goal (Power Play Goal) Marshall (11); Hughesman (snap shot out of the deep low left slot) Reading brought the game back within reach with the team's second power play goal of the night. With time ticking down on the power play chance, Adam Hughesman fired a diagonal-down, cross-ice seam pass off the right half-wall directly to a waiting David Marshall, who was wide open and all alone at the left side of the net. Marshall had enough time to settle and rip a snap shot just below the cross bar for his eleventh of the year.

Reading would get one more power play chance-and had a six-on-four skater advantage when the team pulled Ouellette in favor of a six attacker-down the stretch and created more than one Grade-A chance to tie the game; but the Royals were unable to bag the equalizer, losing for the fourth time in four tries at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

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