Sports stats



ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall in Wheeling

December 13, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals (7-18-1= 17; t-6th North Division) of the ECHL gave up three first period goals and trailed 5-0 after two periods before attempting a late game comeback which fell short, as the Royals lost to the Wheeling Nailers, 5-2, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.. The loss, in the first of what will be ten match-ups over the course of the season between these two teams, snapped a three game winning streak for the Royals. Goaltender Danny Taylor (loss; 3-15-1; 7/11; 20:15) sustained his seventh straight loss; while James Reimer (no decision, 18/19; 39:45) came on in substitution and allowed one goal in almost two full periods. Wheeling's David Brown (win, 5-0-2; 23/25) remained unbeaten in regulation. Reading was blanked in eight chances with the man advantage; and Wheeling failed to score on either of their power play opportunities (0-2).

Wheeling struck 8:33 into the game when Rob Sirianni broke hard down the right wing side and carried deep into the right circle where he unleashed a rocket that beat Taylor high to the short side for his eleventh goal of the year. Fifty-one seconds later, the Nailers took a 2-0 lead while the delayed penalty was on after Bryan Ewing was taken out on the wall by a Reading defender. Ewing re-gained his footing and forced the puck to the top of the crease, where Jordon Morrison was able to flip a back-hand over Taylor as the two of them were falling to the ice. Wheeling extended the first period lead to 3-0 when Matt Grennier bagged a goal with a mirror-image of Sirianni's earlier goal. After blocking a shot and charging down the left wing side, Grennier uncorked a bomb that beat Taylor to the other short-side.

The picture went from bleak to worse fifteen seconds into the second when Taylor went behind the Royals' net to play a dump-in by the Nailers. Taylor settled but was quickly met by Wheeling's Andrew Lord, who stole and centered to Greenier who punched it in for his second of the night and fifth of the season. The Royals then substituted James Reimer into the Reading net. Reimer allowed his lone goal against at the 9:08 mark of the second period. Morrison worked a give and go out of the right corner with defenseman Mitch Ganzak, who was planted on the end wall deep in Reading's zone. Morrison took the return feed and gained space above the goal line as he attacked the Royals' net. Morrison then ripped sharp angle shot that bulleted by Reimer for his second of the night and seventh of the year.

The Royals attempted to mount a comeback in the third, starting with Max Taylor's fifth goal in three games for the Royals. Taylor picked off a Wheeling defensive zone pass, walked in, and buried a high, hard one behind Brown 2:43 into the period. Reading cut the lead to 5-2 when Dinos Stamoulis threw a hard shot from just inside the point on the right wing side towards the Wheeling goal. Reading's David Nimmo, who was floating out front was able to get a piece of Stamoulis' shot and re-direct it behind Brown for his second goal in five games with the Royals. Reading had additional chances-in all three periods actually-but was unable to solve Brown, who was simple, square and solid as he rejected the Royals' efforts to make a game of this one.

The Royals face the Wheeling Nailers again tomorrow evening (Sunday, December 14 @ 6:05 pm). 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.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from December 13, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central