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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Fall to Florida, 4-2

March 18, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (31-28-3-469, 3rd Atlantic Division), 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 Florida Everblades (34-25-2-575, 4th South Division), 4-2, at Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reading failed to capitalize on an early extended five-on-three power play, and by the early stages of the second period Florida built a two goal lead, which they would never relinquish, and despite a late game push from Reading. With the win, the Everblades completed a season sweep at the Sovereign Center this season (3-0-0-0). For Reading, this game continued a dreadful trend on Sundays this year, dropping the Royals' record to 1-9-0-0 in the ten Sunday games played so far.

Reading's Mark Owuya (loss, 12-5-1-2, 39/42) kept the Royals alive through a number of Florida flurries, as his save total exceeded thirty-five for the twelfth time in twenty games for the Royals this season. Florida's John Muse (win, 12-5-1-2, 23/25) beat the Royals at the Sovereign Center for the second time in five days. The Royals power play was held off the board for the sixth time in the last eight games (0-5), which included 1:28 of five-on-three early in the first period. The Everblades power play was also held off the board (0-4).

The Everblades struck first 8:26 into the first-just fourteen seconds after the Royals extended five-on-three power play expired. Scott Pitt fed Rylan Galiardi in the high slot for a clean look. Galiaradi picked his spot-low blocker-for his seventeenth of the year.

Florida took a 2-0 lead 5:25 into the second, when Pitt connected with Brandon MacLean for a beautiful goal. Pitt controlled just inside the blue line on the left wing side and landed a perfect lead-out saucer to the top of the crease, where MacLean swooped in and angled it up and over Owuya for his third of the year.

Reading broke through 7:53 into the third, when Yannick Riendeau sprang Yannick Tifu for a long break after a perfect rink-wide seventy-five foot pass from deep in the defensive zone. Tifu beat a Chicago defender on the edge, made the power move deep on the left side and beat Muse across the body with a snap shot for his nineteenth of the year.

With time ticking down and Reading within one (at 2-1) a tough turnover cost the Royals dearly. A Reading forward had clean possession in the defensive zone, but coughed it up to Pitt, who fed Brayden Irwin deep on the left side. Irwin spun and fired one on the short-side that appeared to hit the pipe and then the body of Owuya, dropping over the goal line for to make it 3-1 Florida with just 1:19 left in regulation.

Nonetheless, the Royals made it a one goal game again thirty-five seconds later with the goaltender pulled and the sixth attacker on the ice when Denny Urban blasted one from the right point that hit the left arm of Muse and trickled across the goal line. After the faceoff to restart play, the Royals pulled the goaltender for one last push; but Florida's Matt Beca bagged an empty netter to ice it and drop the Royals record at the Sovereign Center this year to 11-17-1-2.

The Royals are off until Friday (March 18, 2012 @ 4:05 pm) when the team will kick off a three game set against the Trenton Titans. On Friday, the Sovereign Center will host a happy hour at the 'The Corner' Bar and Restaurant from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Friday's game night broadcast will start at 3:35 pm with the Red Robin Gourmet Burger Pre-Game Warm-up Show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Reading. Streaming audio is available free of charge courtesy of America One through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com.

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