ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Falter Down Stretch in 4-2 Loss to Florida

Published on November 27, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (2nd Atlantic Division, 11-7-0-0=22), 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 (3rd South Division, 11-9-0-0=22), 4-2 at Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Everblades rang off three unanswered goals in the third period to come back from a 2-1 deficit and hand the Royals their first loss of the year in a game where the team entered the third period with a lead (5-1-0-0). Goaltender Matt Dalton (loss, 7-4-0-0, 25/27, 1 eng) had his three game win streak snapped. Jaroslav Janus (win, 5-4-0-0, 17/19) picked up the win in his first start against Reading. The Royals broke an 0 for 30 streak on the power play (that spanned eight games) with the team's first goal of the night (1-2). Florida scored the game tying goal in the third period with the man advantage (1-4).

The Everblades struck 9:43 into the first when a shot from the left point caromed off the glove a Royals' forward and slid to the stick of Mike McKenzie who was planted at the right side of the Royals' goal. McKenzie fired quickly for his second of the year. Reading answered with a power play goal at the 14:08 mark of the first. Louis Liotti fired a one-timer from the left point that missed on the left side, but ricocheted out on the right. Matt Caruana let the puck come to him in the low right circle and fired a snap shot that was deflected by Andrew Sarauer for his fourth of the season.

Reading took the team's only lead of the game at the 2:47 mark of the second when Ryan Cruthers rushed into the offensive end and slid a pass to the center slot that was intended for Yannick Riendeau. The puck went off the blade of Riendeau's stick into the left circle where a charging Ben Gordon stepped in and uncorked a rocket that beat Janus high glove side for his fifth of the year.

In the third, things unraveled for the Royals. An interference penalty right off the face-off to start play in the third put the Everblades on a power play seven seconds into the period. Twenty-four seconds later, Elgin Reid fired a seeing-eye wrister that slid through traffic in front of Dalton and into the net for Reid's fourth of the season. Florida then got what proved to be the game winner at the 12:46 mark of the third when Mike McKenzie slipped one from a sharp angle that somehow snuck through for his second of the night. The Royals were never able to muster the offensive opportunities to muster a credible come-back and Phil Paquet added an empty netter to ice it for the Everblades with just one second left.

The Royals are off until next Friday (December 3, 2010 @ 7:05) when the Elmira Jackals visit the Sovereign Center. The Royals game night broadcast will kick off with the pre-game warm-up show presented by The Works at Wyomissing on the Royals Broadcast Network (WRAW 1340 am in Reading, www.1340wraw.com) at 6:35 pm. 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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