ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Go Three-For-Three in Cincinnati with 4-1 Win

Published on February 21, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Cincinnati, OH - The Reading Royals (win, 35-14-2-173) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones (loss, 24-22-1-453), 4-1, at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Reading fell behind early on a disputed play, but bounced back to tie within twenty-three seconds and then pulled away to pull out the team's sixteenth come-back win of the year. The Royals penalty kill was instrumental in the win, knocking off all six power play chances for the Cyclones, as Reading won for the third time in three tries at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati this season. The Royals got the bounce-back game tying goal from Olivier Labelle, the game winner from Kevin Walrod, an insurance goal from David Marshall, an empty netter from Adam Hughesman-and thirty-five saves from goaltender Kenny Reiter-to pull out the team's thirty-fifth win of the year (and nineteenth road win of the season).

First Period (1-1, Tie) 3:14 (1-0, Cincinnati) Cincinnati Goal Gracel (11); Shalla and Gaudreau (weak-side one-time snapper from left side of the crease) The Cyclones struck first immediately after Josh Shalla appeared to haul down Sean Wiles in the Royals' defensive zone. However, no call was made on the play, and Cincinnati capitalized when Frederick Gaudreau found Shalla deep in the right circle. Shalla then fired a cross-ice pass through the low slot to a waiting Branden Gracel who ripped a wide-open one-timer from the weak side for his eleventh of the year.

3:37 (1-1, Tie) Reading Goal Labelle (19); Hughesman (redirect from the top of the crease) Reading dealt with the displeasure regarding the non-call on the scoring opportunity for Cincinnati-and the Gracel goal-by immediately charging down the ice and hitting pay-dirt 23 seconds later when Adam Hughesman threw a pass from deep in the left corner to the top of the crease where Olivier Labelle, who was battling for position, re-directed the puck behind goaltender Sam Brittain for his nineteenth of the year-and ninetieth as a Royal.

Second Period (2-1, Reading) 15:01 (2-1, Reading) Reading Goal Walrod (5); Mullane and Watters (two-on-one finish of cross-ice feed from the low slot) Reading took the lead in the latter stages of the second period after winning an extended puck battle in the defensive zone. Mike Marcou freed the puck for Ian Watters who sprang Pat Mullane on a two-on-one rush through the neutral zone and into the offensive end. Mullane carried deep down the left side and slipped a cross-ice feed to Walrod, who set up in the mid-slot for a hot catch-and-release wrister into the upper reaches of the net for his fifth of the year-and what would prove to be his first game winner of the season.

Third Period (4-1, Reading) 14:50 (3-1, Reading) Reading Goal Marshall (18); Labelle and Hughesman (tight shot from right side of the crease) The Royals got some insurance late in the third when Hughesman tracked the puck deep in the right wing corner and fired a quick pass to the top of the crease where Olivier Labelle was (again) battling for position. Labelle got a chunk of the puck, redirecting it to the right side of the crease, where a crashing David Marshall chipped it up and over the extended left arm of Brittain for his eighteenth of the year.

18:15 (4-1, Reading) Reading Goal (Empty Netter) Hughesman (18); Labelle and Marshall (bullet from the top of the right circle) Reading iced things with an empty netter with 1:45 left in the game, when David Marshall freed the puck in the defensive zone to Olivier Labelle, who sent Adam Hughesman off to the races. Hughesman carried into the offensive end and ripped a bullet into the upper reaches of the net for his eighteenth of the year.

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ECHL Stories from February 21, 2015


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