ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Hold on for Shootout Win in Gwinnett, 3-2

Published on November 5, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Gwinnett, GA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (5-3-1-011, 2nd 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, defeated the Gwinnett Gladiators (5-2-1-112, 2nd South Division), 3-2, in a shootout at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Gwinnett, Georgia. The Royals gave up an early short-handed goal against, but bounced back and took a lead early in the second period with a power play goal. The Gladiators tied it up with a third period power play goal of their own; but Reading got the better of the shootout to take the team's fourth straight win on the road.

Karel St. Laurent (2-1-0-0, 36/38, 4/5 in shootout) had a solid outing and registered his second consecutive win-and his first pro shootout win-for the Royals. Gwinnett's Marc Cheverie (2-1-1-1, 28/30, 3/5 in shootout) sustained the shootout loss. Reading took the team's lone lead in regulation time while playing with the man advantage (1-7). Gwinnett tied the game with a third period power play goal (1-6).

Gwinnett struck early on the Royals first power play chance of the night. A mishandled puck at the offensive blue line turned into a short-handed breakaway for the Gladiators' Joey Haddad, who buried a back-hand bar-and-in for his second of the season 2:13 into the game. Reading tied the game at one 11:00 into the first when Ryan Cruthers powered his way down the left wing side, cut from the corner and beat a Gwinnett defender to the front of the net, where he stuffed it in for his third of the year.

Reading capitalized early in the second on the front-end of a double minor for high sticking assessed late in the first period to Joey Haddad when he clipped Casey Haines as Haddad exited the penalty box at the conclusion of another penalty. Twenty-seven seconds into the second, Cruthers carried into the offensive end and fed Denny Urban, who was slicing through the left side of the slot. Urban dished back-hand sauce towards the right circle where a waiting Yannick Riendeau drilled a one-timer home for his second of the season.

Gwinnett re-tied the game 7:57 into the third with a power play goal by Mike Bartlett. The Gladiators were pressing hard and Bartlett gained possession in the left half-wall. He cut to the middle of the ice and fired a snap shot from the left hash-mark that beat St. Laurent high to the glove side to tie the game at two. Neither team could break the dead-lock in regulation, and after a scoreless overtime, it went to the shootout for resolution. Yannick Riendeau shot first for the Royals and hit pay-dirt; Nikita Kashirsky, shooting third for Gwinnett, tied the shootout; but Cruthers shooting fourth for the Royals completed the trifecta with what proved to be the shootout game winner, giving the Royals their fourth come-from-behind win of the year.

The Royals continue a five game road trip tomorrow (Sunday, November 6, 2011 @ 4:05 pm) in Charleston, South Carolina against the South Carolina Stingrays. The game night broadcast will start at 6:35 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. As with all Royals road games, next Friday's contest in Greenville will be televised in Berks County on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from November 5, 2011


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