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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Hold on for Win in Wheeling, 2-1

March 16, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (30-27-3-467, 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, defeated the Wheeling Nailers (35-23-3-376, 2nd Atlantic Division), 2-1, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Reading built a 2-0 lead and held on in a late game flurry from the Nailers to win for the twentieth time on the road this year (20-11-2-1)-and the fourth time in four games at WesBanco Arena (4-0-0-0).

Goaltender Mark Owuya (win, 11-4-2-1, 38/39) had another exceptional game, running his record to 4-1-0-0 against the Nailers this year. Wheeling's Peter Delmas (loss, 18-12-1-1, 23/25) sustained his third loss this season to Reading (0-3-0-0). The Royals power play was held off the board for the seventh time in the last ten games (0-2). Wheeling was unable to capitalize on the power play (0-4), although their lone goal came with the goaltender pulled and the sixth attacker on the ice.

After a scoreless first, Reading struck first 12:11 into the second period, when Ian O'Connor fed Matt Caruana in the right wing corner. Caruana fed a backhand pass to the low slot, where it appeared that Wheeling's Peter Merth was going to gain possession; however, Ray Macias activated from the left point and surprised Merth from behind, knocking the puck by Delmas for his sixth of the year.

Reading took a 2-0 lead 4:21 into the third, when O'Connor ripped a rocket off the deep left wing side. Delmas got the shot with his glove, but the rebound punched out to the top of the crease, where a charging Chris Doyle chipped a back-hand up and over Delmas for his second goal as a Royal-both of which have proven to be game winners-and his nineteenth of the season.

Wheeling got on the board with 1:05 left in regulation and the goaltender pulled and the sixth attacker on the ice. Andrew Hotham kept the puck at left point and fed Matt Schepke in the left circle. Schepke slid it back up in the high slot where a waiting Chris Barton uncorked a bullet low stick side for his twenty-seventh of the year. But that would be it in this one for the Nailers, as the Royals successfully knocked off the final minute of the game to pick up the team's thirtieth win of the year.

The Royals and the Nailers go at it again tomorrow (Saturday, March 17, 2012 @ 7:05 pm) when the two teams head to the Sovereign Center in Reading, where the Royals will celebrate 'St. Hattrick's Day' presented by the Reading Eagle. Reading will wear special green jerseys which will be auctioned off after the game with the net proceeds going to the Berks Arts Council. The first 2500 fans on Saturday night will receive a Royals' hat courtesy of Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products and Lasting Image. Friday's 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.

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