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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Knock Off Nailers, 4-1

December 5, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (12-8-1=25, 3rd North Division) of the ECHL extended the team's overall win streak to three games-and the team's home unbeaten streak to six (5-0-1)-with a 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Royals scored first and, after Wheeling tied the game at one, pulled away with the game's final three goals. Goaltender Danny Taylor (3-0-0; 26/27) won his third straight, while the Nailers' goaltender John Curry (4-2-0; 26/30) took the loss in his first start for the Wheeling after being re-assigned yesterday from the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.

After a scoreless first period (during which the Royals had a goal-that was kicked in-waived off), Reading struck first when defenseman Mike Salekin fired a seeing eye wrist shot that bulleted by a pack of players in front of the Nailer net at the 4:45 mark of the second. For Salekin, that was his first goal as a pro. Wheeling tied the game at 9:14 of the second when Ned Havern ripped a snap shot from the right circle that appeared to deflect off the stick of a Royals' defender and beat Taylor on the short side. Reading regained the lead at the 13:27 mark of the second when Salekin found Bracken Kearns breaking through the neutral zone. Kearns carried into the offensive end on the left wing side, slowed his pace at the half wall, and tossed a saucer to the mid-slot where defenseman Kevin Schaeffer took control. Schaeffer took a stride and uncorked a rocket that beat his former Boston University teammate, Curry, high to the glove side for his second goal of the season and what proved to be his first game winner as a pro. Reading took a 3-1 lead at the 16:55 mark of the second when Charlie Kronschnabel battled on the end wall in the offensive zone to free the puck for Ned Lukacevic, who took control and carried into the right corner. Lukacevic then threw a perfectly placed rocket to the back door, where Malcolm MacMillan redirected the puck to the empty side of the net for his fourth goal of the year.

The Royals extended the lead to 4-1 at the 3:01 mark of the third while on the power play. Again, Lukacevic started the tic-tac-toe cross-ice passing sequence with a hard pass from deep in the offensive zone on the right wing side to MacMillan, who was deep on the left wing side. MacMillan caught the 'tic' and fired a 'tac' to the back door where Dany Rousine went 'toe' with a tap in for his third goal of the year. Despite finishing the game with just four defensemen (due to injuries sustained in the game), Reading kept the Nailers off the board down the stretch thanks in no small part to several a big stops (at big moments) by Taylor, as well as some smart and simple defensive play.

The Royals return to action on Friday night (7:05 pm) when the Trenton Devils visit the Sovereign Center. That night the Royals will celebrate 'Lucky Season Number Seven' with 'Casino Night' and the first 2000 adults 21 years of age and older will receive a pack of Royals' playing cards courtesy of Coors Light and All-Star Distributing. The game night broadcast on Friday will begin at 6:35 pm with the pre-game warm-up show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata, as well as on the internet through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com. Streaming video is available on a pay per view basis through the B2 Networks.

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