ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Power Back to Beat K-Wings, 4-1

January 20, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (16-16-3-338, 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 Kalamazoo Wings (21-14-1-245, 1st North Division), 4-1, at Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Kalamazoo struck early, but Reading rang off four straight, including back-to-back power play goals in the second, to win the only match-up of the season between the Royals and K-Wings in Reading. This game marked the eleventh come-from-behind win of the year for the Royals.

Goaltender Paul Dainton (win, 7-4-2-1, 40/41) was nothing short of spectacular in his first appearance for Reading at the Sovereign Center, as he ran his record to 1-1-0-0 as a Royal. Several of Dainton's best stop came in the first, during which the K-Wings outshot Reading 15-4, to give Reading a chance to get their come-back legs under them. Kalamazoo's Maxime Clermont (loss, 7-5-0-0, 22/25, 1 eng) sustained the loss in his first career game against the Royals. Reading bagged a pair of power play goals (2-4), snapping a streak of four straight games without a PPGs and marking the first time since December 23-a span of 8 games-in which the team had more than one PPG in a single game. The Royals' PK kept the K-Wings league-leading power play off the board (0-2).

Kalamazoo struck 5:11 into the game, when defenseman Harry Young took a snap shot from the right point that appeared to strike someone on the way in and fluttered over the right shoulder of Dainton for Young's first of the season.

Reading tied the game with a power play goal 4:14 into the second. Yannick Tifu put the puck on net and Kenny Ryan jammed at the rebound. Clermont stopped both of those bids, but couldn't keep the third shot-by Ryan Cruthers, who corralled and fired from low in the left circle-out. For Cruthers, that was his eleventh of the year.

The Royals took the lead twelve seconds into their next power play chance, 16:31 into the second. Tyler Brenner took control along the goal line on the left side. He straddled the line as he drove to the net and forced one under and through Clermont for his second of the season-both of which have been game winners.

Reading got some insurance 9:56 into the third. Dale Mitchell stole in the neutral zone and fed Casey Haines, who put the puck on net. John Scrymgeour crashed and controlled the rebound on the right side of the crease. Scrymgeour then back-handed the loose puck home for his second in two games and third of the year.

Kalamazoo pressed hard down the third, outshooting Reading 14-7 in the final frame, but the Royals (and Dainton) held strong and got an empty netter from Yannick Tifu with twenty-six seconds left to ice the team's fifth home win of the year (5-10-1-2).

Reading returns to action tomorrow (Saturday, January 21, 2012 @ 7:05) when the Royals face the Toledo Walleye for the only time this season at the Sovereign Center in Reading. On Saturday night, the Royals, Jay Paterno, and the Berks County Chapter of the Penn State University Alumni Association will join forces to raise money for THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, which is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer. The Royals will wear special jerseys on Saturday that will be auctioned off with the net proceeds from the auction going to support THON. The game night broadcast on Saturday 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.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 20, 2012


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