Royals Pull Out Dramatic Come Back Win in Wheeling, 4-3
Published on January 8, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (1st Atlantic Division, 21-9-2-0=44), 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 (1st North Division, 17-14-0-2=36), 4-3, in a shootout at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Royals were down by three heading into the third period, but racked up three in the final twenty minutes, including the game-tying goal with just 23 seconds remaining in regulation to ultimately get to the shootout, where Reading's shooters were perfect in four tries to pull out the two points. The Royals Zane Kalemba (win, 2-0-1-0, 36/39, 65:00, 2/4) made a number of spectacular stops in his first start for the team to become the fourth goaltender to win a game for Reading this season. Wheeling's Patrick Killeen (SOL, 13-7-0-1, 26/29, 65:00, 0/4) was equally good, but dropped to 1-2-0-1 in four games against the Royals this season. Reading broke up the Wheeling shutout seven minutes into the third period on the team's fifth power play chance of the game (1-5). Reading's penalty killers held the opposition's power play off the board for the thirteenth time this year.
Wheeling struck 7:03 into the game, when Joey Haddad carried the puck down the left wing side, completely around the Royals net and came out on the other side of the goal, where he was allowed to set up in the right circle for an easy chance. He didn't waste it, firing high glove side on Kalemba for his seventh of the year. The Nailers built the lead to 2-0 at the 6:15 mark of the second, when Nick Peterson snuck a back-hand through from the mid-slot. The shot didn't have much on it, but as it bounded towards the Royals' goal, it deflected off a defender's skate and snuck in for his fifteenth of the year. 9:59 into the second, the Nailers made it 3-0 with Haddad's second of the night. He gained possession in the right circle and ripped a snap shot across the body of Kalemba low to the left side for his eighth of the year.
Reading started the comeback seven minutes into the third on a power play goal by Yannick Riendeau. Rob Kwiet fired a perfect diagonal down pass from the left point to Riendeau in the right circle. Riendeau ripped a perfect snap shot bar-and-in for his seventh of the season. The Royals cut the lead to one 12:02 into the third, when the Royals won an offensive zone face-off and Alain Goulet fired from the high slot. Killeen made the save, but the rebound fell loose in the crease, where Chris Blight stepped in and punched it through for his fourth of the year. The Royals completed the comeback with the goaltender pulled, the sixth attacker on the ice and just 23 seconds remaining in regulation. Cody Wild threw a wrister from the high slot that was about three feet off the ice, and Ben Gordon, who was planted out front, deflected it in a downward direction, sending the puck skipping behind Killeen to tie things at three.
After a scoreless overtime, the game went to the shootout where the Royals were perfect, Riendeau, Gordon, Blight and Eric Castognay all bagged their chances. While Kalemba stopped Alex Smigelski and Dany Masse to pick up the shootout win and send the Royals to twelve games over .500 for the first time this season.
The Royals travel to Elmira, New York, where they'll face the Elmira Jackals on Sunday (January 9 @ 4:05 pm). The Royals game day broadcast will kick off with the pre-game warm-up show presented by The Works at Wyomissing on the Royals Broadcast Network (WRAW 1340 am in Reading, www.1340wraw.com) at 3:35 pm. You can also catch all of the Royals away games this season on Royals TV exclusively on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Season tickets for the Royals' 2010-11 season are currently available. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.
ECHL Stories from January 8, 2011
- Victoria loses 3-1 to Stockton; Beckford-Tseu shines in first Kings' appearance - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Steelheads top Bakersfield - Idaho Steelheads
- Reign lose to Grizzlies - Ontario Reign
- Grizzlies Roll 5-1 In Ontario - Utah Grizzlies
- Royals Rally, but Nailers Maintain First Place - Wheeling Nailers
- K-Wings Score Five Unanswered to Defeat Jackals - Kalamazoo Wings
- Royals Pull Out Dramatic Come Back Win in Wheeling, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Trenton Stunned by South Carolina in Shootout, 3-2 - Trenton Devils
- Jackals Fall to K-wings, 5-2 - Elmira Jackals
- Blades pick up a point in wild affair with Cincinnati - Florida Everblades
- Stingrays Fight Back to Defeat Devils - South Carolina Stingrays
- Glads Beat Greenville Again, 3-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Road Warriors' Skid Hits Three With One-Goal Loss To Gwinnett - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Cyclones Break out the Brooms, Sweep Everblades 6-5 - Cincinnati Cyclones
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- ECHL Transactions - January 8 - ECHL
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- Countdown to Faceoff: Royals at Nailers - Wheeling Nailers
- Greenville Road Warriors Game Preview - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Stingrays Gameday: Bring Your Dog to the Stingrays Game Tonight for Dogs on the Pond - South Carolina Stingrays
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
- Leisenring Heads to Bridgeport - Kalamazoo Wings
- ECHL Today - January 8 - ECHL
- Wranglers Win in Overtime, 3-2 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Alaska's Winning Streak Snapped in 3-2 OT Loss - Alaska Aces
- Salmon Kings level three-game series, 1-1, on three-goal rally in first period - Stockton Thunder
- Salmon Kings Double up Thunder - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Condors Stay Hot, Trounce Idaho 6-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Reign Drop Game to Grizzlies, 5-3 - Ontario Reign
- Steelheads Fall in Bakersfield, 6-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- Grizzlies Beat Ontario 5-3 - Utah Grizzlies
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