ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Pull Out Overtime Win Over Wheeling, 3-2

Published on February 4, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals (26-11-3=55) gave up a short-handed goal with 9:27 left in regulation, which tied tie things at two; but bounced back with a goal late in overtime to win for the second time this season at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia, defeating the Nailers, 3-2. Mike Kompon extended his league-wide season high point streak to 22 games with two assists, including a long pass out of the defensive zone that sent John Morlang on a breakaway for the overtime game winner. The two top teams in the North Division complete the back-end of the home-and-home on Saturday night in Reading at the Sovereign Center.

After a cautious and scoreless first period, during which the Royals were only credited with three shots, Reading struck first when Shay Stephenson stole the puck in front of the Nailers net, turned and wheeled the puck behind Wheeling goalteder, Andy Franck, at the 7:02 mark of the second period. Wheeling tied things at one 2:43 later with the teams skating four aside, when Mike Doyle created a turnover deep in the Royals' defensive zone and slipped the puck out in front of Reading's net. Wheeling defender Alexandre Rouleau stepped up, took control of the loose puck, and flipped a backhander high stick side on Reading goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji (11-6-2) to put the Nailers on the board. The Royals responded 44 seconds later when Dany Roussin chipped a puck out of the defensive zone to Mike Kompon, who fired a long cross ice pass to the breaking Doug Christiansen on the right wing side. Christiansen charged behind the Wheeling defense and fired the puck high to the glove side on Franck to give the Royals a 2-1 lead.

Midway into the third, the Royals were awarded a long power play due to a major slashing penalty assessed to Drew Fata of Wheeling that also resulted in Fata's expulsion from the game. It was the Nailers' who capitalized, however, when Luis Tremblay burst into the offensive zone and ripped a high, hard slap shot from the top of the right circle behind Fukufuji. Despite decent chances for both clubs at either end of the ice, neither team was able to close the deal in regulation time. In the overtime session, the teams continued to trade chances until late in the extra frame, when Tyler Hanchuck fed the puck to Kompon deep in the Royals' defensive zone, and Kompon drilled another brilliant feed to the breaking John Morlang who was cutting across the neutral zone at the center circle. Morlang took the pass and slipped behind the Wheeling defense, beating Franck low to the glove side to give the Royals their third overtime win of the season.

Reading returns home to the Sovereign Center to complete the backend of the home and home with the Nailers on Saturday night (7:00 pm). That night, the first 2500 fans in attendance will receive a Royals' poster courtesy of the Reading Eagle. Royals' game day broadcasts can be heard on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata and www.royalshockey.com with pre-game beginning 30 minutes before the opening face-off. Streaming video is also available through the Royals' website on a pay per view basis provided by B2 Networks.

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ECHL Stories from February 4, 2006


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