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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Pull Out Shootout Win Over South Carolina, 5-4

November 8, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (5-3-1-1=12, t-2nd East Division), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, defeated the South Carolina Stingrays, 5-4, in a shootout at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reading bounced back from a two goal deficit early in the second period to snap a four game losing streak to South Carolina dating back to March of 2007. Royals' goaltender Andrew Engelage (win, 1-0-0-0; 23/27; 3/5 in shootout) picked up his first pro win; while South Carolina's Braden Holtby (SOL, 2-1-1-1; 35/39; 2/5 in shootout) suffered his first pro shootout loss. The Royals got two power play goals-one from forward Ryan Cruthers and the other from defenseman Jared Ross (2-7); the Stingrays did not capitalize on either of their two power play chances.

Reading struck first 5:32 into the game when Cruthers fired a fifty-five foot shot from outside the offensive blue line that Holtby kicked out the with right pad; the rebound, however, slid to the left circle where the Royals' Scott Langdon picked up, carried in, cut across the crease and slipped a backhand through for his second goal of the year. South Carolina bounced back by scoring the next three goals of the game. The first came 11:04 into the first when Matt Scherer ripped a shot off the left half-wall that beat Engelage high to the short-side. 1:47 after that, the Stingrays took the lead when Nikita Kashirsky put back a relatively soft rebound of a Dain Prewitt shot from the right circle. The Royals' fell behind by two (1-3) 1:18 into the second period, when Dylan Yeo stepped out of the penalty box after serving a minor penalty and was sprung on a breakaway by a long pass from Kashirsky. Yeo buried his shot over Engelage's left shoulder for his first of the year.

The Royals climbed back in-and re-took the lead-by scoring the game's next three goals. Cruthers scored his first as a Royal while Reading was on the power play after a scramble in tight on the South Carolina net 7:10 into the second. Thirty seconds later, Ross tied the game with the proverbial seemingly harmless snap shot from the right point that snuck between Holtby's legs for Ross' first goal as a pro. 10:35 into the third while Reading was on the power play, Ross scored his second goal as a pro with another shot from the point-this one a blast that appeared to hit someone or something in front of Holtby and give the Royals a 4-3 lead.

South Carolina pushed down the stretch and re-tied the game at four with just 1:30 remaining in regulation when Rob Ricci finished a scramble started by some gritty work by Michael Dubuc from out in front of the Royals' net. After a scoreless overtime, the Royals shot first in the shootout and, although Stefano Giliati was stopped as the first Reading shooter, Ben Gordon, Danick Bouchard, and Daniel Steiner (shooting fifth after Olivier Labelle's effort was stopped by Holtby) scored to clinch the two points-as Engelage rejected three of the five shootout attempts by the Stingrays.

The Royals next game is in Johnston, Pennsylvania on Wednesday night (November 11) where the team will face the Johnstown Chiefs (7:30 pm) for the third time this year. Wednesday's broadcast time is 7:00 pm on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

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