ECHL Reading Royals

Royals pull out Win in Trenton, 5-4

Published on October 28, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (3-2-1-07, 2nd 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 Trenton Titans (1-5-0-02, 4th Atlantic Division), 5-4, at Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Reading jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead, but gave up three straight in the second to fall behind. In the third, it was the Royals who rang off three straight to re-take the lead, which Reading held despite a late game push from the Titans.

Goaltender Joe Palmer (win, 2-1-0-0; 30/34) registered his second consecutive road win for the Royals. The Titans Brad Phillips (loss, 0-3-0-0, 22/27) sustained his third loss in as many games for the Titans. Reading's power play (1-4) came through with a third period game-tying goal that was originally credited to Denny Urban, but in fact was deflected by Rob Shearer. The Titans took their only lead of the game on a second period power play goal (1-3) by Andy Bombach.

Reading struck 3:08 into the game when Ray Macias sprang Olivier Labelle into the offensive zone on the right wing side. Labelle blasted a shot from the top of the right circle that blew through Phillips for his first of the night and second of the season. 14:04 into the first Reading went up 2-0 when Dennis McCauley dug a puck out of the right wing corner and fired a perfect pass to the left point where a waiting Marvin Degon settled and fired for his first as a Royal.

Things took a decided turn against for the worse in the second when the Titans rang off three in a row. The first came 3:43 into the period, when Rob Bordson slipped a cross-crease pass from deep on the right side to a waiting Randy Rowe at the left side of the net. Rowe swooped in and stuffed it home for his first of the night and second of the year. 1:02 after that, the swarming Titans tied the game at two when Matt Germain tried to wrap one around at the right pipe. Palmer made the paddle down stop, but the puck slid to the top of the crease where Adam Presizniuk had inside position for the put back and his first of the season. The Titans took the lead on their first power play chance of the night. Presizniuk hit Andy Bombach with a cross-ice feed high in the right circle. Bombach ripped a one-timer top shelf for his fifth of the year.

Reading re-tied the game 8:31 into the third with a power play goal. Denny Urban carried deep along the goal line on the right side and slid a pass into the crease. Although it appeared to go off a Trenton defender and in, it was actually Rob Shearer of Reading who got a chunk of the puck deflecting it into the upper reaches for his second of the season. 13:05 into the third, Reading re-took the lead when Ray Macias made a power move down the right wing side cut to the top of the crease and would not be denied, taking multiple whacks at the puck before finally forcing it over the goal line for his first as a Royal. Thirteen seconds later, Casey Haines won an offensive zone face-off to the top of the left circle where Labelle quickly fired through traffic. The puck appeared to glance off a Trenton defender before ending up in the net for Labelle's second of the night and third of the season-and the ultimate game winner.

The Titans made a game of it fifty-two seconds later when Rowe forced one through from the right side of the crease after a mad scramble around the Royals' goal. The Royals argued that Rowe kicked it in, but that argument fell on deaf ears, and Reading was forced to protect a one-goal lead down the stretch. The Royals successfully did that to remain unbeaten in regulation on the road (2-0-1-0).

The Royals return to the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, Saturday night (October 29, 2011 @ 7:05 pm), when they will face the Gwinnett Gladiators for the first time this season. The Royals will retire Head Coach Larry Courville's number 22 that night in a pre-game ceremony. The first 1500 fans 21 years of age or older will receive a beer glass with Coach Courville's likeness on it courtesy of the Perfetto Insurance Agency. The game night broadcast will kick off at 6:35 pm on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Reading. Streaming audio provided by America One is free of charge on the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com.

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