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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Slip Down the Stretch and Lose In Overtime To Elmira, 5-4

December 14, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Elmira, NY - The Reading Royals (15-8-2=32, 3rd North Division) of the ECHL failed to hold a 4-1 lead in the third period, as the Elmira Jackals scored three unanswered late game goals to get to overtime where they scored again to win 5-4. The Royals scored first; and, after Elmira quickly tied the game at one, Reading appeared to pull safely away with two late first period goals and a power play goal mid-way into the second. However, Reading's makeshift line-up, which included a couple of late day additions playing in their first game for the team, could not hold off the hard charging Jackals in the third. Goaltender Terry Denike (4-2-1; 33/38) lost for the first time in four starts for the Royals, while Joel Martin (12-3-1; 31/35) got the comeback win for Elmira.

Reading struck first 5:45 into the game when Dany Roussin was able to force a loose puck in from the top of the crease after a huge scrum around the Elmira net. Elmira answered 33 seconds later, when Benoit Ducet took a shot from the left circle that Kevin Ulanski, who was charging to the front of the net, deflected behind Denike for his fifth goal of the season. Roussin struck for his second of the night and his seventh of the season while the teams were playing four aside at the 15:41 mark of the first. Brock Hooton won an offensive zone face-off and tracked the puck down below the goal line on the left side of the ice. Hooton then found Roussin, who was all alone at the top of the crease, and Roussin did not waste the chance drilling the puck high to the glove side behind Martin. Reading took a two goal lead 36 seconds later, when Patrik Hersley took control in the defensive zone and hit Chris Blight with a breakout pass. Blight in turn fed Roussin who was charging up the left wing side into the offensive zone. Roussin dropped to Hooton high in the left circle, and Hooton ripped a snap shot high to the glove side on Martin for the 3-1 lead. The Royals took a 4-1 lead at the 11:37 mark of the second while playing on a 5-on-3 power play. P.J. Atherton settled in the high slot and uncorked a low, hard blast to the stick side for his fourth goal of the season.

The Jackals started their comeback at the 7:04 mark of the third, after the Royals were unable to capitalize on three consecutive power play opportunities in the early stages of the third. Elmira's Brian Rodney controlled at the left point, eluded a Royals' defender, and then fired on goal. Denike made the stop but the rebound fell loose out front where Frank Littlejohn slipped it in for this ninth goal of the year. The Jackals cut the Royals lead to one at the 12:12 mark of the third with their first power play goal of the night when Scott May fired a shot from the left circle that hit the body of Pierre-Luc Faubert, who was battling out in front, and deflected into the upper left corner of the net for his ninth goal of the year. The Jackals tied the game on another power play chance 3:28 later when May took control in the left corner and hit Rodney with a great pass on the back door, and Rodney drilled a snap shot home to make it 4-4-which is the way it ended in regulation. Early in overtime, the Jackals created a rush up ice that resulted in Faubert carrying into the Royals end on the left side. Faubert took a hard, low shot that was kicked out by Denike; but the rebound went right up the gut where the trailing May took control and scored the game winner 46 seconds into the OT.

The Royals return to action on Sunday afternoon (4:00 pm) at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, where they will take on the Trenton Devils for the sixth time this year. The game night broadcast on Sunday will begin at 3:30 pm with the pre-game warm-up show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Ephrata, as well as on the internet through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com. Streaming video is available on a pay per view basis through the B2 Networks.

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