ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Slip up in K-Zoo, 3-2

Published on December 17, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Kalamazoo, MI ‚¬" The Reading Royals of the ECHL (1st Atlantic Division, 16-9-0-032), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, were defeated by the Kalamazoo Wings (3rd North Division, 11-11-1-225), 3-2, at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The loss snapped a five game road win streak for the Royals, who are now 8-4-0-0 on the opponents' ice this season. The Royals scored first, but were never able to regain the lead after the K-Wings bagged back-to-back power play goals late in the first. It is only the second time this season that Reading has scored first and lost, 11-2-0-0. Goaltender Matt Dalton (loss, 8-6-0-0, 35/38) was unable to pull out the Royals' first regular season win ever at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo (0-2-1-1). The Wings' Ryan Nie (win, 9-6-1-2, 31/33) ran his career record to 11-3-2 in sixteen total games against the Royals. Reading scored on the team's second power play chance of the night but squandered a number of other opportunities ‚¬"including four straight minutes of power play mid-way into the third period ‚¬"with the man advantage (1-9). Kalamazoo bagged a couple of power play goals (2-8), but got the game winner late in the third while playing five aside.

Reading struck 8:12 into the game while on the power play. Yannick Riendeau stole the puck deep on the right side and fed Jared Ross at the point. Ross fired a slap shot that trickled through the pads of Nie, allowing Andrew Sarauer to step in the crease behind him, take possession and jam in his sixth of the season.

Kalamazoo tied the game with a five-on-three power play goal 14:31 into the first. Royals' defenseman Ryan Donald lost his stick in a battle on the right wing wall. As he slipped back into defensive position, Sarauer was forced to stay deep in the slot in order to hand off his stick to Donald. The K-Wings took advantage of the open space in the mid-slot as Sam Ftorek slid a pass to Ryan McGinnis on the left side of the slot. McGinnis fired high blocker for his third of the year. The Wings then took their first lead of the game with a four-on-three power play goal. Defenseman Jon Landry fired a perfect diagonal-down slap-pass from the right point to Patrick Asselin, who redirected the pass on net. Dalton made a great stop with the right pad, but the rebound went directly back to the stick of Asselin, who easily chipped the puck over Dalton for his ninth of the season.

After a scoreless second, the Royals tied the game at two with a four-on-four goal 4:09 into the third. Todd Perry sprang Sarauer into the offensive zone. Sarauer chipped a saucer to the charging Matt Caruana who carried deep down the left wing side and uncorked a blast that blitzed over Nie's left shoulder for Caruana's fourteenth of the year. The Royals had their chances to take the lead ‚¬"particularly on a four minute stretch of power play mid-way into the third ‚¬"but were unable to find pay-dirt. The K-Wings did. With just 6:41 remaining in regulation, the Wings won an offensive zone face-off and Kory Karlander was able to take control below the goal line on the right side of the net. Karlander slid the puck towards the front of the net, and it appeared to strike the skate of Dalton as he pushed off the right pipe ‚¬"and the puck somehow deflected into the net to give the K-Wings a 3-2 lead that they would hold down the stretch, despite a late game onslaught from the Royals.

The Royals and the K-Wings go at it again tomorrow night (Saturday, December 18, 2010 @ 7:30 pm) at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Royals game night 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 7:00 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.

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