ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Smacked By K-Wings, 6-3

Published on March 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (28-25-1-360, 2nd East Division), 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 (33-17-4-373, 2nd North Division), 6-3, at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The loss, which snapped a four game home winning streak for Reading, dropped the Royals to 0-3-1-1 against the K-Wings this year. The Royals held a 2-1 lead after the first period, but got swamped by a five goal second period for Kalamazoo. Goaltender Josh Johnson (loss, 5-3-0-0; 41.47) sustained his first loss at the Sovereign Center. The K-Wings' Ryan Nie (win, 20-9-1-1; 23/26) beat the Royals for the fourth time this year (4-0-0-0). The Royals broke a streak of twenty straight power play chances without scoring, by bagging a goal on the team's first chance with the man advantage against Kalamazoo (1-3). The K-Wings scored on their first chance on the power play, as well (1-3).

Kalamazoo struck first 9:04 into the game, when Mathieu Curadeau fired a shot from the mid-slot that went off the shin pad of a Royals' defender directly to the stick of Rick Cleaver, who was set up at the right side of Reading's goal. Cleaver blasted it by Johnson on the short side for his twenty-third of the year. Reading tied the game 14:19 into the first, when Alex Berry, playing in his first game as a Royal, threaded a pass to Matt Ward in the low slot. Ward tapped off to Andrew Sarauer, who was wide open and all alone at the top of the K-Wings' crease. Sarauer settled and stuffed the puck around Nie for his fifteenth of the season. The Royals took their only lead of the game with 1:42 left in the first while on the power play. Stefano Giliati fired a perfect pass from high on the left side into the right circle, where Aaron Brocklehurst was waiting for the one-timer off the right dot. Brocklehurst's blast beat Nie high to the glove side for his tenth of the year.

Kalamazoo's second period explosion started 3:23 into the period, while the Wings were on the power play. Louis Liotti fired a shot off the left point that was deflected by Rick Cleaver, who was floating across the top of the crease, which slipped by for his second of the night. Seven seconds after that goal, the K-Wings took the lead back with a wrister by Billy Bezeau from just inside the blue-line that was deflected by a Reading defender and fluttered over Johnson's glove hand for Bezeau's first goal as a pro. 11:46 into the second period, the Wings extended their lead to 4-2 on a disputed goal. Jon Landry took a shot from the slot that appeared to hit the cross-bar and deflect towards the left corner. However, the referee ruled that the puck went into the net and, to the obvious displeasure of the Royals' fans at the Sovereign Center, awarded Kalamazoo the goal. The K-Wings added to their lead at the 14:02 mark of the second when Will Colbert was able to walk deep into the slot and rip a shot high glove side on Johnson for his fourth of the year. Kalamazoo closed out the second with 26 seconds left in the period, when a defensive zone turnover gave Curadeau a chance from just inside the blue line. Curadeau's shot was deflected by Patrick Aselin on the way in for his ninth of the year.

The Royals picked up a short-handed goal 7:52 into the third period by Sarauer, when Aaron Brocklehurst sprang him for a long breakaway. Sarauer went fore-hand, back-hand, fore-hand and stuff for his second of the night and sixteenth of the season to give the Royals some hope; but Reading was unable to claw their way back in, as the K-Wings shut things down and took their second win of the year out of the Sovereign Center.

The Royals are back in action on Saturday (March 6, 2010 @ 7:05) when the Johnstown Chiefs visit the Sovereign Center. The Royals game night broadcast on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast will begin at 6:35 pm.

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