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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Snap Winless Streak With 6-3 Win Over Toledo

November 17, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (4 - 4 - 3 = 11; 4th North Divison) ended a couple of winless streaks-an overall one that had extended to four games and another three games in length against the Toledo Storm-with a 6-3 victory over Toledo in front of 4723 at the Sovereign Center. Center Shawn Collymore rang off three consecutive goals in the second period for the Royals-including what proved to be the game winner-against the Storm, the team for whom he played 49 games in 2004-05. In this one, the Royals scored first and never trailed despite the fact that on two occasions the Storm rallied to tie the game. Royals' goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji (no decision; 20:00; 11/11) started and made all eleven stops he was called upon to make in the first period; but it was Ryan Munce (win, 40:00; 2 - 3 - 3; 21/24), who came on in substitution at the start of the second period and picked up the win.

The Royals struck first on the team's initial power play opportunity of the game when Kevin Saurette dug the puck out of the right wing corner and fed defenseman Rob LaLonde high on the right side of the ice. LaLonde went point-to-point to Roman Teslyuk who fired a low hard slap shot that snuck under Toledo goaltender, Dominic Vicari (1 - 1 - 0; 29/35) at the 5:51 mark of the first to make it 1-0 Reading.

Toledo tied the game at one 10:39 into the second when Storm forward, Richard Colwill, slipped his coverage from behind the Reading net and walked out front and fired a high snap shot from twelve feet away short side on Munce. The Royals bounced back 2:28 later when Collymore started his scoring spree as Jeff State started a Royal rush with a pass to Larry Courville, who drove into the offensive zone straight down the slot. Courville then fed a saucer to Collymore who was skating backward in the left circle and was able to rip a one-time rocket off the rush behind Vicari to give Reading the 2-1 lead. Toledo came right back 1:53 later to tie the game at two when Jamie Tardif won an offensive zone face-off to Matt Zultek whose quick snap shot went off the cuff of Munce's catching glove and into the net. Reading and Collymore came right back, however, 1:52 later with the team's second power play goal of the night. After Chris Bala and Kevin Saurette battled in the offensive end to keep the puck alive, Collymore found himself with a chance at the left side of the net. Several whacks later, Collymore had his second of the night and fourth of the season; and the Royals had a 3-2 lead. Reading would take a 4-2 lead to the locker room after two, when Collymore completed his hattrick with just 39 seconds remaining in the period. On this one, Arpad Mihaly made a brilliant back-hand feed off the rush to Collymore who was driving through the left circle and was able to snap one behind Vicari.

Toledo got right back into it early in the third when Nick Parillo shoveled the puck out front of the Royals net and Colwill was able to fend off Munce and slip it in for his second of the night to make it 4-3 Reading just 1:25 into the period. The Royals regrouped and played a solid through the body of the third until a defensive lapse by the Storm in front of their net allowed Joe Zappala to capitalize for his first pro goal with just 4:19 remaining in the game. Another defensive zone miscue 44 seconds later gave the Royals' Malcolm MacMillan an opportunity to stuff the puck in for his first goal of the season, while giving the Royals a three goal cushion, 6-3 that they would carry through the waning moments of this one.

The Royals and Storm are back at it tomorrow night at the Sovereign Center when the first 1500 fans 21 years of age or older will receive a 16 ounce Royals' pilsner glass courtesy of All-Star Distributing. Royals' game night broadcasts can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1240 am (and on the internet through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com), beginning thirty minutes before the opening faceoff.

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