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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Sweep Weekend Series With 5-2 Win Over Toledo

November 18, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (5 - 4 - 3 = 13; 4th North Divison) scored three unanswered third period goals to pull away from the Toledo Storm and win their second in two nights against Toledo, 5-2. Shawn Collymore, Chris Bala and Arpad Mihaly each had a goal and two assists on the night, but it was Malcolm MacMillan's second goal in two games at the 3:01 mark of the third period that made the score 3-2 in favor of Reading and proved to be the game winner. Royals' goaltender, Ryan Munce, stopped 15 of the 17 shots he faced in the game to earn his second win in as many nights and run his overall record to 3 - 3 - 3.

Toledo struck first at the 18:01 mark of the first period while on the power play, when Andrew Martin fired a ‘seeing-eye' snap shot from the high slot that beat Munce to the short side. Reading tied things at one with a power play goal of their own (of the five on three variety) at the 5:08 mark of the second. Mihaly controlled the puck at the left side of the net and slid it out front to Larry Courville, who in turn battled off a couple of Toledo defenders and fed Shawn Collymore at the right side of the net. Collymore whacked it behind Toledo goaltender Dominic Vicari (1 - 2 - 0; 31/36) for his sixth goal of the season. Reading took the team's first lead of the night on a transition rush led by Joe Zappala into the offensive end. Zappala carried the puck deep into the offensive zone on the right wing side and fired a brilliant back-handed saucer to the charging Chris Bala, who had slipped behind the Toledo defense right down the slot. Bala took control of the feed and went five-hole on Vicari for his second goal of the season at the 9:01 mark of the second. Despite getting outshot 19 - 8 in the second period, Toledo tied the game at two when Matt Zultek was able to gain possession of the puck in the right wing corner of the offensive end, and slide a back door feed to Martin, who had slipped behind the Royals' defense on the left side of the ice. Martin buried his chance for his second of the night with just 4:32 remaining in the second.

In the third, the Royals broke the two-two deadlock when Malcolm MacMillan turned and wheeled a snap shot from out in front of the Toledo net. The puck slid along the ice and through the skates of Martin, who tried to block the shots by ‘clicking' his heels together; but his effort instead served to re-direct the puck through the legs of Vicari and into the net 3:01 into the period. The Royals got some insurance when Arpad Mihaly finished a Collymore pass off the rush from in front of the Storm goal with a close range chip shot into the upper reaches of the net for his league leading twelfth goal of the season at the 9:26 mark of the third. Larry Courville put the icing on this one when he charged between the hash marks and one-timed a Mihaly pass behind Vicari with 7:59 remaining to give the Royals a 5-2 lead that they would not relinquish down the stretch.

The Royals next travel to Dayton, Ohio to take on the Bombers for the first time this season at the E.J. Nutter Center on Wednesday night (7:05 pm). Reading then returns to the Sovereign Center to take on the Johnstown Chiefs on Friday night (7:05). The Royals then undertake a home-and-home with the Wheeling Nailers to finish the weekend. On Saturday night, the Royals and Nailers play at Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling (7:30 pm) before returning to the Sovereign Center on Sunday afternoon (4:35 pm) to finish the series. 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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