ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Take Finale In Cincy, 4-2

Published on December 13, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Cincinnati, OH - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (13-9-1-229, 1st 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, defeated the Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-2, at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Win this win, the Royals earned a split in the two-game weekend series, which marked the only time this season that the Royals travel to Cincinnati. Goaltender Matt Dalton (Win, 6-4-0-1; 36/38) was exceptional, particularly down the stretch as the Cyclones pressed. Cincinnati's Jeremy Smith (Loss, 6-5-1; 21.24) suffered a loss in his first career effort against the Royals. Reading got an insurance goal mid-way into the third while on the power play (1-5). For the second night in a row, Reading's PK held the Cyclones' power play off the board in four chances with the man advantage (0-4).

In contrast to last night, the Royals struck early when Ben Gordon slid a perfect pass from the right corner into the mid-slot, where Daniel Steiner found a seam and considerable space to receive the pass. Steiner's one-timer slid into the low left corner of the net for his ninth of the year 1:04 into the first. 1:50 later, Reading took a 2-0 lead when Rob LaLonde fired a pass from the left point that went diagonal-down through the slot and into the right corner, where it ricocheted off the wall and back-up to the top of the right circle. Eric Werner stepped up to that point on the ice and uncorked a blast that beat Smith high to the short-side for his third goal of the year.

Cincinnati cut the Royals' lead in half with a short-handed goal early in the second. Mike McLean took possession in defensive zone and led the Cyclone's short-handed rush through the neutral zone into Reading's defensive end where he dished to Dwayne Zinger, who was trailing the play. Zinger settled at the top of the right circle where he unloaded a bomb that blew by Dalton for his third of the year 5:49 into the second.

The Royals re-took the two goal lead 2:56 into the third, when Stefano Giliati was the beneficiary of a neutral zone turnover by the Cyclones. Giliati carried deep into the left circle where he teed it up and ripped a rocket by Smith for his ninth of the year. Cincinnati drew within one (3-2) again at the 7:25 mark of the third, when Ryan Del Monte carried with speed into the offensive zone off a transition rush. As Del Monte attempted to feed the puck to the top of the Royals' crease, the Royals' Rob LaLonde who was coming back hard on into the defensive end, deflected Del Monte's pass attempt into the Reading's goal. LaLonde made amends for that on the Royals' next power play chance at the 12:49 mark of the third with his second goal of the year. LaLonde fired a wrister from the left point that appeared to deflect off a body out in front of the net and ricochet into the Cyclones' net to give Reading their third two-goal lead of the game. The Cyclones pressed from that point forward; but Dalton made a number of excellent stops, including a flaring glove save on a point blank opportunity for Barrett Eghoetz that put an exclamation point on the Royals seventh road victory of the year (7-6-0-1).

The Royals complete the team's current five game road trip on Wednesday (December, December 16 @ 7:00 pm) at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where the Royals will take on the Johnstown Chiefs. Reading's game night broadcast on Wednesday on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast will kick off at 6:30 pm.

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