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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Take out the Nailers, 4-2

December 9, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (8-11-3-221, t-3rd Atlantic 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 Wheeling Nailers (12-7-0-024, 2nd Atlantic Division), 4-2, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Royals fell behind 2-0 in the first period, but battled back for the team's sixth come-from-behind win of the year thanks in large part to a 55 save performance by goaltender Mark Owuya and three third period goals-which served to snap the team's nine game winless streak.

Goaltender Mark Owuya (Win, 2-0-2-0, 55/57) got the full workout tonight, facing a season-high fifty-five shots against-including 26 in the third period, all the while holding the highest scoring team in the league to two first period goals. Patrick Killeen (Loss, 7-4-0-0, 27/30, 1 eng in 58:44) sustained the loss and dropped to 1-0-1-0 in two starts against the Royals this year. Reading broke a string of 26 consecutive chances with the man advantage without scoring with a third period PPG that proved to be the game winner (1-4). Reading's penalty kill was perfect (3-3) for the second consecutive game and tenth time overall this year.

Wheeling struck 5:55 into the game when Zach Torquato fired from the right wing side across the body of Owuya, who flared the right pad to make the save. However, Owuya kicked the rebound into the left circle where a waiting Patrick Johnson fired it home for his fifth of the year. The Nailers stretched their lead to 2-0 10:42 into the first when Johnson fed Mikael Bedard in the right circle for a hard, quick snap shot that blitzed by Owuya over the right shoulder for his sixth of the year.

Reading broke through 11:39 into the second period, when Everett Sheen chipped the puck behind the Nailer net. Dale Mitchell dug the puck out and slid it back out in front to the left side of the crease, where a crashing Ray Macias slipped it through for his second of the year.

Despite getting outshot 26-12 in the third period, the Royals scored all three goals in the final stanza. The game-tying goal came on a deft deflection by Mitchell at the top of the crease 12:21 into the third. Macias fired off the right point, and Mitchell nicked it enough to send it down and through the legs of Killeen for his fourth of the year.

16:10 into the third, Olivier Dame-Malka picked up a boarding minor, sending the Royals on their fourth power play of the night. Forty-nine seconds into the power play, Rob Kwiet fired from the left point through traffic. Killeen made the save, put the rebound fell to the top of the crease, where Dennis McCauley corralled and stuffed it home for his fifth of the year. Dale Mitchell added an empty netter with nine seconds to ice it for Reading and send the team's road record to 6-4-2-1.

The Royals return home Sunday (December 11, 2011 @ 4:05 pm) for the third match-up of the season against the Nailers. That night, the first 1000 fans twelve years of old and younger get a Royals' winter cap courtesy of Diamond Credit Union. Sundays are Family Days with Berks Packing Dollar Deals--$1.00 hot dogs, soda, popcorn and nachos. There will also be a post-game skate with the players presented by the The game night broadcast will start at 7:05 pm with the Red Robin Gourmet Burger Pre-Game Warm-up Show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Reading. Streaming audio is available free of charge courtesy of America One through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com. As with all Royals' road games, Friday night's contest in Wheeling will be televised locally in Berks County on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Also, on Sunday, fans are encouraged to bring all clothing items, and particularly winter coats and thermal underwear, to donate for US military veterans and their family members as part of a clothing drive with the Royals, the Berks County Combined Veterans, and the U.S. Army Reserves 733rd Transportation Unit. All fans making a donation that day will receive a buy-one, get-one-free voucher for the Royals game against the Trenton Titans on Friday, December 30, 2011.

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