ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Throttled by Devils, 7-1

Published on February 27, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Trenton, NJ - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (26-24-1-3=56, 3rd 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 Trenton Devils (24-23-4-5=57, 2nd East Division), 7-1, at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. The Devils built a first period lead and then exploded for four third period goals to extend their winning streak to sixth straight and jump over Reading into second place in the East Division. For Reading, this loss, which was the team's seventh in a row on the road, marked the fourth time this year that the team has given up seven or more goals. Goaltender Josh Johnson (loss, 4-2-0-0; 20/25 in 52:51) suffered his first loss as a member of the Royals; while Jeff MacDougald (no decision, 3/5; 7:09) got his first pro experience in the last 7:09 of the game. The Devils' Dave Caruso (14-14-1-1; 33/34) beat Reading for the third time this year (3-2-0-0). The Royals power play failed to convert on six chances with the man advantage, including three consecutive in the early stages of the game (0-6). The Devils scored their third goal of the game seven seconds after the conclusion of their first power play (0-2).

Trenton struck first 14:20 into the game when Jack Combs, who would end up with a hattrick, dug the puck from behind the Royals' net, came out from behind and jammed it in at the right pipe for his sixteenth of the season. The Devils got what proved to be the game winner with just 1:21 remaining in the first when Justin Coutu slipped off the left point to a spot in front of the Royals' net where he redirected a perfect pass from Dan Charleston through the sprawling Johnson for his second of the year.

6:04 into the second-seven seconds after the Devils' first power play had expired-Jeff Prough threw one from low in the left circle that somehow slipped through Johnson for his twentieth of the season Reading got on the board at the 10:07 mark of the second, when Ryan Cruthers won a defensive zone face-off and started a rush led by Stefano Giliati, who carried down the left wing side and threw a perfect saucer to a spot in front of the Devils' goal. Driving hard to the net, Olivier Labelle re-directed that pass between the legs of Caruso for his seventeenth of the year to make it 3-1 Trenton.

The Devils blew it open in the third, starting at the 8:15 mark when Trenton caught the Royals' defense pressing. Tony Zancanaro picked off an ill-advised pass to the center of the ice and freed Jeff Prough, who in turn sprang Jeremy Akeson on a long breakaway. Akeson didn't waste the chance, firing high stick side on Johnson for his fifth of the year. Akeson then made it 5-1 at the 10:47 with his second of the night when he jammed one through at the right pipe off another rush started by Zancanaro and Prough. Combs picked up his second of the night at the 15:31 mark of the third when he punched back a Chris Poli rebound from in tight on the second shot faced by MacDougald; and Combs finished the scoring with 2:33 left when he rocketed a shot from the slot high glove side on MacDougald, triggering the hats from the faithful in Trenton. Things got ugly in the waning moments and multiple misconducts were assessed accordingly.

The Royals return to action tomorrow (Sunday, February 28, 2009 @ 5:05 pm) when the Johnstown Chiefs visit the Sovereign Center in Reading. The Royals' game will be preceded by the Fifth Annual Battle of the Badges game between the Reading Police and Fire Departments, which kicks off at 2:15 pm. The Sovereign Center doors will open at 1:30-and the Olympic gold medal showdown between Team USA and Team Canada will be shown on the televisions in the Sovereign Center concourse.

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