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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Win Second Straight in OT Over Cincy, 4-3

November 24, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (2nd Atlantic Division, 10-6-0-020), 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 (1st North Division, 7-5-4-119), 4-3 in overtime, at Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The victory was the second consecutive dramatic over-time win for the Royals, who are 9-2-0-0 in the team's last eleven games. Mikhail Stefanovich, playing in his fourth game for Reading, became the first player in team history to complete the hattrick with an over-time game winner. Goaltender Matt Dalton (win, 6-3-0-0, 27/30) is 5-1-0-0 in his last six games for Reading. Cincinnati's Chet Pickard (otl, 1-3-2-0; 33/37) was exceptional for the Cyclones but fell in OT for the second time this season. Reading's power play continued a dry spell that has the team 0-24 with the man advantage over the last seven games (0-4). Cincinnati scored the game's first goal while on the power play (1-3).

Cincinnati struck first 6:41 into the game on their first power play of the game. T.J. Fast fired from the left point, and Scott Reynolds, who was planted in front of the Royals' goal, deflected the puck in a downward direction, causing it to skip by Dalton for his fourth of the season. Reading didn't trail for long. Eleven seconds later-right off the face-off to re-start play after the Cyclones' goal-Rob Kwiet sprang Stefanovich on a break down the right side. Stefanovich carried deep into the right circle and ripped a bullet across the body of Pickard for his first of the night-and season.

Reading took the team's first lead of the game at the 7:55 mark of the second. Eric Castonguay made a perfect pass to Ryan Cruthers who was breaking through the neutral zone at the conclusion of a Cincinnati power play. Cruthers carried into the offensive zone and fired a shot that went off the body of a Cyclone defender into the right corner. Cruthers tracked the puck down, and fired the puck toward the center of the ice. It hit the shin-pad of a back-checking Cincinnati forward and bounded between the legs of Pickard for Cruthers eighth of the year. Cincinnati bounced back to tie the game at two at the 12:46 mark of the second, after Pickard made several game saving stops for the Cyclones. Fast fired from the high slot, and Dalton made the stop; but the rebound slid to the low right side where a waiting Mathieu Aubin quickly fired for his fifth of the season.

The Royals took their second lead of the game (3-2) with Stefanovich's second of the game. Casey Haines broke up a Cincinnati rush in the neutral zone and tapped off to Rob Slaney at the offensive blue line. Slaney slipped a perfect pass between a couple of Cyclone defenders, springing Stefanovich on the break. Stefanovich laid down a perfect backhand-to-forehand move and fired over top of Pickard at the 5:05 mark of the third. Once again, however, the Cyclones bounced back to tie-this time after a sustained flurry of offensive opportunity, Christian Mirella ended up with the puck in the low slot and fired one 'around the horn'-off the cross bar and right pipe and in for his third of the year. The Royals withstood a late game attack from the Cyclones to get to overtime, where Stefanovich completed his heroics. This time it was Casey Haines who sprang Stefanovich into the right circle. Stefanovich unleashed a laser that dislodged the water bottle for his first pro hattrick and the Royals' tenth win of the year.

The Royals take Thanksgiving Day off and return to action on Friday (November 26 @ 7:05) when they'll face the Cyclones for the second consecutive game, at Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The first 2000 fans that night will receive a Top Moments of the Decade Trading Card Set courtesy of Immix Wireless. The Royals game night broadcast will kick off with the pre-game warm-up show presented by The Works at Wyomissing on the Royals Broadcast Network (WRAW 1340 am in Reading, www.1340wraw.com) at 6:35 pm. You can also catch all of the Royals away games season on Royals TV exclusively on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Season tickets for the Royals' 2010-11 season are currently available. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com .

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