ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Win Wild One in Trenton, 5-4

Published on December 4, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (11-8-1-1=24, 1st East Division), affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, defeated the Trenton Devils, 5-4, at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. The win, which marked the eighth time this year that Reading has come back from an in-game deficit to take the two points, jumped the Royals into first place in the East Division for the third time this year. Goaltender Matt Dalton (4-4-0-0; 39/43) battled through several sustained stretches of adversity to beat the Devils for the third time this season; while Gerald Coleman (5-4-0-2; 23/28) suffered his second regulation loss of the year to the Royals. The Royals racked up a season high three power play goals (3-6); but gave up a short-handed goal during a third period major power play. The Devils struck once on the power play in five chances with the man advantage.

Trenton got on the board 8:16 into the game, when Kyle Kucharski took control behind the Reading net and slid the puck to the top of the crease, where a crashing Kory Nagy got enough of it to punch it through for his fourth of the year. Reading bounced back to tie the game 2:28 later with the team's first power play goal of the night-six seconds into the team's second chance with the man advantage. Ryan Cruthers won an offensive zone face-off in the right circle to Ben Gordon, who was at the right point. Gordon walked around a defender, carried deep into the right circle and ripped a snap shot high blocker side for his team leading eleventh goal of the year. Trenton regained the lead with forty-eight seconds left in the period. Although Reading won a defensive zone face-off, a strong fore-check by Tony Zancanaro and Dan Eves generated a turnover. Eves took control in the left corner and slid a perfect cross-crease pass to the hard charging Trevor Kell, who directed it home for his fifth of the season.

Reading re-tied the game (2-2) 1:11 into the second when Daniel Steiner took control at the offensive blue line, carried into the right circle and ripped a snap shot low stick side for his fifth of the year. The Royals took their first lead of the game 12:28 into the second with the team's second power play goal of the game. Defenseman Rob Kwiet took control deep in the offensive end in the right corner. Kwiet slipped a pass into the low slot towards Danick Bouchard, who took the pass out of his left skate and uncorked a blast just under the bar for his first of the night and sixth of the season. The Devils then bounced back with a power play goal of their own. After a flurry in the offensive end, Jeff Prough ended up with a point blank chance from low in the left slot. Dalton made a great stop with his left arm, but the rebound fell to the top of the crease where defenseman David Leaderer stuffed it back in for his fifth of the year to make it 3-3.

The Royals re-took the lead (4-3) 4:09 into the third when Bouchard scored his second power play goal of the year. Steiner slid a perfect pass out of the right corner to the low slot, where a hard-charging Bouchard re-directed it low glove side for his seventh of the year. 1:14 later, the Royals picked up what proved to be the game winner on a virtual carbon copy of the goal that the team had scored just moments prior-only this one was at even strength. This time it was Marc Cavosie who slid the puck from the right side into the slot, where a crashing Charlie Kronschnabel fired it home for his fifth goal-and second game winner-of the year. Mid-way into the third, Trenton's Dan Eves was assessed with a major boarding penalty that gave the Royals' five minutes of power play. The Royals didn't capitalize on that opportunity-but Trenton did, as they racked up a short-handed goal with a 7:14 left in the game. Jeff Prough out-raced the Royals into the offensive end and threw a perfect cross-ice pass to defenseman Tim Kunes, who had joined the rush for the back-door tap-in to make it 5-4. The Devils pushed hard down the stretch and created a number of quality scoring chances; but Dalton and his teammates held strong to pick up the win and run the team's road record to 5-5-1-0.

This Royals and Devils go at it again tomorrow night (Saturday, December 5, 2009 @ 7:05 pm) at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, when the Royals will host the annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss'. On Saturday, Reading will wear special jerseys, which will be auctioned off to benefit the United Way of Berks County. The first 1500 fans in attendance will also receive a United Way puck. In addition, the first ‘Rinkside with the Royals' radio show will be held from 6:00 - 6:30 at The Corner inside the Sovereign Center. The Royals game night broadcast tomorrow on the Royals Radio Network Presented by Transmissions by Arbogast kicks off at 6:35 pm.

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