ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Win Wild One in Wheeling, 7-6

Published on April 2, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals of the ECHL (36-29-1-5=78, 2nd 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 Wheeling Nailers (32-32-2-5=71, 4th North Division), 7-6, in a shootout at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Reading, who trailed by three goals entering the third period, clinched a playoff spot when the team ended regulation time in a tie with the Nailers. The two points earned in the shootout victory jumped the Royals to seventh place in the American Conference. Goaltender Matt Dalton (win, 22-20-0-4; 33/39; 4./5 in shootout) registered his twenty-second win of the year for Reading. The Nailers Adam Berkhoel (12-11-0-3; 23/26, 3/5 in shootout) took the SOL in his first start this season against the Royals. Reading scored the team's first goal at the end of a five-minute power play in the first period (1-3). The Nailers also bagged one on the power play-and scored a goal just after the conclusion of another PP (1-5).

The Nailers scored 5:47 into the game off directly off an offensive zone face-off. Jordan Morrison stepped up to grab a loose puck low in the right circle and chipped it over the left shoulder of Dalton for his eleventh of the year. Reading earned the team's first tie of the game 14:38 into the first with eight seconds left in a major power play awarded for a dangerous cross-check along the wall by Wheeling's Ryan Schnell on Reading's Rob LaLonde. Rob Kwiet, who would get four assists on the night, fired a long breakout pass to Giliati, who pierced through a couple of defenders and went five-hole for his twenty-second of the year.

Wheeling regained the lead at 2-1 at the 2:16 mark of the second two seconds after the conclusion of their first power play. Chris Davis walked the goal line to the left of the Royals' net and jammed it in on the far post for his tenth of the year. Reading tied the game at two at the 5:46 mark of the first when Kwiet sprang Andrew Sarauer and Giliati on a two-on-none break with another long pass from the defensive zone. Sarauer carried in on the left side and dished to Giliati, who drilled it home for his second of the night and twenty-third of the year. Twenty-five seconds later the Nailers re-took the lead at 3-2 when they charged into the offensive end and created a multi-shot opportunity in tight on Dalton that ended when Aaron Clarke turned and wheeled one off a body that fluttered into the upper portion of the net for his twenty-fourth of the year. Reading re-tied the game for the third time at three thirty-five seconds after that, when Brian Ewing threw a back-hand off the left half-wall that slipped through Berkhoel for his seventeenth of the season.

The Nailers then rang off three consecutive to build a 6-3 lead by the end of the second period. The first came at the 10:16 mark of the second while the Nailers were on the power play. Andrew Lord ended up wide open and all alone at the right side of the Royals' goal and roofed a back-hand for his sixteenth of the year. Twenty-nine seconds after that, Blair Yaworski just turned and wheeled a wild shot from low on the left side that blew by Dalton for his fourteenth of the year. With 1:48 left in the second Colin Power ripped a blast from high on the right side that beat Dalton low to the stick side for his seventh of the season.

Reading started the team's third period three goal comeback 4:00 into the final frame, when Giliati won a face-off to Joey Ryan at the right point. Berkhoel got a chunk of Ryan's hard slap shot, but the puck slipped through and across the goal line for Ryan's third of the year. Nine seconds later-immediately after the face-off to re-start play-Marc Cavosie sprang Aaron Brocklehurst down the left wing side into the offensive zone. Brocklehurst threw a perfect pass to the mid-slot where a charging Daniel Steiner settled and fired it top shelf for his fifteenth of the year. Fifty-one seconds after that Wheeling's T.J. Fox was taken down on a clean breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. But Dalton rejected that chance and kept it a one-goal game for Reading. At the 9:19 mark of the third, the Royals completed the comeback effort when Yannick Riendeau found a loose puck at the top of the crease after Berkhoel made a great stop on Andrew Sarauer from in tight. Riendeau put it back in for his third of the season to tie the game at six. The Royals got the only point they needed by ‘protecting the tie' down the stretch.

In overtime, the Nailers got a late power play, outshot Reading seven to one, and clanged a couple of pipes; but Dalton and the Royals weathered the storm and got to the shootout, where they pulled out the two points. Wheeling shot first, and Dalton rejected Chris Davis' effort. Then Olivier Labelle scored shooting first for Reading. Dalton rejected the next two shooters for Wheeling (Andrew Lord and Aaron Clarke), while Daniel Steiner scored what proved to be the difference maker, shooting third. Kyle Bushee scored, shooting fourth for Wheeling, to keep the Nailers' hopes alive; but Dalton stopped Mitch Ganzak, shooting fifth, to earn his third shootout win of the year.

The Royals complete the 72 game regular schedule tomorrow (Saturday, April 3, 2010 @ 7:05) when the team hosts Fan Appreciation Night against the Trenton Devils at the Sovereign Center in Reading. The Royals game night broadcast on the Royals Radio Network presented by Transmissions by Arbogast will begin at 7:05 pm.

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