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Titans Sweep Weekend Home-And-Home With Reading After 5-3 Win

February 24, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trenton Titans News Release


READING, PA - Needing wins to get back in the playoff hunt, the Trenton Titans, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, Picked up a big road win by beating the Reading Royals, 5-3, before a crowd of 4,396 at the Sovereign Center Sunday afternoon.

With the win the Titans (22-26-4-4=52) have surpassed last year's win total and matched their point total from last season as well, with 16 games left to play.

Like Saturday's 6-0 win, Trenton jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead on the strength of goals by Blake Kessel (6) and Stephen Shultz (21). For Schultz, his first shot of the night at 11:29 became his fifth consecutive power play goal in the last two nights against the Royals.

Reading (35-16-3-3=76, #1 in the Eastern Conference) tried to swing the momentum in its favor with Stan Galiev's goal at 14:05, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Trenton grabbed it right back early in the second, doing it again on the man advantage. Brian Haczyk (11) slipped his sixth power play goal through a crown and under Frederick Cassivi (L, 21 saves, 0-1). Cassivi - Ottawa's 9th round pick in 1994 - was making his first start in three years, when Brandon Anderson was a last-second emergency call-up to Hershey (AHL). Cassivi has the third most wins in AHL history after a stellar career that included 13 NHL games (Atlanta, Washington) and two Calder Cup Finals (one title).

Thirteen seconds after the Haczyk goal, Jacob Cepis rushed the zone and swooped around the back for a wrap-around goal and a 4-1 lead.

Reading fought back with a Jeff Corey marker that seemed to help the Royals find their legs. The pressure increased dramatically on Titans net minder Brooks Ostergard (W, 36 saves, 1-0, 1st career professional win), but the Titans "D" did not fold going into the third.

They did buckle a little when Joel Champagne found the back of the net 4:50 into that final period, but despite ever increasing pressure, the Royals would get no closer.

The Titans were able to get some breathing room when J. S. Berube lifted a backhander into the top left corner with three minutes left to play for the 5-3 advantage. Reading got a final power play opportunity and pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, but Trenton held its ground to secure the win.

Trenton's Travelling Stick Show continues on to Cincinnati for a 7:35 pm Tuesday tilt with the Cyclones. The Titans are looking for their first win in the Queen City since the 2009-10 season. They will then move on to Wheeling and Toledo over the next seven days in their longest road trip of the year.

As always the game can be heard on AmericaOne.com, or through our flagship station 107.7 FM The Bronc (Trenton) and online at 1077theBronc.com. The Voice of the Titans, "The Bronc" Daryle Dobos, once again has all the action, beginning with the pregame Tuesday at 7:15 pm.

AFTER THE WHISTLE

After his second hat trick of the year last night and another three-point effort Sunday, Schulz has become a viable candidate for Player of the Week.

Ostergard got his second decision in his second career start. He played one game last year with the now-defunct Chicago Express, making 27 saves in a 5-4 OTL against Trenton on March 18, 2012.

After a 2-for-3 effort tonight, the Titans PP went 6-for-10 in the two games with Reading. Meanwhile the Trenton PK unit stopped Reading on all for chances. That brings the Titans successful PK-streak against the Royals to 51 consecutive opportunities over the last 12-plus meetings.

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