Slow Start and Squandered Opportunities Cost Reading in Wheeling, 3-2

Teams     Per: 1          2          3

REA:              0          1          1 = 2

WHL:             2          1          0 = 3

Records

REA:  3-3-0-0=6 (t-5th East Division)

WHL: 3-2-0-0=6 (t-3rd North Division)

Goaltenders

REA: Ouellette (Loss) (1-2-0-0) (20/23)

WHL: Palazzese (Win) (3-2-0-0) (24/26)

Power Play:

REA: 1-6

WHL: 1-3

Wheeling, WV – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­loss, 3-3-0-0=6) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, were defeated by the Wheeling Nailers  (win, 3-2-0-0=6), 3-2, at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.

The Nailers capitalized on their second shot of the game—shortly after Reading goaltender Martin Ouellette made an unbelievable pipe-to-pipe save on Wheeling’s first shot of the game—and built a two-goal lead midway into the first, which the Royals were never able to overcome despite having two separate five-minute major power play chances during the game.

After a dismal first period in which Reading did not generate a shot for the first fourteen minutes, the Royals regrouped in the second and cut the Nailers’ lead in half with an early goal by Cam Reid. But a late second period power play goal by the Nailers rebuilt their two goal advantage until Reading was able to break through with less than two minutes left in regulation—with a PPG while working on the team’s second major power play and with the goaltender pulled. The Royals pushed in the waning moments but were unable to breakthrough and bag a game-tying goal.

First Period (0-2, Wheeling)

2:32 (0-1) Wheeling Goal

Bakker (2); Makowski (snap shot from right circle)

The Nailers broke through on the team’s second shot of the game when the Royals’ defenders allowed Shane Bakker clear passage down the right wing side, where he zipped a shot from the face-off dot across the body of Ouellette for his second of the season.

12:46 (0-2) Wheeling Goal

Gilbert (3); Brace and Rowney (snap shot from high slot)

Wheeling built the lead to 2-0 with a precise passing sequence off the rush. Carter Rowney gained possession in his defensive zone, carried through the neutral zone and across the offensive blue line. He then slid the puck to Riley Brace breaking down the left wing side. Brace stopped up short at the top of the left circle and fired a pass to David Gilbert cutting in on the right wing side. Gilbert slid into the mid slot and fired a low shot through traffic that snuck through for his third of the year.

Second Period (1-3, Wheeling)

4:16 (1-2) Reading Goal

Reid (2); Labelle and Davies (quick release from left side of the crease)

After a completely ineffective first period, Reading used the latter sequence of the team’s first five-minute major power play to build a bit of momentum. The Royals capitalized on the surge of energy when Olivier Labelle won a puck-battle below the goal line and slipped the puck to the left side of the crease where Cam Reid stepped in and fired the puck through Franky Palazzese for his second of the season.

18:21 (1-3) Wheeling Goal

Bakker 2 (3); Yuen and Gill (deflection of low shot from the high slot)

The Nailers got what proved be the game winner on their second power play of the night. Defenseman Zach Yuen carried from the left point to the center of the high slot where he fired a low, hard shot. Bakker had the interior position at the top of the crease and executed a deft deflection that sent the puck up and over the left arm of Ouellette for his second of the game.

Third Period (2-3)

18:10 (2-3, Wheeling) Reading Goal

Hughesman (3); Cruthers and Reid (hard snap shot from above the right hash-mark)

The Royals made a game of it late in the team’s second major power play chance—with the goaltender pulled and a six-on-four skater advantage. Ryan Cruthers slipped a pass to Adam Hughesman in the mid-slot, and Hughesman uncorked a hot rocket over the left arm of Palazzese for his third of the year.

NOTES:

• Adam Hughesman extended his personal point streak to five games (3g-5a=8pts).

• Cam Reid had his second multi-point game of the year for Reading and pushed his personal point (and assist) streak to five (1g-1a).

• Cruthers’ assist on the Royals second goal of the year was his 156th assist as a Royal (and 227th point) (71g-156a) in his 217th career game with the Royals. He is the all-time leading scorer in Royals’ history.

• Labelle’s assist on Reading’s first goal was his 136th career point as a Royal (73g-63a) (fifth all-time). This was his 162nd game with the team, tying Malcolm MacMillan for fifth most all-time.

• Scratches for the Royals tonight: Adam Comrie (d) (lower body injury), and Kevin Walrod (f) (21-Day IR), and Justin Daniels (ECHL Reserve List).

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

Reading Royals v Fort Wayne Komets

@ Santander Arena, Reading, PA

Friday, November 7, 2014 (7:30 pm)

NOTES ON NEXT HOME GAME

NEXT UP: The Royals return home on Friday, November 7 (@7:30 pm), when the team will face the Fort Wayne Komets in the first of what will be back-to-back games in Reading. Friday’s game will be the first time that Reading has faced Fort Wayne since the Komets knocked the Royals out in the first round of the 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs (Eastern Conference Quarterfinals). The games between the Royals and Komets next Friday and Saturday will be the only games of the regular season between these two clubs.

Next Friday, Fans can take advantage of the Sonic Friends and Family Deal when $44.00 gets you four Royals’ tickets, four hats and four Sonic Combos. Please note that there are no day of game sales of the Sonic Friends and Family Deal, so call 610-898-7825 early to take advantage of this offer.

Friday, November 7, will mark the first of what will be six ‘Free Shirt Fridays’ presented by V&M Towing. The first 2500 fans in attendance will receive a t-shirt honoring one of the twenty-nine players who have advanced from Reading to play in the NHL. Earlier this season, fans voted on their six favorite former Royals who have advanced to the NHL—and this Friday the team will honor goaltender Ben Scrivens, who played for the Royals in the 2010-11 season and made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 3, 2011 when he beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1. Scrivens currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers.

For more information about the Royals, call 610-898-7825 or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

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