Royals Bounce Back to Blank South Carolina, 2-0

Teams     Per: 1          2          3

SC:                  0          0          0= 0 

REA:              0          0          2= 2

Records

SC: 9-10-0-4=22 (t-5th East Division)

REA:  10-8-1-1=22 (t-5th East Division)

Goaltenders

SC:  Anderson (Loss) 0-4-0-2 (20/22)

REA: Ouellette (Win) 5-4-1-1 (24/24)

Power Play:

SC: 0-3

REA: 0-7

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­win, 10-8-1-1=22) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, defeated  the South Carolina Stingrays (loss, 9-10-0-4=22), 2-0, at Santander Arena in Reading, PA.

The Royals snapped a three game skid in what might be the team’s most complete game to this point of this season. Despite the fact that no one scored in the first forty minutes, the Sunday afternoon Teddy Bear Toss crowd at Santander Arena was treated to a hard fought, edgy affair that included quality scoring chances at both ends of the ice that were rejected by the team’s respective goaltenders—Martin Oullette for Reading and the former Royal Brandon Anderson for the Stingrays. The Royals finally broke through with a high tip by David Marshall 1:38 into the final frame. Adam Hughesman added an insurance goal 6:30 into the third, but that would be more than the Royals would need as Ouellette made all twenty-four stops he was required to make to register his first pro shutout.

First Period (0-0, Tie)

NO SCORING

Relatively early in the first, the Royals were forced to kill a power play chance awarded to South Carolina—who went three-for-four with the man advantage against Reading in Saturday’s 4-2 win. Reading used the resulting energy to generate several quality chances, including a shot from the right point by defenseman Maxim Lamarche that hit the right pipe dead-on but stayed out.

Second Period (0-0, Tie)

NO SCORING

Neither team could break through in the second, either, despite the fact that Reading enjoyed four separate power play chances in the second frame alone—which included a double minor for high sticking and two other penalties assessed late in the second that resulted in seven seconds of five-on-three. The energized Royal attack generated twelve shots in the second frame (in contrast with the two taken by the Stingrays), but were still unable to find pay-dirt on Anderson.

Third Period (2-0, Reading)

1:38 (1-0, Reading) Reading Goal

Marshall (8); Caruso and Hughesman (deflection of shot from left point)

The Royals broke the 0-0 deadlock and made the stuffed animals fly when defenseman Michael Caruso settled from the left point and fired a high wrist shot that was deftly nicked by the stick of David Marshall who was battling for position in front of the net, causing the puck to flutter over the right shoulder of Anderson. Although elevated well off the ice, Marshall’s stick was below the cross-bar and thus counted as a good goal.

6:30 (2-0, Reading) Reading Goal

Hughesman (8); Marshall and Reid (rebound from the low slot)

The Royals got some breathing room when David Marshall’s hard snap shot was rejected by Anderson, but the rebound slid to the low slot, where Adam Hughesman stepped in and drilled the puck home for his eighth of the year. From that point forward the Stingrays opened up the flood gates and generated thirteen third period shots—but Ouellette and his teammates stood firm to get the team’s record on home ice back to .500 (6-6-0-1).

NOTES:

• The scratches for the Royals tonight were: Adam Comrie (d) (healthy), Kevin Walrod (f) (healthy), Matt Hatch (f) (healthy) (ECHL Reserve), and Sean Wiles (f) (healthy) (ECHL Reserve).

• Tonight’s win snapped a three game home losing streak for the Royals—the first of the season for the team. Reading did lose three in a row previously (November 1 – 14), but that streak included a road loss.

• Tonight’s goal for David Marshall proved to be his fourth game winner of the year, which is tied for the league lead. Marshall also recorded the primary assist on Adam Hughesman’s insurance goal. Marshall has six multi-point performances for the Royals.

• Adam Hughesman recorded a goal and an assist tonight for his team-leading seventh multi-point performance of the year. Hughesman has twenty-three points (8g-15a) in twenty games for Reading, which places him tied for tenth in the ECHL scoring race.

• The Royals held the Stingrays to a team season-low two shots against in the second period.

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

Reading Royals v Wheeling Nailers

@ Santander Arena – Reading, PA

Friday, December 12, 2014 (7:30 pm)

NEXT UP: The Royals take on the Wheeling Nailers in the first of three consecutive against the North Division rival on Friday, December 12 (@7:30 pm) at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. That night, the Royals will celebrate our ‘Pirate and Princess Night’ with appearances by Jake the Pirate, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. The first 1500 fans fifteen and older will also get the third in our Free Shirt Friday series courtesy of V&M Towing. Friday’s shirt will honor Ryan Flinn, who played for the Royals in the 2001-02 season and advanced to the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL that same season.

Friday’s game day broadcast can be heard live in the Reading area on CBS SportsRadio (1240 am and 98.5 fm) beginning with the pre-game warm-up show presented by Highmark Blue Shield at 7:00 pm. Streaming internet audio is also available free of charge and can be accessed by following the ‘headset’ icon on the Royals’ website. Streaming video is available on a pay-per-view basis through ECHL.TV.

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

End 14 12-07