Royals Go Three-for-Three in Cincinnati with 4-1 Win over Cyclones

Teams     Per: 1          2          3

REA:              1          1          2= 4 

CIN:               1          0          0= 1

Records

REA: 35-14-2-1=73 (1st East Division)

CIN:   24-22-1-4=53 (t-3rd North Division)

Goaltenders

REA: Reiter (win) 3-0-0-0 (34/35)

CIN: Brittain (loss) 14-11-0-1 (23/26) (1 eng)

Power Play:

REA: 0-1

CIN: 0-6

Cincinnati, OH – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­win, 35-14-2-1=73) 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 Cincinnati Cyclones (loss, 24-22-1-4=53), 4-1, at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Reading fell behind early on a disputed play, but bounced back to tie within twenty-three seconds and then pulled away to pull out the team’s sixteenth come-back win of the year. The Royals penalty kill was instrumental in the win, knocking off all six power play chances for the Cyclones, as Reading won for the third time in three tries at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati this season. The Royals got the bounce-back game tying goal from Olivier Labelle, the game winner from Kevin Walrod, an insurance goal from David Marshall, an empty netter from Adam Hughesman—and thirty-five saves from goaltender Kenny Reiter—to pull out the team’s thirty-fifth win of the year (and nineteenth road win of the season).

First Period (1-1, Tie)

3:14 (1-0, Cincinnati) Cincinnati Goal

Gracel (11); Shalla and Gaudreau (weak-side one-time snapper from left side of the crease)

The Cyclones struck first immediately after Josh Shalla appeared to haul down Sean Wiles in the Royals’ defensive zone. However, no call was made on the play, and Cincinnati capitalized when Frederick Gaudreau found Shalla deep in the right circle. Shalla then fired a cross-ice pass through the low slot to a waiting Branden Gracel who ripped a wide-open one-timer from the weak side for his eleventh of the year.

3:37 (1-1, Tie) Reading Goal

Labelle (19); Hughesman (redirect from the top of the crease)

Reading dealt with the displeasure regarding the non-call on the scoring opportunity for Cincinnati—and the Gracel goal—by immediately charging down the ice and hitting pay-dirt 23 seconds later when Adam Hughesman threw a pass from deep in the left corner to the top of the crease where Olivier Labelle, who was battling for position, re-directed the puck behind goaltender Sam Brittain for his nineteenth of the year—and ninetieth as a Royal.

Second Period (2-1, Reading)

15:01 (2-1, Reading) Reading Goal

Walrod (5); Mullane and Watters (two-on-one finish of cross-ice feed from the low slot)

Reading took the lead in the latter stages of the second period after winning an extended puck battle in the defensive zone. Mike Marcou freed the puck for Ian Watters who sprang Pat Mullane on a two-on-one rush through the neutral zone and into the offensive end. Mullane carried deep down the left side and slipped a cross-ice feed to Walrod, who set up in the mid-slot for a hot catch-and-release wrister into the upper reaches of the net for his fifth of the year—and what would prove to be his first game winner of the season

Third Period (4-1, Reading)

14:50 (3-1, Reading) Reading Goal

Marshall (18); Labelle and Hughesman (tight shot from right side of the crease)

The Royals got some insurance late in the third when Hughesman tracked the puck deep in the right wing corner and fired a quick pass to the top of the crease where Olivier Labelle was (again) battling for position. Labelle got a chunk of the puck, redirecting it to the right side of the crease, where a crashing David Marshall chipped it up and over the extended left arm of Brittain for his eighteenth of the year.

18:15 (4-1, Reading) Reading Goal (Empty Netter)

Hughesman (18); Labelle and Marshall (bullet from the top of the right circle)

Reading iced things with an empty netter with 1:45 left in the game, when David Marshall freed the puck in the defensive zone to Olivier Labelle, who sent Adam Hughesman off to the races. Hughesman carried into the offensive end and ripped a bullet into the upper reaches of the net for his eighteenth of the year.

NOTES:

• The scratches for the Royals tonight were: Ryan Cruthers (f) (ECHL Reserve); Zach Davies (d) (21-Day Injured Reserve); and Matt Hatch (ECHL Reserve).

• Tonight’s game was the fifth game in a five game road trip for the Royals, who went 3-1-1-0 during the trip.

• The Royals’ have compiled a record of (14-1-1-0) in the last sixteen games; and have gone 26-6-1-0 in the last thirty-three, dating to the 2-0 win over the South Carolina Stingrays on December 7, 2014.

• Reading’s thirty-five wins is tied with the Allen Americans and Fort Wayne Komets for the league lead; the team’s nineteen road victories is tied with the Fort Wayne Komets for most in the league in that category.

• Tonight’s game marked the sixteenth come-from-behind win of the season for Reading.

• Tonight’s game completed the three game season series for the Royals against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Reading won all three games—all of which were played at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati—by a total score of 14-2.

• Reading has compiled a record of 20-8-1-0 against teams from the North Division with nine more games to be played against teams from the North.

• Tonight’s game marked the fourteenth time this season that Reading has held the opposition to one goal or less (14-0-0-0).

• Olivier Labelle (1g-2a) recorded his eleventh multi-point game of the year tonight. Tonight’s goal was Labelle’s 90th career goal as a Royal (all-time team career leader) in his 208th career game with the team. Labelle is now two points behind Yannick Tifu to become the second all-time leading scorer for the Royals (90g-87a=177pts).

• Adam Hughesman (1g-2a) recorded his twelfth multi-point game of the season tonight.

• David Marshall (1g-2a) has scored a goal in eight of his last eleven games with the Royals—and has at least one point in ten of his last twelve.

• Kevin Walrod (1g-0a) became the twelfth different player to score a game winner for Reading tonight.

• Goaltender Kenny Reiter made thirty-five saves to record his third win (3-0-0-0) in three starts for the Royals.

• Tonight’s game marked the thirty-first time that Reading’s penalty killers have blanked the opposition’s power play. The team has compiled a record of 25-4-1-1 in those games.

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

Reading Royals v Greenville Road Warriors

@ Santander Arena – Reading, PA

Friday, February 27, 2015 (7:30 pm Eastern Time)

NEXT UP: The Royals return home to Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, where the team will face the Greenville Road Warriors on Friday, February 27 (@ 7:30 pm). That night, fans will have an opportunity to meet Dennis Haskins, who played ‘Mr. Belding’ on the classic sitcom ‘Saved by the Bell’. The first 1500 fans 15 years of age and older will also receive a t-shirt honoring goaltender Philipp Grubauer for our Free Shirt Friday giveaway presented by V&M Towing. The game night broadcast for Friday’s matchup can be heard live on CBS SportsRadio 1240 am and 98.5 in Reading, Pennsylvania, starting with the pre-game warm-up show presented by Highmark Blue Shield at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Streaming audio is available free of charge on the Royals’ website (follow the ‘headset’ icon); and 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 15 02-21