Royals Fall Short in Shootout in Norfolk, 2-1

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Teams     Per: 1          2          3          OT      SO

REA:              1          0          0          0          0=1

NOR:              0          1          0          0          1=2

Records

REA: 32-23-5-4 = 73 (t-6th Eastern Conference)

NOR: 27-32-4-1 = 59 (13th Eastern Conference)

Goaltenders

REA: Morrison (SOL) 6-5-2-3 (24/25) (2/3)

NOR: Riopel (win) 10-13-1-0 (25/26) (3/3)

Power Play:

REA: 1-2

NOR: 0-2

Norfolk, VA – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­sol, 32-23-5-4=73) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, were defeated in a shootout by the Norfolk Admirals (win, 27-32-4-1=59), affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, 2-1, at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia.

In the final game of the regular season at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia,, the Royals scored a first period power play goal, but that would be all the team would muster, while the Admirals got a second period game-tying goal and one of three shots in the skills competition to beat Reading for the first time this season (6-0-0-1). For Reading, it marked the eleventh time this season that the Royals have ended regulation time in a tie—and the ninth time the team came up on the short end of the stick (2-9). In this one, the Royals’ difficulties in the shootout continued, as the team’s three chances in the skills competition were all rejected, dropping the team to 1-4 in the shootout, as the Royals dropped to 2 for 20 in shootout attempts.

The Royals struck on the team’s first power play chance of the game 17:07 into the first period. Mike Marcou took a hard low slap shot from the high slot that Mike Pelech, who was positioned at the top of the crease, redirected behind his former teammate goaltender Nic Riopel for his first as a Royal (in his fifth game win the team)—and tenth of the year.

The Admirals tied things up 9:39 into the second when Devin Mantha picked off a Reading pass and charged out of the defensive zone, carrying all the way to the high slot where he fired a hard, high shot. Goaltender Adam Morrison got a healthy chunk of the puck, but it trickled through his right side and fell just above the goal line. Before Morrison could find the loose puck, Norfolk forward Ryan Salkeld reached over and around the Reading goaltender to poke it across the goal line for his third of the year.

From that point forward, the two teams traded punch and counter-punch—with Norfolk getting a heavy flurry of jabs on an extended five-on-three power play late in the second period. But neither could break through again in the remaining time in regulation or overtime—where Reading got the best chance: a point blank look for Cam Reid with time ticking down in the extra session. But Riopel had an answer for that, forcing the game to the skills competition, where the Royals woes continued with all three shooters (Kevin Goumas, Justin Crandall, and Brandon Alderson) getting rejected; while Greg Chase, shooting first for Norfolk, buried his chance to give the Admirals all they would need to take the two points in this one.

The Royals return home to Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania on Wednesday (March 23 @ 7:00 pm) where the team will face the Kalamazoo Wings for the only time in the regular season. That night, the Royals will celebrate a ‘Wednesday Night Rivalry Game’ with over 250 t-shirts fired into the crowd to build the frenzy.  The game night broadcast for Wednesday’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 6:30 pm Eastern Time. Streaming audio is available free of charge on the Royals’ website; 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 16 03-19