Royals Pull Away for Win in Manchester, 5-1

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Teams     Per: 1          2          3

REA:              2         2          1=5

MAN:             1         0          0=1

Records

REA: 29-23-5-3 = 66 (7th Eastern Conference)

MAN: 36-17-3-5 = 80 (1st Eastern Conference)

Goaltenders

REA: Ouellette (Win) 15-9-3-0 (26/27)

MAN: Houser (Loss) 9-4-2-0 (29/34)

Power Play:

REA: 0-3

MAN: 1-2

Manchester, NH – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­Win, 29-23-5-3 = 66) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, defeated the Manchester Monarchs (Loss, 36-17-3-5 = 80) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League, 5-1, at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.

In the opening salvo of a critical late-season five game road trip, the Royals scored early and led wire-to-wire against the top team in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Goumas, who was loaned to Reading yesterday, returned to the state of New Hampshire where he had an outstanding collegiate career and picked up right where he left off factoring in three goals (1g-2a), which included scoring what proved to be the game winner. Goaltender Martin Ouellette saw limited action—particularly in the first two periods— but ended up making 26 saves to push his personal win streak to four and his unbeaten streak to five (4-0-1-0).

Reading struck relatively early when defenseman Mike Marcou made an exceptional breakout play and pass from the defensive zone, which evolved into a two-on-one entry into the offensive end for Goumas and Cam Reid. Goumas carried in on the wide right side, drew the attention of the lone defender in position to make a play, and then slid a perfect pass to Reid, who carried directly down the gut and laid down a deft forehand-backhand-five-hole tap for his sixteenth of the year 4:21 into the first.

The Royals got what proved to be the game winner 10:11 into the first when Manchester defender Harry Quast, who recently completed his collegiate career at the University of New Hampshire and was playing in his first pro game, coughed one up right out in front of the Monarchs’ net directly to Goumas, who buried bar-down on goaltender Michael Houser for his second of the season.

Manchester broke through on their first power play chance of the game late in the first period. Joey Diamond made a perfect pass from below the goal line and behind the Royals’ net to Mark Anthoine who had battled for an open spot between two Reading defenders in front of the net. Anthoine’s quick swipe bulleted between the legs of Ouellette for his ninth of the year.

Reading regained the two goal advantage 8:15 into the second after a strong play on the left half-wall by Ian Watters served to free the puck to Todd Perry at the left point. Perry eluded the press of players who were converged on the wall, carried deep into the left circle, and ripped a perfectly placed snapper that buzzed by Houser high to the glove side for his second of the year.

With 41.9 seconds left in the second, the Royals’ Joey Sides earned his eleventh of the year—and deservedly so. Sides, who had created any number of quality chances in the first and second periods only to be roundly rejected by Houser—who played brilliantly despite allowing five goals against, finally pounded one through on a multi-shot rebound from in tight. For Sides, it was his ninth goal in twenty-five games with the Royals, seven of which have come in his last thirteen games.

In the third, Brandon Alderson continued his torrid pace as well, when he drilled one from the high slot through a mass of humanity in front of the Manchester net with 7:12 remaining in regulation. For Alderson, that was his ninth of the year, eight of which have come in his last fourteen games.

From that point on, it was pretty much academic as the Royals pushed the team’s record to 3-2-0-0 at Verizon Wireless Arena with one more regular season game to go—tomorrow—in Manchester.

The Royals and Monarchs go at it again tomorrow night (Saturday, March 12 @ 7:00 pm) at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. The game night broadcast for Saturday’s matchup can be heard 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. Tomorrow’s game will be televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania, on BCTV courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations. 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.

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