Royals Take Series Lead with 4-1 Win Over Wheeling

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Teams     Per: 1          2          3

WHL:             0         1          0=1

REA:              1         2          1=4

Series

WHL: 1-2-0

REA: 2-1-0

Overall Playoff Record

WHL: 5-4-0

REA: 6-4-0

Goaltenders

WHL: Foster (Loss) 4-3-0 (27/31) (58:08)

REA: Morrison (Win) 2-2-0 (37/38)

Power Play:

WHL: 0-3

REA: 0-4

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­win, 6-4-0) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, defeated the Wheeling Nailers (loss, 5-4-0) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, 4-1, in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinal best-of-seven playoff series at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Royals lead the second round series two-games-to-one with Game Four scheduled for Thursday at Santander Arena.

For the first time since the team’s championship season in 2013, the Royals put back-to-back playoff wins together by defeating the Nailers tonight in Reading. After withstanding an early wave of pressure from Wheeling, the Royals kept the team’s perfect record in tact when scoring the game’s first goal (6-0-0). The Nailers tied things at one early in the second, but Reading regrouped, pounded the pressure, and built a two-goal lead which the team held until stretching it to three with a long-range empty netter with 11.2 seconds left in regulation.

Although the Nailers held the early edge in opportunities, Royals’ goaltender Adam Morrison had his A-Game ready for the early onslaught, allowing his team to get their skates underneath them as the game proceeded.  Late in the first, Reading hit pay dirt two seconds after completion of the team’s second power play chance of the night, when defenseman Mike Marcou took a slap shot from just inside the blue line that appeared to knuckle and arc over the right shoulder of goaltender Brian Foster and into the net for Marcou’s third of the playoff season with 1:12 remaining in the opening frame.

Wheeling tied the game at one eight seconds after the completion of the Reading’s third power play chance of the night. The Royals had control of the puck in the offensive zone but a back pass to the offensive blue-line eluded its intended target and slid into the neutral zone, where Shane Bakker stepped right out of the penalty box and right onto the loose puck, busting into the Royals’ end on a relatively clean breakaway. Bakker slipped the puck between the legs of Morrison, who got a chunk of it but not enough to keep it above the goal line 56 seconds into the second frame for Bakker’s second of the playoff season.

Undaunted, the Royals charged back with a vengeance and got what proved to be the game winner 6:48 into the second, when Kevin Goumas—who was flying around—led out Justin Crandall into the offensive zone down the right wing side. Crandall bumped a pass to the middle of the ice, where Cam Reid, who had joined the rush, found a soft seam that led to the top of the crease, where Reid got two whacks at the puck—and finished on the second for his fourth of the playoff season and what proved to be his second game winner of the playoff season 6:48 into the second.

Reading got a little insurance 12:35 into the third after an extended sequence of offensive zone pressure, during which it appeared that the Nailers had a couple of chances to get the puck out of the defensive zone; but those were turned back with a relentless forecheck by the Royals. Defenseman Maxim Lamarche kept the puck in the zone and the play alive with a strong play at the point, allowing Todd Perry to gain possession and slide a diagonal down pass to a waiting Mike Pelech low on the right side. Pelech swiped a one-timer that slid under and through Foster for his first of the playoff season.

From that point forward—through the final buzzer—the Royals played a smart and simple style that kept the hard charging Nailers from breaking through again. A big part of that effort was the confident play of Morrison who made 37 saves—fourteen of which came in the third period. Reading added an empty netter with 11.2 seconds left, but that was more than was needed to take the team’s first lead in this second round series.

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

Game Four Eastern Conference Semi-final Best-of-Seven Playoff Series

Reading Royals v Wheeling Nailers

@ Santander Arena – Reading, Pennsylvania

Thursday, May 5, 2016 (7:00 pm Eastern Time)

NEXT UP: The Royals and Nailers face-off in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Semi-Final matchup on Wednesday (May 4 @ 7:00 pm) at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. Game Four can be heard live on CBS SportsRadio 1240 AM and 98.5 FM in Reading, 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 (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.

Eastern Conference Semifinal Best-of-Seven Series

Friday, April 29 – @ Wheeling                                  Nailers 4- Royals 1                  Wheeling Leads Series 1-0

Monday, May 2 - @ Wheeling                                   Royals 4 – Nailers 2                Series Tied 1-1

Wednesday, May 4  - @ Reading                            Royals 4 – Nailers 1               Reading Leads Series 2-1

Thursday, May 5 (7:00 pm) – Santander Arena (Reading, PA)

Saturday, May 7 (7:00 pm) – Santander Arena (Reading, PA)

Monday, May 9 (7:05 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV) if necessary

Wednesday, May 11 (7:05 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV) if necessary

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