Royals Fall to Elmira in Pre-Season Opener, 3-1

Teams     Per: 1          2          3

ELM:              1          2          0 =3

REA:              0          0          1 =1

Pre-Season Records

ELM: 2-0-0

REA: 0-1-0

Goaltenders

ELM:  McGrath (14/15) (win)

REA: Dekanich (24/27) (40:00) (loss)

            Anderson (6/6) (20:00)

Power Play:

ELM: 1-5

REA: 0-2

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­loss, 0-1-0) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, were defeated by the Elmira Jackals (win, 2-0-0), 3-1, at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, in the pre-season opener for the Royals.

In a game that was far too short on offensive opportunity for the Royals, Reading finally broke through to break up the shutout bid of Elmira goaltender Dalton McGrath with just over three minutes left; but it proved too little, too late against an energized Jackal squad that outshot the Royals 33-15.

Elmira struck first 16:44 into the first after a multi-shot flurry in which Royals’ goaltender Mark Dekanich was forced to make several point blank stops. The puck popped out of the pile to the stick of Elmira’s Casey Thrush in the mid left circle, and Thrush swiped one through a maze of players in front hand that hit pay dirt. But that would be it in the first for the Jackals who had three power plays and outshot the Royals 13-5 in the opening frame, as Dekanich held his own in the onslaught.

Elmira got a gift 25 seconds into the second period, when miscommunication behind the Royals’ net led to a misplayed puck by Dekanich, which in turn led to a loose puck in front of the net for Elmira's Lou Educate who buried the puck into a wide-open net before Dekanich could scramble back into the cage.

The Jackals stretched the lead to 3-0 seven seconds into their fourth power play of the game at the 9:41 mark of the second when Rich Botting bagged a point blank look from the low slot.

The Royals broke up McGrath’s shutout bid 16:55 into the third, when Zach Hall charged down the right wing side, broke below the face-off dot, and snapped a sharp-angle shot across McGrath’s body and over his catching glove for Hall’s first of the pre-season.

Royals’ goaltender Brandon Anderson who played the third period in substitution of Dekanich, made several quality saves in stopping all six shots he faced in twenty minutes of action.

The Royals and Jackals complete the two-game home-and-home pre-season series tomorrow (Saturday, October 8 @ 7:05) at First Arena in Elmira, New York.

Season Sixteen of “Hometown Hockey” kicks off for the Royals on Saturday, October 15, (7:00 pm) when the Elmira Jackals visit Santander Arena. Season Tickets and individual game tickets for the Royals’ 2016-17 ECHL season are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

End 16 10-07