Johnstown, Pa. – Mike Bartlett scored two goals Wednesday to lead the Johnstown Chiefs to a 6-3 victory over the Reading Royals at the Cambria County War Memorial.
Bartlett finished the game with two goals and three assists. It was the first of a three-game home series for Johnstown and the second consecutive win for the Chiefs after defeating the South Carolina Sting Rays 7-1 Sunday in Charleston.
Johnstown jumped out to an early 2-0 lead to begin the game with Bartlett's two goals, but the Royals battled back to tie for a 2-2 tie heading into the first intermission.
Bartlett scored his first goal of the game and sixth of the season at 6:26 of the first period, taking a pass from Bryan Marshall and dragging the puck to the forehand to beat Royals goaltender Andrew Engelage high to the glove side for the 1-0 lead. Ryan Menei also assisted on the goal. Menei assisted again as Bartlett scored his second goal less than three minutes later, beating Engelage at 9:01 for the 2-0 advantage.
With his team enjoying the lead, Johnstown defenseman David Schulz took time to exact some revenge against Reading’s Olivier Labelle for a hit that injured Chiefs captain Mike Knight earlier this month. Schulz and Labelle traded punches before a hard left on Labelle’s nose sent him to the ice, bringing a loud applause from the Johnstown fans. Knight was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being hit from behind by Labelle during a 6-4 Chiefs victory Nov. 3. His return to the team is uncertain.
The Chiefs lead was short-lived as Reading’s Daniel Steiner scored his fourth goal of the season less than a minute later, beating Johnstown goaltender Kris Mayotte with a slap shot between the pads at 9:29 to cut the lead to 2-1. Ryan Cruthers and Ben Gordon assisted. It was just over a minute later that former Chiefs Andrew Sarauer scored his fourth of the season on a breakaway, tying the game at 10:37 of the first period. Charlie Kronschnable and Dinos Stamoulis assisted.
Johnstown’s offense continued to click in the second, and the Chiefs were able to buckle down defensively to end the second period with the 4-2 lead thanks to Connor Shields and Jim McKenzie.
Shields notched his ninth goal of the season at 3:29 of the second period to give Johnstown the 3-2 advantage. Chiefs defenseman Chris Zarb sent a long lead pass that allowed Shields to get behind the Reading defense and break in on goal with Bartlett before dragging the puck to the backhand to beat Engelage. McKenzie added his fifth of the season with a power-play goal at 16:08. Shields and R.J. Anderson assisted.
Both teams battled hard through the third period, but Johnstown’s Mayotte came up big and held off the Reading attack for the 6-3 win.
With the Royals pressing the attack, Mayotte made a scrambling save against Reading’s Steiner in the opening moments of the final period. Steiner and Ben Gordon were charging the net and appeared to have beaten Mayotte when the goal light lit behind the Johnstown net, but Steiner’s celebration quickly turned to frustration when referee Joe Sullivan waved off the goal. Mayotte was able to stop the puck before it had completely crossed the goal line to preserve the Chiefs lead early in the period.
The Royals were able to cut into Johnstown’s lead late in the game with an unassisted goal by Stamoulis at 18:15 of the period. It was his first of the season, and the Royals last of the game.
Any surge the late goal may have given Reading was quickly stifled as Johnstown scored two goals in three seconds to close out the scoring. Chiefs defenseman R.J. Anderson recorded his fourth of the season at 18:55 with a slap shot goal assisted by Dan Collins, and Jarrett Konkle scored his third with an empty net goal at 18:53. Konkle’s goal was unassisted.
The win improves Johnstown to 5-8-3-0 overall and moves the Chiefs one point ahead of the Wheeling Nailers in the American Conference standings. Wheeling is in last place with 12 points.
Johnstown will remain at home over the Thanksgiving holiday. The Chiefs host the South Carolina Sting Rays at the Cambria County War Memorial Friday before facing off against the Royals at home Saturday.
Scoring:
Team: 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Reading: 2 0 1 3
Johnstown: 2 2 2 6
Shots:
Team: 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Reading: 10 9 11 30
Johnstown: 13 12 10 35
Power Play:
Reading: 0-for-4
Johnstown: 1-for-5
Three Stars:
1. Johnstown – Mike Bartlett
2. Johnstown – Connor Shields
3. Johnstown – Ryan Menei
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