READING — The Johnstown Chiefs season-opening streak of futility continued Saturday afternoon at the Reading Sovereign Center.
Reading built an early two-goal advantage and held off a Chiefs comeback to defeat Johnstown 4-3 in front of 4,602 fans.
The Chiefs remain the only winless team in the ECHL at 0-5-1-0 after suffering their third consecutive one-goal setback.
While the Chiefs’ play apparently continues to improve, the team hasn’t been able to crack the win column while frequently playing comeback.
On Friday night, Johnstown fell behind 3-0 at Trenton before closing within a goal in a 3-2 loss.
“I keep saying I see progress. Our guys battled back,” Chiefs coach Jeff Flanagan said. “We just seem to spot goals early. We play really well in the D zone and then, when a breakdown happens, the other team scores. On the other end of the ice it seems we’re getting the chances, but the puck is bouncing the wrong way and the rebounds aren’t going our way.
“We’re having a little bit of bad luck and we’ve been snake-bitten. But the guys have been working and working. We had three goals here, but it wasn’t quite enough.”
The current Chiefs now have the second longest winless streak in Johnstown history to open an ECHL season. They slipped below the 1993-94 Chiefs, who began 0-4-1 before winning what then was a Chiefs single-season record 37 games.
The 2005-06 Chiefs opened 0-6-4 and didn’t win their first game until Nov. 18. That team eventually finished 30-26-16 and won a playoff series under former coach Frank Anzalone.
New coach Jeff Flanagan’s team has shown promise. The additions of experienced defenseman Trevor Hendrikx and forward Jim McKenzie this week had an immediate impact, and the team is counting on a newly signed working agreement with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild to eventually help bolster the lineup.
A familiar theme continued on Saturday as Reading’s Stefano Giliati and Scott Fletcher scored goals 14 seconds apart in the first period against goaltender Shane Connelly as the Chiefs once again fell in an early hole.
Johnstown bounced back via defenseman Greg Gallagher’s first goal of the season at 10:17 of the first. Dan Collins and Matt Robinson had assists.
The Royals made it 3-1 after Danick Bouchard converted on a power play 13:19 into the second period. But the Chiefs’ Hendrikx tallied his first of the season on the power play a little more than three minutes later. McKenzie and Robinson assisted.
Reading’s McLeod converted what appeared to be a back-breaking power-play goal 12:52 into the third, making it 4-2. But Johnstown’s McKenzie connected 1:03 later to close the gap to 4-3. The goal was unassisted, though Robinson had a hand in creating the opportunity.
The Chiefs pressured Reading goaltender Beau Erickson throughout the third period, posting a 15-6 shots advantage in the final 20 minutes. The Royals outshot the Chiefs 30-29 in the game.
The Chiefs and Royals meet again at 1:05 p.m. today.
