Royals Win Opener of Two-Game Set in Norfolk, 4-1

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Teams     Per: 1          2          3

REA:              1          3          0=4

NOR:              0          0          1=1

Records

REA: 11-8-1-1 = 24 (T-2, North Division)

NOR: 2-12-4-0 = 8 (7, South Division)

Goaltenders

REA: Dekanich (Win, 7-6-1-1) (35/36)

NOR:  Laurikainen (Loss, 1-7-3-0) (26/30)

Power Play:

REA: 2 – 2

NOR: 1 – 3

Norfolk, VA – The Reading Royals (­­­­­­­­­Win, 11-8-1-1 = 24) of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, defeated the Norfolk Admirals (Loss, 2-12-4-0 = 8), 4-1, at The Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

In the first of what are eleven games to be played between Reading and Norfolk this season, the Royals struck first, tacked on three in the second, and then held off a third period push from the Admirals to win for the fifth consecutive time—and to stretch the team’s unbeaten to six (5-0-1-0). The lone blemish on a solid goaltending performance for Mark Dekanich came on a third period power play bullet with just 5:43 left in regulation. This game marked the first time this season that Reading has held the opposition to fewer than two goals.

The Royals struck on the team’s first power play chance 5:06 into the game, when a wild scramble ensued around the Norfolk net, causing the puck to slide out of the pack and into the left circle, where Chris McCarthy stepped up and stepped into a bullet that caught the upper right corner of the net for his eighth of the year.

In the second, the Royals rang off three in a row, starting with what proved to be the game winner off the stick of Mike Pelech 3:51 into the period. Tyrell Goulbourne and Matt Wilkins fought for possession on the left half wall in the offensive zone, with Goulbourne slipping a deft pass to Pelech cutting down the slot. Pelech’s shot, which may have angled off the stick of a Norfolk defender, buzzed into upper portion of the net for his fourth of the season.

Reading tacked on some insurance 7:06 into the second when a relentless fore-check by Justin Crandall forced a turnover on the Admirals’ end-wall that resulted in a great look to Mike Pereira as he slipped into the right circle. Pereira’s quick snapper whizzed by goaltender Eetu Laurikainen on the short side for his seventh of the season.

12:43 into the third, Reading capitalized on the team’s only other power play chance of the night when defenseman Florian Iberer set one on a tee for Ryan Penny who ripped a water-bottle blasting one-timer out of the right circle for his fifth of the year.

The Admirals broke up Dekanich’s shutout bid with 5:43 left in regulation on their third power play chance of the night when defenseman Gabriel Verpaelst threaded one through from the top of the right circle to notch the first power play goal of the season on home ice for the Admirals (1-31).

NEXT UP FOR THE ROYALS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 @ 7:15 PM

@ NORFOLK ADMIRALS

@ THE SCOPE ARENA – NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

ROYALS BROADCAST

AUDIO: iHeartRadio – Rumba 1340 in Reading

TELEVISION: Royals’ Road Games are televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania

on BCTV, which Can Found at Comcast Reading Cable Channel 15,

Service Electric Cable Channel 19, Comcast Southern Berks Channel 965

Courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations

STREAMING VIDEO: ECHL.TV powered by NeuLion (Pay-Per-View)

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