MacDonald ties game in final second of third, Adirondack prevails in shootout, 3-2

The Reading Royals mounted a two-goal comeback to force overtime with a pair of goals in the final two minutes, including a tying strike with half a second to go from Josh MacDonald, but the Adirondack Thunder got the extra point with a 3-2 shootout win Friday at Cool Insuring Arena. The Royals are 3-0-0-2 on the road this season, their best five-game start ever.

Brayden Low struck with 1:58 remaining in the third to bring the Royals within one, finding a rebound initiated by a MacDonald wrist shot. MacDonald then tied the game, 2-2, with .5 seconds to spare, slinging a whip-around shot from the high slot to beat the buzzer.

In the fifth round of the shootout, Brian Ward beat Angus Redmond. The Royals netminder made three saves in regulation after replacing Branden Komm (22 saves, 2 GA) in the final five minutes.

Adirondack tallied midway through the first to secure the 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. They doubled their lead 2:51 into the middle frame.

Cam Johnson made 23 saves in the game (2 GA) and stopped five Royals shootout attempts.

Box Score

Cullen Bradshaw tallied the lone first-period goal 10:44 into the frame to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead. The Royals led in shots, 10-3, after 20 minutes of action.

Adirondack opened the middle frame by adding a second tally from Kelly Summers.

The Royals were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and the Thunder were 4-for-4.

Late in the third, Low collected a rebound off of MacDonald’s stick and beat Cam Johnson over his left shoulder with 1:58 to play in regulation.

After Nick Luukko tried a point shot with two seconds left, MacDonald scooped the rebound and shot through traffic and it at the right post to even the game with .5 seconds left.