Royals absorb 2-1 OT loss at Manchester

Manchester, NH – Andrew D’Agostini denied 33 shots, but Nic Pierog scored twice, including the winner at 1:27 of overtime, to lift Manchester Monarchs past the Reading Royals, 2-1, Saturday at SNHU Arena. Pierog tied the game with six minutes to go.Alex Roos scored the game’s opening tally with fewer than five minutes left in the first, giving the rookie seven goals this season (all in the last month). He has scored in four of the last five contests.Andrew D’Agostini denied nine shots in the first and 12 more in the second, keeping Reading ahead by a goal into the third period. He is 4-0-1-0 this campaign. Charles Williams bested the Royals and tied a season high with 40 saves.Before allowing the goals to Pierog, the Royals shutout streak lasted 114 minutes, including the shutout Friday vs. Norfolk.

The Royals are back at home on Wed., Jan. 9 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Adirondack, featuring a postgame player autograph session pres. by Rieck’s Printing. Tickets are $5 on college night! Visit http://bit.ly/Jan9College and enter a valid college email address to access.Box ScoreReading outshot Manchester, 21-9, in the first (most shots in a period by Reading this season) and Roos scored the first goal of the game with 4:32 left. Josh MacDonald coaxed a turnover and dealt to Chris McCarthy. The center pushed it off Williams’ right pad and it jolted free to the left post. Roos stepped in and punched in his seventh of the season.Pierog’s turn-around shot from the right circle evened the game with 6:07 left in the third. Cory Ward assisted. He won the game by retrieving a centering pass from Ward and spinning it top shelf past D’Agostini.About the RoyalsThe Royals have been owned by serial entrepreneur Jack Gulati since 2014 and are entering their 18th ECHL season. Proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Reading plays in the Santander Arena, located in downtown Reading, PA at 700 Penn Street. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs in nine straight seasons and are four-time division champions.