5,747 watch Royals empty Fuel's tank, 5-2

Reading, PA - Jamie Phillips recorded his first win with the Reading Royals in front of 5,747 fans in a 5-2 victory over the Indy Fuel Friday at Santander Arena. Phillips made 21 saves on 23 shots and four different Royals players recorded goals. Reading has won four straight games vs. Indy and is 10-1-0-0 all-time against the Fuel. Tyler Brown scored twice for his fourth career ECHL multi-goal game.

The Royals went 1-for-5 on the power play and the Fuel went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage. Fuel goaltender Gordon Defiel made 34 saves on 38 shots.

Box Score

Brown opened the scoring with 6:03 remaining in the first period. Defiel reached across his left post to stone Brown’s first attempt, but the forward corralled the puck and wrapped it around the opposite post to put the Royals up, 1-0. 

Charlie Vasaturo put the Royals ahead by two goals 1:35 later. Brayden Low won an offensive zone face-off to the left of Defiel and sent the puck back to Vasaturo at the right point. Vasaturo wristed the puck through Low’s screen for his third goal of the season.

Josh Shalla cut the Royals’ lead in half 30 seconds into the second period. Former Royals player Olivier Labelle fed the puck to Shalla in the crease and Shalla slotted the puck by Phillips.

Nick Luukko slapped the puck from the top of the left circle and in with under five minutes remaining to put the Royals up, 3-1. Reading was handed a 5-on-3 power play after Matt Rupert took a delay of game penalty. Luukko’s goal happened 19 seconds after the Royals went on the 5-on-3 advantage.

Michael Huntebrinker edged the Royals ahead, 4-1, with 33 seconds left in the period after the Fuel suffered a defensive breakdown. Adam Schmidt led a 3-on-0 breakaway and shot the puck off the crossbar. It bounced back into the low slot, and Huntebrinker pounced on it before Defiel could reach across to stop it. Huntebrinker has recorded a point in 25 of 27 games this season after assisting on Luukko’s goal.

Dmitri Osipov scored his first goal of the season five minutes into the third period to cut the Royals lead, 4-2. The Fuel won an offensive zone faceoff, and Osipov’s wrist shot from the deep slot beat Phillips.

Brown slotted an empty-netter with 1:12 remaining in the game for his second of the night to make it 5-2. Brown’s goal was his eighth of the season, which is two more than he has recorded each of his last three seasons.

Next Home GamesSat., Mar. 16: St. Hat Trick’s Day vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.1) Chance to win $10,000 if Royals player gets a hat trick2) Free kids ticket game: Receive 1 free kids ticket (14 and under) for every adult ticket purchased3) Ice Angels Dance Team poster giveaway and postgame autographs, pres. by Rieck's Printing4) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading5) Special St. Hat Trick's Day Jerseys

Fri., Mar. 22: $1 Beer Night at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland1) $1 Draft Beer2) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading

Sat., Mar. 23 The Anthony Myers Movement Night and American Cancer Society Night: 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland1) 3rd Night honoring the American Cancer Society with specialty jerseys 2)  Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading

About the RoyalsThe Royals are in their 18th ECHL season and 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.

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