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Royals fall out of first place in the North Division in lost to Growlers

Monday, February 21st
Royals fall out of first place in the North Division in lost to Growlers

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, fell to the Newfoundland Growlers, 5-3, Sunday, Feb. 20 at Santander Arena. Royals goaltender Hayden Hawkey saved 20 of 24 shots while Growlers goalie Evan Cormier saved 37 of 40 shots.

BOX SCORE

Newfoundland struck first with the lone goal in the first period. Evan Neugold joined Derian Plouffe on a two-on-one offensive break towards the Royals' net and tapped in a rebound off of Hawkey’s right pad. The original shot from Plouffe earned him an assist on Neugold’s first of two goals in the game.

Trevor Gooch answered back for the Royals with a game tying power play goal. A booming one-timer from Patrick Bajkov in the left face off dot in the Growlers’ zone bounced off of Cormier’s left pad onto Gooch’s stick to bury the puck in the back of the net for power play goals in consecutive games for the Royals’ forward. 

The Growlers responded with three-straight goals in the middle period. Neugold, Matteo Pietroniro and Jeremy McKenna found the back of the net to jolt Newfoundland ahead with a three-goal lead. Late into the period, Jacob Pritchard and Thomas Ebbing connected to cut the deficit to two goals. Delivering the puck from behind Cormier’s net, Pritchard fed a cross crease pass to Ebbing impending on the Growlers’ net and beat Cormier blocker side to score his first of two goals in the game and take the game into the final period of regulation with the Growlers ahead, 4-2.

Late into the third period, the Royals teased a Sunday afternoon overtime period, but came up short in the final 1:27 of regulation. Ebbing scored his second goal of the game to cut the Royals’ deficit to one-goal. With Hawkey pulled from his net and the extra skater on the ice for Reading, the Growlers defensive effort prevailed with a pair of blocks in the final minute. McKenna sealed the game with his second goal on the Royals empty net to put the Growlers ahead in the North Division with their seventh consecutive win. The Royals fall to second place in the North division after three-straight regulation losses for the first time this season.

The Royals travel to Wheeling to take on the Nailers Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, at 7:10 p.m. at WesBanco Arena.

UPCOMING GAMES

READING PREMIUM NIGHT PRESENTED BY SLY FOX TAPHOUSE - 3/5/22

  • $1 Reading Premium drafts

  • Scout Night

  • Frank DiChiara bobblehead giveaway presented by Savage Auto Group

  • Coaster giveaway presented by Deibler Dental

  • Specialty jersey

Affiliation Night - 3/18/22

  • Affiliation Night presented by Enersys

  • Flyers Friday presented by Deibler Dental

  • Gritty Appearance

  • Kirill Ustimenko bobblehead giveaway, presented by Savage Auto Group

  • PA Lotto giveaway

  • Specialty jersey

  • 4 for $48 - 4 tickets, 4 burgers, 4 sodas

Buy tickets HERE: www.royalshockey.com/promotionsReading Royals season, flex memberships and group tickets are available for the 2021-22 season by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.About the RoyalsThe Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are entering their 20th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 10 of the previous 11 seasons. They are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.