The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, fell to the Maine Mariners, 6-2, Wednesday, Apr. 13 at Cross Insurance Arena. Royals goaltender Hayden Hawkey saved 20 of 25 shots while Mariners goalie Callum Booth saved 37 of 39 shots faced.
Maine opened the scoring four minutes into the first period. Pascal Laberge scored on a breakaway for his second goal of the four-game series against Reading. Michael Kim chipped the puck at center ice up to Laberge who skated in on Hawkey and lifted the puck over the netminder’s left pad to put Maine up early, 1-0.
Reading scored minutes later to tie the game off of an offensive zone face off win by Patrick Bajkov. Dominic Cormier received a feed from Trevor Gooch at the top of the zone and snapped the puck top shelf for Cormier’s 16th goal of the season. Maine took back the lead two minutes later on Nick Master’s wrist shot on a 3-on-1 rush. Master’s 15th goal of the season put the Mariners ahead after the opening period, 2-1.
Maine extended their lead to two on Cameron Askew’s first of two goals in the game. With a shot in the slot, Askew sent a wrist shot past Hawkey’s glove to give Maine their largest lead to that point in the game, 3-1.
The Royals answered back in the third period and cut the deficit to one with a stretch pass from Bajokov skating in Reading’s zone to Trevor Gooch at Maine’s blue line. Gooch carried the puck in on a breakaway and beat Booth for his team leading 34th goal of the season.
The Mariners took a commanding lead with three goals in the final 15 minutes of play. Matthew Santos scored his team leading 24th goal of the season and Cameron Askew earned his second goal of the game before Tyler Hinam beat Patrick McNally to a puck in Reading’s zone and scored on the empty net for Maine’s sixth and final goal in the game. The Royals loss comes as their first in regulation in the month of April as well as snaps an eight game point streak Reading.
The Royals take on the Adirondack Thunder for their final away game of the regular season Friday, Apr. 15, at 7:00 p.m. at Cool Insuring Arena.
UPCOMING GAMES
FANDEMONIUM - 4/16/22
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Free souvenir cup refills for season ticket holders
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Prizes at every break
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Royals 20 for 20 presented by Visions Federal Credit Union, ServPro, ET Electric, and Comcast Business
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Post-Game Skate presented by T-Mobile
Buy tickets HERE: www.royalshockey.com/promotions
Reading 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 Royals
The 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.