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Maier Saves 45, Royals Fall in Shootout to Lions in Home Opener

Sunday, October 29th
Maier Saves 45, Royals Fall in Shootout to Lions in Home Opener

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, fell to the Trois-Rivières Lions (4-0-0), 4-3, in a shootout on Saturday, October 28 at Santander Arena. Nolan Maier (0-2-0-1) suffered the shootout loss on a career-high night with 45 saves on 48 shots faced. Joe Vrbetic (3-0-0) earned the victory in net for the Lions with 32 saves on 35 shots faced.

BOX SCORE 

The first of five meetings between the Royals and Lions on the season remained scoreless after 20 minutes. Maier stopped all 10 shots he faced while Vrbetic saved the eight shots he faced in the opening frame.

Yvan Mongo broke the scoreless tie 5:05 into the second period and kick started an eruption of goals. Mongo received a pass from Austin Master in front of Trois-Rivières net and lifted his shot past Vrbetic for the first Royals goal at home this season. Master had the lone assist on Mongo’s second goal of the season. The assist was Master’s first point of his professional career and first of two points in the game.

Joseph Nardi deflected a shot from Mongo past Vrbetic to net his first goal as a Royal and extend Reading’s lead, 2-0, 9:31 into the middle frame. Trois-Rivières responded with a pair of goal to tie the score courtesy of Anthony Beauregard and Justin Ducharme.

Nine seconds after Ducharme’s equalizer, Ryan Chyzwoski beat Vrbetic of a wrist shot with 3:23 left in the second period. Chyzwoski’s team-leading fourth goal and fifth point of the season came off assists by Koltrane Wilson and Trevor Thurston. The helpers were the first points of the season for Wilson and Thurston. The assist was also the first point of Thurston’s professional career. 

Coming into the third period there was not a lull in the action. Reading sustained their one-goal lead until a fluttering puck over Maier off of a deflection from Noah Laaouan’s stick landed in the back of the net to tie the game. The goal did not go under review and sent both teams into overtime. Trois-Rivières led both team in shots in the extra frame with four of the seven shots on goal. After a scoreless seven minutes, a shootout was forced to determine the series opener victor.

Reading shot first in each round of the shootout with Devon Paliani leading off, and Chyzowski, Nardi, and Darren Brady following in the proceeding rounds. For Trois-Riveries, Beauregard went in the first round and was followed by Ducharme, Matthew Boucher, and Miguël Tourigny. Tourigny snapped a wrist shot past Maier for the shootout winning goal. 

The Royals conclude their home opener weekend in the series finale against the Lions at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 29 at Santander Arena. Wear your costumes to the arena for the annual Halloween game. The afternoon face-off will feature trick-or-treating, a Halloween costume contest and $2 hot dogs, popcorn and nachos on the concourse. 

To order your tickets to the promotional game, visit: royals hockey.com/tickets

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2023-24 Season Memberships

Reading Royals Season Memberships, six-game plans, ten-game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2023-24 season now 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 in their 22nd season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 12 of the previous 13 seasons. They are five-time division champions and were the 2021-22 Eastern Conference champion. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.