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Royals Force Shootout, Fall to Thunder in Preseason Opener

Friday, October 13th
Royals Force Shootout, Fall to Thunder in Preseason Opener

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, opened their 2023-24 preseason with a shootout loss to the Adirondack Thunder, 4-3, on Thursday, October 12 at Santander Arena. Nolan Maier suffered the loss in net for Reading with 29 saves on 33 shots faced. Eric Dop stepped in for Maier for the final 3:59 of the first period and saved the one shot faced. Adirondack’s Vinnie Purpura saved all 15 shots he faced through 30 minutes of play. Matt Petizian manned Adirondack’s net for the remainder of the game and earned the preseason opener win with 19 saves on 22 shots faced. 

BOX SCORE 

Travis Broughman capitalized on an equipment malfunction to Maier’s left skate and notched his first of three goals in the game. With 3:59 left in the first period, Maier went around the back of his net and lost the blade off of his skate after a collision with defenseman Will Zmolek. Broughman deposited the puck in the empty net to put Adirondack in front, 1-0.

The Royals remained down by a goal after the 2nd period, as the Thunder preserved their one-goal lead with two penalty kills and strong goaltending from both of their goaltenders. Purpura lended the netminding duties to Petizian halfway through the period. 

Broughman extended Adirodnack’s lead to a pair with a laser past Maier’s blocker side 4:44 into the third period. Tyson Fawcett responded 2:08 later with the Royals’ first goal of the game. Off of a give-and-go pass from Shane Sellar in the offensive zone, Fawcett beat Petizian’s with a wrist shot to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. 

Spencer Kennedy joined Sellar with the assists on Fawcett’s first goal of the preseason. The Royals tied the score with a power play goal 9:18 into the third. Alec Butcher deflected a pass from Adam Brubacher at the right faceoff circle past Petizian to even the score, 2-2. 

Broughman scored his preseason hat-trick with 9:12 remaining in regulation to put the Thunder back in front, 3-2. Chester, New Jersey native Grant Jozefek earned his second assist of the game on the Broughman hat-trick. With 3:42 left in regulation, Yvan Mongo evened the score with a backhand shot past Petizian. Brubadcher and Mason McCarty earned the assist on Mongo’s to force overtime

After a scoreless overtime period, both teams went to a shootout to decide the preseason opener victor. 

Ryan Chyzowski went first for the Royals in the shootout and had his forehand shot stood up by Petizian. Andy Willis converted for Adirondack with a wrist shot past Maier. Millman scored Reading’s lone goal in the shootout with a backhand deke past Petizian’s left pad. Alex Dicarlo delivered on his shootout attempt for the Thunder and set up Petizian to secure the shootout victory with a save on Alec Butcher’s wrist shot.

The Royals fall to 7-2-2 across 11 consecutive preseason meetings with the Thunder. The Royals conclude the 2023-24 pre-season against Adirondack on Friday, October 13 on the road. Puck drop at Cool Insuring Arena is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

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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.