The Reading Royals (38-16-6-2) were up north of the border at the Colisée Vidéotron for a three-game series against the Trois-Rivieres Lions (28-27-4-2). The Royals clinched a playoff spot this past Tuesday after the Lions defeated the Maine Mariners 5-3.
Two minutes and ten seconds into the first period, Royals forward Frank DiChiara (13) put Reading up 1-0 with an assist from Mike Chen. Three minutes and twenty seconds later, Lions forward Brenden Locke (2) tied the game 1-1. Anthony Nellis and Félix-Olivier Chouinard assisted Locke’s goal.
At 9:48, The Royals re-gained a 2-1 lead by Thomas Ebbing (29) with assists from Jacob Pritchard and Mike Chen.
In the second period, Royals forward Kenny Hausinger (11) extended Reading’s lead to 3-1 with an assist from Thomas Ebbing with under seven minutes left.
Two minutes and sixteen seconds into the third period, Royals forward Brayden Low (16) made it 4-1 with an assist from Frank DiChiara. Finally, at 14:55, Goal by Brennan Saulnier (1), in his first game with the Royals, scored a goal for a 5-1 lead with an assist from Patrick Bajkov.
The Royals finished the night with 30 shots, 0/4 on the power-play, and Logan Flodell made 21 of 22 saves.
The Royals and Lions play game two tonight at 3 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased courtesy of our friends at StubHub.
