The Reading Royals returned to the Santander Arena on Saturday night to take on the Maine Mariners in game two of the Kelly Cup playoffs. The Royals led the series 1-0.
Before the game, the Royals got Nolan Maier back from Lehigh Valley after the Phantoms were eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs on Friday night.
Five minutes and two seconds into the first period, Brendan Hoffmann (1) put the Royals up 1-0 with assists from Colin Felix and Devon Paliani. A minute and fifty-five seconds later, Jacob Wilson (1) tied the game for the Mariners. It was 1-1 as Mitchell Fossier and Connor Doherty assisted Wilson’s goal.
Seven minutes later, Jacob Gaucher (1) scored a power play goal that put the Royals back up 2-1 with assists from Mason Millman and Tyler Heidt.
With under two minutes left, the game was tied again 2-2 on a goal by Maine Forward Alex-Olivier Voyer (1) with assists from Carter Johnson and Jacob Wilson. The Royals had 16 shots on goal but the game remained tied 2-2 after one period.
Four minutes and seven seconds into the second period, Evan Barratt (1) put the Royals back up 3-2 with assists from Jacob Gaucher and Zayde Wisdom. Eleven minutes and three seconds later, Max Newton (1) scored a power play goal for a 4-2 lead. Evan Barratt and Garrett McFadden assisted with his goal. The Royals had 11 shots on goal and led 4-2 after two periods.
Eleven minutes and forty-nine seconds into the third period, Maine pulled within one 4-3 on a goal by Mitchell Fossier (1) with assists from Mathew Santos and Jacob Wilson. Late in the game, Zayde Wisdom (1) put the game away for the Royals 5-3 with an assist from Max Newton. The Royals had 14 shots on goal and defeated the Maine Mariners by the final score of 5-3 in game two of the Kelly Cup playoffs.
The Royals finished the night with 41 shots, 2-5 on the power play, and Pat Nagle made 31 saves. On the other side, the Mariners had 34 shots, 0-3 on the power play, and goalies Michael DiPietro and Francois Brassard combined with 36 saves.
The series now shifts to the Cross Insurance Arena for game three of the Kelly Cup playoffs on Monday at 7 pm. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo.
