GLENS FALLS, NY – The Reading Royals (13-7-2-0, 28 points) stunned the Adirondack Thunder with three goals in the first period and stayed at first place in the North Division with a 5-1 victory Friday at Cool Insuring Arena. Mark Dekanich made a season-high 47 saves and had 21 stops in the second period.
Nolan Zajac, Derek Whitmore and Matt Wilkins scored in the first. The Royals are 6-0-0-0 against the Thunder this season, their best start in the head-to-head series ever. Reading has outscored Adirondack 28-13 in the series.
Nic Riopel was pulled after the first, making eight saves. Drew Fielding allowed one goal in relief (18 saves).
After piling on the goals, the Royals left it to Dekanich to anchor. He made 16 saves in the first and then added the season-best 21 in the second. Through two periods, he matched his previous season high with 37 denials. The tenth-year pro came three saves shy of a career high.
Zajac and Whitmore scored 1:20 apart to place the Royals ahead, 2-0. Zajac scored the Royals’ first short-handed goal of the season by head faking, cutting to the slot and sliding it through Riopel at 6:59 of the first. Adam Schmidt and Wilkins assisted. Next, Whitmore scored in his first game back from injury. After receiving a 140-foot pass from Ryan Penny, Whitmore was all alone and lifted one over Riopel’s right shoulder. the captain had missed the last 12 games due to the injury.
Wilkins extended the lead with 2:29 remaining in the frame. Chris McCarthy and Matt Willows played catch at the right circle, allowing Wilkins to sneak undisturbed to the left post. Willows passed to him and Wilkins deked and shot it through. Dekanich made 16 saves in the first.
Adirondack outshot the Royals, 21-10, in the second. They had 17 shots in the opening ten minutes of the second.
Mark Naclerio slammed home a goal at the slot for his tenth of the season at :39 of the third, assisted by Alex Krushelnyski. The Royals allowed a short-handed goal 3:12 into the third to James Henry, cutting the edge to 4-1.
Michael Huntebrinker added an empty-net marker with 1.4 seconds left.
Reading’s man up was 0-for-4. The Royals were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Both teams netted short-handed markers.
Reading is at Manchester Saturday for a 6 p.m. puck drop. The teams are tied atop the North Division with 28 points. The Royals host Wheeling for a pair of games Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16.
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