READING, PA –The Reading Royals scored three goals in the first six minutes and Branden Komm made 28 saves to obliterate the Norfolk Admirals, 5-1, Friday at the Norfolk Scope.
The Royals scored three goals on their first four shots and Reading led, 4-0, after one. Adam Schmidt (1 goal, 1 assist), Josh MacDonald and Michael Huntebrinker scored in a 2:46 span in the blistering start. MacDonald scored his team-leading 20th of the campaign, while Huntebrinker tagged in his 12th in his first game back from AHL Lehigh Valley. Matt Pohlkamp scored with fewer than five minutes to go in the first to create a 4-0 advantage. Chris McCarthy registered two assists and has tied a single-season high 59 points (44 assists).
Nick Luukko tallied his seventh of the season in the third period to place Reading ahead, 5-0. Komm made his first 25 saves before yielding to Matt McMorrow at 9:16 of the third.
Ty Reichenbach took the defeat with 22 saves.
The Royals scored the opening goal at 3:13 and then scored another pair in the next three minutes. First, David Drake cannoned a left-point shot and Schmidt ricocheted it in at the front of cage. One minute later, MacDonald received a left-slot pass from Chris McCarthy. MacDonald lasered a one-timed slap shot top twine for his first goal of the series. At 5:59 of the first, Charlie Vasaturo flipped another slot pass to Huntebrinker and the second-year forward labeled it top shelf to provide the Royals a 3-0 lead.
To complete the onslaught, McCarthy twirled a feed to Pohlkamp at the right doorstep and Pohlkamp slid it by Reichenbach.
In a scoreless second period, Komm added 12 more saves to increase to 22 for the game.
Luukko’s power-play goal at :35 of the third and increased the edge to five. He drove into the zone up the middle, took a step to the right slot and blistered a wrist shot by Reichenbach far post. The Royals were 1-for-3 on the man up and stopped all four Admirals power-play chances.
Reading and Norfolk rematch on Saturday, March 2nd at 7 p.m. The next Royals home game is Friday, March 15th vs. Indy at 7 p.m.
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