READING, PA – The Newfoundland Growlers extended their win streak to seven games and reclaimed their spot atop the North Division standings with a 5-3 win over the Reading Royals on Sunday afternoon at Santander Arena.
Evan Neugold opened the scoring for Newfoundland with 7:45 left in the first period when James Melindy found Derian Plouffe with a great stretch pass before Plouffe’s rebound was put home by Neugold to make it 1-0 Growlers after 20 minutes.
Reading replied early in the second period on the power play as Evan Cormier was able to keep out a blast from Patrik Bajkov but couldn’t deny Trevor Gooch on the rebound who made it 1-1.
Neugold notched his second of the game midway through the middle frame with a hot shot from the hashmarks to regain the lead for the Growlers.
Newfoundland would get a power play marker of their own in the second period as Matteo Peitroniro pinched to the back door, sliding in to finish off some great puck movement on the man advantage to make it 3-1 Growlers with 7:37 left in the 2nd period.
Jeremy McKenna quickly increased the visitors advantage to 4-1 with a tight angle snipe thanks to a clever pass from defenseman Ben Finkelstein.
Thomas Ebbing got the Royals back within two before the second intermission as he beat Cormier from in tight, leaving it at 4-2 Growlers heading into the third period.
After Ebbing added a second to give the Growlers a scare with 1:27 left in regulation, McKenna made it a pair on the afternoon as he deposited into an empty Royals goal to seal a 5-3 victory for Newfoundland.
Quick Hits: Evan Neugold recorded his first multi-goal game of the season… Newfoundland matches their longest winning streak of the season, tying their run of seven straight from November 14- December 1… The Growlers are back in action on Tuesday night for another clash with the Adirondack Thunder.
Three Stars: 1. NFL – E. Neugold; 2. NFL – E. Cormier; 3. REA – T. Ebbing.
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