READING, PA – Michael Huntebrinker recorded his first professional hat trick and four-point game to jolt the Reading Royals to a 5-3 win over the Adirondack Thunder Saturday at Santander Arena. Brian Morgan had his first multi-goal game and finished with three points (2 goals, 1 assist). The Royals are 7-1-0-0 against Adirondack this season. The teams combined for 17 infractions and 65 penalty minutes. Reading took 24 penalty minutes.
Huntebrinker scored twice in the second period and added an empty-net goal in the third. His first strike gave the Royals the lead on the power play at 7:38 of the second with Adirondack’s Mike Bergin out of the game after a five-minute penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct.
Next, the power play expired but the Thunder did not have a man in the penalty box to serve the Bergin major infraction, allowing the 5-on-4 to proceed. Huntebrinker deflected a slot pass from Morgan at 11:54 of the frame and gave the Royals a 3-1 advantage. It was the Minnesota State graduate’s first multi-goal game since December 15, 2015 in his junior year of college against Alabama-Huntsville.
Morgan scored in the first and the third. His third-period goal gave Reading a 4-1 edge.
John Muse denied all shots in the second and took his third straight victory (31 saves). Chris Nell took the loss with 21 saves.
Adirondack scored the opening strike when Desmond Bergin aimed in the first goal at 5:20 of the first on a left-circle shot.
The Royals responded with 45.7 seconds to go in the frame. Derek Whitmore fell entering across the right blue line, but slithered it on net while falling. After striking off Nell’s pads, it rebounded to Morgan at the top of the crease and he backhanded it through the legs.
Bergin was ejected at 6:15 of the second after elbowing Adam Schmidt. Reading went on a five-minute power play.
Huntebrinker put the Royals in front a minute later by angling his skate and deflecting it in, assisted by Chris McCarthy and Luukko.
The power play ended and Reading pressed. Thirty-nine seconds after the man up ended, Huntebrinker helped command the Royals to a two-goal lead with a great deflection off a Morgan pass. Mark Naclerio had the secondary assist.
Morgan rung the puck past Nell at 6:10 of the third to provide a 4-1 edge.
Terrance Wallin scored consecutive goals in the third to make it a 4-3 Reading lead.
Huntebrinker found himself alone with 12 seconds to go and tallied the icing empty-net goal.
The Royals were 1-for-3 on the man up. Adirondack scored twice on five power-play chances.
The Royals start a five-game homestand January 5th at 7 p.m. with Jerry “The King” Lawlerr coming to Santander Arena on Pro Wrestling Night against the Brampton Beast.
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