WORCESTER, MA – The Reading Royals used fast starts in each period to spike the Worcester Railers, 4-1, Sunday at the DCU Center. In Sunday’s win, Frank DiChiara (1 goal, 1 assist) opened the scoring a 1:03 of the first. DiChiara has 99 career points with Reading and a team-best 57 points. In the second, Pascal Laberge (1:02) and Max Willman (1:45) extended the advantage to 3-0. At 1:04 of the third, Garrett Cecere beamed a wrister from the slot by Ian Milosz (loss, 28 saves).
The Royals finished this week with seven of a possible eight points and are 2-0-0-1 to begin a five-game road trip.
Using the early support, Tom McCollum won his third straight game to improve to 3-1-0-0 with Reading. He made his first 29 saves and denied 30 in the game, yielding the Railers’ only strike with 10:47 to go to Lincoln Griffin.
Frank gets the first: For the second time in the last week, Royals points leader DiChiara scored in the opening 1:03, providing Reading a 1-0 advantage.
DiChiara tallied at :52 of the first Friday at Adirondack and the Royals are 27-1-3-1 when netting the game’s opening strike.
On the goal Sunday, DiChiara stole a blind point pass and sniped it far post from the left circle.
Second period – A tale of two teams: The Royals’ pair of second-period strikes gave the team goals in 23 straight second periods, a streak that started Jan. 4 against the Railers. Since January 31st, Worcester has allowed 12 goals in the second to Reading in four games. The Royals have won all four and possess a 6-4-1-0 series edge. Reading started the season series 1-4-0-0 against the Railers, but Reading has outscored them 25-8, in the last six contests.
Laberge sniped in the second goal of the game on a pass from DiChiara to the left doorstep. Next, Willman laced in a high-slot snipe that fooled Milosz. Willman has nine goals and 25 points this season.
The two quick goals in the second period Sunday came on Reading’s first two shots of the frame.
Cecere continues sneaky run: Cecere’s slot rip at 1:04 of the third provided Reading a 4-0 edge. Cecere led the Royals with a plus-11 rating in February. It was his second goal of the season and partly encapsulated the Royals’ week; Reading did not have a multi-goal scorer in any of their four games this week despite tallying 21 goals.
The Royals have road games on Friday, March 6th at Maine (7:15 p.m.) and Saturday, March 7th at Worcester (7:05 p.m.) to complete the squad’s season-long, five-game road trip. Reading’s next home game is Sunday, March 8th vs. Brampton at 4 p.m. for First Responders Night, pres. by Met-Ed.
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