READING, PA – Ryan Penny recorded his first professional hat trick and the Reading Royals (4-0-0-0) destroyed the Adirondack Thunder, 9-4, Sunday at Santander Arena. Seven Royals scored, eight had multi-point games and 15 recorded points, including goaltender John Muse (fourth professional point).
The Royals scored three in the first period and led, 3-1. Reading exploded for another four in the second to maneuver to a 7-2 edge. Penny (3 goals, 1 assist) completed the hat trick with a wrist shot from the slot with 7:56 to go in the third.
Kirk MacDonald has led the Royals to their best start in the team’s 17-season history. The nine-goal output is the second-highest in club history, one short of the record set in 2002-03 against Greensboro and the best since Jan. 6, 2012 against Chicago.
Muse made a season-high 41 saves and is 2-0-0-0. He’s made 78 saves in two games (.940 save percentage). Nick Riopel (loss, 12 saves, 5 goals against) was pulled in the second period. Drew Fielding allowed four more goals and denied 11 shots.
The Royals scored on their first two shots and struck first at 1:47 into the first on Steven Swavely’s first of the season. Two minutes later, Penny came in on a breakaway and scored with a wrist shot after Nolan Zajac fed him with a pass from the defensive zone. Zajac is on a four-game point streak.
After an Adirondack goal, the Royals power play (2-for-5) scored on a deep slot wrist shot from Zajac with three minutes to go in the first.
Chase Golightly, Penny and Derek Whitmore (1 goal, 2 assists) and Alex Krushlenyski scored the Reading goals in the second frame. Matt Willows recorded two assists in the second. Krushelnyski scored his third goal of the season with a back-handed finish with five minutes left.
Both teams scored twice in the third. Tyler Brown (1 goal, 1 assist) and Penny had the markers.
The Royals begin a five-game road trip on Fri., Nov. 2 against Worcester at 7 p.m. Reading hosts the Jacksonville Icemen on Sat., Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. for Veteran Appreciation Night.
Follow us on Twitter @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.