READING, PA – Down by two in opening period, Rob Michel scored a comeback-generating goal late in the first and the Royals poured in three in the second period to entertain 6,632 fans on Pink in the Rink Night, 5-3, over the Wheeling Nailers Saturday at Santander Arena.
It was Reading’s largest crowd since AprIL 9, 2016 vs. Wheeling. Before the game, one of the 6,632 was chosen as Reading’s 3-millionth in team history. For being named the 3-millionth, “little Alana” won one season ticket to the 2020-21 Royals campaign and a signed “3,000,000” Royals team jersey.
The Royals have four won straight games and are second in the North Division with 59 points (27-14-5-0).
Felix Sandström shrugged away 25 shots for his second straight win, while Alex D’Orio blocked 31 (4 goals against, loss).
The Royals allowed the first two goals before igniting the big crowd with 2:57 to go in the first; Michel drove net front Matthew Strome fed him. Michel scored his third of the season by one-handing it through D’Orio. Steven Swavely garnered the secondary assist.
Reading scored the next three goals in fewer than four minutes midway through the second. Brayden Low scored the eventual game-winning goal short-handed at 10:30 of the second. Frank DiChiara gave the Royals the lead for the first time three minutes earlier and was the game’s first star, adding an empty-net goal to ice the game.
Big games require big scoring: The Royals dominated the second period with three straight goals to turn a one-goal deficit into a 4-2 advantage.
The goals came in a 3:54 span. Following a media timeout, Hayden Hodgson received a pass from Jeremy Beaudry in across the Nailers line and aimed a shot through the five-hole of D’Orio to even the score at 6:36. Next, DiChiara scored his first of the night with a one-timed slap shot from the right circle on the man up, dinging D’Orio for the third time to provide the Royals with their first lead 1:06 later. Eric Knodel registered assists on both goals.
To complete the stretch, Low sniped an odd-man-rush goal from the left slot for Reading’s second short-handed marker of the season. It was Reading’s first goal while penalty killing since November 22nd vs. Newfoundland, when Trevor Yates scored from the left-wing circle.
Reading has outscored foes, 13-2, over the last four second periods. Additionally, Reading has tallied in the second period in thirteen straight games (26 goals for, 7 goals against).
Sandy’s stride: Netminder Felix Sandström earned his second straight win and blocked all shots faced during a 38-minute span, giving the Royals the chance to take the lead in the second period.
He is on a winning streak for the second time in his North American career. In two games this weekend, he blocked 43 of 48 shots to lower his goals against average (8-10-0-0, 3.52 goals against average, .881 save percentage).
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