GLENS FALLS, NY – The Reading Royals generated eight shots in overtime, but Adirondack Thunder goalie Eamon McAdam stopped them all and two Royals in the shootout to best Reading, 6-5, Friday at Cool Insuring Arena. McAdam made 40 saves for his 15th win of the season. Matt Salhany scored four goals, including two in the third period to tie the game at five. Salhany and Nikita Popugaev tallied in the top-two rounds of the shootout, forcing Max Willman (1 goal, 1 assist) into duty for the bottom of the third. McAdam popped away Willman’s slot shot for the skills-competition victory. Despite being denied, Willman has seven points in his last two games.
Reading (70 points) remains three points ahead of Maine for second place in the North Division. Felix Sandström made 19 saves in defeat.
The teams combined for four goals in a 2:17 span in the second and the Royals took a 4-3 lead into the third. In that second, Reading scored the first two and Adirondack netted the next pair to make it a 4-3 game into the third. First, Willman sprung free for a breakaway goal up the slot at 6:10. Steven Swavely’s 11th of the season came next at 7:53, taking a pass off pad from Matthew Gaudreau. Salhany and Ludvig Larsson scored for Adirondack in the next :37.
Rob Michel scored his sixth of the season with a goal at 4:07 of the third, Reading’s last strike of the game.
Reading scored the opening two goals in the first 11:11 of the first; Frank DiChiara started the scoring at :52 of the opening period when Willman fed him at the right slot. It was Willman’s sixth point in the last four frames. DiChiara has a career-best 19 goals.
All three Royals forwards touched the puck on the next Reading goal ten minutes later. Gaudreau dunked it to the Thunder right corner for Corey Mackin, who immediately touched it for Matthew Strome at the slot. Strome unfurled for his 8th of the season.
Wild second: The Royals scored in the second period in their 21st straight game, giving the team a remarkable 42-13 goal differential in the middle 20 over that span. Reading has scored at least once in every second period dating back to January 4th vs. Worcester. Coincidentally, Reading is 14-4-1-1 over that span.
In this second frame, Willman scored his 7th point since returning from the AHL, improving his season numbers to 22 points in 18 games. Swavely’s goal moved him within one point of Andrew Sarauer for 7th on the Royals all-time points list.
Gaudreau helping: Matthew Gaudreau improved to 13 career points (2 goals) in 24 career games against Adirondack with a two-assist effort, his first multi-point effort since January 31st at Worcester. Gaudreau has a career-best 40 points this season. Fellow former Railer Frank DiChiara opened the scoring and he has 52 points this season, the best of his career.
Salhany strong: Playing against his former team, Matt Salhany scored twice in the third and four in the game to best Reading. He leads Adirondack with 25 goals this season. His last regulation goal evened the score with 4:48 left.
Salhany leads Adirondack with seven series goals.
The Royals play the second game of a season-long, five-game road trip at Adirondack Saturday at 7 p.m. Reading’s next home game is Sunday, March 8th vs. Brampton at 4 p.m. for First Responders Night, presented by Met-Ed.
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