Royals quiet the Thunder

READING, PA – Five players scored for the Reading Royals to crush the Adirondack Thunder, 5-2, Tuesday at Santander Arena. The Royals are 6-0-0-0 at home this season, the second-best home start ever (behind the 7-0-0-0 start in 2005-06). Reading is 3-0-0-0 against the Thunder.

Matt Wilkins netted the game-winning goal at 7:34 of the second, deflecting a perfect feed at the left post from Nolan Zajac (1 goal, 2 assists). Reading poured in two goals in the third. Zajac scored in the third. Mike Huntebrinker tallied his third of the season to put the game out of reach with a deflection goal at 10:56 of the final frame.

The Royals are 8-5-1-0 (17 points), three points behind Wheeling and Adirondack for the North Division lead.

Reading had a season-high 44 shots to best Nick Riopel (39 saves). John Muse made 24 stops in the win. He also added his third assist of the season.

While on the man up, Mark Naclerio seized a rebound at the right post and whacked it in for Reading’s first goal at 7:34 of the first after Zajac’s initial try hit off of Riopel. Alex Krushelnyski was credited with the second assist. Naclerio is tied with Krushelnyski for a team-best seven goals.

Adirondack scored three minutes later on the power play to tie it, 1-1. The Royals were next. Standing at the slot, Ryan Penny sniped a goal through Riopel’s five-hole seconds after Reading’s next man up expired. Willows and Muse earned the helpers. The goaltender Muse has three assists this season, leading all ECHL goalies.

After the Thunder tied it at 2 in the second, Wilkins responded five minutes later. Assisted by Zajac and Leduc, Wilkins netted his third of the season with a clean tip-in goal.

Zajac sniped his first goal of the game from to extend the lead to 4-2 at 6:47 of the third, assisted by Willows and Wilkins. Nick Luukko put the icing on the cake with a pass to Michael Huntebrinker, who deflected it in with nine minutes to go.

Reading (1-for-4) and Adirondack (1-for-5) both scored on the power play.

Following Thanksgiving, the Royals are home on Black Friday, Nov. 24, for another game against Adirondack at 7 p.m.