BRAMPTON, ON – The Reading Royals remained in sole possession of second place in the North Division with their fifth straight victory, slinging by the Brampton Beast, 3-1, Friday at the CAA Centre. Reading has won four consecutive on the road and the Royals are four points ahead of Brampton and Maine for second in the North.
Felix Sandström won his third straight game, blocking 22 shots. Alex Dubeau took the defeat despite 27 saves (3 goals against). The Royals scored the first three goals. Brampton cut it to two in the final seven minutes on David Vallorani’s power play marker.
Jeremy Beaudry bagged his third goal of the season series to provide Reading with the opening goal in the final five minutes remaining in the first. Matthew Strome walked to the high slot and it was poked back to Beaudry. He cannoned a low-and-deflected wrist shot through the five hole.
Strome and Matthew Gaudreau scored in the second period for the Royals, while Sandström denied 16 straight in the first 40 minutes.
Beaudry the “Beast slayer”: Defenseman Beaudry has four goals this season, three of which have come against Brampton. He scored the game’s first goal Friday, the third time in the series Reading has netted the opening goal.
He scored his first Royals multi-goal game December 29th at Brampton, a 3-2 Reading win. The third-year defenseman is in his first season with Reading. Last campaign, he scored six goals and 24 points for Wichita.
Second frame fire: Friday’s two-goal middle period marked the 14th straight game the Royals have scored at least one goal in the second frame.
Over the last five games, the Royals have outscored foes, 15-2, in the second period. That included a five-goal frame vs. Worcester on February 1st.
In this second period, Reading struck early (6:43, Strome) and late (5:28 left, Gaudreau).
First since the ending: The five-game winning streak is the longest Reading has had since a six-game streak to end the 2018-19 season.
The Royals will hit the ice next on Sunday, February 16th when they host the Worcester Railers at Santander Arena. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
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