PORTLAND, ME – Five Reading Royals scored and Felix Sandström earned his second career North American shutout with 23 denials to stonewall the Maine Mariners, 5-0, Friday at Cross Insurance Arena. Sandström blocked five in the third period for the Royals’ third team shutout of the season; he and Kirill Ustimenko (1 shutout) each have blanked opponents this season.
In a 4:45 span midway through the second, Trevor Yates, Thomas Ebbing and Jeremy Beaudry scored in three ways. First, Yates, placed it top shelf from the right slot by Brassard (7:23 of 2nd). Next, Ebbing scored on a laser-beam slapper from the left slot three minutes later. Beaudry completed the explosion with his first strike of the season on a wrister from the left circle. Reading scored the three goals on six shots.
Brayden Low generated three assists to lead all players in points, including the helper on the Yates game-winning strike. Rob Michel and Luke Stork scored in the third period.
Francois Brassard blocked 25 shots in defeat (5 goals against).
Threes wild in Forest City: Trevor Yates started the Royals’ three-goal second period run with a strike at 7:23 of the game, his third even-strength goal of the season and seventh overall. Brayden Low pried the puck at the right-wing circle and slung it to Yates. He turned it through Brassard. The Royals led by three after the second, with follow-up strikes from Thomas Ebbing and Jeremy Beaudry.
Entering the game, the Mariners had outscored foes, 14-5, in the second period over their last eight games.
Beaudry’s first: After scoring six times for Wichita last season, Jeremy Beaudry tallied his first as a Royal with a rip from inside the left-wing circle to provide a 3-0 edge with 7:52 to go in the middle period. Beaudry had last scored in Feb. 2019 with the Thunder.
A third-year defenseman, Beaudry won the ECHL’s 2017-18 Community Service Award while with Wichita and was named to the 2018 All-Star Classic.
Michel’s “first” in college state: A graduate of the University of Maine, defenseman Rob Michel scored his second career goal and first pro tally in Portland to provide the Royals 5-0 edge late in the third. Michel scored 17 goals while attending college.
Michel has scored both his goals against the North Division; he tallied his first pro goal at Brampton earlier in the month.
The Royals are at Adirondack again on Saturday, December 28th at 7 p.m. and visit Brampton Sunday at 2 p.m. The next Royals home game is Tuesday, December 31st at 4 p.m. vs. Maine.
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