READING, PA – The Reading Royals (1-0-1-0, 3 points) man up scored on its first four chances to thrash the Worcester Railers (1-1-0-0, 2 points), 6-4, Sunday at Santander Arena. Josh MacDonald, Tyler Brown, Shane Walsh and Jack Riley factored with power-play markers and Walsh registered his second career multi-goal game.
After allowing the first goal, the Royals scored six straight, including three on the man up in the second period to jump to a 6-1 edge. The goal run forced Worcester netminder Mitch Gillam (loss, 15 saves, 6 goals allowed) from the game after 33:55. In relief, Evan Buitenhuis made nine saves.
Alex Krushelnyski (3 assists), Walsh (2 goals), Adam Schmidt (2 assists) and Chris McCarthy (2 assists) registered their first multi-point games of the season.
Branden Komm made 28 saves for his first victory of the season.
Physicality also reigned as the Royals (27 PIM) and Railers (27 PIM) each took three fighting major penalties.
Former Royals forward Barry Almeida scored the game’s first goal 6:38 into the first before the Royals struck back for a pair in the first.
Walsh potted first at 9:26, slamming a two-on-one pass from Krushelnyski ten feet from the right post. Five minutes later, MacDonald shoveled in his first of the season on the power play at the right doorstep, assisted by Adam Schmidt on a cross-slot dish.
Steven Swavely registered his first of the season at even strength, with help from Krushelnyski. On a 2-on-1 rush, Krushelnyski fanned on a shot at the slot and the puck trickled to Swavely. Next, Swavely jammed it while drifting from the net at the right goal line.
A string of Worcester penalties allowed Reading to score three power-play tallies in the second. Nick Sorkin took a holding penalty and Yanick Turcotte was assessed two minutes for roughing at 8:01 of the second, providing Reading with two minutes of a 5-on-3 advantage. The Royals made Worcester pay with a pair of man-up goals, the first at 5-on-3 at 9:03 of the second. First, Adam Larkin ripped a deep-slot shot and Brown deflected it in from the slot, with the secondary assist to Krushelnyski. Twenty-three seconds later, Walsh capped off a multi-point game on a beautiful three-man passing setup triggered by McCarthy and Schmidt. Schmidt flew up the right wing and crossed into the zone. He touched the puck to McCarthy and the fifth-year professional relayed it to Walsh fifteen feet from the net. Walsh knocked it through Gillam’s five-hole.
At 12:41 of the second, Jack Riley poured in his first of the campaign to give the Royals a 6-1 lead. Nick Luukko shot it from the deep slot through traffic and Riley poked it in at the left post.
Worcester responded with a second period power play marker from David Quennville (16:21) and a pair of third-period strikes from Dylan Willick at 8:40 of the 3rd period and Josh Holmstrom at 10:14 of the 3rd to cut Reading’s lead to two.
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