Strong, Cressey net first ECHL goals in Royals victory

TROIS-RIVIERES, PQ – The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, topped the Trois-Rivières Lions, 4-3, on Friday, November 5th at Colisée de Trois-Rivières in their first of two games on the road this weekend. Royals goaltender Pat Nagle saved 33 of 36 shots, while Lions goalie Kevin Poulin saved 20 of 24.

Cam Strong got the Royals on the board early with a wrist shot ripped from the side of Poulin’s cage 10:09 into the first period. The Royals followed Strong’s first professional goal shortly with their second of two in the opening 20 minutes. Charlie Gerard received a cross-crease pass from Jacob Pritchard and whistled it past the diving Poulin in net. Brayden Low was credited with an assist along with Pritchard on Gerard’s second goal in his last two games.

Late in the period, Trois-Rivières responded. Shawn St-Amant beat Nagle through the five-hole with 22 seconds remaining in the opening period to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Early in the second period, Reading took back its two-goal lead. Jackson Cressey carried the puck along the boards before skating into the slot and sending a wrister top shelf past Poulin to give Reading a 3-1 lead. The Lions came roaring back late in the period, tying the game with two goals in 1:02. Anthony Nellis tapped in a loose puck in Nagle’s crease to cut the deficit back to one before Peter Abbandonato ripped a one-timer past Nagle’s glove-side fed cross ice by Guillaume Beaudoin, tying the game, 3-3.

In the final period, Reading took the lead and didn’t look back. Low carried the puck into the slot and backhanded the puck, which squeaked through the pads of Poulin to give the Royals the lead, 4-3.

Nagle saved the next eight shots he faced in the third period to solidify the 4-3 win, improving the Royals’ record to 3-1-1.

The Royals stay up north for their next game as they take on Trois-Rivières for their second of the two-game series Saturday, November 6th at 3 p.m. at Colisée de Trois-Rivières.

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