WHEELING, WV – The Reading Royals played game one of their playoff series against the Wheeling Nailers looking more like an eighth seed rather than a team that just pulled off a major upset over the top seed of the ECHL’s Eastern Conference. Game two looked more like the upset-minded version by pulling off another upset special on the road, defeating the Nailers 4-2 on Monday night to send the series back to Reading all tied up at 1-1.
Unlike in game one, the Royals were the aggressors all night. Both teams combined to have six different goal scorers on the night. Kevin Gaumos and Justin Crandall each scored one goal and one assist to lead Reading. Yannick Tifu added a pair of assists as did Wheeling’s Jarrett Burton. The four were the only players to post multiple points on the evening.
Reading had a one-goal lead heading into the second period, but Wheeling got both of their goals in the second, despite outshooting Wheeling 17-9 in the period and 27-17 after two periods. Matt Tabrum’s goal at 3:54 tied the game, then Clark Seymour’s power play tally at 10:57 made it a 2-1 Wheeling advantage.
The roles were reversed in the third period as Reading scored three unanswered goals in a 5:31 span for the win.
Crandall notched a power play marker at 8:12 to even the score on assists from Maxim Lamarche and Tifu. Brandon Alderson gave the Royals a 3-2 lead at 10:09 on an assist from Gaumos. Ian Watters closed out the scoring three and a half minutes later, netting a goal from Nikita Kashirsky and Adam Comrie to give Reading a two-goal cushion.
After a poor showing in game one, Reading did not start goaltender Martin Ouellette for the first time in the playoffs; opting instead for veteran Adam Morrison, who made 29 saves on 31 shots. Wheeling goaltender Brian Foster made 34 saves on 38 shots. Both teams scored on the power play.
The series resumes in Reading for games three through five starting on Wednesday. If the series goes at least six games it will go back to Wheeling next Monday.
Contact the writer: Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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