READING, PA – Tied at two entering the third period, the Reading Royals scored three goals in the final frame with Deibler Dental Joe Houk leading the charge (career-high 4 assists) versus the Allen Americans, netting the Royals their sixth straight win, 5-2, Sunday at Santander Arena.
The Royals won the season series with the Americans, taking three of the first five.
Houk set up the Royals’ game-winning goal by Chris McCarthy (2 goals) at 3:58 of the third. Houk drove to the left post, patiently waited for a passing lane and one-handed the puck to McCarthy who slammed it in at the right post. McCarthy finished the weekend with seven points (4 goals).
Josh MacDonald scored the game’s first goal and received a pass from Houk for an insurance strike and power-play marker that made it 4-2 Reading with 1:22 to go in the game. McCarthy scored his second of the game into the empty net with 11 seconds left.
Andrew D’Agostini won his third straight start in his third consecutive day playing, denying 31 shots. Kyle Hayton took the loss with 30 saves.
MacDonald opened the scoring with his 11th of the season at 7:04 of the first. Houk nubbed a pass from neutral ice to the Americans line, connecting with MacDonald. He flew into the zone, drove the left-wing circle and unleashed a short-side shot by Hayton.
Three minutes later, Jacob Doty’s right-point slap shot struck Spencer Asuchak’s stick at the top of the crease and deflected by D’Agostini. Adam Miller scored a go-ahead goal for Allen with 6:26 left in the second, deflecting a slap shot from Zach Pochiro.
Two minutes later with Reading down, 2-1, Alex Roos started a power-play rush up the right wing and broke the zone line. He sauced a feed that Schmidt caught at the right slot. Schmidt skated to the slot and back handed it over Hayton’s right shoulder to tie.
The Royals struck for the next three in the third and scored two man-up goals to finish 2-for-6 with the power play. Allen went 0-for-2 on the man up.
The Royals return home on December 28-29 for A-Philly-Ation Night vs. Newfoundland.
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