WHEELING, WV – For the first two periods of Game Six on Monday night between the Reading Royals and the Wheeling Nailers, with the Royals on the verge of pulling off yet another playoff series upset and the game tied at 2-2, the game and the series looked like it would come down to an exciting finish between the two longtime rivals who’s NHL affiliates the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins would certainly be proud it.
But a funny thing happened along the way to an exciting finish: The third period started. The Nailers exploded for six unanswered goals for a 8-3 win setting up the series finally on Wednesday night in Wheeling. The Nailers outshot the Royals in every period for the first time all series. They also turned the tables and did the one thing the Royals have prided themselves on: Balanced scoring and solid goaltending.
Seven different Nailers scored and Ben Foster made 32 saves on 35 shots for the win. Only Dan O’Donoghue had more than one goal on the night with his first and second goal of the playoffs for Wheeling. Reading did their usual bit of balanced scoring with three different Royals scoring all three goals. The power play played a huge part in the game with Wheeling going 3-4 while Reading went 1-5.
The Royals stayed with veteran goaltender Adam Morrison but Head Coach Larry Courville will have a tough decision to make between Morrison and the Royals number one goaltender Martin Ouellette for Game Seven. Heading into Game Six the Royals were 7-0-0 when scoring the first goal of the game in the playoffs.
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