The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, fell to the Adirondack Thunder, 4-1, Friday, Dec. 10th at Cool Insuring Arena. Royals goaltender Kirill Ustimenko saved a career-high 42 of 45 shots, while Thunder goalie Brandon Kasel saved 26 of 27.
The Thunder got on the board first and did so two minutes into the game. Jordan Kaplan carried the puck into the Royals’ zone and sniped a wrist shot top shelf past the waving glove of Ustimenko. Later, Jake Ryczek, whom the Royals traded in early October for Jacob Pritchard, skated toward the left circle, stopped on a dime to get past Garrett Cecere, and sniped a wrist shot over Ustimenko’s left shoulder to give Adirondack a two-goal lead after the opening period.
Late into the second period, Adirondack added some cushion to their lead. Off a turnover forced by Nick Rivera in the Royals’ zone, Patrick Grasso connected with the back of the net after receiving the puck in the slot from Tyler Irvine to make it 3-0 heading into the third period.
The Royals responded in the 3rd period courtesy of a beautiful tic-tac-toe connection finished off with Thomas Ebbing lighting the lamp. Brad Morrison and Mason Millman were credited with assists after Millman carried the puck into the zone, dished the puck to Morrison, who centered the puck for Ebbing to ultimately send a one-timer past Kasel. Ebbing’s goal was his third of the season and the lone goal for Reading.
With Ustimenko pulled from his net to bring on an extra skater for Reading, the Thunder cashed in with an empty net goal late in the period from Masonius, his second point of the night, to make it 4-1.
The Royals come back home to host the Thunder for a Saturday night matchup on Dec. 11th at 7:00 p.m. for Affiliation Night at Santander Arena.
About the Royals
The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are entering their 20th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 10 of the previous 11 seasons. They are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.