The Trois-Rivieres Lions and Reading Royals met for the first game of the North Division Semifinals on Friday Night. The Lions would get on the board first on the PP as Xavier Cormier fed Jakov Novak in front to give Trois-Rivieres a 1-0 lead just over four minutes in. Trois-Rivieres would have six of the first seven shots on goal. Reading would storm back late as Matt Brown fed Mason Primeau in translation to tie the game up at one with less than four minutes to go in the period. Despite the advantage in shots early in the period, both teams finished with nine shots on goal. Reading would use that late goal as momentum heading into the second, as Cam Cook would be left alone in the slot as he netted his first career Kelly Cup Playoff goal less than five minutes in to give Reading a 2-1 lead.
Trois-Rivieres would respond a little over five minutes later as Alex Beaucage found the back of the net. Jakov Novak would get a chance short-handed early in the period, but it would be stopped by Keith Pertuzzeli. After putting up nine shots in the opening period, the Lions would fire 19 on goal during the middle frame. Heading into the third period, the Lions found themselves in unfamiliar territory. Heading into Friday Night, Trois-Rivieres was tied eight times during the regular season when heading into the third period. They were 4-2-2 in those situations. It wouldn’t take long for the Lions to get the lead back as Justin Ducharme went top corner a minute and a half into the period to give TR the lead. The Royals fired 11 shots at Luke Cavallin in the third but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Alex Beaucage finished it off with an empty-netter for his second of the game. Luke Cavallin made 28 saves in the win. Keith Petruzzelli made 33 saves and picked up an assist in the loss. The home team has now won the first three games in the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the North Division. Trois-Rivieres and Reading will be back in action for Game 2 tomorrow at 7:00 PM EST.
Click here to see photo gallery of this game by ITR’s photographer Sara Pietrowski
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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