ECHL North Division Semifinals Recap: Trois-Rivieres Lions vs Reading Royals

Reading Royals and Trois-Rivieres Lions shake hands at the end of the North Division Semifinals

The Trois-Rivieres Lions and Reading Royals met in the North Division Semifinals, and the Lions swept the series in four games. For the Lions, this is the first time in franchise history that they will advance to the North Division Finals, as they await the winner of the Norfolk Admirals/Wheeling Nailers. Reading has failed to make it out of the Division in their last five Kelly Cup Playoff appearances. Let’s take a look back at the series between the Reading Royals and Trois-Rivieres Lions.

Results

Key Players In The Series

Xavier Cormier (Trois-Rivieres): The 23-year-old center would finish the regular season tied for assists (42) with Anthony Beauregard. In his first career Kelly Cup Playoff series, Cormier would pick up seven assists in four games, including three in games one and four. He currently leads all players in the Kelly Cup Playoffs in assists.

Alex Beaucage (Trois-Rivieres): Coming into the series, I had Alex Beaucage as one of my players to watch, and he didn’t disappoint. Like Cormier, Beaucage had seven points in the series, picking up four goals and three assists. In game 4, the Lions would be without Jakov Novak, but Beaucage got the Lions on the board less than three minutes into the game.

Mason Primeau (Reading)– The 23-year-old forward would have three goals in the four-game series against the Lions. His goals came at important times for Reading, including the game-tying goal in Game 3 and a PP goal to tie the game in Game 3. Primeau would carry the load for the Reading Royals as players like Matt Brown and Tyer Gratton couldn’t find the scoresheet in the series.

Turning Points of the Series For The Reading Royals

The turning point of the series would come in Game 3. Reading would take a 2-1 lead on a goal from Mason Primeau with one minute remaining in the third period. Trois-Rivieres tied the game up with 1.3 seconds remaining and would win in double OT. This was a heartbreaking loss for the Reading Royals that could have gotten them back in the series at home. It would also be a game where Reading went 0/4 on the PP. Reading would then give up the first goal in a win-or-go-home game on Wednesday Night.

Reading would also wait until Game 3 to make a change between the pipes. Keith Petruzzelli came into the series with a 10-8-2 record in 22 Kelly Cup Playoff Games. He hadn’t had the best numbers against the Lions this season, giving up at least three goals in four of his five appearances against Trois-Rivieres during the regular season. Vinnie Purpura would see only one game against the Lions in the regular season and stopped 14 of the 15 shots he saw in a relief appearance, and made 33 saves in Monday’s OT loss.