The Reading Royals and Norfolk Admirals met for the third of 10 games this season on Friday night (Nov. 22). Just 48 hours earlier, the Admirals and Royals met in Norfolk, VA, where the Admirals took a 5-2 win to go 2-0-0 over the Royals in the season series. From start to finish, it was anyone’s game, but the Admirals came out on top with a 4-3 overtime win.
Game Recap
The first period started out with a bang. About eight and a half minutes into the game, Filip Fornåå Svensson notched his first ECHL goal off a beautiful feed from Brandon Osmundson. At 10:11, Reading tied the game up as Tyler Gratton tallied his sixth goal of the season. At 10:56, tempers flared as Darick Louis-Jean and Nick Carpone dropped the gloves. At 13:13, the period saw it’s second fight as this time, it was Spencer Kennedy and Sawyer Boulton. The game relaxed a bit – until the 17:21 mark when Connor Fedorek was called for Delay of Game, giving the Royals the first powerplay of the game. With time winding down on the powerplay, Jacques Bouquot did not let the chance go to waste as he buried the puck into the back of the net to take a 2-1 lead for the Royals into the locker room.
Trailing by one to end the first period, the Admirals knew they had another level to their game to show in the second period and were able to showcase that. They dictated play through the entirety of the second period, which they were rewarded for. At 13:25, Connor Powell was whistled for Cross-Checking – sending the Admirals to their second powerplay of the period. Just 12 seconds later, Mason Primeau was sent to the box for Delay of Game, giving the Admirals a 5-on-3 powerplay. It took just under a minute for the Admirals to make them pay as Carson Golder collected his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Still, on the powerplay, Fornåå Svensson continued his fantastic night with his second goal of the night to give the Admirals a 3-2 lead, and one they took into the locker room.
Down by just one goal in the final frame, the Royals heavily dictated play through the entirety of it. Domenic DiVincentiis was stellar keeping the Royals from knotting the game – until the final 2:40 of the game. With the goalie pulled, the Royals capitalized on their 6-on-5 chance as Ryan Leibold tied the game to force overtime.
Just 38 seconds into the overtime period, the Royals had the first big opportunity, but DiVincentiis turned it away. The Admirals had the next two chances, but it was off a faceoff when the Admirals called game. A faceoff win by the Royals went straight back to Keith Petruzzelli. Petruzzelli swatted the puck away from his goal, but swatted it right to the tape of Admirals’ Marko Reifenberger who quickly took a shot that found the back of the net.
Game Stats
Shots
Norfolk: 32
Reading: 32
Powerplay
Norfolk: 2/4
Reading: 1/4
Three Stars
- Marko Reifenberger (GWG)
- Filip Fornåå Svensson (2g)
- Connor McMenamin (5 shots)
Game Highlights
Up Next
The Admirals will travel back home and have the next few days off before returning to action against the Maine Mariners for a three-game set. Game one will be Wednesday night (Nov. 27) before spending time together for Thanksgiving, and getting right back at it on Friday night (Nov. 29) and Saturday night (Nov. 30).
The Royals are right back at it tomorrow night (Nov. 23) when they welcome the Mariners to Santander Arena.
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