Photo Credit: Sarah Pietrowski
First Period
Solag Bakich and Cedric Montimny dropped the mitts, Bakich seeming to get the upper hand to much of the crowd. Bakich followed the fight with an “I can’t hear you” celebration to get an already ruckus crowd even louder in the ‘Tander. Nicolas Ouellet had a chance before the media timeout to put the Royals ahead but was taken down from behind and denied a goal and a power play. Sellar and Parker-Jones each received coincidental penalties with their rough stuff during play at 14:43. Late in the frame the Royals received the first power play of the game, a hooking minor assessed to Nicolas Guay at 18:10. The fans in the arena were displeased still, Brubacher was taken down at center ice and no call was made. The period would finish scoreless, with shots 10-8 in favor of Reading.
Second Period
A game full of turnovers and chances, and Reading was the first to capitalize. Yvan Mongo received a pass right out in front and didn’t disappoint. A sweet dish from Austin Master who intercepted the goaltender, Vrbetic’s access to set up the goal at 5:18. After some back-and-forth hockey, Reading found the back of the net yet again. Joseph Nardi deflected Yvan Mongo’s shot at 9:41. Something the Lions haven’t been used to through the first three games, being on the trailing side of things. With that, our unfriendly opponents from up north were playing with frustration. Lions’ Nolan Yaremko got a dancing partner, Will Zmolek his mate dropping the gloves following the whistle at 12:53. Possibly a momentum gainer for the Lions. Trois-Rivières found twine, Anthony Beauregard at 14:48 . After being on the penalty kill, Justin Ducharme knotted things up firing a wrister into the yawning cage at 17:28 . Right back atcha, says Ryan Chyzowski after missing an open net on the power play, snipes a shot past Vrbetic 9 seconds later.
Third Period
Nothing big happened leading up to the media timeout. Reading would fall just to 3 skaters and kill off a huge 5-on-3-man advantage for the Lions. Maier came up big with several saves that could’ve been goals, and a couple blocked shots from his net front. The Royals were fortunate to come out smelling like a rose at the halfway mark of the frame. An unfortunate break though for the Royals came at 14:50. What seemed to be a high stick wasn’t even reviewed. So and so knotted things up with his 0th of the early season. Maier who had an outstanding game to this point might of been charged for theft late in the frame, robbing the Lions’ forward on a breakaway on what was Trois-Rivières’ 42nd shot of the contest. Trois Rivieres would have another chance at a 2-on-1 break, firing a shot and being denied at the 19:58 mark. With things knotted up at 3, an overtime session would be needed.
Overtime
A back and forth session, both netminders being stupendous as they were all game. Both goaltenders stopped all the shots they faced to go into a shootout.
Shootout
The first three rounds were all about the goaltenders, just as the game itself. Darren Brady had a huge chance to put the Royals ahead, he beat the netminder but lost the puck on the shot keeping Reading scoreless through 4 frames. Miguël Tourigny slotted his 4th round shot five-hole, the game-winner. Maier who stopped 46 shots in the game received the shootout loss.
Final/SO: 4-3 Trois-Rivières
Shots: TR 49 – 37 REA
Power Play
Lions : 0 / 4
Royals : 0 / 2
(TR) Joe Vrbetic – 3 Saves on 35 Shots (SOW)
(REA) Nolan Maier – 46 Saves on 49 Shots (SOL)
Attendance: 4,074
Santander Arena – Reading, PA
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