Wheeling, WV – The Royals looked to wrap up the road trip on a high note, but the Nailers had other plans. The two clubs faced off the night prior, Wheeling’s home opener at Wesbanco Arena Nailers winning 3-2 in regulation. The final of the afternoon contest 7-4 Nailers, Wheeling sweeping the weekend series and sending the Royals home empty-handed. Reading dropped all three games on the west road trip this weekend.
RECAP
Wheeling came out firing early. Thimo Nickl put the Nailers up early just Wheeling’s 2nd shot of the game at the 1:36 mark. Nickl would give the Royals a chance over a minute later, he would head to the box on hooking a minor penalty. Ryan Chyzowski would take full advantage. Chyzowski stays red hot notching his 8th goal in as many games, a power play tally at the 3:17 mark. The Nailers who seemed to have lost momentum gained it as they approached the halfway mark of the frame, on just their fourth shot of the period they found twine again. Lukas Svejkovsky the scorer his 3rd of the season for Wheeling at 9:35. Jordan Frasca just over a minute later at 10:40, found the back of the cage his first of three on the afternoon he netted a natural hattrick in just over 20 minutes of play. Late in the frame with the Royals on the advantage hoping they could get within two goals, were flipped to a three-goal deficit heading into the 2nd. Jordan Frasca scored his second short-handed at 18:06.
Royals head coach, James Henry decided Kucharski’s night in net was done. After 20:00 Kucharksi gave up 4 goals on 14 shots. In relief, Will Cranley, on loan from Springfield who played the night before in the losing effort was looking to keep the Royals in it. As the Nailers started the game, they came out strong yet again. Jordan Frasca capped off his hat trick just 56 seconds into Cranley’s night he was rudely awakened. The Nailers weren’t done, extending the lead to five Dillon Hamaliuk netted his first of the early season at the 4:37 mark. Shane Sellar put a crooked number up for the Royals his first of the season off the feed from Brubacher at 6:44. Joseph Nardi, the 5 foot 11 forward notched his third of the season at 8:08. Cranley stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced in the period, on the other end Tendeck saw 13 through two periods and stopped 11.
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Reading looked to carry the momentum off the goals from Nardi and Sellar, but just couldn’t get things going. Both teams each netted one goal. Justin Addamo tallied the Nailers goal, a goal he scored which Wheeling was getting an extra attacker out for prepping for a power play they wouldn’t need. Shane Sellar netted his second goal of the contest a power play goal late in regulation at 17:30.
Tied for most goals Reading has given up this season with 7. They gave up 7 back on October 20th, the 22-23 season opener.
Jacob Kucharski stopped 10 of the 14 he saw in the 20 minutes he played. Will Cranley in 40 minutes of play stopped 18 of 21 for Reading. David Tendeck capped off his back end of back-to-back wins, stopping 20 of the 24 shots he saw.
Reading caps off their 3-game road trip with another loss in West Virginia. The Royals move to (1-5-1-1) on the season, and the Nailers move to (4-1-0-0).
Reading hosts the Admirals on Wednesday, in downtown Reading. The puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Santander Arena. Reading looks to turn things around against a middle-of-the-conference.
Attendance: 1,331
Wesbanco Arena | Wheeling, WV
