Date Published: 12-15-2022
Photo Credit: The Reading Royals
The Reading Royals had a three game home series against the Allen Americans. There are two huge takeaways from this series. One, this is not the Royals team that took the ice in the beginning of the season. Two, this is not the Americans team that they have been since the start of the season. Like any good writer, I am going to give credit where credit is due and criticism where criticism is due.
The Americans have been struggling a lot this season with only six wins of twenty games. One of those wins gained during the second game of the series. Allen has been faced with trials and tribulations all season long. With Chad Costello gaining his balance as a first year Head Coach, Spencer Asuchak being out with an injury, and an entirely new roster. All but seven players have returned for another season with the Americans. Eight if you count Justin Young, who has only played a handful of games with Allen last season. It’s safe to say the Americans are taking their time gaining their stability with so much change.
Moreover, Reading has also had it’s struggles finding a solid foundation with first year Head Coach James McHenry. The Royals are definitely not the team that skated out of the gates that opened the 2022-23 season. They have been on a tear as of late, mainly with Charlie Gerard being a great addition to the lineup, as he was recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Gerard played with the Utah Grizzlies in the 2020-21 season. He played against the Americans often, so there was some familiarity with the style the Americans play with. What the Americans are mainly known for is aggression, physicality, and grit. Mostly thanks to former Head Coach Steve Martinson.
This three game series had you on the edge of your seat, featuring big hits, takeaways, never ending scoring chances, and goalies with All-Star reflexes. Heading into this series you heard from Royals fans passing by or on Twitter that this will be an easy win. Given Allen’s record and Reading’s current win streak. The series was anything but easy. While the Royals extended their current winnings to twelve of fourteen and the Americans snagged one win for finally one more win than a handful. There was effort from all over the ice. Royal aggression versus American grit.
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Key points from game one
Both teams were consistent during the first, Jack Combs extended his points with one assist and one goal. Fortunately, Reading tied the game through the first and second periods. Allen had trouble getting Reading out of their attack zone, Allen’s defense seemed to have been struggling. Reading led with puck possession, and they finished the sixty minutes with playing with no blind spots, having scoring chances, and having eyes that acted as some type of scientific goggles. They sought out every single weak spot they could find. The Royals played with aggression, confidence, and pure instinct and trust in their linemates.
Game two, the Americans snagged a 3-1 victory
The Americans had seven penalties which were all killed. This tells you two things: 1) Allen has phenomenal penalty kill units 2) Reading needs to strengthen their power play units. Finding the vulnerabilities and weaknesses is all part of the building process. Reading only snagged one goal, which happened to be a Power Play goal in the first. Charlie Gerard was the lone goal scorer. Chad Butcher was activated to play that game after being added and placed on reserve a couple days before. Butcher was instantly noticeable and was the definite addition the Americans needed to play with the grit they’re known for. Jackson Leppard was one of the most noticeable skaters for Allen as he often rode on the coattails of the Royals in attempts to takeaway or shift their focus. The Royals still had a heavy presence in the attack zone but had struggles getting on the board. In the second period it became a 50/50 effort with both teams physical and hungry for a win. Beraldo and Bethune had a huge fight that lit the much needed fire underneath Allen to get them going. But hardly touched the surface of Reading. The Americans definitely played a much different game and the Royals definitely tried to match their energy.
The third and final game both teams started with confidence
The Royals still maintained the puck possession edge. It was a physical game with hits coming from each team. The Americans had five penalties, which their penalty kill unit killed them all. Reading showed advanced chemistry with each line for a 3-2 victory. That did not discourage the Americans from trying. In the second period Hank Crone and Max Newtown each got five minutes for fighting. And late in the second Kris Mylarri received a double minor for high sticking. Reading killed each of three penalties they received, showing a more improved penalty kill unit during this third game. The speed, trust, instinct, chemistry and growth led Reading through this whole series and their current twelve out of fourteen wins/ To give credit where credit is due is a lost art in writing and reporting. The Allen Americans being an almost entirely new roster with a first year ECHL head coach is a lot of change. A first year head coach who played for Steve Martinson. Martinson has won 1,123 ECHL games. Those are pretty big shoes to fill. Costello is showing what he has taken from Martinson’s style of coaching, don’t stop, be physical, get aggressive when they ask for it. These things take time, trust the process.
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McHenry is also a first year ECHL coach. He took this team from what they started out as, to what they are right now. One can only imagine what they will be in the future. Again, these things take time. The game moves at different speeds for everyone and every team. Let’s see how the Royals fare as they have a road trip ahead of them in Trois-Rivières. It’s a double header hope to extend that win column to fourteen of sixteen last games.
