Photo Credit: Sarah Pietrowski
Reading, PA – Jinkies. Growlers cap off the weekend series as victors. Nolan Dillingham scored twice in Newfoundland’s 6-4 win. Newfoundland netted four goals in the second period, three of the goals coming in the first five minutes of the frame. Reading drops to (3-7-1-1) in the early season, enough for 7th place in the north division.
Reading looked to build off of the win from last night. The Royals did just that by netting two in the opening 20 minutes. The only unfortunate part was the Growlers netted a goal in the frame. Alec Butcher kicked things off, his second of the season, a snipe over the glove of Cavallin at 9:58. We talked about Brown’s impressive speed and playmaking ability tonight he scored his third of the season. Matt Brown similar to Butcher’s tally, a snipe over the glove of Cavallin on the break, this one coming at 15:34. I don’t know what it is about snipes over the glove but the Growlers’ lone goal was also scored in that fashion. Grant Cruikshank sniped his ninth of the season, exactly two minutes after Brown’s tally at 17:34.
Newfoundland had a power play carry over to the second frame. Trevor Thurston late in the first period was assessed as a tripping minor. The moral of the story is the Growlers tied things up 17 seconds into the period. Zach O’Brien with the power play tally, and did you guess it was a snipe? O’Brien sniped it over the head of Cranley, back bar, and down for his second of the season. A couple of minutes later the Growlers would head back on the man advantage. Newfoundland would score again on the power play. Jonny Tychonick scored the power play goal, putting the Growlers ahead with a screened wrister glove side past Cranley at 3:17. Nolan Dillingham extended the Growlers’ lead, his first pro goal batted out of mid-air at 5:08. A goaltending duel, until the Nardi to Mongo connection struck again. Yvan Mongo one-timed a blast past the sliding Cavallin at 13:44. Similar to the goal the night prior, but the other way around as Mongo was the one who set up Nardi. Newfoundland struck right back just over a minute later. Nolan Dillingham found twine again, an even-strength tally at the 15:00 mark. Following the goal Trevor Thurston was assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Luckily, Reading ultimately killed off the power play chance. Unfortunately, through 40 minutes the Royals trailed 5-3, giving up 4 goals in the second frame alone.
A goaltending duel until under three minutes to play in regulation. It seemed that Growlers goaltender, Luke Cavallin was gonna attempt a goal for the empty net. Cavallin was stripped of the puck by Shane Sellar, Sellar then shot the puck from behind the net off the back of the netminder to bring the Royals back within one. Jackson Berekowski capped off the Growlers’ Saturday night victory, stripping the puck and firing it into the empty net at 19:07.
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Will Cranley in net for Reading, Cranley with 29 saves on 34 shots he faced. Luke Cavallin in the win, 24 saves on the 28 Newfoundland shots.
The standout player in my eyes was easily Growlers defenseman Nolan Dillingham. Not only did he notch his first career pro goal he found the back of the net twice for Newfoundland.
Reading’s next game is Wednesday, November 22nd at Glens Falls, NY against the Adirondack Thunder. They then head to Maine for a weekend series on the 24th & 25th.
Santander Arena | Reading, PA
