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ECHL Reading Royals

Barratt Nets Two in Season Series Finale Loss to Admirals, 7-4

April 13, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (39-25-5-1), proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, fell to the Norfolk Admirals (21-44-2-3), 7-4, on Wednesday, April 12 at Santander Arena. Evan Barratt's seventh multi-goal game of the season proved to not be enough for the Royals to earn a win in their final meeting with the Admirals this season. Pat Nagle (19-7-0) suffered the loss in net with 17 saves on 22 shots faced. Cale Morris (10-13-0) earned the win in goal for Norfolk with 29 saves on 32 shots faced.

Norfolk scored the game's opening goal 2:27 into the game on Blake Murray's 10th goal of the season. Murray handled a loose puck in the slot and snapped wrist shot past Nagle glove side. The goal came on Norfolk's first shot of the contest and put the Admirals in front with the game's opening goal for the second-straight game against Reading.

Reading responded with a pair of goals to take a one-goal lead into the second period, 2-1. Evan Barratt beat Morris on a wrist shot from the slot for his 23rd goal of the season. Zayde Wisdom recorded the primary helper on Barratt's equalizer for his third point (3a) in his fourth game with the Royals. Max Newton scored his team-leading 33rd goal of the season on a cross-crease pass from Charlie Gerard to put Reading in front. Gerard's team-leading 42nd assist provided Newton his 70th point of the season, pairing the duo as the first Royals' skaters to each record 70 points in a season since the 2002-03 season.

Norfolk tied the score 2:37 into the middle frame on Josh McDougall's third goal of his rookie campaign. The Royals and Admirals each notched a pair of goals in the remainder of the second period to send the season series finale knotted up, 4-4. Eric Cooley scored the first of two power play goals in the game for the Admirals before Gerard blasted a wrist shot past Morris to tie the score 2:24 later. Former teammates at Penn State University, Denis Smirnov and Evan Barratt exchanged goals in the final five minutes of the second period.

The Admirals took the lead for good 8:10 into the third period with the final three goals of the game. Brian Bowen scored the first two goals of the third period on an Admirals' power play and an empty net goal. Like Bowen, Smirnov registered a multi-goal game courtesy of Reading's empty net in the final two minutes of regulation. The seven goals scored by the Admirals matched a season-high for goals allowed by the Royals with Reading's 7-6 overtime loss to Worcester on January 27.

The Royals outshot the Admirals with 33 shots to Norfolk's 24 in the game. Reading finished their season series with the Admirals at 6-5 and hold an all-time record against Norfolk of 35-12-4.

The Royals begin their final series of the regular season on Friday, April 14 against the Newfoundland Growlers at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. The home game features the Wall of Honor promotional game with a pre-game Wall of Honor induction ceremony for Olivier Labelle presented by V & M Towing.

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