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Reading Royals

Newton Records Eighth Multi-Goal Game In Road-Trip Finale Victory Over Nailers

March 26, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Wheeling, WV - The Reading Royals (37-22-4-0), proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, defeated the Wheeling Nailers (26-33-5-0), 5-3, on Sunday, March 26 at WesBanco Arena. The Royals concluded their three-game road-trip and season series against the Nailers with their 18th road win of the season (18-12-4). Pat Nagle earned his sixth consecutive win in goal and 17th of the season (17-5-0) with 24 saves on 27 shots faced. Tommy Nappier suffered the loss in net for Wheeling with 24 saves on 28 shots faced (6-12-0).

Reading catapulted out to a three-goal lead on goals by Max Newton, Alec Butcher and Jacob Gaucher all scored in a span of four minutes. Newton earned Reading's third-straight game opening goal 11:39 into regulation off of a cross-crease feed from Charlie Gerard. The assist was Gerard's first of three points in the game (1g-2a). Gaucher and Butcher tacked onto Reading's lead and extended their personal point streaks to six games on their 19th goals of the season.

Wheeling's Peter Laviolette deflected a shot from former Royal, David Drake past Nagle in the final 33 seconds of the first period to put the Nailers on the board. Laviolette followed up Jarrett Lee's first ECHL career goal with his second goal of the game to tie the score 2:38 into the middle frame, 3-3. Laviolette's second-straight multi-goal game earned the rookie forward his fourth goal of the two-game series and fifth goal of his professional career.

Gerard put the Royals back in front with his team-leading 31st goal of the season 6:38 into the second period. The Rocky River, Ohio native received a pass from Gaucher in front of Wheeling's net and shoveled a backhand shot past Nappier to net his fifth game-winning goal of the season. Gaucher's second assist was his third point of the game (1g-2a) to match his single-game professional career high.

Newton buried an empty net goal in the final minute of regulation to earn his team-leading eight multi-goal game of the season.The Royals killed off a match penalty to Colin Felix and two minor penalties in the third period to seal the road-trip finale victory for Reading.

The Royals outshot the Nailers with 29 shots to Wheeling's 27 in the game. Reading earned their third win of the season against Wheeling (3-5) and improved to an all-time record of 113-89 against the Nailers.

The Royals return home for their next game on Wednesday, March 29 to host the Adirondack Thunder at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. The home game features a Wild Wednesday's promotional game.

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