Royals Goalie Keith Petruzzelli Shines for Reading as Lions Go Down 4-3

January 12, 2025 - ECHL (ECHL)
Trois-Rivieres Lions News Release

Reading - (Montreal Canadiens affiliate) Lions de Trois-Rivières suffered a second straight defeat in less than 24 hours at the hands of the (Philadelphia Flyers affiliate) Royals in Reading, dropping a 4-3 decision in a game which Royals goaltender Keith Petruzzelli put in a stellar performance.

Despite a somewhat depleted lineup, the Lions were able to maintain the momentum they established during Saturday's second and third periods by controlling the offensive zone on Sunday afternoon. Trois-Rivières' Logan Nijhoff gave the Lions a 1-0 lead when he scored at 14:27 of the first period, while at the other end of the ice netminder Zachary Émond stopped all five shots he faced.

The Lions' Nijhoff scored his second of the game on a power play at 4:31 of the second period to give Trois-Rivières a 2-0 lead. Just over 10 minutes later Royals captain Todd Skirving deflected a shot past Émond to make it 2-1, but at 18:19 the Lions' Kirby Proctor scored his first professional goal to regain Trois-Rivières' two-goal lead. However, with under a minute remaining in the period the Royals' Cam Cook scored to narrow the gap once again. The Lions peppered Petruzzelli with 21 shots while Reading only mustered eight of their own.

The Lions fell victim to a bout of self-inflicted lack of discipline in the third period, surrendering two 5-on-3 power play opportunities to the Royals. Reading's Skirving tied the game at 3-3 at 2:10, and then Tyler Gratton scored the winning goal at 10:50 on a counterattack.

Next on the agenda for the Lions is a trip to Norfolk, Virginia, with a three-game series against the (Winnipeg Jets affiliate) Admirals starting Friday.

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