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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Tame Lions for Third-Straight Win, 3-1

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


Trois-Rivières, QC - The Reading Royals (25-11-1-0), proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, defeated the Trois-Riviéres Lions (14-22-2-0), 3-1, on Wednesday, January 25 at the Colisée Vidéotron. Yvan Mongo's first game-winning goal of his professional career propelled the Royals to their 12th road win of the season (12-6-1). Nolan Maier backtopped his eleventh win of the season with 23 saves on 24 shots faced (11-4-1) while Joe Vrbetic suffered the loss in net for Trois-Riviéres with 23 saves on 25 shots faced (6-8-0).

Both teams scored on one of their eight shots in the opening period to take a tie score into the second period, 1-1. Mason Millman crashed down the left wing and scored the game's opening goal for the Royals with a wrist shot snapped through Vrbetic's pads 11:15 into the game. Millman's sixth goal of the season was his 50th point of his professional career and set a professional career-high point streak of five games for the nhl-contracted defenseman.

Millman's milestone goal provided the Royals the one-goal advantage for 89 seconds before William Leblanc scored his seventh goal of the season to even the score, 1-1. Francis Thibeault blasted a slapshot on goal off of a pass from Nicolas Guay, and the rebound off of Maier's left pad settled on the stick of Leblanc to put past Maier glove side.

Reading held Trois-Riviéres to four shots in a scoreless second period while Vrbetic turned aside all nine shots he faced from the Royals' offense. The mild play in the second period translated into the opening minutes of the final stanza until Adrien Beraldo dropped the gloves with James Phelan. Beraldo's third fight of the season was the 17th scrum between a Royal and opponent this season. Both skaters traded a quick flurry of right jabs before hitting the ice with Beraldo on top of Phelan.

The fight jolted life back into the Royals offense which captured the lead six minutes after the scrum on Mongo's third goal of the season. A centering pass from Shane Sellar connected with Mongo as the forward crashed in on goal which he settled for a brief second and snapped across Vrbetic's body to light the lamp. Mongo's game-winning goal pushed the Royals over the Lions on the scoreboard through the third period until Charlie Gerard sealed the game with an empty net goal scored with 40 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Royals improved to 3-0 in the season series against Trois-Riviéres (8-3-3-1 all-time) and are 6-1 in games when they are tied after two periods. The Royals hoist a 20-5-1 divisional record and the best win percentage among North Division teams against divisional opponents (.770%).

The Royals travel to Worcester to take on the Railers at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, January 27th at the DCU Center. The Royals return home on Saturday, January 28th to host the Railers at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. The home game features the Flyers Affiliation / Women in Sports Night promotional game presented by Enersys.

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