The Reading Royals edged the Norfolk Admirals 2-1 Sunday before 3,776 at Santander Arena in Pennsylvania, taking two victories in the three-game series.
It was a great game for goaltenders on both ends. Admirals backup Kristian Stead made 44 saves but took the loss, while Reading’s Parker Gahagen stopped 30 shots for the victory and No. 1 star honors.
Ryan Leibold put the Royals (28-24-9-1) on top with a shorthanded goal 4:50 into the second period. Reading doubled the lead when Patrick Bajkov scored 9:18 into the third period.
The Admirals (35-23-4-1) pulled Stead early and cut the deficit in half when Carson Golder scored his 17th goal of the season, off assists from Ben Zloty and Graham Sward, with 1:40 remaining.
Gahagen and his teammates held on to boost their playoff push and keep the Admirals from rising to second place in the North Division. They still trail Wheeling by one point, and both teams have nine regular-season games remaining.
The Admirals and Reading will meet again Wednesday, this time at Scope at 7:05 p.m. for “Hockey Happy Hour.”
Late Saturday
Norfolk 4, Reading 1: The Admirals leveled the series before 3,776.
Grant Hebert netted the game’s first goal 9:10 into the second period, blasting a pass from Andrei Bakanov, and was named its No. 1 star. Less than two minutes later, Hebert assisted one of two goals by Gehrett Sargis, who was honored as the No. 2 star. Matt Crasa, 24, a four-year UMass Lowell player just signed to a tryout contract by the Admirals, recorded his first pro point with an assist on that goal.
Bryce Brodzinski, making his Admirals debut after being acquired from a trade that sent Stepan Timofeyev to Greenville, didn’t register a point but was credited with seven of Norfolk’s 41 shots. Brodzinski was the third star.
Winning goalie Thomas Milic made 26 saves. Reading’s Keith Petruzzelli made 37 saves but took the loss.
Just 86 seconds after the Admirals took a 2-0 lead, Gianfranco Cassaro scored to pull the Royals within a goal. But 1:27 into the third period, Graham Sward scored to make it 3-1.
Reading pulled Petruzzelli early for an extra attacker, but Sargis took advantage with an empty-net goal with 2:40 remaining.