Call them the guests that ruined the party.
The Reading Royals weren’t wearing lampshades and telling bad jokes. They played the killjoys — at least for the Newfoundland Growlers and their fans — by scoring two goals just seconds apart in the third period to defeat the defending Kelly Cup champion Growlers in the first game of the 2019-20 ECHL season.
The night had started much better for the Growlers, who raised a championship banner and reunited with the Kelly Cup before the opening faceoff, and then proceeded to build up a 3-0 lead before the contest was 13 minutes old.
But the Royals, the ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, didn’t fold early, Instead, they responded in kind, scoring three unanswered tallies to tie the score 3-3 entering the first intermission, and another early in the second to give the visitors their first lead of the night.
Newfoundland regrouped and got goals from returning forwards Giorgio Estephan and Brady Ferguson to move back in front entering the third.
The Growlers looked to be carrying that momentum over into the final frame, but despite pressure, couldn’t get another goal against Reading netminder Felix Sandstrom. Meanwhile, the Royals countered with a quick 1-2 combination midway through the third, the first blow landing when Braydon Low scored at 8:24 and the second being delivered just 10 seconds when Pascal Laberge beat Newfoundland rookie goalie Maksim Zhukov for what would stand as the game-winner.
Zhukov was pulled for an extra attacker with nearly two minutes left, but the Growlers could mange an equalizer.
Matt Bradley, rookie Riley Woods and Zach O’Brien, the team’s leading scorer from last season, had the other Growlers goals. Besides Low and Laberge, the Royals had two goals by Ralph Cuddemi and singles from Garrett Cockerill and Frank Dichiara.
Sandstrom made 26 saves, while Zhukov had 18.
The teams meet again tonight (7 p.m.) at Mile One in what will be the middle game of a three-game series that concludes Tuesday.
Dog Bites
Announced attendance was 5,790 … O’Brien and Estephan each had an assist to go with their goals for Newfoundland … It was a tough night for rookie defenceman Sergei Sapego, who was minus four, and veteran defenceman and Growlers team captain James Melindy, who was minus three … Sapego and Zhukov were among five Newfoundland players — Woods, defenceman Mac Hollowell and forward Justin Brazeau are the others — who made their professional debuts Friday. Forward Colt Conrad and defenceman Joseph Duszak also qualify as rookies, but saw some action with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies towards the end of last season … O’Brien and defenceman Mike Kapla were Newfoundland’s assistant captains … The three stars were Cuddemi, Ferguson and Reading forward Garrett Mitchell, who had two assists …
