RECAP | GROWLERS DROP 4-2 DECISION to ROYALS

Newfoundland Growlers (14-4-0-0) vs Reading Royals (8-5-4-1)Saturday, December 4 – St. John’s, Newfoundland

Goal Summary

Game Story

The Newfoundland Growlers fell 4-2 to the Reading Royals on Saturday evening at Mary Brown’s Centre for their second loss in as many nights.

Neither team found a breakthrough in the opening 20 minutes as both net minders stood tall to keep things at 0-0 at the first intermission.

Reading opened the scoring three minutes into the second period when Patrick Bajkov sprung Frank DiChiara on a breakaway, and despite an initial save from Newfoundland’s Evan Cormier, Di Chiara deposited the rebound to make it 1-0 Royals.

The Royals would double their advantage with roughly three minutes remaining in the middle frame as Brayden Low finished from a tight angle to put it past Cormier.

Newfoundland would respond before the second intermission on the power play as Marcus Power found the back of the net for the second straight night with a powerful shot over the glove of Pat Nagle. The Growlers trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes.

Brad Morrison regained the Royals two goal lead just 30 seconds into the third period as he fooled Cormier with a clever move, finishing on the backhand to make it 3-1 Reading.

The power play would continue to provide a spark for the hosts as Orrin Centazzo got the Growlers back within one when he finished off a great feed from Zach O’Brien with just under five minutes remaining in the game.

That Centazzo tally was as close as Newfoundland would get to mounting a comeback as Morrison would find an empty Growlers net to make it a 4-2 Reading final.

Quick Hits

• Matteo Pietroniro picked up a pair of assists on the power play.
• Evan Cormier suffered defeat for the first time since way back on November 6.
• The Growlers consecutive losses marks their first two game skid all season.

 Three Stars1. REA – F. DiChiara2. REA – P. Bajkov3. NFL – M. Pietroniro