GAHAGEN, ROYALS DEFEAT THUNDER 5-2

GLENS GALLS – Parker Gahagen made 39 saves as the Reading Royals took down the Adirondack Thunder on Saturday night 5-2 in front of 5,083 at Cool Insuring Arena.

Reading scored the first three goals of the game to take a 3-0 lead 11:20 into the game. Tyson Fawcett opened the scoring 4:05 into the game as he took a pass in the slot and sent a wrister over the shoulder of goaltender Tyler Brennan for the lead. The goal was Fawcett’s 10th of the year from Tag Bertuzzi and Yvan Mongo.

Justin Michaelian and Devon Paliani scored back-to-back goals to give the Royals a 3-0 lead. Michaelian’s fifth of the year came at 7:51 of the first as he sent a shot through the legs of Tyler Brennan and Paliani’s 16th of the year came as the puck bounced off him in front of the crease and into the net at 11:20.

The Thunder got on the board while shorthanded as Tristan Ashbrook took the puck on a breakaway and sent a shot off the post and in, past goaltender Parker Gahagen. The goal was Ashbrook’s 27th of the year, unassisted, at 14:10 of the first period and Adirondack trailed 3-1 after 20 minutes.

Jake Smith scored just 54 seconds into the second period to give Reading a 4-1 lead. Smith took the puck at the top of the hash marks and sent a snap shot by Tyler Brennan into the back of the net for his 18th of the year. Assists were credited to Joseph Nardi and Powell Connor.

Adirondack answered back just over midway through the second frame as Mac Welsher tracked down a rebound and fired the puck into the net for his second professional goal. Assists on Welsher’s goal were credited to Connor Blake and Brendan Less at 13:19 of the second and the Thunder trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes.

Reading added an empty-net goal in the 5-2 win. Tyler Brennan stopped 12 of 16 shots in the loss and Parker Gahagen denied 39 of 41 in the win.

After two weeks on the road, the Thunder return home for Fan Appreciation Weekend to finish the regular season on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 against Maine. Giveaways all weekend, Fan Appreciation Poster Giveaway on Saturday, $4 Bud Light, and Jersey Off Our Back on Sunday.

The 2023-24 regular season schedule is HERE.

Single game tickets and season tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! For more information on ticket packages, call the front office at 518-480-3355 or visit www.echlthunder.com/tickets. For all the latest Adirondack Thunder news, follow the team on all social media @ECHLThunder.

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