Reading Royals on the road

Friday’s result Reading Royals 4, Atlantic City 1

Game recap: The Royals went 2-for-4 on the power play to beat the Boardwalk Bullies for the first time in four tries at Boardwalk Hall.  Captain Brad Church scored twice, Graig Mischler had a goal and an assist and David Massé had two assists to lead Reading, which was 1-7-3 in its previous 11 road games. The Royals (24-14-7) moved into a tie for fourth in the Northern Division with Johnstown. They’re three points out of third. Church scored the opening goal on the man advantage 7:49 into the second period. Brian Fahey tied it for Atlantic City (31-11-3) with 3:19 left in the period, taking a feed from Luke Curtain at the left point to score during a power play. Mischler, who assisted on Church’s goal, scored Reading’s second goal during a power play, knocking in a rebound on a shot by Mat Snesrud 7:42 into the third to make it 3-1. Royals goalie Cody Rudkowsky made 34 saves, which included several huge stops from the slot midway through the third period, to preserve Reading’s two-goal lead. Church’s empty-netter with 23 seconds finished the scoring. The loss was Atlantic City’s fourth in regulation at home.

Three stars: 1. David Massé, Royals; 2. Graig Mischler, Royals; 3. Cody Rudkowsky, Royals.

Notable: The Royals improved to 1-2-1 against Atlantic City. . . . Reading outshot the Bullies 39-35. . . . Defenseman Mat Snesrud (mild concussion) returned to the lineup after missing two games and two days of practice. He was out a week after absorbing a crushing check in a game Jan. 30. . . . After battling through a 10-game drought without a point, David Massé (two assists) has at least a point in seven straight games since the ECHL All-Star Break. . . . Graig Mischler extended his point streak to seven games. The center has 12 points in his last nine games. . . . Each of Atlantic City’s five games heading into Friday had gone into a shootout, with the Boardwalk Bullies winning three of them. . . . Johnstown’s home games Friday and today against Peoria were postponed because a retaining wall at Cambria County War Memorial collapsed due to accumulations of heavy snow and ice on the building’s roof. When the wall fell, a mix of snow, ice and water flooded the new Chiefs offices. It has yet to be determined whether the 54-year-old War Memorial, which has recently undergone $8 million renovations, will be ready for Johnstown’s next game Feb. 21 against Trenton. Reading has already played four games at Johnstown and does not return.
   nUp next: The Royals remain in Atlantic City for tonight’s 7:05 game. It’s Reading’s fifth and last regularseason game this season at Boardwalk Hall.