Royals rise up

Reading Eagle

Graig Mischler scores two goals as Reading draws within a game of Florida in the ECHL playoffs. Sports, D1

Mask raised as he skated from the net he had so carefully guarded, Steve Belanger’s face revealed a grin that stretched from here to Alaska. The youngster had just helped Reading live another day.
   Rallying behind their rookie and fueled by a dismal Florida foray, the Royals answered with a dominating performance Sunday at the Sovereign Center, trouncing Florida 6-0 in Game 3 of the best-of-five Eastern Conference Finals.
   Having pulled within 2-1 in the must-win game, Reading extended the series less than 36 hours after learning the backbone of its team, goaltender Cody Rudkowsky, would be spending Sunday in the American Hockey League. He was called up to Worcester after Friday night’s Game 2.
   Enter Belanger, the 20-year-old, baby-faced Alaskan fresh out of junior hockey.
   Playing his first pro game, Belanger, who has only practiced during Reading’s playoff run, turned away all 26 shots on an afternoon when he was aided by an offense that dethroned the previously unbeaten Rob Zepp, who came north with a 7-0 playoff record and a 1.70 goals-against average.
   Belanger set the tone early, stopping a pair of AHLers on a short-handed, two-on-one in the first period. Making the initial save on Chad LaRose’s shot from the right side, Belanger then deflected with his glove Damian Surma’s rebound chance from the slot to keep the Everblades from getting the first goal.
   "Go turn some heads and take advantage of it," Belanger said of the advice he received from his parents. "Go out and do your best. You have nothing to lose. You’ve been doing this since you were 4 years old."
   The Royals played with the same philosophy.
   Two days after surrendering a season-high 51 shots, the Royals not only rediscovered their trademark stingy defense, they let loose on the other side of the ice.
   A four-goal barrage during a nine-minute span in the second period highlighted their most prolific game of the playoffs.
   Reading took a 2-0 lead on Graig Mischler's second goal 1:37 into the second, when he knocked in a rebound on a David Massé shot from the point with the man advantage.  Mischler scored in the first on a two-on-one with Kent Davyduke.
   Davyduke then scored on a breakaway, going top shelf on Zepp after stripping the puck from Florida veteran Tom Buckley during an Everblades power play.
   "The scoring chances we gave up were just unexceptable," Buckley said. "Two-on-ones, breakaways. I mean, I think we can all play better, myself included."
   Goals by Jamie O’Leary and Leon Hayward capped the barrage, which chased Zepp at 8:54 of the second.
   Backup Jeff Maund allowed one goal, Mat Snesrud’s shot from the blue line that gave the Royals another power-play goal in the third. Reading’s fists also wore down the Everblades in this chippy game with Dean Arsene, Reagan Rome and Dave Stewart winning fights. "I thought the guys really competed hard, really played our game, really put it to them physically," said Royals coach Derek Clancey. The Everblades denied Reading’s odd twist of fate in net caused them to lose focus. "It doesn’t matter," said Florida center and former Royal Brian McCullough. "It doesn’t matter at all. I don’t care if there’s an 80-year-old woman in net over there, we got off our game a little bit and it cost us. That’s the bottom line."
Contact Julie Pelchar at 610-371-5065 or japelchar@readingeagle.com.

Reading Eagle: James L. Cucinotta The Royals’ Graig Mischler, left, scores two goals and Mat Snesrud has one in Reading’s blowout of Florida at the Sovereign Center.