Two quick penalties in the third period proved to be Indy's undoing in a Saturday loss to the Royals.
Special teams can often be the difference in a close hockey game. The Indy Fuel found this out the hard way Saturday night, as they fell 4-2 to the Reading Royals on the road in the first of a two-game series.
The Royals scored two goals on a 5-on-3 power-play to send their fans home happy. The frame began with Indy’s Chris Cameron receiving a double-minor for roughing, followed by a Bryan Lemos tripping call 52 seconds later.
Reading took full advantage, with Tyler Gratton and Parker AuCoin scoring within 35 seconds of each other.
The Fuel outshot Reading 9-5 in the first period but could not take advantage of three Royals penalties.
Then, Kyle Maskimovich made a costly turnover that led to a shorthanded breakaway goal for Lou-Felix Denis, giving Reading a 1-0 lead.
Brandon Saigeon finally got Indy on the scoreboard in the second period for his second goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.
Less than four minutes later, Sam Sedley tallied his first professional goal to put the Royals on top 2-1, a lead they would take into the second intermission.
That’s when things unraveled for the Fuel, with the two penalties to begin the third and two quick goals for a 4-1 Reading lead.
Nathan Burke tried to mount a late Fuel rally with a goal at 16:44 of the third, but it was too late. The Royals came away with the 4-2 triumph despite being outshot 29-25.