READING, PA – The Atlanta Gladiators made the 750-mile trip to Santander Arena to take on the Reading Royals for their Pink In The Rink weekend to celebrate cancer awareness. Royals F Corey Mackin found the back of the Gladiators net at 7:18 into the first. The Gladiators responded with a delay of game penalty to D Rob Powers at 8:25. On the subsequent advantage, D Eric Knodel put the Royals ahead by two. D Joel Messner and F Brayden Low dropped the gloves in the final minutes of the first, as Atlanta’s highest-scoring defenseman looked to provide a spark for his team on the road.
The Royals wasted no time taking control of the second period when D Garrett Cecere scored with an assist from former Glads F Luke Stork. Much like the first period, the Gladiators were only on the score sheet for penalties as Samuel Asselin and Reid Jackman each took two minute minors.
Starting the third, Royals F Braydon Low scored at 2:16 with assists from D Garrett Cecere and D Garrett Cockerill. Three minutes later, Royals star F Frank DiChara scored his 14th of the season with help from F Steve Swavely and F Thomas Ebbing to give Reading a 5-0 advantage. 30 seconds later, D Eric Knodel notched his second of the game with helpers from D Jeremy Beaudry and F Frank DiChara. Just under 2 minutes later, Stork scored unassisted bringing the score to 7 – 0. The Gladiators finally responded to the scoring with a Derek Nesbitt breakaway at 14:11. Josh Thrower got the lone assist on Nesbitt’s 12th of the season. Five minutes later, F Logan Nelson put an Eric Neiley pass behind Reading G Sandström. Derek Nesbitt had the secondary assist to gain his second point of the night.
The Gladiators continue their out-of-division road trip when they visit the Worchester Railers on Saturday evening at 7:05 PM. Atlanta returns to home ice on Tuesday February 11th for the annual Education Day game when they take on the Florida Everblades at 10:35 AM.
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