PORTLAND- Thomas Ebbing scored a powerplay goal with 7:26 left in the third period on Saturday night, as the Reading Royals won a pivotal game five of a best of seven ECHL Northern Division Playoff series 3-2 over the Maine Mariners at the Cross Insurance Arena. The Royals, who lost the last two nights in Portland, now head back home with a 3-2 series lead.
The two teams swapped a pair of goals each over the first 40 minutes of play. Patrick Bajkov scored at 10:25 of the first period to make it 1-0 Reading, before Cam Askew scored a powerplay goal for Maine at 18:46 to make it 1-1 after one. Frank Dichiara for the Royals at 3:27 and Alex Kile at 5:55 for the Mariners were the goal scorers in the second. Kelti-Jeri Leon was called for hooking 11:32 into the third period that led to the game winner with the extra man by Ebbing. It was the first marker of the playoffs for Ebbing.
Callum Booth, who shutout the Royals in game four on Friday night, made 29 saves in the loss for Maine. Kile had a goal and an assist, while Michael Kim and Marc-Olivier Duquette added an assist each. Bajkov had a goal and an assist for Reading, and Logan Flodell made 25 stops in net. The Mariners now head back to Pennsylvania to try to stave off elimination on Monday night at 7 p.m. in game six. The Royals won the first two games on home ice, 3-2 and 3-0.
