Jackals Battle Back But Fall In Reading, 4-3

READING, PA - The Jackals weathered the storm early and battled back resiliently at Santander Arena, but were defeated by Reading 4-3 in the home-and-home weekend finale.
Jackals netminder Sam Marotta stood tall in the opening frame and turned aside 15 of Reading's 16 shots on goal. However, Jordan Heywood would crack the scoresheet with his first goal of the season at 16:00 of the first period. Andrew Johnston and Olivier Labelle earned assists on Heywood's tally. The Jackals were out-shot 16-2 by Reading through the first 20 minutes of play, but trailed by just one heading into the intermission.

The Jackals pounced quickly in the second period with Lucas Bloodoff's third of the season at 3:36 of the middle frame. Nick Tuzzolino and Matt Tassone earned assists on Bloodoff's second goal in as many games. Just over four minutes later on the power-play Ryan Rashid deposited his fourth of the season and second in as many nights. Mitch Holmberg and Kevin Hart earned the assists on Rashid's go-ahead marker. However, Pat Mullane would tie the game 2-2 at 16:14 of the period with his 11th goal of the year. Michael Caruso and David Marshall assisted Mullane's tying tally.

The third period opened with a 2-2 tie and each team had chances to take the lead but the knotted affair lasted until 12:04 of the period when Labelle added his ninth goal of the year assisted by Matt Hatch and Maxim Lamarche. Just over two minutes later Heywood notched his second goal of the night and second of the season to put the Royals ahead 4-2. Mullane and Lamarche assisted Heywood's goal. Tassone buried his 12th goal of the season with 25 seconds left to pull the Jackals within one, but that would be as far as they would come in their comeback effort. Steven Shamanski and Holmberg assisted Tassone's tally.

Marotta turned aside 33 of 37 shots faced but shouldered the loss. Joe Howe allowed three goals on 28 shots but earned the win.