READING, PA- The Wheeling Nailers were 26 seconds away from advancing to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. However, the Reading Royals saved their season with a late tying goal, then extended it in overtime. Connor Kurth scored on a breakaway at the 8:44 mark of the extra session to give the Royals their first win of the best-of-seven series, 3-2 at Santander Arena. Wheeling will attempt to close out the series again on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in game five.

Both teams turned on the red light during the opening stanza. Wheeling was first on the scoreboard at the 11:04 mark. Tiernan Shoudy shuffled the puck ahead to Mike Posma on the left side of neutral ice. Posma picked up speed as he rushed into the left circle, where he drove a shot through Yaniv Perets’ legs. The Royals battled back to tie things up 4:19 later. Jackson Edward delivered a puck toward the goal, which produced a rebound for Connor Kurth, who slipped in a backhander.

One goal was scored in the second period, as the Nailers grabbed the lead back. Posma got in tight and shoveled a shot over the cage. However, the rookie forward chased down his own rebound and set up Nolan Renwick, who clobbered home a one-timer from the right circle.

The score stayed 2-1 until the final 30 seconds of regulation, when Reading got a goal to keep its season alive. Edward set up Carson Golder, who rifled a one-timer from the center point into the right side of the twine to tie the match at two and force overtime.

At the 8:44 mark of overtime, the Royals extended their season for another day. Wheeling turned the puck over at the offensive blueline, which gave Kurth a breakaway. Kurth deked to the backhand and slid the winning strike into the left side of the goal, as Reading prevailed, 3-2.

Yaniv Perets picked up the win in net for the Royals, as he made 24 saves on 26 shots. Taylor Gauthier turned away 27 of the 30 shots he faced in the defeat for the Nailers.

Game five of the North Division Semifinal Series will take place in Reading on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Wheeling’s next home game will either be game six of this series on Monday at 7:10 p.m. or game one of the North Division Final Series on a date which is to be announced.