Stockton, CA – Yannick Tifu lifted the Kelly Cup high above his head, looked toward a contingent of Reading Royals fans who were gathered behind their team’s bench and let out a loud, proud scream.
The work was done, the title was secured and it was time to party.
The Royals claimed their first ECHL Kelly Cup championship on Saturday with a dominating 6-0 win against the Thunder in front of a crowd of 4,662 at Stockton Arena.
The Royals took control of the game with a four-goal second period and another sterling performance by goaltender Riley Gill, who earned the finals most valuable player award.