READING, Pa. – A big second period Thursday night secured a 5-4 victory for the Reading Royals on home ice and a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven second-round playoff series over the Florida Everblades.

Daniel Steiner scored two goals 1:22 apart in the second period to pace the Royals. Goaltender Matt Dalton stopped 38 shots to pick up his league-leading fifth postseason win.

The series moves to the Everblades’ Germain Arena for game three Saturday night with three more games next week if Florida breaks into the winning column.

Unlike the first period in game one that saw six goals, just two goals were scored by Florida and Reading in game two. Ben Gordon put Reading up 1-0 on a beautiful pass out of the corner by linemate Ryan Cruthers. Cruthers, the ECHL’s post-season leading scorer, registered his 10th assist and 14th point.

The Everblades evened the score at 1-1 on captain Ross Carlson’s second tally of the playoffs. Milan Gajic, tied with Reading’s Cruthers for the postseason scoring lead, recorded his eighth assist and 14th point while Scott Hotham registered the second assist on the power-play goal.

Reading outshot the Everblades 17-14 in the first period. Florida converted its only power-play chance and killed off the only chance for Reading in the opening 20 minutes.

The second period featured a Royals eruption. They scored four goals to tto two for he Everblades to take a 5-3 lead.

Daniel Steiner scored the final two goals to give the Royals the first two-goal advantage. Reading started the scoring in the second period just 12 seconds in on Gavin Morgan’s first postseason goal.

The Everblades struck on the power play 1:22 later to tie it at 2-2 on Gajic’s goal. Reading answered at 8:57 and the Blades responded again on the power play by Shea Guthrie to tie it 3-3.

The Everblades added the only goal of the third period by Ryan Lang.

The American Conference semifinal series moves to Germain Arena for Game 3 Saturday night.