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Reading Royals

Royals at Maine for First-Ever Meeting with Mariners

October 19, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (1-0-1-0, 3 pts., T-3rd North), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are at Cross Insurance Arena Friday at 7:15 p.m. for the team's first-ever meeting with the Maine Mariners (0-1-0-0, 0 pts., 7th North). The Royals are on the road for the first time this season and play back-to-back away contests this weekend, completing the trip Saturday at Manchester.

Listen to tonight's game at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals, with coverage starting at 7:00 p.m.

The Royals won their first game of the season last Sunday vs. Worcester, scoring four man-up goals in a 6-4 win. After allowing the opening marker, Reading scored six straight goals and led, 6-1, after the second. Alex Krushelnyski registered three points and Shane Walsh knocked in two goals.

The Royals continue the road trip Saturday at Manchester, with a 6:00 p.m. game at SNHU Arena.

Reading's next home game is Wed., Oct. 24 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland. Reading is at home Sat., Oct. 27 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling for Star Wars Night, featuring specialty jerseys. On Sun., Oct. 28 at 4:00 p.m., check out concourse trick-or-treating and the team's popular Halloween jerseys vs. the Nailers.

The ECHL always gets Krushed

Forward Alex Krushelnyski topped the Royals with three points (3a) Sunday vs. Worcester, giving him 31 points (16g) in 26 Royals games. He tops the team with four points, all assists, to begin the 2018-19 season. A native of Bloomfield Hills, MI, Krushelnyski has scored 165 points in 171 ECHL games.

Last season, he had ten multi-point games in 24 contests, earning multiple promotions to Lehigh Valley. While with the Phantoms, he scored the overtime-winning goal in the longest game in AHL history, a fifth-overtime tally in Game 4 of the 2018 Atlantic Division Finals vs. Charlotte.

Krushelnyski has one multi-point game this season and 44 for his ECHL career. The past two seasons, he has combined to play 80 AHL games, scoring six goals and 16 points.

Komm's new "album"

Following the Royals victory Sunday vs. Worcester, Branden Komm addressed playing for four teams last season and eventually ending up with Reading in Feb. 2018.

"All these artists when they get broken up [they] produce their best albums. I feel like I'm a better person and a better goalie because of it."

Komm is 1-0-1-0 with a 2.95 goals against average and .918 save percentage through two games. Last season, he achieved a 6-2-2-0 mark with the Royals, allowing 20 goals in 11 games (2.06 GAA, .936 sv%). Prior to coming to Reading, he combined to play five games for Idaho and Quad City, then 13 with Manchester.

Coincidentally, while playing for Manchester, the Royals scored on Komm five times in a Jan. 14 victory that moved Reading four games above hockey .500 (21-17-2-0). Including that victory, the Royals completed the regular season with a 19-7-7-0 mark.

Who is Maine?

In June 2017, the ECHL approved the sale and relocation of the dormant Alaska Aces to Portland, ME. The Mariners moniker follows the former Maine Mariners of the AHL (1977-87, 1987-92). The Mariners won the Calder Cup in their first two AHL seasons. The Portland Pirates played in the AHL from 1993-2016 and won the Calder Cup in their first AHL campaign.

The Alaska Aces never played Reading, making this the first-ever meeting between the franchises.

The Royals and Mariners meet eight times this season and four times at Santander Arena.

Scouting the Mariners

Maine dropped its first game in team history to Adirondack on Oct. 13, 6-3. Brandon Halverson gave up six tallies and blocked 37 shots. Jason Salvaggio scored the team's first-ever goal, cutting the Thunder lead to 3-1 in the first.

Head Coach Riley Armstrong is a former Royals player (2015-16) and Wheeling Nailers Assistant Coach (2016-18). He was named Maine Head Coach in Feb. 2018.

In cage, the Mariners have three goalies on the active roster: Halverson, Chris Nell and rookie Connor LaCouvee. Last season, LaCouvee completed his collegiate career with Minnesota State and was third in the NCAA with a 1.80 goals against average and fourth with 23 wins.

Forward Alex Kile, a second-year professional, was the first player to sign a contract with Maine in June. .

Postgame autographs, pres. by Rieck's Printing vs. Newfoundland: Oct. 24, 7:00 p.m.

Two players sign postgame autographs, pres. by Rieck's Printing | first-ever meeting between Reading and Newfoundland.

Star Wars Night vs. Wheeling: Oct. 27, 7:00 p.m.

Specialty Star Wars jerseys | dress as your favorite Star Wars character | first matchup against Wheeling

Halloween Night vs. Wheeling: Oct. 28, 7:00 p.m.

Specialty Halloween jerseys | concourse trick-or-treat

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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