
Game Day: Mental Health Awareness Night Kicks off First of Two vs. Indy
March 15, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (26-26-4-5, 61 pts., 7th North), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, look to keep the momentum rolling at Santander Arena against the Indy Fuel (29-28-2-2, 62 pts., 6th Central) on Mental Health Awareness Night Friday at 7:00 p.m. Friday is Reading's first home game in three weekends; the Royals returned from a season-long six-game road trip Sunday after coming from behind to trample Brampton, 6-4. The win moved the Royals within seven points of Manchester for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division.
Friday night is also a 4-for-48 Family Four Pack Game: grab four burgers, four sodas and four tickets for $48. Meet Royals players after tonight's game at the DoubleTree across the street (701 Penn St.). The Royals are home for five games over the next nine days, continuing Sat., Mar. 16 on St. Hat Trick's Day with free kids tickets. Purchase an adult ticket and receive one free kids ticket (14 and under), plus receive an Ice Angels Dance Team Poster Giveaway, pres. by Rieck's Printing.
At both home games this weekend, fans can enter to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading.
Reading has 11 games remaining in the regular season and eight are at Santander Arena.
In the Royals' last game, Chris McCarthy, Michael Huntebrinker and Alex Roos scored in the third period to hand Brampton a 6-4 loss. Reading trailed by one entering the third, marking the second time this season the Royals have been down entering a third period and won. It was Brampton's first regulation loss when leading after 40 minutes. Kevin Goumas notched one goal and two points for the second straight game. The Royals were 3-3-0-0 over the season-long six-game road trip.
The Fuel are 19-9-1-1 at home this season, but have dropped 21 of the team's 31 games away from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum (10-19-1-1). On Tuesday, the Fuel received a goal from rookie forward Matthew Thompson in a 2-1 shootout loss at Wheeling. The Fuel have points in three straight (2-0-0-1) and have allowed two regulation goals over the last three with Matt Tompkins in cage.
Broadcast Coverage: Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast at 99.3 FM | Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals
Brayden the bopper
Forward Brayden Low registered two goals in the second period Sunday, giving him two multi-goal games with Reading this campaign. The 24-year-old had one multi-goal game in his first two professional seasons.
Low, Chris McCarthy (2x), Steven Swavely (2x) Josh MacDonald (4x) are the only Royals with more than one multi-goal game this season. Similarly to Low, Swavely had one career multi-goal game entering this season.
On Jan. 26, Low established a career high with four points (2g) in a 6-5, come-from-behind Royals win at Wheeling.
The native of Steveston, BC has 12 goals and 24 points in 52 games this season.
Scouting Indy
Goaltender Matt Tomkins has started five of six games for Indy, but the netminder was recalled Thursday to Rockford. Without Tomkins, Gordon Deifel (7-10-0-0, 2.94 GAA, .907 sv.%) is expected to carry the load for Indy between the pipes.
Forward Josh Shalla paces Indy with 26 goals (51 pts.) and is second to Ryan Rupert (20g, 55 pts.) in points. Ryan's twin brother Matt has 20 goals and 39 points.
Indy has played one game against the North Division this season, falling to Brampton, 5-2, Dec. 29. The Fuel are 9-5-0-0 this season against the Mountain Division.
Goumas x2
After going pointless in his previous seven games, forward Kevin Goumas strung together back-to-back multi-point performances and notched his first two goals of the season last weekend at Brampton. Goumas scored Reading's first goal on Sunday, taking a pass from Frank DiChiara and stuffing it in net front.
The fourth-year professional from Long Beach, NY has scored two goals and 15 points in 31 games this season. His goals were his first with Reading since the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs against Wheeling in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That postseason, Goumas topped Reading with 15 points (5g) in 14 games. He registered a hat trick in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Toledo.
Goumas has scored ten goals and 32 points in 47 ECHL games.
Super Bowl Super Kill
Since the Feb. 3, Super Bowl Sunday win against Manchester, the Royals have raised their penalty kill from 78.5% to 80.4% and allowed eight man-up goals in 17 games. The Royals' kill has gone 55-of-64 (85.9%) over that span, meaning Reading has gone to the penalty kill 3.7 times a game. As a result of the discipline, Reading now ranks second in the league having been to the penalty kill 204 times this season.
By contrast, Indy's penalty kill ranked 1st in the league on Feb. 3 (87%). Since then, the team has allowed 19 power-play goals in 16 games and opponents are converting on 24.3% of their chances.
Next Home Games
Sat., Mar. 16: St. Hat Trick's Day vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.
- Chance to win $10,000 if Royals player gets a hat trick
- Free kids ticket game: Receive 1 free kids ticket (14 and under) for every adult ticket purchased
- Ice Angels Dance Team poster giveaway and postgame autographs, pres. by Rieck's Printing
- Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading
- Special St. Hat Trick's Day Jerseys
Fri., Mar. 22: $1 Beer Night at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland, pres. by Deibler Dental
- $1 Draft Beer
- Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading
ECHL Stories from March 15, 2019
- Clutch Callum: Booth Leads 'Blades to 2-1 Shootout Win - Florida Everblades
- Late Push Falls Short in Loss at KC - Wichita Thunder
- Reading Beats out Indy 5-2 in Pennsylvania - Indy Fuel
- 52 Shots Not Enough for Stingrays in 6-3 Loss to Norfolk - South Carolina Stingrays
- Atlanta Earns Huge Point as They Fall to Everblades in Shootout - Atlanta Gladiators
- Reichenbach's 49 Saves Sting South Carolina - Norfolk Admirals
- Cyclones Hammer Nailers in Weekend Opener - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Railers Kick off Weekend with the Right Stuff in 5-2 Win in Manchester - Worcester Railers HC
- Sandler Scores Twice as K-Wings Fall 4-3 - Kalamazoo Wings
- Cyclones Continue Strong Play at Home in 5-1 Win - Wheeling Nailers
- Railers Gain Two Points on the Monarchs in 5-2 Victory - Manchester Monarchs
- Thunder Send Growlers to Doghouse in 4-1 Win - Adirondack Thunder
- 5,747 Watch Royals Empty Fuel's Tank, 5-2 - Reading Royals
- Growlers Fall to the Thunder 4-1 - Newfoundland Growlers
- Everblades Add Mercyhurst University Captain Lammon - Florida Everblades
- ECHL Transactions - March 15 - ECHL
- Mariners Sign Holy Cross Defenseman Coughlin - Maine Mariners
- Quack Packs on Sale Sunday - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Thunder Looks to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive Tonight in KC - Wichita Thunder
- K-Wings Host Externship for Local Teachers - Kalamazoo Wings
- Cyclones Game Preview: vs. Wheeling Nailers - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Nailers at Cyclones Game Day Snap Shot, March 15 - Wheeling Nailers
- Game Day: Final Twelve Games Kick off in Toledo - Kalamazoo Wings
- Game Day: Mental Health Awareness Night Kicks off First of Two vs. Indy - Reading Royals
- Grizzlies Lose Another Close One - Utah Grizzlies
- Grizzlies Insider Adam Turner on 2-1 Loss to RC - Utah Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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