ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Game Day: Wheeling Comes to Town for Start of Back-To-Back

Published on October 27, 2018 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (2-1-1-1, 6 pts.), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have the power of the force in Santander Arena Saturday at 7:00 p.m. vs. the Wheeling Nailers (0-2-0-0, 0 pts.). Saturday's game marks the start of a back-to-back vs. the Nailers. Call 610-898-7825 for tickets. To purchase a Family Four Pack (4 tickets, 4 burgers and 4 sodas for $48), call or visit this link.

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. There is also a postgame skate following Sunday's game, pres. by Body Zone.

Last time out vs. Newfoundland, Royals forward Frank DiChiara scored his second of the season, but Reading allowed three straight to drop, 3-1. Branden Komm (26 saves, 2 GA) made his fifth straight start to begin the season, the third Royals netminder to begin a campaign by starting the first five games.

The Nailers have played two games in two weeks since starting the ECHL season Oct. 13. The team has dropped back-to-back contests to start the campaign vs. Norfolk and Cincinnati. The Nailers are the only club in the ECHL, AHL and NHL without a point.

Listen to tonight's game at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals, with coverage starting 15 minutes before puck drop.

DiChiara on the power play

Both of Frank DiChiara's goals have been on the man up this season and he leads the Reading power play in tallies. A second-year professional from Ronkonkoma, NY, DiChiara registered three power-play strikes in 62 games with Worcester last season. He finished his rookie campaign with nine goals and 23 points.

Stretching back to his junior hockey career with the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) and collegiate campaigns at Yale, DiChiara's season-high for power-play goals is four. He scored four with Dubuque in 2012-13 and did it again as a sophomore at Yale.

Still seeking his first game-winning goal of the season, DiChiara tied for Worcester's team lead with four GWGs last season.

Muse between the pipes for the rivals

Former Royals netminder John Muse is with the Nailers in Reading this weekend. The eighth-year professional was reassigned to Wheeling from Wilkes-Barre Scranton (AHL) by the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday. In his only campaign with the Flyers organization, Muse combined for 30 wins last season between Reading and Lehigh Valley. With the Royals, he went 19-5-2-0, was seventh in the league with a 2.24 goals against average and tied for first in the league with a .931 save percentage. He owns two of the four best single-game save performances in Royals history, blocking 54 shots in Game 1 of the 2018 North Division Semifinals and 53 in Game 2.

If Muse plays this weekend, it will be his fifth ECHL club and ninth professional team. He won the 2012 Kelly Cup and was named Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP with Florida in 2012. Muse is the all-time wins leader in Charlotte Checkers history (AHL).

The 30-year-old native of East Falmouth, MA agreed to a one-year, two-way deal with Pittsburgh in the 2018 offseason. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 185 pounds.

Scouting the Nailers

In Wheeling's last game against Cincinnati, Zac Lynch tallied the Nailers' only goal and Wheeling lost, 4-1. Wheeling goalie Matt O'Connor had 21 saves (4 GA).

O'Connor has netminded both games for the Nailers and holds a save percentage of .840.

Nailers rookie Eliot Grauer and Lynch are tied for the team's points lead (3). Grauer also tops the team with two goals this season. Lynch and rookie Renars Krastenbergs lead the team in assists with two each.

Last year's series

The Royals won the 2017-18 season series with a 7-2-2-0 record against the Nailers. The Royals are on a four-game point streak against the Nailers, with Reading's last regulation loss coming in the teams' final meeting of 2017 on Dec. 16. Former Royals forward Matt Willows scored 13 points (7g) in 11 games against Wheeling, four more than any other player. Michael Huntebrinker and Chris McCarthy recorded nine points each.

Cam Brown and Dan Fick are the highest-scoring returning Nailers from last season's series (4 pts.). Current Nailers and former Royals goalie John Muse went 3-1-0-0 against Wheeling with a 2.48 goals against average and .931 save percentage.

No more Wydo

Former Wheeling Nailers forward Cody Wydo signed in the Swiss League this offseason, removing a Nailers player who scored 17 goals and 29 points in 34 career games against the Royals (3+ seasons).

From 2015-18, he notched points in 20 of 34 games against Reading, including eight multi-point games. He scored a goal in 11 of the 34, registered five multi-goal games, four game-winning goals and scored a hat trick against the Royas Mar. 4, 2016. Two months later, he tallied the game-winning strike in the longest game in Royals history, a third-overtime goal of Game 4 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Royals. Wheeling eliminated Reading in seven games that series.

Halloween Night vs. Wheeling: Oct. 28, 4:00 p.m.

Specialty Halloween jerseys | concourse trick-or-treat

Royals host Maine Mariners Nov. 7, 7:00 p.m.

First time Mariners visit Santander Arena

"Movember" Night vs. Adirondack: Nov. 10, 7:00 p.m.

Game 1 of our 3-game partnership with American Cancer Society - Package here

Get your name on a Royals jersey and tickets to 3 games with American Cancer Society Package

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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