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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals' Season-Long Road Trip Looms

February 25, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have kicked off the final quarter of the regular season and start a 3,388-mile road trip Friday in Norfolk. The Royals are on the road from Mar. 1 to Mar. 10, traveling to three cities and two Canadian provinces.

Reading is at the Admirals Mar. 1-2, Newfoundland Mar. 5-6 and Brampton Mar. 9-10. The six-game road trip is the longest of the Royals' season. Reading is 13-9-2-3 away from Santander Arena, the seventh-best road record in the league.

Despite being away from Santander Arena until Mar. 15, the team is preparing for two of its top promotional games of the season Mar. 15-16 - Mental Health Awareness Night and St. Hat Trick's Day.

Next Home Games

Fri., Mar. 15: Mental Health Awareness Night vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.

2) Supporting mental health initiatives with the Royals

Sat., Mar. 16: St. Hat Trick's Day vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.

1) Chance to win $10,000 if Royals player gets a hat trick

2) Free kids ticket - For every adult ticket purchased, fans will get 1 free kids ticket.

3) Ice Angels Dance Team card giveaway, pres. by Baja Beach Tanning Club

4) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading

Fri., Mar. 22: Community Night at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland

1) Celebrate the local groups and organizations that make Berks County special

2) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading

Group tickets start at $11 for all Royals home games.

In the Community: Royals "Bleed Purple," donate blood with Miller Keystone Blood Center Mar. 26

The Reading Royals have teamed up with the Miller Keystone Blood Center for the team's "Bleed Purple Blood Drive" event, which will happen Mar. 26 from 2:00-7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. Meet Royals players and mascot Slapshot. Sign up for a donation time slot at GiveaPint.org/Reading-Royals or by emailing community@royalshockey.com with contact information. Call 610-898-7253 with additional questions.

Weekly Schedule

Mar. 1 at Norfolk: Scope Arena, 7:00 p.m.

Mar. 2 at Norfolk: Scope Arena, 7:00 p.m.

Mar. 5 at Newfoundland: Mile One Centre, 5:30 p.m.

Mar. 6 at Newfoundland: Mile One Centre, 5:30 p.m.

Team Record

23-23-4-5, 55 points, T-6th North

Division Standings

Newfoundland - 76 points

Adirondack - 67 points

Manchester - 61 points

Maine - 59 points

Brampton - 58 points

Reading - 55 points

Worcester - 55 points

Weekly Results

Feb. 20 vs. Maine: L, 6-4

Feb. 22 at Manchester: W, 4-3 (SO)

Feb. 23 at Adirondack: L, 3-1

Feb. 24 vs. Adirondack: L, 4-2

Big Storylines

1) Road trip details

The Royals have played some of their best hockey against two of the three opponents (Norfolk, Newfoundland) they'll face on the six-game road trip.

The front end of the road trip is at Norfolk Mar. 1-2 and Reading is 2-1-0-0 against the Admirals this season. The Royals had a nine-game series winning streak snapped Feb. 8 the last time the clubs played.

After the swing to Hampton Roads, Reading flies to Newfoundland for games Mar. 5-6. Reading is the only team to beat the Growlers on back-to-back days in regulation this season and the Royals are 3-2-1-1 against Newfoundland in the series.

To complete the road trip, Reading seeks its first wins against Brampton Mar. 9-10. The Royals are 0-3-0-0 against the Beast this campaign.

2) Approaching highs

Chris McCarthy is two points away from matching a single-season-best 59 points.

Josh MacDonald is four goals away from matching a single-season high 23 goals.

Matt Pohlkamp has 18 goals, one short of his total last season as a rookie when he led Quad City with 19.

3) We've done it before

Reading is four points behind Maine for the fourth and final playoff spot, which draws parallels to the last time the Royals were out of a playoff spot entering February's final week (2011-12). In that season, Reading qualified for the playoffs on the last day of the regular season; the Royals beat Trenton and Cincinnati came from behind to eliminate Chicago with an overtime win.

On Feb. 25, 2012, the Royals sat one point out of a playoff spot. From Feb. 25 to the end of the 2011-12 season, Reading put together 13-5-1-0 record and Denny Urban (now an ECHL linesman) topped the Royals with 17 points (6g). Trade acquisitions Mikael Bedard and Yannick Tifu each had a team-high seven goals in the final five weeks of the regular season.

Regular season team leaders

Goals: Josh MacDonald (19)

Assists: Chris McCarthy (42)

Points: Chris McCarthy (57)

PIM: Jacob Graves (66)

+/-: Michael Huntebrinker (+12)

Practice schedule

Monday - OFF DAY

Tuesday - Practice, 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday - Practice, 11:00 a.m.

Thursday - TRAVEL DAY

Friday - Game at Norfolk, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday - Game at Norfolk, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday - TRAVEL DAY

Monday - ROYALS IN NEWFOUNDLAND

*** Royals will be on the road from Feb. 28 - Mar. 10

Royals Radio Recon: Next Show Tues., Feb. 26

Live from Jimmy G's Railroad House from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Meet Royals players at Jimmy G's Railroad House, 152 Woodrow Ave., Sinking Spring, PA. Listen on mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or via the Mixlr App.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 25, 2019


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