Royals Suffer Game Three Shutout Loss at Home, Trail North Division Semifinal Kelly Cup Playoffs Series, 3-0
Published on April 29, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release
Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (0-3-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, fell to the Wheeling Nailers (3-0-0-0), 2-0, in Game Three of the North Division Semifinal 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs at WesBanco Arena on Wednesday, April 29th.
Goaltender Yaniv Perets (0-2-0-0) suffered the loss in goal with 24 saves on 26 shots faced while Nailers' netminder Taylor Gauthier (3-0-0-0) earned his second shutout win of the series with 27 stops.
Reading put the game's first seven shots on goal before Ryan McAllister (2) opened Wheeling's lead 17:27 into play for a 1-0 Nailers lead after the first period. Blake Bennett (2) extended the Nailers lead, 2-0, at 8:56 into the second period with a game-high 14 shots on goal in the frame.
Reading outshot Wheeling 9-3 in the third period, yet Gauthier remained perfect with nine saves to secure his second shutout and third win of his professional playoff career to improve Wheeling's series lead to 3-0.
When trailing by three games to start a playoff series, the Royals are 0-3 in team history. ECHL teams are 2-72 when trailing a series 0-3. The Royals play Game Four on Friday, May 1 at Santander Arena at 7:00 p.m. against Wheeling.
Kelly Cup Playoff Schedule
North Division Semifinals: #1 Wheeling (46-20-3-3, 98 points) vs. #4 Reading Royals (36-26-8-2, 82 points)
GAME 1 - 4-0 Wheeling (WHL 1-0)
GAME 2 - 5-1 Wheeling (WHL 2-0)
GAME 3 - 2-0 Wheeling (WHL 3-0)
GAME 4 - HOME - (Friday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. @ Santander Arena) - CLICK FOR TICKETS
GAME 5* - HOME* - (Saturday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m. @ Santander Arena) - CLICK FOR TICKETS
GAME 6* - AWAY (Monday, May 4 at 7:10 p.m. @ WesBanco Arena)
GAME 7* - AWAY (Wednesday, May 6 at 7:10 p.m. @ WesBanco Arena)
*If necessary
ECHL Stories from April 29, 2026
- Walleye Fall 5-3 in Game Four, Will Look to Finish Series Tomorrow in Bloomington - Toledo Walleye
- Royals Suffer Game Three Shutout Loss at Home, Trail North Division Semifinal Kelly Cup Playoffs Series, 3-0 - Reading Royals
- Komets Take 3-1 Series Lead - Fort Wayne Komets
- Mariners Regain Series Lead with 5-2 Win at Adirondack - Maine Mariners
- Gauthier, Nailers Shut out Reading Again - Wheeling Nailers
- Everblades Take Game 3, Push Ghost Pirates to Brink - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Mariners Take Series Lead with 5-2 Win over Thunder - Adirondack Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - April 29 - ECHL
- Stingrays Head Athletic Trainer Julia Phillips Named Warrior Hockey ECHL Athletic Trainer of the Year - South Carolina Stingrays
- South Carolina's Phillips Named Warrior Hockey/ECHL Athletic Trainer of the Year - ECHL
- Defenseman Reilly Webb Recalled by Hershey - South Carolina Stingrays
- Toledo's Wozniak Named Warrior Hockey/ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year - ECHL
- Americans Moving on to Round 2 - Allen Americans
- Gladiators Fall in Final Seconds, Late Score from Rodzinski Seals 4-3 Loss in Game 4 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Steelheads Eliminated in 6-3 Loss to Americans - Idaho Steelheads
- Fuel Defeat Komets 6-4 at Home in Game 3 - Indy Fuel
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