Royals to Face Stockton Thunder in Kelly Cup Finals

Reading and Thunder Each Make First Trip to the Finals Starting Saturday, May 18, at Sovereign Center

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, today announced that the team will face the Stockton Thunder in the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Championship Final best-of-seven playoff series starting Saturday, May 18, 2013 (7:05 pm) at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The playoff championship series will pit the top seed from the Eastern Conference, the Royals, against the fourth seed from the Western Conference, the Stockton Thunder, for the 2013 ECHL Kelly Cup. As with Game One of the series, Game Two (Sunday, May 19 @ 4:05 pm) will be played at the Sovereign Center. Games Three (Tuesday, May 21 @ 7:30 pm), Four (Friday, May 24 @ 7:30 pm) and Five, if necessary, (Saturday, May 25 @ 7:00 pm) will be played at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California. The series will return to the Sovereign Center for Games Six (if necessary) and Seven (if necessary) on Tuesday, May 28 (7:05 pm) and Wednesday, May 29 (7:05 pm). The full schedule of the series is set out below. This marks the first trip to the ECHL championship finals for both Reading and Stockton. The Royals and Thunder have never met up in a playoff series; and the two organizations have only faced each other three times in their respective histories. The Royals traveled to Stockton in the inaugural season of the Thunder, 2005-06, and played three consecutive games in December of 2005. Reading won each of those three games. Stockton advanced to the Finals by dispatching the Las Vegas Wranglers in seven games in the Western Conference Quarter-Finals; the Alaska Aces in six games; and the Idaho Steelheads in five. The Royals defeated the Greenville Road Warriors in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals (4-1); the Florida Everblades in the Semis (4-3); and the Cincinnati Cyclones in the Conference Finals (4-1). Ticket information for the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Championship Finals matchup between the Reading Royals and the Stockton Thunder can be obtained by calling the Royals office (610-898-PUCK) or by logging onto the Royals website: www.royalshockey.com. KELLY CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FINALSReading Royals v Stockton Thunder Game One: Saturday, May 18 (7:05 pm) at Sovereign Center, Reading, PAGame Two: Sunday, May 19 (4:05 pm) at Sovereign Center, Reading, PAGame Three: Tuesday, May 21 (7:00 pm) at Stockton Arena, Stockton, CAGame Four: Friday, May 24 (7:30 pm) at Stockton Arena, Stockton, CAGame Five (IF NECESSARY): Saturday, May 25 (7:30 pm) at Stockton Arena, Stockton, CAGame Six (IF NECESSARY): Tuesday, May 28 (7:05 pm) at Sovereign Center, Reading, PAGame Seven (IF NECESSARY): Wednesday, May 29 (7:05 pm) at Sovereign Center, Reading, PA