Dominant Royals off to best start ever with 9-4 win over Thunder

Reading, PA – Ryan Penny recorded his first professional hat trick and the Reading Royals (4-0-0-0) destroyed the Adirondack Thunder, 9-4, Sunday at Santander Arena. Seven Royals scored, eight had multi-point games and 15 recorded points, including goaltender John Muse (4th professional point).

The Royals scored three in the first period and led, 3-1. Reading exploded for another four in the second to maneuver to a 7-2 edge. Penny (3g, 1a) completed the hat trick with a wrist shot from the slot with 7:56 to go in the third.

Kirk MacDonald has led the Royals to their best start in the team’s 17-season history. The nine-goal output is the second-highest in club history, one short of the record in 2002-03 vs. Greensboro and the best since Jan. 6, 2012 against Chicago.

John Muse made a season-high 41 saves and is 2-0-0-0. He’s made 78 saves in two games (.940 save percentage). Nick Riopel (loss, 12 saves, 5 GA) was pulled in the second period. Drew Fielding allowed four more goals and denied 11 shots.

Box Score

The Royals scored on their first two shots and struck first at 1:47 into the first on Steven Swavely’s first of the season. Two minutes later, Penny came in on a breakaway and scored with a wrist shot after Nolan Zajac fed him with a pass from the defensive zone. Zajac is on a four-game point streak.

After an Adirondack goal, the Royals power play (2-for-5) scored on a deep slot wrist shot from Zajac with three minutes to go in the first.

Chase Golightly, Penny and Derek Whitmore (1g, 2a) and Alex Krrushlenyski scored the Reading goals in the second frame. Matt Willows recorded two assists in the second. Krushelnyski scored his third goal of the season with a back-handed finish with five minutes left.

Both teams scored twice in the third. Tyler Brown (1g, 1a) and Penny had the markers.

The Royals begin a five-game road trip on Fri., Nov. 2 against Worcester at 7:00 p.m. Reading hosts the Jacksonville Icemen on Sat., Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. for Veteran Appreciation Night. The first 2,500 fans will receive a rally towel, courtesy of Rieck’s Printing.

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About the RoyalsThe Royals have been owned by serial entrepreneur Jack Gulati since 2014 and are in their 17th ECHL season. Proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Reading plays in the Santander Arena, located in downtown Reading, PA at 700 Penn Street. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs in eight straight seasons and are four-time division champions.

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Broadcast Coverage

All Royals game can be heard on Rumba 1340 AM and the iHeartRadio app by searching “Rumba 1340”. The pregame show starts 15 minutes before puck drop. Watch Royals games on ECHL.tv. Reading away games locally on BCTV.