Game 9 Preview: Reading at South Carolina

Royals complete five-game road trip

North Charleston, SC – The Reading Royals (5-2-1-0, 11 pts., T-3rd North) finish up a stretch of five games in six days at the South Carolina Stingrays (6-1-0-0, 12 pts., 3rd South) Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Mark Naclerio earned his first professional hat trick in a 4-3 OT loss Tuesday. The Royals allowed the last two goals of the game.

Naclerio’s hat trick is the second by a Reading player this season. Ryan Penny had the other against Adirondack in October. The Royals are one point out of first place in the North Division and can hop Manchester and Wheeling with a victory.

Despite the extra-session defeat, the Royals are 3-1 in overtime this season. Through the first four games of the road trip, Reading is 1-2-1-0.

Fans can listen to today’s game on “Rumba 1340” on the iHeartRadio App and watch on BCTV (Channel 15 Comcast, Channel 19 Service Electric)! Royals pregame is live at 6:50 p.m.

The next Royals home game is Sat., Nov. 11 vs. Jacksonville at 7 p.m. for Veteran’s Appreciation Night and a Royals rally towel giveaway to the first 2,500 fans, courtesy of U.G.I. Utilities. Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Reading-Royals-tickets/artist/838174

Call the Royals office at 610-989-PUCK (7825) and ask for your ticket guys to learn about the best deal in sports! It’s a five-game pack to Reading’s five-biggest games for $69.95, plus we’ll buy you dinner.

Last time outDespite Mark Naclerio’s first professional hat trick, the South Carolina Stingrays defeated the Reading Royals in overtime, 4-3.

Naclerio’s trick was his first since his junior year (2014-15) at Brown vs. Quinnipiac.

Joe Devin scored the tying goal by batting it in at the right post in the final minute. Andrew Cherniwchan deflected it in from the right slot to win it at 1:27 of the extra session.

The Royals scored twice on the power play (2-for-3) and never trailed in regulation. John Muse made 25 saves. Jeff Jakaitis denied 28 shots in the win.

Playoff history vs. SCTuesday’s close game mirrors the most-recent history between the two teams. The Royals and Stingrays met in the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs, the only time the two perennial powerhouses have played in the postseason. South Carolina knocked off Reading in a seven-game first-round series.

The Stingrays won the first game in North Charleston, then the clubs exchanged wins the rest of the series. Facing elimination, the Royals pounded the Rays, 6-1, to force a game seven.

In game seven, Stingrays netminder Jeff Jakaitis (still on the squad) stopped 21 shots and Joe Devin (also still on South Carolina) scored the game-winning goal in the third period of a 3-2 win.

The Royals started the next season at South Carolina and split the opening weekend in Charleston.

Reading has made the playoffs in eight straight seasons and South Carolina hasn’t missed the postseason since 2006-07.

Deckanich, Tanski, Wellar back in SCGoaltender Mark Dekanich, forward Scott Tanski and assistant coach Pat Wellar are former Stingrays. Tanski played with the Stingrays last season and made the Kelly Cup Finals, scoring 11 goals and 19 points.

In 2015-16, Dekanich returned from a two-year stint in the KHL and posted a 20-9-2-2 record, 2.16 goals against average and .925 save percentage. On opening night of 2015-16, Dekanich made 28 saves and the Stingrays defeated the Royals, 2-1.

Wellar won the 2009 Kelly Cup with the Stingrays, defeating the Alaska Aces. He played in 27 combined regular season games with South Carolina from 2008-10 and skated in 23 playoff games (1g, 5a) during the squad’s run to the Kelly Cup.

Affiliation memoriesThe South Carolina Stingrays have been affiliated with the Washington Capitals for two separate periods (2004-12, 2015-present). The Royals were affiliated with Washington in 2012-13 and the team won the Kelly Cup.

The Royals have been proudly affiliated with the Philadelphia Flyers since 2015.

The best deal in sports!Call the Royals offices and ask for your ticket guys to learn about the best deal in sports. Get tickets to Reading’s five-biggest games for $69.95, plus we’ll buy you dinner. Call 610-898-7825 for more information.

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.

Reading Royals Mobile AppHead to the App Store and Google Play to download the new Reading Royals app on your smartphone! Stay up-to-date with team news, receive notifications and purchase tickets for your next experience at Santander Arena.

Broadcast CoverageAll 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.