Game 29 Preview: Manchester at Reading

🎅 Meet Santa and win a ham at the game 🎅

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (14-12-2-0, 30 pts., T-4th North) finish out the weekend hoping for holiday cheer at Santander Arena against the Manchester Monarchs (18-9-1-1, 38 pts., 1st North) Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Santa will be at Saturday’s game it’s the postgame ham shoot! Come down after the game on the ice, shoot a puck in to the net and take a holiday ham home with you. The team is off from Dec. 24-27.

Michael Huntebrinker scored Reading’s two goals in a 5-2 defeat Friday. Mark Dekanich made 39 saves. Manchester’s Jordan Smotherman scored two goals for the second straight game against the Royals.

Manchester leads the season series, 2-1. Goaltender Charles Williams has picked up victories in the last two games, allowing three goals on 53 shots.

After today’s showdown, the Royals are home Thurs., Dec. 28 at 7:00 p.m. against the Worcester Railers with $5 Green Zone tickets. It’s APHILLYation night with a player postgame autographs, courtesy of Rieck’s printing.

Huntebrinker dominatesRookie Michael Huntebrinker recorded his first professional multi-goal game Friday, lighting the lamp twice in Reading’s loss to Manchester. He has eight goals and 13 points in 21 games this season. Last season, he had four goals the entire campaign (39 GP) as a senior with Minnesota State. This is Huntebrinker’s best offensive production since he recorded 18 goals and 42 points in 46 games with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks in 2012-13.

Huntebrinker had one multi-goal game in his collegiate career; Dec. 15, 2015 vs. Alabama-Huntsville. The native of St. Louis, MO has four points (3g, 1a) against the Monarchs this season.

Former alliesManchester joined the ECHL in 2015-16 after competing in the AHL from 2001-15 as the Kings’ AHL affiliate. The Monarchs “flipped” leagues with the Ontario Reign, who became the Los Angeles’ Kings top partner.

The Monarchs and Royals have both been the Kings affiliates. From 2001-05 and 2006-08, the Royals were the Kings’ ECHL partner and sent players up to Manchester.

Current Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is the most-notable standout from the Royals’ and Monarchs’ affiliation days. Quick played in 38 games with the Royals and ascended to Manchester for 35 before becoming an NHL regular in 2008-09.

Trading in jerseys for sport coatsRoyals Head Coach Kirk MacDonald and Monarchs head man Richard Seeley both played for the teams they now instruct. MacDonald won the 2013 Kelly Cup with the Royals and recorded 77 points with Reading in two seasons (2008-09, 2012-13).  He played professional hockey for six seasons before joining his alma mater, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as an assistant for 2013-14. He returned as a Royals assistant from 2014-17 and was named Head Coach this offseason.

Seeley is in his third season behind the bench as Monarchs Head Coach and for Manchester (2001-04, 2005-06). He wore a leadership letter in each of his four seasons with the team and was a two-time captain. Since returning to Manchester as Head Coach, his career record is 84-57-12-10.

Strength on strengthThe Monarchs are 12-4-1-1 on the road and the Royals are 9-4-0-0 at home. Manchester is the highest-scoring team on the road (80 GF) and has allowed 54 tallies. The success has included a five-game point streak and four-game winning streak away from SNHU Arena. On the flip side, the Royals have yet to notch a winning streak on the road.

The Royals matched their best home start ever by beginning 7-0-0-0 at home. The team also tied the 2005-06 squad for the best ten-game home start ever (9-1-0-0). Manchester has heated up lately with three straight home wins after beginning the campaign 3-5-0-0 at SNHU Arena.

Hero Night on Sat., Dec. 30The Royals will wear Captain America jerseys and meet your favorite hero on the concourse on Sat., Dec. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Reading battles the Adirondack Thunder, who will wear Ultron Jerseys.

Meet Jerry “The King” Lawler on Wrestling Night Jan. 5Meet wrestling legend Jerry “The King” Lawler at Santander Arena and watch the Royals battle the Brampton Beast on Fri., Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Santa Sacks Holiday GiftStuff the stocking with Santa Sacks! Get an autographed Royals puck and come out to three of our biggest games for just $30.- Sat., Jan. 20 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Brampton (Slapshot bobblehead giveaway, THON Night, Star Wars jerseys)- Fri., Feb. 17 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Brampton (Pink in the Rink, knit scarf giveaway)- Sat., Mar. 17 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Brampton (Yannick Tifu number retired, Meet WWE Million Dollar Man)- Sat., Mar. 24 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Worcester (Kelly Cup Tribute puck giveaway, Autism Awareness jerseys)- Sat., Apr. 7 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Norfolk (FANdemonium, fan appreciation, fan’s choice giveaway)- Call 610-898-PUCK and tickets are available here.

More $5 TicketsThe Royals are pleased to announce $5 tickets in the Green Zone to one more game in December! Thurs., Dec. 28 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Worcester (orange Royals jerseys to pay tribute to the Flyers on aPHILLYation night)- Call 610-898-PUCK (7825) and tickets are available here.

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 are shown locally on BCTV.