Game 40 Preview: Reading at Manchester

Royals have one more game before All-Star break

Manchester, NH – The Reading Royals (20-17-2-0, 42 pts., 4th North) are set to finish the pre-all-star slate with an afternoon road game against the Manchester Monarchs (22-12-3-1, 48 pts., 1st North) Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Royals Pregame coverage starts at 2:45 p.m. on BCTV and Rumba 1340. Listen in to the BCTV Jimmy G’s Trivia Question of the game for your chance to win a gift card to Jimmy G’s Railroad House in Sinking Spring, PA.

After Sunday, Royals forward Michael Huntebrinker travels to the 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, to be hosted by the Indy Fuel on Monday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. ET at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum and telecast in the United States on NHL Network. Additionally, Huntebrinker will participate in the Rapid Fire Shootout Challenge as part of The 2018 Blue Indy/ECHL Skills Competition.

The Royals had three fighting majors last time out and dropped, 4-1, to the Adirondack Thunder Saturday. The teams played back-to-back games Friday and Saturday and the Thunder won both. Reading has three more games left against the Thunder this season, all in Glens Falls, NY.

Reading has fallen in three straight to Manchester since winning the opening series matchup on Nov. 15, 5-3.

The Royals are home next week for a pair of games against Brampton. First, it’s THON, Scout and Star Wars Night Sat., Jan. 20 vs. the Beast at 7 p.m. The first 2,000 fans will receive a Slapshot Star Wars bobblehead. The Royals will wear Star Wars jerseys and help raise money for THON.

On Sun., Jan. 21 at 4:00 p.m., it’s Slapshot’s Birthday and Mascot Mania, plus a 4 for $44 Family Day, presented by Safe Berks, Berks Packing and Coca-Cola. After the game, check out a postgame autograph session. Kids will receive an autographed book (first 1,000 kids 14 and Under) courtesy of Prospectus Berco & M.P. Butterworth and Associates.

That’s a firstNick Luukko, Matias Cleland and Michael Huntebrinker all recorded their first fighting majors of the season in a loss Saturday. It was Luukko’s and Cleland’s first professional fighting major. Huntebrinker, a rookie scrapped in the second to last game of 2016-17 against Norfolk.

The Royals combined for 25 PIM Saturday, three short of a season high. Reading has had 12 fighting majors this season, fourth-fewest in the league. Manchester has 18 fighting majors.

Scouting the MonarchsManchester has held first place in first place since late November. On Nov. 19, the squad lost to Worcester, 4-1, and fell to 8-7-1-1. Since then, the Monarchs are 14-5-2-0. Over that span, the Monarchs are scoring 3.8 goals per game. Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman has a team-best ten goals since the late November turnaround.

Zac Lynch netted two goals in a win over Worcester Saturday to take the squad lead with 18 goals and 32 points.

Sam Kurker (11g, 17a) is the team’s All-Star Classic representative.

Goaltender Charles Williams boasts a 13-6-3-0 record, 2.56 goals against average and .917 save percentage. Branden Komm has a 5-2-0-0 mark with the Monarchs.

Head-to-Head: Manchester leads, 3-1The Royals and Monarchs last matched up Dec. 22-23 in Reading and the Royals lost both games. On Dec. 22, the Royals scored the first goal but lost, 5-2. Matt Willows and Michael Huntebrinker scored. Huntebrinker has two goals and three points in four games vs. Manchester. Nick Luukko had three assists in a 5-3 Royals win Nov. 15.

Mark Dekanich has started all four games against Manchester (1-3-0-0 record). He made 30 saves Nov. 15, 41 on Dec. 9 (5 GA), 39 saves on Dec. 22 (5 GA) and 34 stops Dec. 23 (6 GA).

Charles Williams has allowed two goals in two games against the Royals (2-0-0-0 record). Branden Komm has a 5-2-0-0 mark with the Monarchs (2.67 GAA, .909 sv%).

Monarchs forward Mikkel Aagaard was held scoreless in his first five games against the Royals when he played in Adirondack last season. Aagaard managed one assist seven games against Reading. This season, he has six assists vs. Reading.

THON, Scout and Star Wars Night Jan. 20Sat., Jan. 20 vs BRM at 7 p.m.: THON Night, Scout Night, and Star Wars Night. First 2,000 fans will receive a Stormtrooper Star Wars Slapshot bobblehead. The Royals will wear Star Wars jerseys.

Mascot Mania, 4 for $44 Family Day and $5 Green Zone Tickets Jan. 21Sun., Jan 21 vs BRM at 4 p.m.: Slapshot’s Birthday/ Mascot Mania. 4 for $44 Family Days presented by Safe Berks, Berks Packing and Coca-Cola. Postgame Autograph session, and kids will receive an autographed book (first 1,000 kids 14 and Under) courtesy of Prospectus Berco & M.P. Butterworth and Associates.

$5 Green Zone Tickets and postgame player photo and autograph session Wed., Jan. 24 vs. ToledoWed., Jan 24 vs TOL at 7 p.m. Postgame photo and autograph session with four players. Thanks to, Rieck’s Printing.

Tickets to three of our biggest games for $30 – Purple and Black PackGet 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.

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.