Game 61 Preview: Reading at Wheeling

Only four road games left in regular season    

Wheeling, WV – The Reading Royals (32-21-7-0, 71 pts., 3rd North) play the final game of a season-long eight-game road trip at the Wheeling Nailers (31-23-6-1, 69 pts., 4th North) Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The showdown is a rematch of Friday’s game, a 4-3 Nailers overtime win.

Matt Willows recorded three points in the game (1g, 2a), booming him to second in the league with 64 points. The New Hampshire graduate sits four behind Fort Wayne’s Shawn Szydlowski. He is two back of a professional high achieved during his rookie season in 2015-16.

Throughout the nearly 4,000-mile jaunt, the Royals have accumulated a record of 2-1-4-0 over the road trip, keeping the team above .500 on the road at 13-12-7-0.

Matt Wilkins tied a professional best with two goals in Friday’s loss. Reading scored three straight goals to take a 3-2 edge into the final three minutes of the third. Freddie Tiffels scored to tie the game with just over a minute left and forced an extra session. Troy Josephs tagged in the overtime-winning goal halfway through the extra session. Sewell, NJ native Charlie Vasaturo made his Royals debut and recorded a pair of shots.

Saturday’s contest concludes the 11-game season series against the Nailers and the Royals are 6-2-2-0 (30 GF, 25 GA). Since Feb. 1, the Royals have points in eight of nine games (4-1-4-0) away from Santander Arena. Reading has earned points in eight of nine as well (4-1-4-0).

Saturday’s broadcast starts at 6:45 p.m. on Rumba 1340, RumbaReading.com and BCTV (Channel 15 Comcast, Channel 19 Service Electric). Listen in during first intermission to the BCTV/Jimmy G’s Railroad House Trivia Question of the Night for a chance to win a gift card to Jimmy G’s.

Reading is next at home on Wed., Mar. 14 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Fort Wayne, with four players hosting a postgame photo and autograph session, courtesy of Rieck’s Printing.

Get your picture taken with the Kelly Cup Fri., Feb. 16 during Happy Hour 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Jimmy G’s Beverley Hills Tavern on Old Fritztown Road. It’s the 5th anniversary of the team winning the Kelly Cup. Mr. Pat Kelly will be at the game against Brampton Sat., Mar. 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Enter for a chance to win $10,000 with the Reading Royals as the team hosts Brampton on St. HatTrick’s Day Sat., Mar. 17 vs. the Brampton Beast at 7:00 p.m. It’s an easy process; Step 1: purchase tickets to the game here | Step 2: Register to be entered into the contest here | Step 3: Watch a Royals player score a hat trick vs. Brampton.

Additionally, meet WWE’s Million Dollar Man and celebrate the holiday with the Royals, presented by Met-Ed! Royals legend Yannick Tifu will have his #10 retired to the Diamond Credit Union Wall of Honor during the game. The first 5,000 fans will receive a Yannick Tifu poster, courtesy of Rieck’s Printing and Diamond Credit Union. The Royals will wear special St. Patrick’s Day jerseys. Tifu captained Reading to the team’s first Kelly Cup in 2013 and played in 245 Royals games, third-most in team history. Tickets are available here.

Fans can meet the Million Dollar Man during the first and second periods. Season ticket holders will have a special meet-and-greet with the Million Dollar Man from 5:45-6:30 p.m. at the game. All fans are invited to stay after the game to partake in a special photo “recreation” of Yannick Tifu receiving the Kelly Cup from Mr. Pat Kelly after Saturday’s game.

Division battlesThe Royals play a division-high 57 games against the North Division and the Nailers have half their games this season vs. the North. Reading is 26-18-4-0, the only team eight games above .500 against the division. Wheeling has 15 wins and 16 losses (15-11-3-2 record) in North Division play.

The Nailers have beat up the South Division (8-2-1-0) and are 8-11-2-0 vs. the Central.

Seven of Wheeling’s remaining ten regular season games are against the North Division. Reading has nine North Division games left of its remaining 12.

What’s going on down the stretch?

Entering the home stretch, Reading has 12 games left and six are against teams currently in playoff position. Adirondack has the same breakdown as the Royals. Wheeling and Manchester each play seven against opponents that would make the Kelly Cup Playoffs if they started today. Worcester leads the division with 11 more against teams in playoff-bound position. Brampton has five more games against the top-four of the North Division.

Historical assessmentSaturday’s game marks the 172nd between the Royals and Nailers. Reading has an all-time series lead of 95-60-16 vs. the Nailers and the Royals are 6-2-2-0 this season. The Royals have been the road team 84 times and won half of them (42 wins, 42 losses).

In the first-ever season series, 2001-02, the Royals won three of seven games (3-3-1 record). The most-lopsided season series was 2002-03, when the Royals went 6-0-0 vs. Wheeling. The next season, the Nailers defeated the Royals in eight of nine games.

The all-time series was fairly equal until the end of the 2008-09 season. On Jan. 16, 2009, the Royals earned a 5-2 win. Including that victory, Reading pulled off victories in 27 of the next 38 through the 2011-12. When Reading won the Kelly Cup in 2012-13, the Royals were 6-3-3 vs. the Nailers.

Goaltending consistencyMark Dekanich, John Muse and Branden Komm have appeared in every Royals game this season and four netminders have suited up for the Reading. In contrast, five netminders have played for the Nailers but split time fairly evenly; Adam Morrison (27 GP), Sean Maguire (12 GP), Will King (15 GP), Colin Stevens (14 GP) and Matt O’Connor (2 GP).

In relation to the rest of the North Division, the Royals and Railers (four goalies each) are the only two teams to have such goaltending consistency; Manchester and Wheeling have each had five goaltenders, Adirondack has required seven and Brampton has put nine between the pipes.

Kalamazoo is the only team that has used two goaltenders this campaign.

Roster movesThe Royals have been fairly fortunate with a consistent roster over the last month; the team has had six transactions this month and eight since Feb. 14.

On the other hand, the Wheeling Nailers have had 41 roster transactions since the last time the teams met Feb. 17. Recently, the team signed D Mark Abt, forward Derek Army was recalled by Tuscon (AHL) and goalie Matt O’Connor was reassigned to Wheeling by Milwaukee (AHL).

Thirty-seven players have appeared for Reading this season, while the Nailers have tied their team record with 53 players appearing this season. The league record is 70, accomplished by Brampton.

Season tickets for 2018-19 now available: Early Renewal through Mar. 15Call 610-898-7825 to join the Royals family or renew season tickets for the 2018-19 season. Early renewal and registration runs through Mar. 15. Top Early Renewal Benefits include: Extra chance to win jerseys-off-our-backs | Chance to win Owner's Suite | Chance to watch warm-ups from bench and high-five tunnel experience.

Royals Awards Banquet at Santander Arena Mar. 26Register here. Get a pregame pep talk from Royals Head Coach Kirk MacDonald, behind-the-scenes tour of the Royals locker room and buffet meal at Santander Arena Mon., Mar. 26 from 6-8 p.m. for the Royals Awards Banquet. We will hand out the best awards from the 2017-18 season.

Postgame autograph session Wed., Mar. 14 vs. FW at 7:00 p.m.Stay after the game for a special postgame autograph session on Wed., Mar. 14 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Fort Wayne, presented by Rieck’s Printing. It’s the only chance of the season to see the Komets.

Next Big Night: Yannick Tifu Number Retirment, Ted DiBiase “Million Dollar Man” appearance, St. HatTrick’s Day on Sat., Mar. 17 vs. BRM at 7:00 p.m.Enter for a chance to win $10,000 with the Reading Royals as the team hosts Brampton on St. HatTrick’s Day Sat., Mar. 17 vs. the Brampton Beast at 7:00 p.m. It’s an easy process; Step 1: purchase tickets to the game here | Step 2: Register to be entered into the contest here | Step 3: Watch a Royals player score a hat trick vs. Brampton.

Additionally, meet WWE’s Million Dollar Man and celebrate the holiday with the Royals, presented by Met-Ed! Royals legend Yannick Tifu will have his #10 retired to the Diamond Credit Union Wall of Honor during the game. The first 5,000 fans will receive a Yannick Tifu poster, courtesy of Rieck’s Printing and Diamond Credit Union. The Royals will wear special St. Patrick’s Day jerseys. Tifu captained Reading to the team’s first Kelly Cup in 2013 and played in 245 Royals games, third-most in team history. Tickets are available here.

Special Olympics Night Fri., Mar. 23 vs. WOR at 7:00 p.m.Postgame shake, shiver and freeze with the Royals to raise money for the Special Olympics and a Royals trading card set giveaway to the first 2,500 fans (Rieck’s Printing).

Autism Awareness Night Sat., Mar. 24 vs. WOR at 7:00 p.m.This is one of the best nights of the season for a wonderful cause. No goal horn and the Royals wear special autism awareness jerseys. Plus, a one-time-only giveaway: a puck with Head Coach Kirk MacDonald and Assistant Coach Pat Wellar.

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.