Game 26 Preview: Allen at Reading

Santander Arena transforms into Bikini Bottom for SpongeBob and Nickelodeon game

Reading, PA – The “Anchor-Armed” Reading Royals (12-7-2-4, 30 pts., T-2nd North), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, look to send Weenie Hut General’s Allen Americans (6-21-0-2, 14 pts., 7th Mountain) back to Sandy Cheeks’ home winless on the weekend as the heat turns up to WUMBO in the back end of a three-in-three Sunday at 5:00 p.m.Sunday is Nickelodeon Night and SpongeBob SquarePants will be available to meet fans. The Royals will wear SpongeBob SquarePants jerseys and Allen will wear Patrick Star jerseys.Sunday’s PromotionsThe Weekend of Giving concludes Sunday at 5:00 p.m. vs. Allen with SpongeBob SquarePants Nickelodeon Night. SpongeBob will be at the game and is available to meet with fans as part of the Royals’ SpongeBob VIP Package. Saturday, Reading donated 2,541 bears to local organizations on Teddy Bear Toss night as the Royals smacked Allen, 4-2. Chris McCarthy registered a multi-point game for the second straight game to help the Royals extend to a season-long five-game winning streak.The five straight victories mark the longest winning streak of the Kirk MacDonald era. On the flip side, Allen has dropped six straight games.The Royals play the Americans five times this season and Sunday is the final home showdown vs. Allen.Listen to today’s game at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals, with coverage starting 15 minutes before puck drop.Wild McCarthy numbersChris McCarthy scored his fourth goal of the season and registered his team-leading 16th assist Saturday in the win over Allen. With the effort the Royals are 27-2-2 over his three seasons when he scores multiple points in a game. Reading is 30-7-3 when McCarthy scores a goal.A fifth-year professional from Collegeville, PA, McCarthy is one of five Royals to hit the 20-point plateau this season.The best time to wear a striped sweater, is all the time.The Royals have scored three power-play goals on 15 man-up opportunities this weekend. Contrastly, Allen has received seven man-up chances in two games and bagged four power-play goals. Friday, the Americans took 30 PIM, the most a Royals opponent has had in a game this season.See you after ChristmasSunday’s home game is the last Royals home game before Christmas Break. The Royals return home Dec. 28-29 for A-Philly-Ation Night vs. Newfoundland.Are your kids driving you crazy? Well bring them to the Royals and have them yell and scream as loud as they want! Four purple zone tickets for just $60! Plus, an opportunity to high five the Royals players in our High Five Tunnel before the game!Coach ComparisonHead Coach Kirk MacDonald will celebrate his 35th birthday next Tuesday as he continues his second full season as Royals Head Coach. He coached his 100th career game Saturday vs. Allen. This is the first weekend he has gone head-to-head with Americans Head Coach Steve Martinson, who is in the midst of his 23rd professional season. Martinson has won two Kelly Cups (2015, 2016) and ten professional championships in his first 22 seasons. He ranks 3rd in ECHL history with 379 wins and has racked up 984 victories in 23 campaigns.The Minnetonka, MN native beat Reading 19 times in 34 regular season games when he coached the Elmira Jackals from 2007-10. All-time, Martinson is 22-18 against Reading. The Royals are 1-0 in playoff series against Martinson; Reading knocked out Elmira in six games in the 2008 North Division Semifinals, with Kevin Saurette potting the series-clinching goal at 12:09 of double overtime.   Allen historyThe Americans have made the playoffs in each of their first nine seasons. In their first five campaigns in the Central Hockey League (CHL), the team made the finals three times and won championships in their final two CHL seasons. Steve Martinson continued the club’s run of four straight championships with consecutive Kelly Cup wins in 2015 and 2016.The Americans lost to Idaho in the 2018 Mountain Division Semifinals last season. The club has advanced past the first round in three of their first four ECHL campaigns.Next time vs. AllenReading and Allen next face off in the final two games of the five-game series Feb. 16-17 at the Allen Events Center. The Royals have never played at Allen. The Americans have posted a 2-8-0-0 home record, worst in the league.Head-to-head through 2 Chris McCarthy leads all players in the series with five points (2g), generating his second multi-point game of the weekend Saturday vs. Allen. Brayden Low is tied for the Royals lead with two goals vs. the Americans. He is one of eight Reading players with two points in the season series.  On the Americans’ side, Zach Pochiro tops Allen with three goals and four points. Alex Breton and Adam Miller each have three assists.About the RoyalsThe Royals have been owned by serial entrepreneur Jack Gulati since 2014 and are entering their 18th 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 nine straight seasons and are four-time division champions.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play.