DiChiara scores 10th of season in 3-1 loss at Manchester

Manchester, NH – Reading Royals forward Frank DiChiara scored a power-play goal in the third period, the only strike on Charles Williams (39 saves) in a 3-1 loss to the Manchester Monarchs Friday at SNHU Arena.Reading flipped 13 shots on goal in the first and another 14 in the second. DiChiara scored on Reading’s 35th shot, giving him a professional-best ten goals. In his rookie season, he had nine for Worcester. The second-year professional is one of five Royals to reach double-digit goals.Callum Booth allowed two goals in the last half of the first period and suffered defeat despite 35 saves. Reading and Manchester face each other again next Wed., Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m. for a postgame autograph session at Santander Arena, pres. by Rieck’s Printing.  The Royals hit the halfway mark of the regular season at Worcester Sat., Jan. 12 at 7:05 p.m.Box ScoreManchester’s Joe Sullivan scored the game’s first goal with 9:05 left in the opening frame. He motored behind Reading’s cage and curled to the left post. While inside the left circle, he turned his body to the net and shot it over Booth’s glove. Craig Wyzomirski and Joe Nevins assisted. Eight minutes later, Tony Cameranesi split the Royals defense on a feed from Spencer Watson and shoved it in at the left post to make it 2-0 Manchester.Williams made his first two saves of the second period on breakaways. He first stopped Kevin Goumas short-handed with a five-hole save. Next, he flashed the glove to block Adam Schmidt at even strength. Booth denied all eight Monarchs shots in the second.Travis Walsh scored a power-play goal at 4:50 of the third on a shot from the left circle.Reading scored its first goal and cut the Manchester lead to two with a power-play goal from DiChiara at 12:45 of the third. Standing at the base of the right circle, he received a pass from Kevin Goumas and quickly muscled it by Williams short side. Jack Riley received the secondary assist.

Manchester finished 1-for-5 on the man up and the Royals had one goal on three opportunities.Next Home GamesThe Royals host three home games in the next week, starting Wed., Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Manchester with postgame player autographs, pres. by Rieck’s Printing.On Fri., Jan. 18 at 7:00 p.m., the Royals battle Brampton on Pucks ‘N Paws Night with the annual wiener dog races.Sat., Jan. 19 against Wheeling (7:00 p.m.) is a Family Four Pack game, Mascot Mania and Reading’s Pediatric Cancer Awareness game with a mini-THON dance party. Get four burgers, four sodas and four tickets for $48. The first 2,500 fans will receive a PA Lottery Voucher, pres., by the PA Lottery. Plus, enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading. After the game, join Royals players at the DoubleTree across the street for a party at Cheers! Restaurant.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.