Weekly Release, Vol. 18, No. 20

Weekly Release, Vol. 18, No. 20:Royals embark on season-long six-game road trip  

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have kicked off the final quarter of the regular season and start a 3,388-mile road trip Friday in Norfolk. The Royals are on the road from Mar. 1 to Mar. 10, traveling to three cities and two Canadian provinces.Reading is at the Admirals Mar. 1-2, Newfoundland Mar. 5-6 and Brampton Mar. 9-10. The six-game road trip is the longest of the Royals’ season. Reading is 13-9-2-3 away from Santander Arena, the seventh-best road record in the league.Despite being away from Santander Arena until Mar. 15, the team is preparing for two of its top promotional games of the season Mar. 15-16 – Mental Health Awareness Night and St. Hat Trick’s Day.Next Home GamesFri., Mar. 15: Mental Health Awareness Night vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.1) Free kids ticket – Every adult ticket purchased will get fans 1 free kids tickets2) Supporting mental health initiatives with the Royals Sat., Mar. 16: St. Hat Trick’s Day vs. Indy at 7:00 p.m.1) Chance to win $10,000 if Royals player gets a hat trick2) Ice Angels Dance Team card giveaway, pres. by Baja Beach Tanning Club3)  Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of ReadingFri., Mar. 22: Community Night at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland1) Celebrate the local groups and organizations that make Berks County special2) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of ReadingGroup tickets start at $11 for all Royals home games.In the Community: Royals “Bleed Purple,” donate blood with Miller Keystone Blood Center Mar. 26The Reading Royals have teamed up with the Miller Keystone Blood Center for the team’s “Bleed Purple Blood Drive” event, which will happen Mar. 26 from 2:00-7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. Meet Royals players and mascot Slapshot. Sign up for a donation time slot at GiveaPint.org/Reading-Royals or by emailing community@royalshockey.com with contact information. Call 610-898-7253 with additional questions.Weekly ScheduleMar. 1 at Norfolk: Scope Arena, 7:00 p.m.Mar. 2 at Norfolk: Scope Arena, 7:00 p.m.Mar. 5 at Newfoundland: Mile One Centre, 5:30 p.m.Mar. 6 at Newfoundland: Mile One Centre, 5:30 p.m.Team Record23-23-4-5, 55 points, T-6th NorthDivision StandingsNewfoundland - 76 pointsAdirondack - 67 pointsManchester - 61 pointsMaine - 59 pointsBrampton - 58 pointsReading - 55 pointsWorcester - 55 pointsWeekly ResultsFeb. 20 vs. Maine: L, 6-4Feb. 22 at Manchester: W, 4-3 (SO)Feb. 23 at Adirondack: L, 3-1Feb. 24 vs. Adirondack: L, 4-2Big Storylines 1) Road trip detailsThe Royals have played some of their best hockey against two of the three opponents (Norfolk, Newfoundland) they’ll face on the six-game road trip.The front end of the road trip is at Norfolk Mar. 1-2 and Reading is 2-1-0-0 against the Admirals this season. The Royals had a nine-game series winning streak snapped Feb. 8 the last time the clubs played.After the swing to Hampton Roads, Reading flies to Newfoundland for games Mar. 5-6. Reading is the only team to beat the Growlers on back-to-back days in regulation this season and the Royals are 3-2-1-1 against Newfoundland in the series.To complete the road trip, Reading seeks its first wins against Brampton Mar. 9-10. The Royals are 0-3-0-0 against the Beast this campaign.2) Approaching highsChris McCarthy is two points away from matching a single-season-best 59 points.Josh MacDonald is four goals away from matching a single-season high 23 goals. Matt Pohlkamp has 18 goals, one short of his total last season as a rookie when he led Quad City with 19.3) We’ve done it before Reading is four points behind Maine for the fourth and final playoff spot, which draws parallels to the last time the Royals were out of a playoff spot entering February’s final week (2011-12). In that season, Reading qualified for the playoffs on the last day of the regular season; the Royals beat Trenton and Cincinnati came from behind to eliminate Chicago with an overtime win.On Feb. 25, 2012, the Royals sat one point out of a playoff spot. From Feb. 25 to the end of the 2011-12 season, Reading put together 13-5-1-0 record and Denny Urban (now an ECHL linesman) topped the Royals with 17 points (6g). Trade acquisitions Mikael Bedard and Yannick Tifu each had a team-high seven goals in the final five weeks of the regular season.  Regular season team leaders Goals: Josh MacDonald (19)Assists: Chris McCarthy (42)Points: Chris McCarthy (57)PIM: Jacob Graves (66)+/-: Michael Huntebrinker (+12)Practice scheduleMonday – OFF DAYTuesday – Practice, 11:00 a.m.Wednesday – Practice, 11:00 a.m.Thursday – TRAVEL DAYFriday – Game at Norfolk, 7:00 p.m.Saturday – Game at Norfolk, 7:00 p.m.Sunday – TRAVEL DAYMonday – ROYALS IN NEWFOUNDLAND*** Royals will be on the road from Feb. 28 – Mar. 10Royals Radio Recon: Next Show Tues., Feb.  26Live from Jimmy G’s Railroad House from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.Meet Royals players at Jimmy G’s Railroad House, 152 Woodrow Ave., Sinking Spring, PA. Listen on mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or via the Mixlr App.About the RoyalsThe Royals are in their 18th ECHL season and 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.