Weekly Release: Vol. 18, No. 24

Royals home Friday and Saturday; five games to go  

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have started a season-long five-game home stand with points in the first three games (2-0-0-1) and complete it this weekend with contests at Santander Arena Friday vs. Maine and Saturday against Wheeling. The Royals are perched five points behind Maine for the North Division’s fourth and final playoff spot with five games to play in the ECHL regular season.Reading is coming off a 4-1 Sunday win against Worcester. The Royals scored four unanswered goals and Jamie Phillips blocked 28 of 29 shots in his sixth straight Royals start. He is 3-2-0-1 with the Royals (2.75 GAA, .901 sv.%).  Saturday vs. Newfoundland, a crowd of 4,974 watched the Royals launch The Anthony Myers Movement along with Berks Catholic student Anthony Myers. The movement will help raise funds and provide support for those experiencing medical difficulties.Upcoming Games Friday Night Hockey on Mar. 29 vs. Maine at 7:00 p.m.1) Royals host rival Maine for the final time in the regular season.2) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading3) Meet Royals players after the game at DoubleTree's Cheers! Restaurant (701 Penn St.)4) Postgame ham shoot on the ice: make the shot, win a ham courtesy of Redner's.5) Four-for-$48 Family Four Pack: four burgers, four sodas, four tickets. Call Royals office for details 610-898-7825.

Sat., Mar. 30: Autism Awareness Night with player trading card giveaway at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling, pres. by the Austism Society of Berks and Unending Promise1) Sensory-friendly game, with subdued atmosphere with music and lighting, plus quiet spaces in the arena 2) Player Trading Card set giveaway and postgame team autographs pres. Rieck's Printing3) Enter for a chance to win a 2017 Toyota Camry, courtesy of AutoRide of Reading4) Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania will sell girl scout cookies on your way out of the arena postgame5) Special Austism Awareness jerseys6) Four-for-$48 Family Four Pack: four burgers, four sodas, four tickets. Call Royals office for details 610-898-7825.

Top-Ten LeaderboardChris McCarthy: T-2nd in points (68) | 2nd in assists (50)Jamie Phillips: T-5th wins (22) | 10th in GAA (2.62)Team: 2nd fewest PIM/game in league (10.1)Team: 5th in shots/game (33.2) | 8th in shots against per game (30.2)Weekly ScheduleMar. 29 vs. Maine: Santander Arena, 7:00 p.m.Mar. 30 vs. Wheeling: Santander Arena, 7:00 p.m.Team Record29-28-4-6, 68 points, 7th NorthDivision StandingsNewfoundland - 88 pointsAdirondack - 76 pointsManchester - 74 pointsMaine - 73 pointsBrampton - 72 pointsWorcester - 70 pointsReading - 68 pointsWeekly ResultsMar. 22 vs. Newfoundland, W, 5-2Mar. 23 vs. Indy, SOL, 3-2Mar. 24 vs. Worcester, W, 4-2Big Storylines 1) We take all the shotsSince Feb. 5, the Royals have attempted a league-best 805 shots on goal, which is tops in the circuit (35 per game). Over that same span, Reading has surrendered an average of 28 shots a contest.Reading took 44 shots Saturday vs. Newfoundland and tucked 40 on cage Sunday against the Railers. The Royals have out shot foes in 17 of the last 23 games.2) Two big games vs. MaineThe Royals have two games remaining with the Mariners this season, starting Friday in the home finale at Santander Arena. Reading trails Maine by five points for the fourth seed in the North Division.Brampton (72 points) is one point behind Maine. The Beast host third-place Manchester (74 points) at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday. If Manchester wins Wednesday, the Royals have the potential to move three points back of Maine for fourth on Friday.3) Career year updateThe following Royals have surpassed single-season highs or are nearing them:Chris McCarthy: career-high 50 assists and 68 points.Josh MacDonald: career-high 25 goals, needs two points to hit 52 and match single-season highAdam Schmidt: career-high 23 goals and 49 points.Frank DiChiara: career-high in goals (15) and points (40)Michael Huntebrinker: needs four goals to reach 20 and two points to hit 41, which would match his single-season totals in both categories.Nick Luukko: career highs in goals (8) and points (29)Regular season team leaders Goals: Josh MacDonald (25)Assists: Chris McCarthy (50)Points: Chris McCarthy (68)PIM: Jacob Graves (78)+/-: Michael Huntebrinker (+12)Practice scheduleMonday – OFF DAYTuesday – OFF DAYWednesday – Practice, 11:00 a.m., Santander ArenaThursday – Practice, 11:00 a.m., Santander ArenaFriday – Game vs. Maine, 7:00 p.m.Saturday – Game vs. Wheeling, 7:00 p.m.Sunday – OFF DAYMonday – TBDRoyals Radio Recon: Next Show Tues.,  Mar.  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.