Game 7 Preview: Reading at Norfolk

Busy week begins with out-of-division match against familiar opponent  

Norfolk, VA – The Reading Royals (2-3-1-0, 5 pts., T-5th North) begin their first four-game week of the regular season at the Norfolk Admirals (2-4-1-0, 5 pts., T-4th South), kicking off a two-city back-to-back Wednesday at 7:35 p.m. The Royals are home for the other three games of the week, starting Thursday vs. Newfoundland at 7:00 p.m.Reading is 22-5-1-1 all-time against the Admirals and the squad holds a 13-3-0-1 mark against Norfolk at the Scope Arena. Since Kirk MacDonald became Royals Head Coach at the end of the 2016-17 campaign, the Royals have posted an 11-1-0-0 mark against the Admirals, including a 9-1-0-0 record in Virginia.Reading plays three home games this week; Oct. 31, Nov. 2 and Nov. 3.On Oct. 31 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland, grab $1 pumpkin beer and all college students will receive $5 tickets with a valid college ID at the box office. The first 1,000 kids will receive a free bag of candy and the team will host a costume parade on the concourse during intermission.It’s D.C. Comics Night on Sat., Nov. 2 vs. Norfolk at 7:00 p.m.; Batman and Joker will be at the game with character meet-and-greet packages, DC Comic-themed jerseys (Royals in Batman, Norfolk in Joker), a DC Puck Giveaway and a super-hero themed candy bag giveaway. The Royals play nine home games in November.On Sun., Nov. 3 at 4:00 p.m., grab $1 cotton candy tubs at the concession stand as Reading opposes Adirondack.Broadcast Coverage: Watch on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric) | Listen at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals Point shooters Defensive partners Eric Knodel and Jeremy Beaudry are tied for the Royals shots on goal lead with 20 each. Knodel has two goals and five points to top Royals blueliners. Beaudry has a pair of helpers this season.Each have a history of firing; Knodel tied for Cincinnati’s team lead in shots last season (176) and topped Cyclones defensemen the season before. Beaudry had 136 shots in 2017-18, the most in his career and second among Wichita blueliners.Beaudry was the third player the Royals signed this offseason; last campaign, the third-year professional scored six goals and 24 points for Wichita.Knodel won 2019 ECHL Defenseman of the Year, topping league defensemen with 17 goals and 53 points. He is an alternate captain for Reading. He signed an AHL contract with Lehigh Valley in the summer. Laberge returns After missing his previous two games due to injury, forward Pascal Laberge returned to the Royals Saturday at Wheeling and generated three shots. Laberge has scored one of the Royals’ two game-winning goals this season; the 21-year-old potted the deciding strike to put the Royals ahead for good on opening night vs. Newfoundland. Laberge scored five goals and six points for Lehigh Valley last campaign.Scouting NorfolkUnder new Head Coach Rod Taylor, the Admirals have started 1-3-1-0 at home and are in the fourth and final game of a home stand.Former netminder Ty Reichenbach left this offseason and the team filled the cage with goalies Brandon Halverson, Roman Durny and Alex Sakellaropoulos. Halverson has played five of the seven games to begin the season, going 2-2-1-0 with a 3.37 goals against average and .918 save percentage. The rookie Durny took the loss in his first ECHL game vs. South Carolina over the weekend, making 39 of 42 saves in a 3-0 defeat. Last season, Sakellaropoulos posted a 19-6-4-1 record with Adirondack and was seventh in the league with a 2.51 goals against average (.915 sv.%). The Admirals have allowed 3.43 goals against per game this season (24 GA, 7 GP); under former Head Coach Robbie Ftorek, the squad finished last in the league allowing 3.86 goals per game in 2018-19.Offensively, Philippe Hudon is best on the squad with nine points. He is tied with Alex Rodriguez for a team-high four goals.Following Wednesday’s showdown, the Ads travel to Reading for the Royals’  DC Comics game Sat., Nov. 2 to begin a four-game road swing in three different cities. The Admirals visit Wichita for a game, then make their only trip of the season to Allen for a couple of games. A Royals win would…Move Kirk MacDonald to 12-1-0-0 all-time against the Admirals…Be Reading’s first win outside the North Division this season.About the RoyalsThe Royals are in their 19th ECHL season and are proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs 14 times, and are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena and the Santander Arena Performing Arts Center.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play. All Royals away games are broadcasted on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric) and Mixlr.