Game 17 Preview: Newfoundland at Reading

Throwback Night brings the 80’s and 90’s to life Friday in downtown Reading      

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (10-4-2-0, 22 pts., 1st North) hope for a ‘gnarly’ Throwback Night, pres. by Enersys, Friday at 7:00 p.m. against the Newfoundland Growlers (10-5-0-0, 20 pts., 2nd North) as the sides gear up for the first of three straight games this weekend at Santander Arena. Fans are encouraged to go ‘to the max’; the first 100 dressed in 80’s and 90’s gear will receive a Rubik’s cube, plus college tickets are $5 with a valid student ID at the box office. It’s been a ‘totally crunk’ couple of weeks for Reading; the squad has won three straight games and is 8-1-1-0 in their last ten to push the team to a tie for the most points in the Eastern Conference. It was a ‘pretty rad’ ending in the Royals’ last home game Saturday vs. Wheeling; Corey Mackin ‘opened up a can’ on the Nailers defense by scoring 48 seconds into overtime to secure the first 1-0 OT win in Royals history. Kirill Ustimenko was ‘pretty fly’ throughout the game with 32 saves for his first North American professional shutout.Since ‘bugging out’ and dropping four of six games from Oct. 19 - Nov. 2, Newfoundland has rattled off five straight wins and outscored foes, 20-11, over that span. Wednesday at Adirondack, Aaron Luchuk scored twice and Angus Redmond denied 26 shots (2 GA) for a 3-2 win.Today’s promotions: 80’s/90’s throwback night | Rubik’s Cube giveaway to the first 100 fans dressed in 80s/90s costumes | 80’s and 90’s photo experiences | SNES Giveaway during chuck a puck | $5 College Tickets with valid student ID at the box office | $1 Popcorn | Karaoke Night on the concourseBroadcast Coverage: Listen on the Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast (99.3 FM) and mixlr.com/readingroyalsRoyals leadersGoals: Cuddemi (10)Assists: Cuddemi (11)Points: Cuddemi (21)PIM: Mitchell (24)+/-: Gaudreau (12)Growlers leaders Goals: Pooley (10)Assists: Conrad (13)Points: Luchuk (18)PIM: Melindy (36)+/-: M. Bradley/Pooley (+8)Homestand continuesGiveaways and specials continue for the Royals’ season-long six-game homestand, which runs through Nov. 30. These include a glow stick giveaway to the first 2,000 fans (pres. by ACS) on Nov. 23, a free postgame skate on Nov. 24 (pres. by Body Zone), Penny Days special in the team store on Nov. 29 and a PAW Patrol kids t-shirt giveaway on Nov. 30.   Fri., Nov. 22 vs. Newfoundland at 7:00 p.m. Throwback NightSat., Nov. 23 vs. Newfoundland at 7:00 p.m. – Hockey Fights CancerSun., Nov. 24 vs. Newfoundland at 4:00 p.m. – Princess DayFri., Nov. 29 vs. Toledo at 7:00 p.m. – Game Show NightSat., Nov. 30 vs. Toledo at 7:00 p.m. – PAW Patrol Night  Psyched about firstThe current 8-1-1-0 stretch has comprised even dominance in and out of the North Division; Reading is 4-1-0-0 in games contested outside the division and 4-0-1-0 vs. the North since Oct. 30.The club is outscoring teams, 32-24, during the last ten games. Before the 8-1-1-0 stretch, the Royals were tied for fifth in the North with five points (2-3-1-0 record). Kirill Ustimenko has recorded a 5-1-1-0 mark since Oct. 27 (2.15 GAA, .923 save percentage), tied for the most wins in the league over that time.Ralph Cuddemi has 13 points (5g) to lead the way since the hot streak started. Corey Mackin is riding a five-game point streak and has five goals since Oct. 27, tied for the best on the team.This is the latest in a regular season the Royals have held sole possession of first place in the division since Kirk MacDonald became coach in Apr. 2017. Despite starting 4-0-0-0 in Kirk MacDonald’s first season, the Royals never held sole possession of first place. On Dec. 9, 2017, following a 5-1 rout vs. Adirondack, the Royals were even with Manchester for first place in the North Division. In 2018-19, Reading was tied for first four games into the season with a 2-1-0-1 mark.R TownThe Royals have won six straight home games, putting the club one win away from matching the best home streak in the Kirk MacDonald era. Reading began 2017-18 with wins in seven straight home games.At home, Reading is outshooting foes by an average of ten shots per game (37 SF/27 SA) and has outscored foes, 24-19. Reading has won five of its six home games (6-1-0-0 record) by one goal. By contrast, last season, the Royals won six games by one goal the entire season, home and away.The Royals have forged one come-from-behind win at Santander Arena, a 6-4 win on Nov. 9 vs. the Nailers.Quick series factsReading has points in three of four games vs. the Growlers (2-1-1-0 record)The Royals have scored first in two of the four games.Each team has one come-from-behind win (REA Oct. 11, NFD Oct. 12).

The clubs play 14 times in 2019-20, the most either team faces another opponent this seasonThis is the second time this season the Royals and Growlers play three straight games against each other. It’s the first time this season the Royals play an opponent three times in three days. The last time it happened, Dec. 14-16, 2018, the Royals went 3-0-0-0 vs. Allen.Frank DiChiara leads active Royals with three goals and six points in the series. Aaron Luchuk tops the Growlers with four goals  and is tied with Colt Conrad for a series-best nine points.A Royals Win Would…Tie a season-long four-game win streak…Extend the team to points in six straight games…Give Reading their third season-series  victory vs. Newfoundland…Move the Royals to 2-0-0-0 at Santander Arena vs. the Growlers.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.