Game 9 Preview: Norfolk at Reading

D.C. Comics Night, Batman jerseys, D.C. puck giveaway

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (4-3-1-0, 9 pts., T-2nd North) seek their first three-game winning streak of the season against the Norfolk Admirals (2-5-1-0, 5 pts., T-5th South) on D.C. Comics Night Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The Royals will wear Batman jerseys and Norfolk will wear Joker sweaters. The first 1,500 fans receive a D.C. Comics puck.Reading won their first of two straight Wednesday at Norfolk, 2-1, and held off Newfoundland, 5-4, Thursday at Santander Arena. All of Reading’s wins have been by a goal. The Royals are 2-1-0-0 at home.Today’s promotions: Batman and Joker will be at the game with character meet-and-greet packages, D.C. Comic-themed jerseys (Royals in Batman, Norfolk in Joker), and a D.C. Puck GiveawayPostgame at DoubleTree: Royals players Eric Knodel, Brayden Low, Frank DiChiara and David Drake will be across the street at the DoubleTree for a postgame radio show. Meet the players and enjoy drafts starting at $3 and late-night bites starting at $6.On Sun., Nov. 3 at 4:00 p.m., grab $1 cotton candy tubs at the concession stand as Reading opposes Adirondack.The Royals are home for another Saturday game on Sat., Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling.Broadcast Coverage: Listen on the Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast 99.3 FM and at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyalsSeason SeriesReading opened up the eight-game season series against the Ads with a 2-1 win Wednesday at the Scope Arena. Corey Mackin delivered the game-winning goal halfway through the third, the first deciding goal in the rookie’s career. Mackin also earned an assist Thursday and is up to three points.Reading out shot Norfolk, 40-23, and Kirill Ustimenko helped Reading slip by Brandon Halverson (38 saves, 2 GA). Halverson is 1-2-0-0 all-time against Reading, allowing two goals a game with a .942 save percentage. Hayden Hodgson generated his first Royals goal and scored two points for his first multi-point effort of the campaign.Norfolk’s Johnny Coughlin scored on the power play in the final nine seconds of the second period for Norfolk’s only goal.All-time numbers The Royals are 23-5-1-1 all-time against the Norfolk, outscoring the Admirals, 102-63, in the series. Reading boasts a 9-2-0-0 mark at Santander Arena vs. Norfolk and the Royals are 2-0-0-0 at home vs. the Ads in the Kirk MacDonald era. MacDonald has beaten Norfolk in 12 of 13 meetings since becoming Royals Head Coach in the final week of the 2016-17 campaign.Admirals Head Coach Rod Taylor is in his first season behind the bench and is 0-1-0-0 against the Royals.Last time outFrank DiChiara scored the game’s opening goal and assisted on two in the third period, providing the Royals enough punch to hold off the Newfoundland Growlers, 5-4, Thursday at Santander Arena. DiChiara’s opening goal at 6:12 of the first gave Reading a lead they never surrendered. Reading opened up a two-goal lead at four points, but Newfoundland fought back to cut the game to a one-goal margin each time. Steven Swavely scored his first goal of the season, the game-winning strike, with 3:33 to go in the game. Matty Gaudreau tied a personal single-game high with two goals. DiChiara’s three-point output matched a career-high for the third-year forward from Ronkonkoma, NY. Aaron Luchuk ripped in two goals for the Growlers.Reading is 2-1-1-0 against the Growlers this season, the only team in the league to defeat the defending Kelly Cup Champions twice.Royals leaders Goals: Cuddemi/DiChiara (5)Assists: Mitchell (6)Points: Cuddemi/DiChiara/Gaudreau (9)PIM: Mitchell (12)

+/-: Gaudreau (8)Admirals leaders Goals: Hudon/Rodriguez (4)Assists: B. Holmstrom/Hudon (5)Points: Hudon (9)PIM: B. Holmstrom (13)

+/-: 5 at even ratingA Royals win would…Give Reading three straight home wins…Move the Royals to 2-0-0-0 against the Admirals in the series.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.