Game 34 Preview: Worcester at Reading

Game 34 Preview: Worcester at ReadingFree beer sampling at Craft Beer Night pres. by Deibler Dental

Reading, PA – It’s Craft Beer Night, pres. by Deibler Dental, at Santander Arena as the Reading Royals (18-11-4-0, 40 pts., T-2nd North) host the Worcester Railers (11-19-2-0, 24 pts., 6th North)  for the second game of a back-to-back Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The game is the third of a five-game home stand.Six local breweries will be at the game from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (end of first intermission) serving craft beer samples and admission is free to the craft beer fest with the purchase of a game ticket. Enjoy your drink with a Deibler Dental Tin Cup Giveaway (first 1,000 fans). The first 1,000 fans will receive a Unique Pretzel giveaway as well.Today’s promotions: Free craft beer fest with purchase of game ticket (21+) | Deibler Dental tin cup giveaway | College night: tickets $5 for college students with valid ID | Unique Pretzel giveaway to first 1,000 fans | Postgame Party at DoubleTree Cheers! RestaurantBroadcast Coverage: Listen: Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast 99.3 FM and mixlr.com/readingroyals | Watch: ECHL.tv.The Royals had a three-game home winning streak snapped vs. Worcester Friday, 4-1. Trevor Gooch scored, but the Railers took a 2-1-0-0 series lead. Worcester’s win ended their three-game losing streak.Reading is home to Maine next Tues., Jan. 7 at 10:30 a.m., the team’s first-ever Education Day Game.Royals leadersGoals: Cuddemi (21)Assists: DiChiara (25)Points: DiChiara (35)PIM: Mitchell (81)+/-: Knodel (13)Railers leadersGoals: Samuels-Thomas (11)Assists: Samuels-Thomas (18)Points: Samuels-Thomas (29)PIM: Turcotte (103)+/-: Salituro/McKenzie (4)A Royals win would:Even up the season series at two wins each…Keep Reading at second place in the North…Be the first since the calendar flipped to 2020. Ustimenko’s strong North American startKirill Ustimenko, the former junior goaltender from the Russian MHL, holds an 11-3-4 record and a .906 save percentage through 21 games in his first professional season.Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round of the 2017 draft, he never recorded below a .927 save percentage with MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg in three MHL seasons. After losing his first ECHL game in overtime to the Newfoundland Growlers, he never seemed to be out of place with the new angles of American hockey. Through his first 13 starts, he only lost one game in regulation. Roaring 20sWe’re officially in the new roaring 20s with the turn of the calendar, marking the second time the Royals have existed in a new decade.Jan. 2, 2010 was the first game of the 2010s with a 4-2 win at Elmira to put Reading at 19-12-3. The Royals had to wait a week before their next matchup, which was at home against Cincinnati on Jan. 9. The Royals lost that game, 4-1, but came back the next night at Santander Arena with fire under them. They defeated Florida, 7-3, to give them their 20th of the season.36 is the Magic NumberThe 2019-20 Royals season will reach its halfway point on Jan. 10 against the Wheeling Nailers, the 36th game of the year.Last season, the Royals were 17-11-8 at the halfway mark of the regular season, marking one of only seven seasons the Royals recorded 17 or fewer wins 36 games into a year. Coincidentally, it was also tied for the third highest amount of games with at least a point in the standings at 25 combined wins and overtime or shootout losses.The most wins the Royals had 36 games into a season was 26 in the Kelly Cup season of 2012-13. The club also had the fewest amount of regulation losses in regulation (8) at the halfway mark and the most games with a point (28).Over all previous seasons of Royals hockey, the team’s average number of wins is 21.5.This day in Royals history  On Jan. 4, 2008, netminder Jonathan Quick blocked 34 shots (3 GA) and Ned Lukacevic scored in the fourth round of the shootout to best the Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-3. The game was interesting and notable for a handful of reasons. First, it was a battle of future NHL netminders with Quick vs. Cyclones netminder Cedric Desjardins. Additionally, the Royals played 3 skaters short, going with 13 skaters (4 defensemen).Quick was in the middle of his defining stretch of the 2007-08 season with Reading, earning the decision in 23 of 24 games (16-6-0-1 record, 1 SO, 2.96 GAA, .905 sv.%). Reading went 6-0-1-0 in his final seven games with the team and was recalled to the AHL in late February 2008.Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Tues., Jan. 7 at 10:30 a.m. vs. Maine (Education Day) Presented by Customers Bank | First-ever Royals school day game with educational component | $1 Funnel cake sticks  Fri., Jan. 10 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling, pres. by CJ Hummels: Kendal Conrad Performance at the Game |Line Dancing presented by CJ Hummel's | Live DJ | Country Western Themed Game | $1 Chili Cheese FriesAbout 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 2019-20 season is pres. by Tower Health UPMC Health Plan. 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.