Game 40 Preview: Worcester at Reading

Game 40 Preview: Worcester at ReadingTraditional MLK Day game with youth jersey giveaway

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (22-13-4-0, 48 pts., 3rd North) will give away youth jerseys to the first 1,000 kids as the traditional MLK Day game drops at 1:00 p.m. against the Worcester Railers  (15-23-2-0, 32 pts., 6th North) Monday at 1:00 p.m. Parking Monday is also free, courtesy of the RPA.Reading earned their second win of the season series and second straight overall with a 5-1 win against the Railers Sunday. Corey Mackin scored once and added two helpers for a career-best three points, while linemate Garrett Mitchell (1g, 1a) also added a multi-point effort. Kirill Ustimenko won his fourth straight game and improved to fifth in the league with his 15th victory (15-4-4-0, 2.61 GAA, .910 save percentage). Ustimenko is 6-1-0-0 since returning from the ECHL’s holiday break.Now on the eve of the all-star break, Ustimenko and the Royals will move to 3-4-0-0 in the series vs. Worcester with a win Monday. The team that has scored first has won each of the prior six series games.Today’s promotions (Kids Jersey Giveaway | MLK Day): First 1,000 kids receive a kids jersey | Free Parking from Reading Parking Authority |  Kids are off from school on MLK Day | 1 kids ticket, 1 guaranteed kids jersey, 1 hat, 1 Applebee’s kids meal ($15) | Kids Club Game| Postgame team meet-and-greet on the iceBroadcast coverage: Listen on the Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast at  99.3 FM and on Mixlr.com/readingroyals. Watch on ECHL.tv.Single-game tickets and mini-plans are on sale by visiting royalshockey.com/promotions, calling 610-898-7825 and visiting Santander Arena and The Weidenhammer Box Office at 700 Penn Street, Reading, PA.All-Time SeriesWorcester and Reading have met 26 times since the Railers’ inaugural season in 2017-18. The Royals are 11-11-3-1 in three seasons against the Railers, including a 2-2-1-1 mark last season. Reading holds an 8-4-2-0 home advantage against Worcester all time.Forwards Steven Swavely and Frank DiChiara each finished with four points against the Railers last season. DiChiara’s five goals ever vs. Worcester is tied for second with Matt Willows in the all-time series. Chris McCarthy holds the top spot with seven goals, all coming in the 2017-18 campaign.Four or more series The Royals-Railers season series has seen the winning team score at least four goals in all six contests. Reading holds a 2-4-0-0 record against the last-place Railers this season, winning the first meeting Nov. 13 and the most-recent game Jan. 19.  Home boys The Royals moved to 16-4-1-0 at Santander Arena with the win Sunday. Last season, the team won 16 games at home the entire season.  Reading has outscored foes by 20 in home games and remains perfect (14-0-0-0) when netting the game’s first goal at home.The team record for home wins is the 2012-13 season, when the Royals went 26-8-2-0 at home (54 points). Reading came one win short of that in 2004-05 (25-7-4-0).In the 2012-13 championship season, the Royals outscored opponents by 39 at home.Reading is 2-0-0-0 against Worcester when scoring first.By committee and that’s fineWith the Royals lacking nine regulars due to injuries and call-ups over the last two weeks, Reading has gone 4-1-0-0 and allowed two or fewer goals four times.Brayden Low, Corey Mackin, Garrett Mitchell and Garret Cockerill have scored the game-winning strikes for Reading, while Kirill Ustimenko is 4-0-0-0 (6 GA).The Royals have put together three complete “scoring sheets” (goals in every period) of the five; Reading tallied at least a goal in all three periods of the win over Worcester Sunday.Of the four games, Reading has attempted at least ten shots on goal in nine of the 15 periods.Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Fri., Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland (Meet Greater Reading Night): First 1,000 fans will get a free koozie compliments of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance | Barber Appreciation Night | Meet Greater Reading Night at the Reading Royals presented by Greater Reading Chamber Alliance | Free Souvenir Cup Refills | Postgame Party with players at Cheers! Restaurant at the DoubleTree HotelSat., Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland (Pediatric Cancer Awareness) Raising Pediatric Cancer Awareness | Survivor Walk on Ice | I Fight For Wall | Postgame Autographs | Team Photo Night | $1 Cotton Candy TubAbout 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.