Game 42 Preview: Newfoundland at Reading

Royals host Growlers Saturday at 7:00 p.m.Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (23-13-5-0, 51 pts., 2nd North) seek their second win of the weekend against the Newfoundland Growlers (29-11-0-0, 58 pts., 1st North) Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the 11th matchup of the season series.Friday’s 4-1 win over Newfoundland catapulted Reading to second place in the North, one point ahead of Brampton. Frank DiChiara (1g, 2a) was one of three Royals with multi-point efforts. Hayden Hodgson scored the eventual game-winning strike in the final four minutes of the second. Kirill Ustimenko denied all 15 Growlers shots in the third, preserving a one-goal lead in the third before two Royals empty-net goals.      The Royals are 4-0-1-0 at home this season vs. Newfoundland.  The teams meet again Feb. 21st for “Purple Goes Green” Night at Santander Arena and then have a back-to-back in St. John’s Mar. 17-18 to conclude the season series.Today’s promotions (Pediatric Cancer Awareness): Raising Pediatric Cancer Awareness | Survivor Walk on Ice | I Fight For Wall | Postgame Autographs | Team Photo Night | $1 Cotton Candy TubBroadcast 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.Following Saturday’s game, the Royals are next at home on Fri., Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. (Ladies Night) and Sat.,  Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. (Pink in the Rink, presented by Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Adams and Associates).A Royals win would…Be the 100th in Kirk MacDonald’s career…Give Reading a 6-2-3-0 record in the series…Improve Reading to 18-4-2-0 at home.Royals leadersGoals: Cuddemi (21)Assists: DiChiara (30)Points: DiChiara (42)PIM: Mitchell (92)+/-: Knodel (15)Growlers leadersGoals: Power (19)Assists: Estephan (28)Points: Estephan (46)PIM: Bradley (50)+/-: Neugold (15)Season Series: REA, 5-2-3-0Reading is seeking their sixth win in the season series against Newfoundland, the Royals’ most-played opponent of the 2019-20 season, pres. by Tower Health UPMC Health Plan. Saturday’s game is the final January bout between the teams. Reading holds a 5-2-3-0 record against Newfoundland this season. The Growlers have not lost in overtime this season to Reading, edging out the team thrice. Both Reading and Newfoundland have hit seven goals in a game against each other. The Royals notched seven goals in their victory over Newfoundland in late November. In the Nov. 24 matchup, Ralph Cuddemi tied the team record for goals in a game and became the fourth Royals player to score four goals in a game.The most combined goals scored in a single matchup between the teams this season is 11 during Reading’s 6-5 victory on Oct. 11.Brayden Low, Garrett Mitchell and Frank DiChiara lead active Royals in goals against the Growlers (4g). Frank DiChiara leads the team in points (19) and assists.Aaron Luchuk and Marcus Power lead Newfoundland in goals against Reading (6). Giorgio Estephan tops the team in assists and points against Reading (11a, 14pts). Rookie Joseph Duszak has earned 24 of his 30 total PIM against Reading.Kirill Ustimenko has earned at least one point in every game played against Newfoundland this season with a 2-0-3-0 record. Parker Gahagen made 31 saves in defeat (2 GA) Friday.All-time series The Royals are 9-6-4-2 in the all-time series against the Newfoundland Growlers. In the 2018-19 season, Reading won four of the 11 games. Reading played one of their most productive games of the 2018-19 season against Newfoundland on Dec. 7. In the 7-5 victory, Michael Huntebrinker notched his second hat trick as a Royal. This made Huntebrinker the seventh Royal in team history to tally more than one hat trick. Newfoundland is 6-0 in games decided past regulation against Reading.Scouting the GrowlersThe Newfoundland Growlers are ranked first in the North Division and third in the ECHL with an overall record of 29-11-0-0. Thee team holds an 10-9-0-0 away record. Giorgio Estephan dominates the Growlers in points and assists (28a, 46pts). Justin Brazeau leads Growlers rookies with 33 points (14g, 19a). He has notched three goals against Reading this season (7 pts.).The Growlers rank first in the Eastern Conference scoring 4.0 goals a game. Despite an 0-for-3 power play effort Saturday, the team is best in the Conference in power play percentage (25.1%). Newfoundland’s penalty kill is second worst in the conference, ahead of Reading by three percentage points (78.4%).Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Fri., Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Atlanta (Ladies Night/Wine Tasting)Free Wine Tasting on the concourse with Deerfoot Vineyards, Black River Farms and RoseLawn Bistro | College ID Night: $5 tickets with valid college ID at box office| $1 SmoothiesSat., Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Wheeling (Pink in the Rink)Royals play on pink ice with Fleece Blanket Giveaway to the first 1,500 fans | Breast Cancer Awareness Jerseys$1 Pink Rose Draft Cider | Doubleheader: 1 ticket also gets you admission to the Alvernia Women’s Hockey Game at 2:00 p.m.Sun., Feb. 16 at 4:00 p.m. vs. Worcester (Kids Club Game)Last free postgame skate of the season, presented by Body Zone | Team Photo Giveaway | $1 Hot Dog, $1 Soda & $1 Nacho Concession Special Pricing | Game Included Kids Club Packages presented by Applebee’s, Schuykill Valley Sports and YMCA of Reading and Berks County (Sign Ups Available)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.