Game 51 Preview: Brampton at Reading

Streaking Royals host Marvel Super Hero Night  

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals (31-14-5-0, 67 pts., 2nd North) have won eight consecutive games and continue a three-in-three weekend with the team’s second straight home game against the Brampton Beast (29-21-3-0, 61 pts., 3rd North) Saturday at 7:00 p.m.Reading’s eight-game win streak is the longest since Kirk MacDonald became Reading’s Head Coach in 2017. Over the eight games, the team has outscored opponents, 39-15. Friday’s 4-3 win at home over Newfoundland was the sixth season-series win and provided Reading a 6-3-3-0 edge over first-place Newfoundland (73 pts.). Reading is four points clear of third-place Maine. Brampton is six points back of Reading and occupying the division’s fourth and final playoff spot. The Beast lost, 6-1, at Adirondack Friday despite Nathan Todd’s game-opening strike.Today’s promotions: Spider-Man Meet-and-Greet | Marvel Poster giveaway for the first 1,000 fans| Girl Scout Night  | Abilities in Motion Night | Special Spider-Man Theme Jerseys | One fan has a chance to win four first-class flight tickets and a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando if a Royals player gets a hat trick (pres. by Berkshire Travel)Broadcast coverage: Listen on the Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast 99.3 FM and mixlr.com/readingroyals. Watch on ECHL.tv.A Royals win would…Extend the winning streak to nine games, the longest since 2014-15’s franchise-record 12-game winning streak…Be the 5th straight season-series win against Brampton…Lift Reading to 18 games above hockey .500 for the first time since 2014-15.Last Time OutThe Royals scored three goals in the first period, including a brilliant deke through two and backhand finish from Brayden Low, to wedge by Newfoundland, 4-3, Friday at Santander Arena.On that goal, Low grabbed the puck and zigzagged his way to the high slot before unleashing a deke that got him to the right slot. The goal provided Reading a two-goal advantage, 3-1, in the first’s final two minutes. Newfoundland did not score their third goal until the final ten seconds of the game.Felix Sandström blocked 28 shots for his fifth straight win. Hayden Hodgson gave Reading a 4-1 lead on the breakaway for his ninth of the season.Chance for a trip to OrlandoThe Royals have three more home games this season, including Saturday, where one fan has the opportunity to win special prizes if they guess which Royals player will record a hat trick. Tonight, fans can register at the info desk and one will be chosen randomly; if that fan successfully guesses which Reading player will score three goals, that person wins four first-class flight tickets and a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando (pres. by Berkshire Travel).On Mar. 13-14, the team has a pair of similar giveaways. On Mar. 13, $10,000 is up for grabs for three lucky fans selected at random; each will guess which Royals player they think will score three goals. If their selected player does, that fan will win $10,000. On Mar. 14, three lucky fans will be selected randomly and guess which Royal will record a hat trick. If the fan guesses correctly, they will win a 2019 Jeep Compass Limited, pres. by Savage Auto GroupHistory of Royals fans winning hat trick prizes2008: Ned Lukacevic scored a hat trick and 1 fan won $10,0002012: Mikael Bedard scored a hat trick and 1 fan won $10,000Almost happened this season: Steven Swavely scored twice and 1 fan almost won a 2019 Jeep Compass LimitedSingle-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.Royals leadersGoals: Cuddemi (21)Assists: DiChiara (32)Points: DiChiara (49)PIM: Mitchell (106)+/-: Knodel (25)Beast leaders Goals: Vallorani (24)Assists: Pacan/Vallorani (32)Points: Vallorani (56)PIM: Petgrave (63)+/-: Leavens (23)Seven left Following Saturday’s home game, the Royals have seven remaining in the 2019-20 season, pres. by Tower Health UPMC Health Plan. There are 14 road games left.The Royals have trips remaining to Adirondack, Newfoundland, Worcester, Maine, Wheeling and Norfolk. The Royals have winning series records against all six of those teams.Zerter-Gossage assists in first game In his Royals debut, forward Lewis Zerter-Gossage recorded a secondary assist on Matthew Strome’s game-opening tally five minutes into the game.This season, Zerter-Gossage appeared in 13 games for Maine (1g, 6a) while dressing in 25 for Hartford (AHL).The former Harvard University captain was reassigned to Reading after being traded from Hartford to Lehigh Valley.All-time series Reading has 15 wins ever against Brampton (15-12-5-0), ten of which have come since Kirk MacDonald took over as Head Coach. In Reading, the Royals are 6-7-2-0 against Brampton, compared to a 9-5-3-0 at the CAA Centre.Season seriesSince starting 0-2-0-0 vs. Brampton, Reading has rattled off four consecutive wins against the Beast and outscored Brampton, 16-9. The last two wins have come at the CAA Centre; Reading completed the eight-game series with a 2-2-0-0 mark in southern Ontario.With two home games to go in the series, Reading is 3-0-0-0 when scoring first and has two come-from-behind wins. The last head-to-head game at Santander Arena was Dec. 14, when Reading fell behind by two. In that Teddy Bear Toss game, Steven Swavely tied the score at four halfway through the third and Garrett Mitchell sniped the game-winning goal in with six minutes left for a 5-4 win.The team’s last played Feb. 14 at Brampton and Reading won, 3-1. Jeremy Beaudry scored his fourth of the season. Three of his goals have been vs. Brampton, including his first Royals multi-goal output Dec. 29 at the CAA Centre. He leads all Royals in series goals, while Matthew Gaudreau boasts the series points edge (2g, 9pts.).Lindsay Sparks (4g, 5 pts.) and David Vallorani (4g, 6pts.) are the top goal scorers in head-to-head games.Felix Sandström is 2-1-0-0 with a 2.69 goals against average and .919 save percentage in the series. Alex Dubeau is 1-4-0-0 against Reading and has allowed 19 goals (3.85 GAA, .876 sv.%). Andrew D’Agostini has faced Reading once this season (3 GA, 29 svs) and took a loss when D’Agostini played Toledo. He’s 1-2-0-0 against the Royals in his career and went 6-2-2-0 last season when he netminded for the Royals.Royals-Beast head-to-head leaders this seasonRoyals goals – Beaudry (3)                Beast goals –  Vallorani/Sparks (4)Royals assists – Gaudreau (7)             Beast assists – Leavens/Bradford (4)Royals points – Gaudreau (9)             Beast points – Vallorani/Bradford (6)Royals PIM – Mitchell (31)                Beast PIM – Petgrave (12)Royals +/- – 3 w/ (3)                           Beast +/- – Pacan (4)Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Wed., Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Maine Free Souvenir Cup Refills at the concession standsSun.,  Mar. 8 at 4:00 p.m. vs. Brampton (First Responders Game, Pres. by Met-Ed)Game pres. by Met-Ed - the Reading Fire/Police squads face the Allentown squads before the game at 12:30 p.m. - 1 ticket includes admission to both games |  $1 Hot Dogs, Sodas and Nachos | Touch a Truck Event for Kids | Faith & Family Night - Church Group Rates Available | Heaven’s Thunder music performance | Last Postgame Party of the season with players at Cheers! Restaurant at the DoubleTree Hotel.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.