Game 57 Preview: Reading at Maine

Game 57 Preview: Reading at MaineOn the road for two before Sunday home game

Portland, ME – The Reading Royals (34-16-5-1, 74 pts., 2nd North) visit Maine for the final time this regular season and drop the puck Friday at 7:15 p.m. at the Mariners (32-24-2-1, 67 pts., 3rd North). Reading is 5-1-1-0 against the Maine this season, aiding Reading in building a seven-point advantage. Newfoundland is five points ahead of Reading for first. Brampton remains fourth in the North Division at 65 points, two back of Maine.The top-four teams in the North Division qualify for the playoffs. Adirondack is the “first team out” at 57 points, 17 back of Reading.Broadcast Coverage: Watch on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric). Listen on the Deibler Dental In-Arena Broadcast 99.3 FM (for those at the road game) and at mixlr.com/readingroyalsFollowing the Friday contest at Maine, the Royals complete a season-long, five-game road trip at 7:05 p.m. at Worcester.The Royals’ next home game is Mar. 8 at 4:00 p.m. vs. Brampton for First Responders Night, pres. by Met-Ed. Reading is home for the first-ever “Green Ice Weekend” Mar. 13-14 with multiple chances to win luxury prizes ($10,000 Friday, Jeep Compass Limited Saturday pres. by Savage Auto Group) if a fan can guess which Royals player will record a hat trick. Reading will wear special theme jerseys on both nights. Grab $1 green beers and $1 domestics on Friday and giveaways both nights (Deibler Dental Coaster on Friday, BSOHA Puck on Saturday).Road Trip UpdateThe Royals are 2-0-0-1 through the first three games of the five-game trip. Overall, Reading rides a four-game point streak that began at home Feb. 26 against Maine with an 8-0 victory. The eight-goal margin of victory matched the largest ever in Royals history.Tom McCollum has started two of the first three games of the trip and has won them both, allowing three goals. Over his last three starts, McCollum is 3-0-0-0 (3 GA, 1 shutout).Frank DiChiara boasts seven points over the road trip, which is best on the squad. The next two points leaders are rookies; Corey Mackin (5a) and Max Willman (3g, 5pts.). Willman was recalled from loan Wednesday by Lehigh Valley.DiChiara leads the Royals with 16 multi-point games this season and two have been on this trip.Scouting the MarinersMaine has played twice since falling at Reading Feb. 26; the team recovered against Wheeling Feb. 28 with a 3-2 win on a game-winning strike from Greg Chase. The Mariners have surrendered 20 goals in four games after giving up five in the previous quartet of contests.Connor LaCouvee has received the decision in three straight games and is 1-2-0-0. For the season, the former Minnesota State grad transfer has a 20-13-1-1 mark, 2.75 goals against average and .916 save percentage. Francois Brassard has gone 6-5-1-0 with a 2.81 goals against average and .907 save percentage.The Mariners have attempted five fewer shots per game this season than in their inaugural season; the current 27.3/game ranks last in the league. Maine is shooting above the league average at 10.9%, gunning the squad to 3.0 goals per contest, slightly below last season’s pace (3.1).Royals leadersGoals: Cuddemi/DiChiara (21)Assists: DiChiara (36)Points: DiChiara (57)PIM: Mitchell (106)+/-: Knodel (26)Mariners leadersGoals: Wallin (23)Assists: Kile (34)Points: Kile (50)PIM: Robidoux (73)+/-: Nuttle (16)Head-to-head season-series leadersRoyals goals – Mackin (3) | Mariners goals –  Fox (4) |Royals assists – Gaudreau (10) | Mariners assists – Cammarata (7)Royals points – Gaudreau (12) | Mariners points – Cammarata (8)Royals PIM – Cockerill (14) | Mariners PIM – Robidoux (17)Royals +/- – Low (9) | Mariners +/- – Master (3)All-time seriesThe Royals are entering Friday on a six-game point streak against Maine and have not lost in regulation to Maine since Oct. 19. The 5-1-1-0 series record has improved Reading to 10-4-1-0 all-time. At Cross Insurance Arena, the Royals are 4-1-1-0 ever and have points in both games played at Maine this season (1-0-1-0).  The Nov. 11 overtime loss was the second time ever that Reading dropped a game visiting the Mariners. Reading holds a 24.5% success rate on the power play across the past 15 meetings. The team has scored 12 man-up goals during that time and have allowed 11. This season the Royals have surrendered six on 23 chances, giving them a 73.9% penalty kill against the Mariners. This trails last year’s 82.0% where Reading gave up five goals on 27 chances.Season series v Maine Following this matchup, Reading next matches Maine on Mar. 22.Corey Mackin leads Reading with three goals against Maine. The Royals have balanced well with 19 players tallying at least one goal in the series. Matthew Gaudreau has the most points of any player in the series (12) and leads in assists (10). Felix Sandström has one victory over Maine this season (1-1-0-0). Against the Mariners he has a shutout, 2.54 goals against average and .915 save percentage. His first victory was a 5-0 shutout at Cross Insurance Arena on Dec. 27. He made 23 saves in the win.Tom McCollum has a 1-0-0-0 record against Maine (0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv%). His only game was an 8-0 shutout victory on Feb. 26. McCollum also was between the pipes for Maine against Reading one time this season. He won with an ECHL-career-best 44  saves against Reading on Oct. 19, one of Reading’s six regulation losses at home this season.Only three players have double-digit PIM in the series. Garret Cockerill leads Reading with 14.Connor LaCouvee has seen Reading five times this season and has one victory (1-4-0-0, 4.34 GAA, .877 sv%). Francois Brassard is 0-1-0-0 against the Royals (5.84 GAA, .804 sv%). Both goalies allowed four goals in Reading’s 8-0 victory on Feb. 26.Upcoming Home Games: royalshockey.com/promotions Sun.,  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.Fri., Mar. 13 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Norfolk (Mental Health Awareness Night)If a Royals player records a hat trick at the game, one fan will win $10,000 | Special Theme Jersey | Green Ice for the First Time in Royals History | Mental Health Awareness Night | College ID Night: $5 tickets with valid college ID at box office| $1 Green Beer and $1 Domestic Beers | Deibler Dental Royals and Flyers Alumni Coaster Set GiveawaySat., Mar. 14 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Norfolk (Autism Awareness, Scout and Teacher Appreciation) Sensory-friendly game, with subdued atmosphere with music and lighting, plus quiet spaces in the arena | Green Ice3 Lucky Fans will each get to pick a player they think will score a Hat Trick in a contest to win a Jeep Compass Limited | Autism Awareness jerseys | Scout & Teacher Night | BSOHA Royals Puck Giveaway | $1 Rainbow treat or Dippin’ Dots | Diaper Drive to benefit Mary’s Shelter in ReadingAbout 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.