Royals face off with Thunder on St.Hattrick's Night

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, play the Adirondack Thunder Saturday, Mar. 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. This is the tenth of fifteen meetings between the two teams this regular season. The Thunder have won their last two games while the Royals have won eight of their last 10 games.

Reading fell to Adirondack in their last meeting, 3-2, Friday, Mar. 18 at Santander Arena. Three goals in the final 24:26 of play completed a come from behind win backed by a 30 save performance by Brandon Kasel. Reading is 6-2-0-1 this season against Adirondack and have won five of the previous seven meetings.

Reading took a one goal lead into the second period after Grant Cooper cashed in on a rebound off the left pad of Kasel. Patrick Bajkov followed up Cooper’s fifth goal of the season with his 20th goal to add cushion to Reading’s lead with a wrist shot that snapped past Kasels’ glove side.

The Thunder responded with three unanswered goals to complete a come from behind win. Jordan Kaplan ignited Adirondack’s scoring late into the second period on a breakaway goal. Kaplan’s ninth goal of the season cut the deficit to a goal for the Thunder heading into the third period, 2-1.

In the final period of regulation, Adirondack completed the comeback. Paul Meyer scored his first goal of the season to tie the game and Ryan Smith followed with the game winning goal with 1:40 remaining in regulation. From behind Reading’s net, Smith centered the puck from the right side of Nagle’s cage and bounced the puck off of the Royals’ netminder and squeaked the puck into the back of the net to secure Adirondack’s second regulation win over Reading this season in nine meetings.

The Royals hold first place in the North Division as they play their second of five-straight games against divisional opponents. Reading hoists a 33-13-6-2 record with a .685 point percentage. They sit ahead of the Newfoundland Growlers who are in second with a .663 point percentage. The divisional standings follow with Worcester in third holding a .537 point percentage while Trois-Rivières jumps to fourth place with .509 point percentages and Maine falls to fifth place with a .500 point percentage. Adirondack is in last place with a .446 point percentage in 56 games.  

UPCOMING GAMES

ST.HATTRICK’S NIGHT - 3/19/22

• Green Ice

• Retro lunchbox giveaway presented by Deibler Dental

• $10,000 giveaway

• Speciality jersey

• Green beer

$1 Day - 3/20/22

• $1 Popcorn/$1 Nachos/$1 Hot Dogs

• Salute to Essential Workers Sundays presented by Visions Federal Credit Union (Teachers)

• Post-Game skate presented by T-Mobile

MENTAL HEALTH/RECOVERY NIGHT - 3/25/22

• A portion of ticket sales will benefit organizations that support mental health

Buy tickets HERE: www.royalshockey.com/promotions 

Reading Royals season, flex memberships and group tickets are available for the 2021-22 season by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.

About the Royals

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are entering their 20th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 10 of the previous 11 seasons. They are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.