Royals clash with Thunder in final road game of the regular season

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, play the Adirondack Thunder Friday, Apr. 15 at 7:00 p.m. at Cool Insuring Arena. This is the thirteenth of fourteen meetings between the two teams this regular season. The Royals can clinch the North Division as well as Eastern Conference title to secure home ice advantage for the first three rounds of the Kelly Cup playoffs beginning Wednesday, Apr. 20, at Santander Arena with a win tonight. The Royals have won four of their last five games while the Thunder are 2-3 in their last five games.

Reading defeated Adirondack in their last meeting, 4-3, on Wednesday, Apr. 6 at Santander Arena. A 25 save performance by Logan Flodell and two-point game for Kevin Conley in his professional debut propelled the Royals over the Thunder at home. The Royals are 3-2-0-0 this season against Adirondack.

Conley’s first professional goal with a one-timer past Alex Sakellaropoulos in net for the Thunder put Reading on the board minutes into the opening period, 1-0. 

Reading jumped out to a three-goal lead with goals from Patrick Bajkov and Mason Millman. Bajkov scored his first of two goals in the game with a wrist shot off of a face off win by Trevor Gooch. Brayden Low and Conley earned the helpers on Millman’s seventh goal of the season with a crisp set of passing that the defenseman finished off on a shot that beat Sakellaropoulos low glove side.

Adirondack responded with a pair of goals to cut the deficit to one goal. Shane Harper scored on a shorthanded breakaway on Reading’s second power play of the game and Luke Stevens tapped in a puck that trickled out of a scrum in Flodell’s crease to make it a one-goal game a minute into the third period, 3-2.

Bajkov put Reading back ahead by two goals with his second goal of the game that served as the game winning goal. The Thunder pulled their netminder with four minutes remaining in regulation and scored with the extra attacker on for Grasso’s team leading 24th goal of the season. The Royals defense held Adirondack to one final shot on net in the final 2:04 to secure the home ice win.

The Royals hold first place in the North Division as they play their final road game of the regular season. Reading hoists a 43-17-7-2 record with a .688 point percentage. They sit ahead of the Newfoundland Growlers who are in second with a .664 point percentage. The divisional standings follow with Trois-Riviéres in third place with a .522 point percentage while Worcester takes fourth place with a .507 point percentage. Maine sits on the outside of the Kelly Cup playoffs in  fifth place with a .500 point percentage while Adirondack is in last place with a .419 point percentage in 68 games. 

UPCOMING GAMES 

FANDEMONIUM - 4/16/22

• Free souvenir cup refills for season ticket holders

• Prizes at every break

• Royals 20 for 20 presented by Visions Federal Credit Union, ServPro, ET Electric, and Comcast Business

• Post-Game Skate presented by T-Mobile

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 2022 Kelly Cup playoff clinched 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.