Royals seek win at home for shot at Brabham Cup

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, play the Adirondack Thunder Saturday, Apr. 16 at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena. This is the fourteenth and final meeting between the two teams this regular season. The Royals can win the Brabham Cup, awarded to the team who finishes with the most points in the league, with a win tonight and a Toledo Walleye lost in regulation. Toledo hosts Kalamazoo tonight at 7:15 p.m. in their final game of the regular season. The Royals have won four of their last five games while the Thunder are 1-3-1 in their last five games.Reading defeated Adirondack in their last meeting in overtime, 5-4, on Friday, Apr. 15 at Cool Insuring Arena. Kenny Hausinger’s three-point game and overtime game winning goal edged the Royals over the Thunder on the road. The Royals are 9-3-0-1 this season against Adirondack and 7-1-1 in the month of April.

Reading’s forward, Brennan Saulnier opened the scoring with his first of two goals in the game minutes into the first period. Adirondack tied the game halfway through the first period on a gola amidst a scrum in Reading’s crease. Billy Jerry tapped the puck into the back of the net with Brody Claeys caught out of his crease to tie the game after the first period, 1-1.

After both teams scored a pair of goals to open the second period, Mason Millman put Reading back in front with 1:04 remaining in the period. Millman snapped a wrist shot across Brandon Kasels’ body and into the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season and a Royals lead, 4-3, heading into the third period. 

Jarrod Gourley tied the score for the Thunder and forced the game into overtime with his first goal of the season. 

Three minutes into the overtime period, Kenny Hausinger deflected a puck past Kasel’s blocker side for his 12th goal of the season to win the final road game of the regular season for Reading. 

The Royals hold first place in the North Division as they play their final game of the regular season. Reading hoists a 44-17-7-2 record with a .693 point percentage. They sit ahead of the Newfoundland Growlers who are in second with a .662 point percentage. The divisional standings follow with the third team in the North Division to clinch their Kelly Cup playoff berth, Trois-Riviéres who hold third place with a .529 point percentage while Maine jumps up to fourth place with a .500 point percentage. Worcester falls to fifth place on the outside of the Kelly Cup playoffs with a .500 point percentage while Adirondack is in last place with a .420 point percentage in 69 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.