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Royals open second round of playoffs vs. Growlers at home

Saturday, May 7th
Royals open second round of playoffs vs. Growlers at home

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, open their second round against the Newfoundland Growlers in game one of the best of seven series in the 2022 Kelly Cup playoff Division Final round on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Santander Arena. Reading looks to remain unbeaten at home in the Kelly Cup playoffs while the Growlers look to improve their 1-2 road record in the postseason. This is the tenth meeting between the two teams this season where Reading leads the season series 5-3-1.Reading fell to the Newfoundland Growlers in their last meeting of the regular season, 5-3, Sunday, Feb. 20 at Santander Arena. Evan Neugold and Jeremy McKenna each scored two goals games while Growlers' goaltender Evan Cormier saved 37 shots to propel Newfoundland over the Royals on the road.

Newfoundland scored first with the lone goal in the first period. Neugold tapped in a rebound past Hayden Hawkey in net for Reading who saved 20 of 24 shots faced. Trevor Gooch answered back for the Royals with a power play goal. A booming one-timer from Patrick Bajkov rebounded off of Cormier’s left pad to Gooch who buried the first of five goals in the second period.

The Growlers scored three-straight goals to take a 4-1 lead in the middle frame. Neugold, Matteo Pietroniro and Jeremy McKenna found the back of the net to jolt Newfoundland ahead. Late into the period, Jacob Pritchard cut the deficit to two goals off of a feed from Thomas Ebbing to send the game into the third period with the Growlers in the lead, 4-2.

Late into the third period, the Royals teased a Sunday afternoon overtime period, but came up short in the final 1:27 of regulation. Ebbing scored his second goal of the game to cut the Royals’ deficit to one-goal. With Hawkey pulled from his net and the extra skater on the ice for Reading, the Growlers defensive effort prevailed with a pair of blocks in the final minute. Jeremy McKenna sealed the game with his second goal on the Royals empty net.

The Royals finished as the first place in the North Division and begin a best of seven series against the Growlers who are the second seed in the Eastern Conference in the Kelly Cup playoffs. Reading hoisted a 45-17-7-2 record with a .693 point percentage while the Growlers finished second place in the North Division with a .664 point percentage. The Growlers eliminated the third seeded Trois-Rivières Lions in their Divisional Semifinal round four games to three. UPCOMING KELLY CUP PLAYOFF GAMES

Division Finals (vs. Newfoundland Growlers):

  • GAME 1 - HOME (Saturday May 7 at 7:30 p.m.): BUY TICKETS!

  • GAME 2 - HOME (Sunday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m.): BUY TICKETS!

  • GAME 3 - AWAY (Tuesday, May 10 5:30 p.m.)

  • GAME 4 - AWAY (Wednesday, May 11 5:30 p.m.)

  • GAME 5* - AWAY (Thursday, May 12 5:30 p.m.)

  • GAME 6* - HOME (Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m.): BUY TICKETS!

  • GAME 7* - HOME (Monday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m.): BUY TICKETS!

    • *If necessary

Buy tickets HERE: https://bit.ly/2ndRdKellyCupPlayoffs

Reading Royals season, flex memberships and group tickets are available for the 2022-23 season by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.

About the North Division and Eastern Conference Champion Royals

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are entering their 21st season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 11 of the previous 12 seasons. They are five-time division champions and the 2021-22 Eastern Conference champion. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.