Royals Host Nailers on Opening Night at Santander Arena, Pre-Game Block Party & Post-Game Firework Show

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals (3-0-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, play their home opener at Santander Arena on Saturday, October 26th at 7:00 p.m. against the Wheeling Nailers (1-1-0-0). The home opener opens a two-game series with the Nailers, which concludes on Sunday, October 27 at 3:00 p.m.

The Royals hoist a record of 9-9-1-3 in home openers with their last home opener victory coming against the Norfolk Admirals, 6-4, on October 23 of the 2021-22 season.

In addition to the game, Opening Night will feature a Pre-Game Block Party immediately outside of Santander Arena on Penn Street. Fans can enjoy family activities and games, music, inflatables, Slapshot and Ice Angel photo opportunities, red carpet introductions of the 2024-25 Royals, and MORE right up to the first puck drop of the season at home!

For tickets to Opening Night, and all 36-home games this season, visit: Single Game Tickets
 

Royals Right Now:

The Royals defeated the Trois-Rivières Lions in their season opener on Friday, October 18th, 3-2, and the Worcester Railers in their second and third games of the season, by a final score of 2-1 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Forward Tyler Gratton (2g-1a) led the Royals's offense with three points, while goaltender Parker Gahagen went 2-0 in goal with a 1.50 goals-against-average and .923 save-percentage. The effort earned Gahagen the ECHL's Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Week honor. The Royals improved to 9-11-3-0 all-time in season openers and 6-9-2 in season openers on the road. 

Scouting the Nailers:

Wheeling is led by fifth-year head coach Derek Army and is off to a 1-1-0-0 start to their 2024-25 regular season after splitting their season-opening two-game series against the Maine Mariners.

The Nailers finished third in the Central Division and 12th overall in the ECHL with a 38-28-5 record in the 2023-24 season. ECHL affiliates to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Nailers will compete in the same division as Reading for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign.

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The games will be streamed live on the Royals Broadcast Network available on the following platforms: 

FloSports: flosports.link/3yarTg4

Mixlr: mixlr.com/readingroyals

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Follow the Royals on X, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to the 𝘙𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 email list to know when promotions and deals at all 36 homes games this season goes live!

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2024-25 Season Memberships

Royals365 Season Memberships, six-game plans, ten-game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2024-25 season now 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 in their 23rd season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 12 of the previous 14 seasons. They are five-time division champions and were 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.