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Skirving Tallies Two Goals, Three Points in Home Opener Loss to Nailers, 5-4

Sunday, October 27th
Skirving Tallies Two Goals, Three Points in Home Opener Loss to Nailers, 5-4

The Reading Royals (3-1-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, dropped their first game of the regular season at the hands of the Wheeling Nailers (2-1-0) by a 5-4 final on Sunday, October 26th at the club’s home opener at Santander Arena. Goaltender Parker Gahagen (2-1-0) suffered the loss in goal for Reading with 31 saves on 36 shots faced. Wheeling’s goaltender Sergei Murashov (1-0-0) earned the win in goal with 16 saves on 20 shots faced. 

BOX SCORE

After a scoreless first period where Reading was outshot 8-4, Wheeling scored the game’s opening three goals to take a 3-0 lead 7:28 into the second period. Matty De St. Phalle at 1:42, Chris Ortiz at 2:19 and Chris Cameron at 7:28 all scored their first goals of the season, with Cameron’s coming as the rookie’s first professional goal, as well. Todd Skirving and Connor McMenamin scored back-to-back goals within a span of 62 seconds to draw the deficit to one at 8:06 and 9:08, respectively.

Reading evened the score, 3-3, on Travis Broughman’s first goal as a Royal 1:16 into the third period. Shane Sellar earned the primary assist on Broughman’s equalizer while Skirving earned the secondary helper. Wheeling responded with a pair of goals by Sam Houde and Logan Pietila at 4:31 and 11:38 to restore their two-goal lead, 5-3.

Skirving notched his third point and second goal in the game to cut the deficit back to one with a shorthanded goal in the final 1:05 of regulation. The shorthanded goal was assisted by Logan Britt and was the final goal in the 5-4 final victory for Wheeling.

The Royals conclude their two-game home opener weekend series with Wheeling on Sunday, October 27th at 3:00 PM.

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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.