ECHL Reading Royals

Home sweet, road sour for Royals this week

Published on March 1, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


The Reading Royals dropped from a third place to a fourth place tie with a 1-2-0 week. The Royals handed the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies their worst loss of the season Tuesday night in the Sovereign Center, 6-2. It was the first win over the Bullies in the last three outings. The Royals traveled to Peoria for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday in Carver Arena. The Rivermen ran the table on the Royals winning Friday, 2-0 and Saturday, 5-3. The back-to-back wins by the Rivermen moved them four points ahead of the Royals in the Northern Division standings.

Reading opens the week with a season high seven straight games at home. The Royals rekindle the Keystone Cup Series with Johnstown on Wednesday night. Reading has posted a 3-4-0 mark against Johnstown this season, with the home team protecting home ice in the first seven meetings. The Royals will finish the week with Northern Division battles against first place Wheeling on Saturday and a Sunday afternoon contest against second place Atlantic City. Saturday, the Royals will be wearing special Penske racing jerseys, which will be auctioned off live at the conclusion of the game. Crown Royal is handing out carabiners to the first 1,000 fans over 21 years old. On Sunday, the Royals and Bullies battle for the third time in just over two weeks and RACC is handing out beanie pucks to the first 1,000 fans through the gate.

LAST WEEK

Tuesday, February 24 vs. Atlantic City Sovereign Center 7:05PM

GAME NOTES Sparked by a four goal first period, Reading skated past the defending Kelly Cup Champions, 6-2. Five home team skaters recorded multiple-point efforts, led by rookie forward David Masse's four-point evening (2g, 2a). With the convincing victory, Reading moved to 2-3-2 this year against its division rival.

Friday, January 27 @ Peoria Carver Arena 7:00PM

GAME NOTES: Goaltender Mike Valley and the Rivermen shutout the Royals, 2-0, in the first of back-to-back games. Peoria both of their tallies from rookie defenseman/forward Mike Hoffman. The Royals were held scoreless for just the third time this season. Cody Rudkowsky stopped 38 of 40 shots for Reading in defeat.

Saturday, February 28 @ Peoria Carver Arena 7:00PM

GAME NOTES: The Rivermen completed the weekend sweep over the Royals with a 5-3 victory. The Rivermen were powered by a four-goal (three on the power play) first period. Reading outgunned Peoria 3-0 in the second period but could get no closer. Lars Pettersen and Kent Davyduke tallied a goal and an assist in the loss. Reading and Peoria meet for the final time this season on March 16 in Reading.

THIS WEEK

Wednesday, March 3 vs. Johnstown Sovereign Center 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: Reading broke a three-game slide against the Chiefs with a convincing 6-1 win on Valentines Day in the Sovereign Center. Kent Davyduke recorded the game-winner, while Peter Hamerlik stopped 40 shots in the victory . Reading is 3-4-0 versus Johnstown, with all three wins coming at home, while all four losses have come on the road.

Saturday, March 6 vs. Wheeling Sovereign Center 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals and Nailers have not met for nearly three months. Wheeling won back-to-back games over Reading on January 9 and 11, respectively. Wheeling blanked Reading, 2-0, on January 9 and won, 3-2, in a shootout on January 11 in Wheeling. The Royals are 0-3-2 against the Nailers this season. Wheeling is the only team to beat Reading in regulation in the Sovereign Center (Oct. 31 - (2-1)).

Sunday, March 7 vs. Atlantic City Sovereign Center 1:05PM

GAME NOTES: The rivalry between the defending champs and the Royals is heating up. Reading defeated Atlantic City 6-2 on Tuesday, February 24 in the Sovereign Center. This is the third of five straight games between these two teams in the in Reading. The Royals are 2-3-2 against the Bullies this season.

ECHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#10 David Masse 1GP TEAM RECORD: 1-2-0 STATS: 2-2-4 (2) - First pro 4-point effort

David Masse registered his first four-point game as a professional Tuesday night in a 6-2 win over Atlantic City. Three of Masse's four points took place in the first period of play, as the Royals exploded for four goals. Masse tallied his 9th and 10th goals in the first period, even strength and on the power play, while notching his 24th and 25th assists of the season.
DAVID MASSE 6'0" 190LBS
HOMETOWN: MONTREAL, PQ DOB: 12-2-82 LAST YEAR: QUEBEC (QMJHL)
AMATEUR CLUB: QUEBEC (QMJHL)

ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#1 Peter Hamerlik 2GP RECORD: 1-0-0 GAA: 1.60
SPCT: .956% TEAM RECORD: 1-2-0

Peter Hamerlik ran his unbeaten streak to nine games (7-0-2) with an impressive 6-2 win over Atlantic City. The 29-save performance on Tuesday night in the Sovereign Center in Reading secured the first home victory of the season for Reading over Atlantic City.
PETER HAMERLIK 6'1" 190LBS HOMETOWN: MYJAVA, SLOVAKIA DOB: 1-2-82
LAST YEAR: KINGSTON (OHL)/ CINCINNATI (ECHL) AMATEUR CLUB: KINGSTON (OHL)
DRAFT STATUS: 2002-BOSTON BRUINS – 5TH ROUND, 153RD OVERALL

TEAM STREAKS:
· Reading has the ECHL's best home mark (21-1-3)...The Royals have not lost in regulation at home since October 31.
· Reading has allowed just 39 goals in 25 home appearances (1.56)
· Royals rank 5th on the power play (21.3%) and 6th on the penalty kill (86.2%) in the ECHL
· Reading ranks 3rd in GAA in the ECHL (2.46)
· Royals are 24-0-3 when leading after two periods
· The Royals are 5-0-0 in two-goal games at home while posting an 0-8-0 record in two-goal games on the road
· Reading ranks 2nd in the ECHL in attendance (5,399 per game)

PLAYER STREAKS:
· #4 Defenseman Reagan Rome score in seven straight games (2/13-2/24) (2-5-7)
· #10 Forward David Masse has recorded a point or more in nine of his last ten games (5-10-15)
· #11 Forward Dave Stewart has tallied over 200-minutes in penalties for the fifth straight season
· #15 Center Graig Mischler is tied for 2nd in shorthanded assists (4)
· #16 Forward Peter Hay leads Reading and is tied for 1st among ECHL rookies with 6 game-winning goals
· #1 Goaltender Peter Hamerlik was unbeaten in regulation in February posting a 6-0-1 mark with a 1.42 GAA and .955 save percentage...He is unbeaten in his last nine starts (7-0-2) dating back to 1/25/04
· #30 Goaltender Cody Rudkowsky ranks 6th in the ECHL in GAA (2.33) and 5th in save percentage (.930)

IN THE COMMUNITY: The Royals face off at Casa Grande each week during the season with Royals Weekly and Royals Roundtable. Royals Weekly can be heard live on ESPN Radio, 1240AM from Casa Grande at 6-7 p.m. This week's guests include: Defenseman #22 Eric Lind and forward #24 Chris Lynch and Brian Hoile, Director of Hockey Operations for the Utah Grizzlies. Your calls are welcome at the show by dialing 866-ROY-ALS3!.

FREE PRIZES ARE GIVEN AWAY TO THOSE WHO ATTEND FROM THE CINEMA CENTER OF READING, SCREPESI'S DELI, SUPERCUTS, HOLLYWOOD VIDEO, SENOR TACO, LABATT BLUE AND MORE!

· Tuesday, March 2nd 2:20-3:10 PM: @ Reading High School: Student Assembly - #17 IAN TURNER #18 KENT DAVYDUKE

TRANSACTIONS:
2/24/04 Add JUDD MEDAK (RW) returned from Hershey (AHL)
2/25/04 Delete DEAN ARSENE (D) recalled to Hershey (AHL)
2/25/04 Delete DAVID MASSE (LW) recalled to Hershey (AHL)
2/26/04 Delete JUDD MEDAK (RW) loaned to Syracuse (AHL)

TICKETS AND INFORMATION: The Reading Royals Box Office is open from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Sovereign Center. Individual tickets can be purchased at the Sovereign Center Box Office or at any TicketMaster location. To order tickets by phone, call 215-336-2000. To book a group to a Royals home game call 610-898-7825.

ROYALS ON THE AIRWAVES: All Reading Royals games, home and away, are broadcast on ESPN Radio, 1240AM and on the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com via Sportsjuice. Join the voice of the Royals, John Curtis for all the play-by-play action. The pre-game show comes your way approximately 25 minutes before the drop of the puck.

ROYALS ITINERARY:
All times subject to change
Monday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Tuesday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Wednesday 10:00-10:30 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center; Royals vs. Johnstown 7:05 p.m.
Thursday 12:00-1:00 p.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Friday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Saturday 10:00-10:30 a.m. morning skate; Royals vs. Wheeling 7:05 p.m
Sunday Royals vs. Atlantic City 1:05 p.m.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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ECHL Stories from March 1, 2004


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