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ECHL Reading Royals

Joe Zappala Returns To Reading

July 24, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, today announced that the team has signed forward Joe Zappala ("zah - PAL - ah"). Last year, in his first full season as a pro, Zappala (6'0"/205 lbs), who turned twenty-four in May, ranked second on the Royals in goals (23) and points (53) in sixty-six games, while racking up 120 penalty minutes. Zappala, who hails from Medford, Massachusetts, was selected as the team's Rookie of the Year and was the co-recipient of the Royals' Community Service Award.

Zappala's play hit high gear last December, when he scored nine goals (four of which proved to be game winners), assisted on six others (15 points) and racked up 28 penalty minutes in fourteen games, earning the ECHL's Rookie of the Month honors. That stretch included Zappala's first pro hattrick-on December 10, 2006, against the Trenton Titans-a game in which he not only scored the game winner, but also picked up a fighting major. Zappala, who registered ten fighting majors over the course of the season, bagged five game winners last year, which tied him for the team lead in that category. Zappala, who had fourteen multi-point games with the Royals last season, finished 2006-07 on a tear, scoring seven goals and assisting on nine others (16 points) in the team's final thirteen games.

A 2002 graduate of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, where he was selected to the All-New England Prep School First Team, Zappala played his collegiate hockey at Yale University. In a stellar four year career for the Bulldogs, he scored thirty-nine goals, assisted on forty-four others (83 points) and picked up 152 penalty minutes in 124 total college games. In his sophomore season, Zappala earned a selection to the All-Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League's Second Team, when he exploded for a team high eighteen goals, nine of which proved to be game winners-which led the entire nation in that category. At the conclusion of that season, Zappala was selected as a finalist for the Walter Brown Award which is given to the best American-born college hockey player from New England. In his junior year at Yale, Zappala, who three times was selected to the ECAC's All-Academic Team, received an All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award, which recognizes a student-athlete's dedication to athletic conditioning. After the conclusion of his senior season at Yale, Zappala joined the Trenton Titans for his first taste of pro hockey during the final stages of the Titans' 2005-06 ECHL campaign. In his third game as a pro, on March 26, 2006, which happened to be against the Royals at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, Zappala (true to form) picked up his first point as a pro, got into a fight with Royals' captain Reagan Rome, and scored on his attempt in the eventual shootout-which took twelve rounds to resolve in favor of the Royals, 3-2.

The Royals' home opener is on Saturday, November 3, 2007, against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Royals' full Season Tickets and Total Choice Flex Plans are now on sale. To obtain more information on becoming a part of Royals' hockey, call 610-898-PUCK to speak with Royals' ticket representative or visit the Royals website, www.royalshockey.com.

11 Joe Zappala Medford, MA FORWARD

HT: 6'00"

WT: 205

DOB: 05-07-83

SHOOTS: L

Career Notes:

v Led Team, Scoring, Deerfield Academy High School (25g - 16a = 41pts in 26 games) (2001-02)

v Selected, All New England Prep School Team, Deerfield Academy (2001-02)

v Selected, League Rookie of the Week, Eastern College Athletic Conference, Yale University, January 20, 2003

v Second On Team, Freshman Scoring (9g - 6a =15pts), Yale University (2002-03)

v Selected All-League Academic Team, ECAC, Yale University (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06)

v Selected All-League, Second Team, ECAC, Yale University (2003-04)

v Led League, Game Winning Goals (9), NCAA, (also, School Record), Yale University (2003-04)

v Led Team, Goals (18), Yale University (2003-04)

v Tied Team Lead, Points (30), Yale University (2003-04)

v Finalist, Walter Brown Award (Best American-born Hockey Player in New England), Yale University (2003-04)

v Selected, All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete Of Year Award, National Strength & Conditioning Association (2004-05)

v Tied Team Lead, Assists (15), Yale University (2005-06)

v Selected as CCM Vector ECHL Rookie of the Month (9g-6a=15pts, +7, 4gwg in 14 games), December, 2006

v Selected, Rookie of the Year and Community Service Award, Fans' Choice Awards, Reading Royals (2006-07)

v Second On Team, Goals (23) and Points (53), Reading Royals, ECHL, 2006-07

v Tied Team Lead, Game Winning Goals (5), Reading Royals, ECHL, 2006-07

2007-08 Transactions:

v Signed To Reading Royals ECHL Contract, 07/24/07

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