ECHL Reading Royals

Never say never

Published on November 6, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Well, eight games into the 2006-07 season, we've been able to come to at least one conclusion about this year's version of the Royals-don't ever count them out. In contrast to last season's team, this group has already shown that they can come back- mainly because they've had to: in all eight games this season, the Royals have found themselves trailing their opponent at some point in the hockey game, and in six of those games they've rebounded and picked up at least a point. In last Friday's game, the Royals fell behind Wheeling when the Nailers scored first (something the opponents have done in six of the eight games played thus far); but a goal early in the second by captain Chris Bala (who made his own little 'come back' this weekend) energized the Royals who were able to hold off and then pull away from the Nailers down the stretch. In Saturday's 3-2 loss in Trenton, the Royals fell behind again and unleashed a massive attack in the third period that simply ran out of time. And on Sunday, in the back-end of the home-and-home with the Titans, Reading found themselves trailing by two goals (again) at 3-1; only to claw back and tie it at three; only to give up a late short-handed goal to fall behind again; only to score with just 15 seconds left to tie (again). Now, if we can only figure out a way to come back in a shootout.....

TOP TEN NOTES OF THE WEEK

1. The Royals remained unbeaten at home this season (2-0-2), after defeating the Wheeling Nailers 5-2 on Friday night at the Sovereign Center and then salvaging a point in the shootout loss to Trenton on Sunday thanks to a last gasp goal that came on a James Hiebert re-direct of a Reagan Rome blast with just 15 seconds remaining in the game.

2. Sunday's shootout loss to Trenton marked the third consecutive SOL of the season for the Royals-and two of those have been by identical 5-4 scores to the Trenton Titans at the Sovereign Center. Reading shooters have only scored twice in fifteen attempts in the shootout this season-and both of those were by Kevin Saurette.

3. The nineteen power play chances awarded to the Royals in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to Trenton established a new regular season team record, dating back to the Royals' inaugural season , October 31, 2001 (when Reading had 14 PPs against the now-defunct Greensboro Generals). (The Royals did go 3 for 18 in Game Two of the North Division Semi-Finals against the Wheeling Nailers on April 16, 2006.) Reading's 1-27 performance with the man advantage in the two games against Trenton this week dropped the team's PP scoring ratio to 11.0%, 22nd out of the 25 teams in the league.

4. On the flip side, the Titans went 5 for 19 with the man advantage against Reading on Saturday and Sunday. The Royals PK has allowed 9 power play goals against in 68 chances for the opponents, an 86.76% kill ratio (6th in the league).

5. With his goal against Trenton on Sunday, which served to spark a comeback for the Royals, Shawn Collymore extended his personal point streak to a team high six games (2g - 7a = 9pts). Collymore's first goal as a Royal-Reading's third in the 5-2 win over Wheeling on Friday night-proved to be a game winner.

6. Although Arpad Mihaly had his five game point streak snapped in Friday's 5-2 win over his former team, the Wheeling Nailers. Mihaly came back on Saturday night with his fifth multi-point game (in what was to that point only the team's seventh game of the season), as he factored in both goals for Reading in the 3-2 loss in Trenton. On Sunday, Mihaly picked up another assist and currently leads the team with 7g - 4a = 11pts.

7. James Hiebert had his first multi-goal game for Reading on Sunday, as he scored the Royals' final two goals in that game-his first (the only power play goal for the Royals in 19 chances) tied the game at three; and the other tied it (again) at four with just 15 seconds remaining. Hiebert, who also had two assists in the Royals' 5-2 win over Wheeling last Friday, has had three multi-point performances this season for Reading.

8. In his first game back with the Royals this season, team captain Chris Bala scored a big goal twenty-five seconds into the second period of Friday's 5- 2 win over Wheeling and assisted on two others, including the game winner by Shawn Collymore, that night. Bala also had a two-assist game in the Royals 5-4 shootout loss to Trenton on Sunday-and one of those helpers was on the game tying goal with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation.

9. The Royals scored first in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss when Greg Hogeboom picked up his second goal of the season-and second short-handed goal of the season. This was the fourth short-handed goal of the season for Reading. Hogeboom's first goal marked only the second time this season that Reading has scored first in a game (the other time was the other 5-4 shootout loss to Trenton at the Sovereign Center on October 21, 2006). Six of the eight games played this season by Reading have been resolved by one goal, and the Royals have only won one of those games (the 3-2 season opener in Trenton). Reading has a 1 - 2 - 3 record in one-goal games this season.

10. The Royals are currently riding a three game winless streak on the road, dating to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Toledo Storm on Friday, October 27. Reading returns to the 'scene of the crime' on Friday night when they play the Storm at the Toledo Sports Arena, where the Royals have gone 8 consecutive games without a win, dating to the North Division Semi-Final clinching victory on April 19, 2005.

UNSUNG HERO OF THE WEEK

With all of the elite forwards currently packing the Royals' roster, it would be easy to overlook a couple of the less well heralded members of the front line-particularly if they have a quiet and unassuming demeanor. Such is the case with Kevin Saurette, a 26-year old right wing out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who came to the Royals late last season after a stellar senior season in Canadian University hockey and immediately made his presence felt in the pro ranks. In fact, Kevin scored his first pro goal in only his third game with the team last year and then bagged the final goal of the season for the team in the 5-4 loss to the Wheeling Nailers in Game Four of the North Division Semi-Finals. This season Kevin's play is making him heard again with his boundless energy and competitive drive coupled with an effective scoring touch that has accounted for four goals in the team's first eight games. In fact, Kevin racked up his first multi-goal game with the Royals last Friday against the Wheeling Nailers and followed that with a big goal late in the second period on Saturday in Trenton to give the Royals' faithful hope in the comeback effort. Kevin, who is known amongst his teammates for a sly sense of humor and a fearless abandon for his own safety on the ice, is making Royals fans stand on their feet and make the joyful noise we all love to hear.

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