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ECHL Reading Royals

One Small Step For Man...

February 4, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


If you've been around "AA" pro hockey long enough, you've no doubt heard the players reference the fact that 'we're all just two small steps away'. It's usually said with a wry smile and a hint of irony-if not outright sarcasm-at one of those moments, when the trials and tribulations of playing a 'minor' pro sport begin to wear a bit thin. Of course, the players are referencing the fact that they really are just two transactions from attaining their life long dream-to play this great game at it's highest level...just two pieces of paper, a couple of signatures, and a plane ticket away from playing in the NHL-where, by the way, I think they're pretty close to getting it right. The players are faster (and bigger-and more agile), the passes are quicker and more precise, the shots are harder, the collisions are more bone jarring, the goaltenders are more athletic and acrobatic, the fights (in certain circumstances) are more ferocious, and the game is just outright more exciting than it has ever been. The pace of the game in the NHL right now is phenomenal . As the San Jose Sharks' Head Coach Ron Wilson recently stated in referencing the 'new' style (and standard of rules enforcement) in the NHL, "we've just about run all of the bad skaters out of the league". Amen. And, quite honestly, it's this level of excellence (not to mention personal growth) that most of us involved with the ECHL are striving to attain- whether as a player, a coach, a member of the front office or even a lowly slug broadcaster. And, for some 346 players (at last count) and a pretty significant number of coaches and front office personnel (and even a few lowly slug broadcasters), the two 'small steps' from the ECHL to the NHL have gone from wry irony to reality. Can I get another 'amen'? This is not intended as a knock at minor pro hockey or the life that we lead here. In fact, there are certain things you can do at this level that don't translate nearly as well in a larger market-witness the level of community outpouring and support enjoyed at the Royals' Pink In The Rink game this past Friday night, which seemed more genuine, touching and real at this 'smaller' grass roots level. What it is a knock at, however, is any effort (or lack thereof) that encourages or allows this great game (and the energy that we all put into it) to be devalued into some second-rate low level trashy version of poorly acted and executed 'soap opera wrestling' where pandering to the basest interests of a minor slice of society over-rides the quest for genuine athletic excellence. We've seen that act before and, quite honestly, most of us have turned the channel. After all, we may be two just steps away from the pinnacle of this great game, but we're also only one small misstep away from going the way of a number of other hockey leagues that we've all seen (and experienced first hand)-that will, in all likelihood, never be heard from again. Here's to staying on track......

TOP TEN NOTES OF THE WEEK

1. The Royals extended the team's win streak to three games with a 4-3 win over Johnstown on Friday. That streak was snapped with the 5-2 loss in Elmira on Saturday, which also snapped a season high four game road winning streak. Reading has won six of the team's last eight games (01/13 - 02/02/08).

2. Reading scored all four of the team's goals on Friday night in the first period, marking the first time this season that the Royals scored four first period goals. It was the second time this season that Reading scored four goals in a single period. (On October 20, 2007, in the second game of the year, the Royals scored four third period goals to come from behind and beat the Johnstown Chiefs, 6-4.)

3. The Royals scored the first goal of Friday night's game (by Chris Blight 45 seconds into the first period), snapping a streak of nine consecutive home games in which the opposition had scored the game's first goal. For the Royals, this marked the twentieth time this season that the team scored the game's first goal, and Reading has compiled a record of 16-2-2 in those games.

4. Reading allowed four goals to the Jackals in the first period of Saturday's 5-2 loss in Elmira. This marked the first time all season that Reading has given up four first period goals against. Reading has given up four goals in a single period three other times this season: (i) November 9 @ Wheeling (second period); (ii) January 2 v. Elmira (third period); and (iii) January 5 @ Cincinnati (third period).

5. The Royals tied a team record for penalty minutes in a single game with 112 PIMs (on 28 infractions) in Saturday's 5-2 loss in Elmira. The 131 PIMs (on 28 infractions) assessed against the Elmira Jackals established a new Royals' team record for penalty minutes assessed against the opponent. The combined penalty minutes assessed against the two teams on Saturday also established a new team record (243). Prior to Saturday, the Royals single game penalty minute records were established on October 20, 2001 (the fifth game ever played in team history), when the Royals racked up 112 PIMS (on 23 infractions) and the Greensboro Generals were assessed with 129 PIMs (on 23 infractions).

6. Chris Blight scored the game's first goal 45 seconds into the Royals' 4-3 win over the Johnstown Chiefs on Friday. That was Blight's third 'first goal' of the season. Blight also scored Reading's second goal in the 5-2 loss in Elmira. That goal was Blight's team leading seventh power play goal of the year. Blight, who leads the Royals with 18 goals, is currently riding a four game point streak (3g-1a=4pts). Since returning to Reading from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL on January 19, Blight has picked up a point in five of the six games he's played for the Royals.

7. Ned Lukacevic returned to the Royals' line-up on Friday night after a nine game absence due to injury and scored what proved to be the game winner that night. That was Lukacevic's second game winner of the season. He also scored the Royals' first goal (to cut Elmira's lead to 2-1 4:27 into the hockey game) on Saturday night. Lukacevic has registered at least a point in four of the last five games he's played for Reading.

8. Patrick Jarrett returned to the Royals' line-up on Friday night after missing thirteen consecutive games due to injury. (Prior to Friday night, Jarrett had only played one game for Reading dating back to November 16 due to a call-up to the Manchester Monarchs and injury.) In Friday's game, Jarrett scored a goal and picked up an assist to register his fifth multi-point game of the season with the Royals (in his sixteenth game with the team).

9. The Royals scored a power play goal in each of the two games played this week. In the last five games, the Royals have scored 3 PPG in 28 chances with the man advantage (10.7% scoring ratio). Over the course of the season, the Royals have scored 40 PPGs in 253 chances, a 15.8% scoring ration (17th in league).

10. The Johnstown Chiefs' third period power play goal on Friday snapped a string of 27 consecutive penalty kills for the Royals over five games dating back to January 19 against the Chiefs. The Royals have only allowed 4 PPGA in the last 48 chances for the opposition with the man advantage (over the last 8 games), which is a 91.7% kill ratio. Over the season, Reading has allowed 52 PPGA in 271 power play chances for the opponents (80.8% kill ratio) (15th in the league).

CLOSING NOTES

1. 7044 fans attended the Royals' Pink In The Rink Celebration on Friday night at the Sovereign Center. That marked the second time this season that Reading has had a crowd of over 7000 fans. On Opening Night (November 3, 2007) 7090 fans were in attendance.

2. Rob LaLonde scored his eighth goal (and third power play goal) of the season in Reading's win last Friday. LaLonde also picked up an assist on Friday for his second multi-point performance of the season. LaLonde is currently riding a three game point streak for the Royals (2g-2a=4pts). LaLonde also picked up his eighth fighting major of the season in Saturday's game in Elmira, which ties him for the team lead in that category with Matt Herneisen and Mike Salekin. LaLonde leads the Royals with 128 PIMs (3rd amongst defensemen in the ECHL).

3. Jon Quick has started 18 of the last 19 games for the Royals. Quick has now dressed in 33 games for the Royals and started 31 of those games. He has played a total of 1824 minutes, which is second in the league in that category. Quick's seventeen wins is currently tied for third in the league. Quick also assisted on the Royals second goal on Saturday. Quick has registered three points this season (1g-2a) with the Royals.

4. Mike Salekin picked up his eighth fighting major (and first pro game misconduct) in Saturday's loss in Elmira. Salekin has accumulated 122 penalty minutes this season, which places him third amongst first year players in that category.

5. Defenseman Shawn Germain played to a plus-two in Friday's win against the Chiefs, marking the third game this season in which he's played to a plus-two or greater. Germain has played to a plus in fifteen games for the Royals this year and currently leads active players on the roster, playing to an overall plus-twelve in thirty-nine games this season.

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