ECHL Reading Royals

Reading Royals Weekly

December 8, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


TOP NOTES OF THE WEEK

1. Reading lost the first three games played this week to extend the team's losing streak to a team record eight games (0-8-0) (11/22 - 12/06/08), a streak that was snapped with the team's 6-5 shootout win over the Elmira Jackals on Sunday. That win also snapped a nine game winless streak for the Royals (0-8-1), which tied the team record in that regard.

2. The Royals lost the first two home games played this week to extend the team's home losing streak to a team record five games (0-5-0) (11/22 - 12/06/08), which (again) was ended with the shootout win at the Sovereign Center on Sunday. Reading is currently riding a three game road losing streak (0-3-0) (11/29 - active) and a four game road winless streak (0-3-1) (11/21 - active). The longest road losing streak in team history is five games (11/02 - 11/21/01); and the longest winless streak away from the Sovereign Center is eight games (12/30/03 - 01/24/04).

3. Two of the three losses suffered by the Royals last week were decided by one goal. During the eight game losing streak, five of those games were one goal decisions. Over the course of the season, Reading has played in eleven (of twenty-four) games that have been decided by one goal, and the team has compiled a 3-7-1 record in those games. All three one-goal wins for Reading this year have been shootout wins, i.e. the Royals have lost all seven games in which they have played that have been decided in regulation time with a one-goal differential.

4. Reading scored the first goal in three of the four games played this past week-and twice built leads of 3-0: (i) in Saturday's 4-3 loss to Florida; and (ii) in Sunday's 6- 5 shootout win over Elmira. The Royals have scored the game's first goal in nine games this year and have compiled a record of 2-6-1 in those games. Coming into this season, the Royals had a .754 win percentage in games in which the team scored first (172-48-24).

5. Tyler Doig registered his first multi-goal (and second three point) game for the Royals this season in Friday's 6-3 loss to Elmira (2g-1a). Doig's first goal against Elmira was scored while the Royals were on the power play, and he is currently tied for the team lead with 3 PPG (with Kirk MacDonald). Doig has had racked up four multi-point games for Reading this year, which is second on the team in that category (to MacDonald). Doig also scored a goal in Saturday's game against Florida and picked up an assist in the shootout win on Sunday to extend his current point streak to three games (3g-1a=4pts).

6. David Nimmo, who was acquired by the Royals on Friday from the Florida Everblades, scored a goal and picked up an assist in Friday's loss in Elmira-his first game as a member of the Royals. Nimmo also bagged his shootout effort (shooting first for Reading) in Sunday's win over Elmira.

7. Peder Skinner, who was picked up along with Chris Stevens and Brett Thurston from the Phoenix Roadrunners last Thursday, registered a multi-assist (0g-2a) perform- ance in his first game with the Royals (Friday's 6-3 loss in Elmira). Skinner also registered an assist in the Royals' games on Saturday and Sunday to extend his personal point streak to three games (0g-4a=4pts).

8. Chris Stevens bagged a pair of goals in his first game at the Sovereign Center on Saturday night against the Florida Everblades, marking his first muiti-goal perform- ance as a pro. Stevens also scored the Royals' fifth goal (to re-gain the lead at 5-4 at the 7:05 mark of the third period) in Sunday's shootout win over Elmira.

9. Dan Rudisuela registered his first pro multi-goal game on Sunday against the Elmira Jackals (2g-0a=2pts). That marked the third multi-point game of the year for Rudisuela, who also scored on his shootout shot for Reading-shooting fifth with the Royals down by a goal, i.e. to tie up the shootout (and give Shawn Snider the oppor- tunity to win it, which he did, shooting sixth).

CLOSING NOTES

1. Kirk MacDonald scored a goal and picked up an assist in Sunday's shootout win over Elmira, which was his team leading fifth multi-point game of the season. (He also scored on his shootout shot-shooting third for the Royals). MacDonald is currently tied for the team lead in goals (with Mac Faulkner) (8) and leads the team with fifteen points (8g-7a=15pts).

2.. Danny Taylor played the first three games for the Royals this week and has now appeared in 19 of the 24 games played by the Royals. Taylor leads the ECHL in minutes played (1084) and saves made (539). Taylor is currently riding a per- sonal six game losing (and seven game winless, 0-6-1) streak.

3. On Saturday, James Reimer saw his first action in goal since sustaining an injury in the first period of the Royals' 4-2 loss to the Johnstown Chiefs on No- vember 7, 2008. Reimer faced a season high 51 shots from the Florida Ever- blades on Saturday night. Reimer picked up the shootout win for Reading on Sunday against Elmira, stopping 37 of the 42 shots he faced in 65 minutes of play and three of the six Elmira shots in the shootout. That game marked Reimer's second shootout win of the season. (He stopped all five shooters he faced in the SOW over the Cincinnati Cyclones on November 4, 2008).

4. In the shootout win over Elmira on Sunday, the Jackals outscored the Royals 3-0 in the second period (to tie the game at three). The Florida Everblades out- scored the Royals outscored the Royals 4-2 in the second on Saturday night; and the Johnstown Chiefs outscored Reading 2-0 at the SC on Wednesday. Thus, the Royals were outscored 9-2 in the second period at home this past week. Over the course of the season, the Royals have been outscored 24 - 8 (-16) in the second period at the Sovereign Center.

5. Kevin Harvey received the first call-up to the AHL of his pro career this past week, as he played two games for the Syracuse Crunch. Harvey, who leads the ECHL with 118 pims (and is second with 10 fighting majors), scored his first AHL goal-and (surprise, surprise) was in two fights while with the Crunch. Harvey has registered at least one penalty in every game he's played this year.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics



ECHL Stories from December 8, 2008


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