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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Add Forwards Joe Cucci and Richard Purslow

August 17, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forwards Joe Cucci ("KOOCH ee") and Richard Purslow ("PERZ low"). The Royals have announced thirteen players as signed for the 2011-12 season-eight forwards (Phil Aucoin, Ryan Cruthers, Casey Haines, Olivier Labelle, John Scrymgeour, Everett Sheen, Cucci and Purslow) and five defensemen (Bryan Brutlag, Dave Cowan, Chris Nutini, Denny Urban, and Rob Kwiet).

Last season, Cucci (5'10/191) (25), who hails from Bloomingdale, Illinois, was the third leading scorer for Merrimack College with thirty-six points (14g-22a) and thirty-two penalty minutes in thirty-eight games. At the conclusion of his senior season, Cucci played two regular season games and one playoff game with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Cucci, who led Merrimack-and was second in Hockey East-with ten power play goals last season, was an integral part of a Warrior squad that made it to the Hockey East tournament finals for the first time in school history. That run earned Merrimack the school's first berth in the NCAA Tournament since 1988. Cucci's most prolific game last season may have come on February 4, 2011, against Northeastern University when he racked up a hattrick which included the game winner in overtime. His most dramatic overtime game winner, however, may have come in his junior season, when scored 2:16 into OT in Game Two of the Hockey East Quarterfinal matchup against the Boston University Terriers to give the Warriors their first win at BU since 2001. Cucci, who was a three-time member of the Hockey East All-Academic team, registered eighty-seven points (32g-55a) and 128 penalty minutes in 122 total collegiate games.

Last year, Purslow (5'10/181) (25), who hails from Greenlawn, New York, was the third leading scorer for the University of Nebraska-Omaha with thirty-three points (13g-20a) and twenty-seven penalty minutes in thirty-nine games with the Mavericks. Purslow was an integral member of the UNO team that spent twenty-two weeks among the top-fifteen teams in the nation in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll, including three straight weeks at Number Four, the highest ranking in school history. The Mavericks qualified for the NCAA Tournament, but were eliminated in the opening round by eventual Frozen Four finalist, University of Michigan. Purslow, who was selected to the All-WCHA Academic Team at the conclusion of his senior season, registered ninety-one points (40g-51a) and sixty-one penalty minutes in 146 total collegiate games.

The Royals face the Cincinnati Cyclones in the team's 2011-12 ECHL home opener on Saturday, October 22, 2011 (7:05 pm). Royals' season tickets are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com . Is your club, group, or organization looking for fun and entertaining speakers for an upcoming event' Contact the Royals' Speakers Bureau to book a team representative for your next outing. More information on the Royals Speakers Bureau is available by contacting Mark Thompson at 484-400-3565 or mthompson@royalshockey.com.

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