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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals move into playoff spot after posting 2-1-1 week

March 29, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


The Reading Royals hunt for their first post-season appearance continued this week. Reading claimed five of eight points to jump ahead of Trenton by one point in the Northern Division standings. The Royals have competed in 70 games this season and have a club best 80 points. The Trenton Titans have played in 69 games and posted 79 points. Reading plays Johnstown on Friday while finishing up the season on Saturday versus Toledo. Trenton hosts Atlantic City on Tuesday, while battling Wheeling on Friday and Johnstown on the final day of the regular season.

The Royals began the week trying to do something that they were unsuccessful at doing in seven earlier attempts, beat the Wheeling Nailers. The Royals edged the Nailers, 4-3, in the Sovereign Center to improve their record to 1-4-3 against Wheeling on the season. Reading took to the road for their final two games away from the Sovereign Center. Friday, the Royals met the Cincinnati Cyclones for the fourth and final time this season. Reading beat the Cyclones for the third time posting a 4-3 regulation win. Saturday, the Royals moved on for their ninth and final meeting with the Nailers. Reading salvaged another point against Wheeling, dropping a 3-2 shootout loss. The Royals finished the week against Atlantic City at home. The Bullies edged the Royals, 3-1, to claim their eighth win in ten tries in the season series.

The Royals finish the regular season this week with back-to-back games at home in the "Jungle." Reading hosts Johnstown on Friday night to finish off their ten-game regular season series. The first 2,000 fans through the gate receive the fourth and final series of Rieck's Printing Royals hockey trading cards. The Royals play their 108th home game in team history to finish off the regular season on Saturday against the Toledo Storm. Saturn of Reading is giving away Royals seat cushions to the first 2,000 fans through the gate. Both contests face off at 7:05 p.m. in the Sovereign Center.

LAST WEEK

Tuesday, March 23 vs. Wheeling Sovereign Center 7:05PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals got two goals in each of the first two stanzas, enabling them to get by the ECHL's top team, defeating Wheeling, 4-3. Three forwards picked up multiple points for the home team, led by Lars Pettersen' s two-goal effort. Reading moved to 1-4-3 against the Nailers this season, while improving to 3-2-0 in its last five contests.

Friday, March 26 @ Cincinnati US Bank Arena 7:30PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals finished off their four-game season series with Cincinnati on a high note, winning 4-3. Chris Lynch (1g, 1a), Dave Stewart (1g, 1a) and Brad Church (2a) led the way for Reading registering multiple-point efforts. The Royals finished the season with a 3-0-1 mark against the Cyclones.

Saturday, March 27 @ Wheeling Wes Banco Arena 7:30PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals notched a late third period goal by David Masse to force overtime in which the Nailers prevailed in a shootout, 3-2. The Royals dropped four games in the nine-game season series in shootouts. Masse paced the Royals with a goal and an assist. The Royals finished their regular season series with the Nailers with a 1-4-4 record.

Sunday, March 28 vs. Atlantic City Sovereign Center 5:05PM

GAME NOTES: Pierre-Luc Sleigher broke a 1-1 tie just 20-seconds into the third period giving Atlantic City a lead it would not relinquish, as the defending champs downed Reading, 3-1. Both teams netted power play goals in the first period and the Boardwalk Bullies added an empty net goal with 16-seconds remaining in regulation to ice the contest. For the game, Atlantic City outshot the Royals 38-21.

THIS WEEK

Friday, April 2 vs. Johnstown Sovereign Center 7:05 PM

GAME NOTES: Reading takes on the Chiefs for the final time in the regular season, and for the sixth time at home this year. Johnstown won the Keystone Cup Series this season, taking six of the first nine contests, including the last two in the Sovereign Center. In the last match-up between these two foes, the Chiefs won, 4-3, in front of the largest single-game home crowd in Royals' history (7,235).

Saturday, April 3 vs. Toledo Sovereign Center 7:05 PM

GAME NOTES: These two teams have met only once in 2004, with Reading winning on March 17th at Toledo, 2-1. Overall this season, the Royals sport a 3-0-2 record against the Storm, while going 1-0-1 at home. Goaltender Cody Rudkowsky has allowed just three goals in as many starts versus Toledo this season (2-0-1).

ECHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#10 David Masse 4GP TEAM RECORD: 2-1-1 STATS: 2-4-6 (+1) – Recorded 2 multiple pt. efforts

David Masse led the Royals this week with two multiple-point efforts to help the team to a 2-1-1 record. Tuesday, Masse chipped in with three helpers in the Royals 4-3 win over Wheeling. The Montreal, Quebec native scored a goal on Friday in Cincinnati in a 4-3 victory. Masse followed up that effort with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss to Wheeling on Saturday evening.
DAVID MASSE 6'0" 190LBS HOMETOWN: MONTREAL, PQ DOB: 12-2-82
LAST YEAR: QUEBEC (QMJHL) AMATEUR CLUB: QUEBEC (QMJHL)

ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#30 Cody Rudkowsky 4GP RECORD: 2-1-1 GAA: 2.47 SPCT: .920% TEAM RECORD: 2-1-1

Cody Rudkowsky appeared between the pipes in all four games this week for Reading. The workhorse netminder posted wins on Tuesday and Friday against Wheeling and Cincinnati. The Willingdon, Alberta native dropped a tough decision on Saturday to Wheeling in a shootout, while his lone regulation loss took place Sunday in the Sovereign Center against Atlantic City. Rudkowsky stopped 125 shots during the week (31 per game).
CODY RUDKOWSKY 6'1" 215LBS HOMETOWN: WILLINGDON, AB DOB: 7-21-78
LAST YEAR: TRENTON (ECHL)/ WORCESTER (AHL)/ ST. LOUIS (NHL) AMATEUR CLUB: SEATTLE (WHL)

TEAM STREAKS:

· Reading's March woes continue...The Royals are now 10-28-4 all-time in the month of March
· Royals rank 4th on the power play (20.4%) and 9th on the penalty kill (85.1%) in the ECHL
· Reading finished the season at 12-18-6 on the road this season.
· The Royals have allowed three or more goals in a game at home in nine straight, posting a 2-6-1 record during that span
· Reading has allowed just 72 goals at home this season which ranks second in the ECHL (ATC-70)
· 28 of the Royals' 35 wins have come when Reading scores first
· The Royals are 27-0-3 when leading after two periods

PLAYER STREAKS:

· #10 Forward David Masse...leads the team in the month of March – 10gp (4-8-12) +2...Masse is one of just three players that have a plus rating in the last 10 games (Jamie O'Leary, Dave Stewart).
· #15 Center Graig Mischler is in the midst of his longest scoring drought this season (6 games) – (3/17 goal vs. TOL)
· #2 Defenseman Mat Snesrud has registered assists in the last two outings (3/27-present)

IN THE COMMUNITY: The Royals face off at Casa Grande each week during the season with Royals Weekly and Royals Roundtable. Royals Weekly can be heard live on ESPN Radio, 1240AM from Casa Grande from 6-7 p.m. The taping of Royals Roundtable follows from 7-8 p.m. This week's guests include: Winger #10 David Masse, centers #14 Nick Lees and #15 Graig Mischler, along with ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna. Your calls are welcome at the show by dialing 866-ROY-ALS3!. FREE PRIZES ARE GIVEN AWAY TO THOSE WHO ATTEND FROM THE CINEMA CENTER OF READING, SCREPESI'S DELI, SUPERCUTS, HOLLYWOOD VIDEO, BOWL-O-RAMA, SENOR TACO, LABATT BLUE AND MORE!

Tuesday 3/30/04 5:30 PM @ The Sheraton of Reading END OF THE YEAR LUAU BANQUET - $30/PERSON RSVP - 610-898-7213 Full Team

Wednesday 3/31/04 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM @ CTCE Federal Credit Union Centre Ave. OPEN HOUSE #11 Dave Stewart & #4 Reagan Rome

TRANSACTIONS:

3/23/2004 Add TOMAS SLOVAK (D) assigned by Hershey (AHL)
3/23/2004 Add PETER HAY (RW) returned from Hartford (AHL)
3/24/2004 Delete PETER HAY (RW) loaned to Hartford (AHL)
3/25/2004 Add EMERY OLAUSON (F) signed contract
3/25/2004 Delete TOMAS SLOVAK (D) recalled to Hershey (AHL)
3/26/2004 Add PETER HAY (RW) returned from Hartford (AHL)
3/27/2004 Delete DEAN ARSENE (D) recalled by Hershey (AHL)
3/28/2004 Add TOMAS SLOVAK (D) assigned by Hershey (AHL)

TICKETS AND INFORMATION: The Reading Royals Box Office is open from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Sovereign Center. Individual tickets can be purchased at the Sovereign Center Box Office or at any TicketMaster location. To order tickets by phone, call 215-336-2000. To book a group to a Royals home game call 610-898-7825.

ROYALS ON THE AIRWAVES: All Reading Royals games, home and away, are broadcast on ESPN Radio, 1240AM and on the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com via Sportsjuice. Join the voice of the Royals, John Curtis for all the play-by-play action. The pre-game show comes your way approximately 25 minutes before the drop of the puck.

ROYALS ITINERARY:

All times subject to change
Monday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Tuesday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Wednesday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Thursday 10:00-11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center
Friday 10:00-10:30 a.m. morning skate; Royals vs. Johnstown 7:05 p.m.
Saturday 10:00-10:30 a.m. morning skate; Royals vs. Toledo 7:05 p.m.
Sunday OFF

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