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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals move to within one point of first place

February 28, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading's week started off promising until they took to the road. The Royals opened the week with a 3-1 win over the Johnstown Chiefs in the Sovereign Center. The victory evened the Keystone Cup Series at 2-2-0 with each team winning twice on home ice. The Royals took to the road for their final visits of the regular season to Peoria and Toledo. The Rivermen avenged two earlier losses to Reading in Carver Arena with back-to-back wins on Friday, 5-2, and Saturday, 4-2. The five Peoria goals on Friday was just the fourth time all season the Royals have surrendered that many goals in a contest. The Royals finished the week in the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio. Barry Brust stopped 16 shots as Reading skated to a 2-0 victory over the Storm.

Reading starts March with their third consecutive four-game week. The Royals open March at home on Tuesday versus the Johnstown Chiefs. Bowl-O-Rama in Exeter is handing out free bowling passes to the first 2,000 fans. Visiting the Sovereign Center on Friday night will be the Dayton Bombers at 7:05 p.m. ET. It's 80's Mullet night in the Sovereign Center with the first 2,000 fans receiving free mullets. The Royals finish the week at home against the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday evening. ECHL All Star Jeff Miles action cards will be awarded to the first 2,500 fans through the gate. Reading travels to Johnstown on Sunday afternoon matinee game against the Chiefs in the Cambria County War Memorial at 3:00 p.m. ET.

LAST WEEK

Tuesday, February 22 vs. Johnstown Sovereign Center 7:05PM ET

GAME NOTES: The Reading Royals protected home ice in this series claiming their second win in four tries. Reading was paced by Eric Fortier and Cail MacLean who each added a goal and two assists. Cody Rudkowsky stopped 29 of 30 shots to pick up his fifth straight win.

Friday, February 25 @ Peoria Carver Arena 8:30PM ET

GAME NOTES: The Reading Royals dropped their first decision to Peoria, 5-2, in Carver Arena. Reading gave up a season high five goals in the second period, including two shorthanded tallies. Eric Fortier (1g, 1a) and Graig Mischler (2a) each chipped in two points in the loss for the Royals.

Saturday, February 26 @ Peoria Carver Arena 8:00PM ET

GAME NOTES: The Rivermen swept the Royals in the second game of back-to-back affairs in Peoria. The Rivermen grabbed a 2-0 lead after two periods. Reading came back in the third stanza to cut the deficit to one, but they could get no closer. With the loss, Reading still holds the edge in the season series at 3-2-0.

Sunday, February 27 @ Toledo Sovereign Center 3:00PM ET

GAME NOTES: The Royals slammed the Toledo Storm, 2-0, behind a 16-save shutout performance by Barry Brust. Eric Fortier (18) and Mike Sandbeck (5, GW) accounted for the Royals markers both on the power play and both in the second period. For Reading, it was their fifth team shutout of the season.

THIS WEEK Tuesday, March 1 vs. Johnstown Sovereign Center 7:05PM ET

GAME NOTES: Reading and Johnstown meet for the fifth time and third battle in the Sovereign Center. Reading and Johnstown are unbeaten at home in this series (2-2-0). The Chiefs and Royals meet just two more times after tonight with each team hosting one contest.

Friday, March 4 vs. Dayton Sovereign Center 7:05PM ET

GAME NOTES: Reading has dominated the Bombers this season, shutting them out twice and outscoring them by a total of 18-3. The Royals have posted a perfect 4-0-0 record versus Dayton. The two clubs will meet a total of nine times this season with Reading hosting five of those contests.

Saturday, March 5 vs. Wheeling Sovereign Center 7:05PM ET

GAME NOTES: This is an intriguing match-up, especially considering the fireworks after the last meeting. Reading held on to beat Wheeling 4-3 in overtime in a sea saw affair. The Royals have a 5-3-0 record against Wheeling with one more outing remaining in Wheeling on the final day of the regular season (April 9).

Sunday, March 6 @ Johnstown War Memorial 3:00PM ET

GAME NOTES: This game marks the final regular season meeting of the season in Johnstown. This game could decide the Keystone Cup Series. Johnstown claimed the Cup in 2001 and 2003. The Royals won the Keystone Cup in 2002. Reading has a 2-2-0 record against the Chiefs this season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Quick Stats Leading Scorers Leading Goaltenders Overall Record: 30-16-5 Graig Mischler 5-38-43 Barry Brust 2.17 GAA, 17-8-3

Home Record: 14-5-2 Ryan Kinasewich 18-21-39 Matt Yeats 2.38 GAA, 8-2-2

Road Record: 16-11-3 Eric Fortier 16-22-38 Cody Rudkowsky 1.83 GAA, 5-6-0

Overtime Record: 1-1

Shootout Record: 4-4

Penalty Kill: 182/222 82% (20) Plus/Minus Leaders

Power Play: 46/281 16.4% (15) Reagan Rome +16

Jeff Miles +16

Most goals: Eric Fortier (18) Graig Mischler +14

Most assists: Graig Mischler (38)

Most Points: Graig Mischler (43)

Most power play goals: Cail MacLean (9)

Most power play assists: Graig Mischler (17)

Most power play points: Graig Mischler (17)

Most shorthanded goals: Judd Medak (3)

Most Game winners: Jon Francisco & Mike Sandbeck (3)

Most Wins: Barry Brust (17)

Most PIMs: Nick Greenough (100)

ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:

#33 BARRY BRUST 1GP RECORD: 1-0-0 GAA: 0.00 SPCT: 1.00% TEAM RECORD: 2-2-0

The Royals rookie goaltender recorded his second shutout of the season and team's fifth overall as Reading skated to a 2-0 win on Sunday afternoon in Toledo.

BARRY BRUST 6'2" 210LBS HOMETOWN: SWAN RIVER, MB DOB: 4-6-79

LAST YEAR: SPOKANE/ CALGARY (WHL) AMATEUR CLUB: SPOKANE/ CALGARY (WHL)

DRAFT STATUS: 2002 – MINNESOTA – 3RD ROUND (73RD)

ECHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:

#29 ERIC FORTIER 4GP TEAM RECORD: 2-2-0 STATS: (4-3=7) +3

Fortier moved into second place on the Royals scoring list and extended his scoring streak to a team high nine straight games (8-8=16) dating back to February 13. In addition, Fortier has scored a goal in four straight games (2/22 – present). The Princeville, Quebec native chipped in a goal and an two assists in the Royals 3-1 win on Tuesday versus Johnstown and a goal and an assist in Reading's 5-2 Friday in Peoria. He added markers in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Rivermen and Reading's 2-0 victory on Sunday in Toledo.

ERIC FORTIER 6'3" 195LBS HOMETOWN: PRINCEVILLE, PQ DOB: 4-1-81

LAST YEAR: GREENSBORO (ECHL) AMATEUR CLUB: VAL – D'OR FOREURS (QMJHL)

IN THE COMMUNITY: Royals Weekly live from the Classic Café, off Route 183 in Bern Township, tonight. Defenseman #11 Tommy Galvin and captain #12 Cail MacLean will be our special guests. Coach Derek Clancey will join us, along with NHL Hall of Famer and Tampa Bay Lightning scout Bill Barber. Royals Weekly airs live on ESPN radio, 1240AM and via the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com every Monday at 6:00 p.m. during the season.

TEAM STREAKS:

· Reading is tied for the league lead with 12 shorthanded goals

· The Royals rank #2 in GA (2.33) and 8th in GF (3.12) and 2nd in SA (28.86) and 9th in SF (32.78)

INDIVIDUAL STREAKS:

· #15 Graig Mischler (C) seven-game assist streak came to an end (213/05-2/25/05) (1g, 13a)...Mischler has recorded (2g, 16a) in the last ten games and has registered a multiple-point effort in four of his last five appearances...Mischler has scored an assist in eight straight at home (15a) and has an eight-game point streak in the Sovereign Center (2g, 15a) (1/14 – present)

· #29 Eric Fortier (LW) set a new high by scoring in nine straight contests (2/13 – present) (8g, 8a), plus he tied teammate Cail MacLean with a goal in four straight (2/22 – present) (4g)...Fortier has registered a goal in three straight on the road (3g) (2/25 – present)

TRANSACTIONS:

2/20/2005 Delete BEAU GEISLER (D) recalled to Manchester (AHL)

2/22/2005 Add CODY RUDKOWSKY (G) returned from Providence (AHL)

2/22/2005 Delete MATT YEATS (G) placed on 7-day IR

2/22/2005 Delete JAMIE O'LEARY (F) placed on 7-day IR

2/25/2005 Delete R.J. ROY (C) released

2/25/2005 Add DAN WELCH (RW) assigned by Manchester (AHL)

TICKETS AND INFORMATION: The Sovereign Center 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. The Sovereign Center Box Office is located on the corner of 7th and Penn Streets in downtown Reading. 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. If you would like to save money and bring a group of 20-or-more to a game call the Royals hockey headquarters at 610-898-7825 and ask for a ticket representative.

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 and B2 Networks. Join the voice of the Royals, John Curtis for all the play-by-play action. The Classic Café pregame show comes your way approximately 30 minutes before the drop of the puck on the Royals Radio Network presented by Casa Grande Ristorante.

ROYALS ITINERARY: All times subject to change

Monday OFF

Tuesday 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. morning skate; Reading vs. Johnstown 7:05 p.m.

Wednesday 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center; depart for Peoria

Thursday 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. practice at the Sovereign Center

Friday 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. morning skate; Reading vs. Dayton 7:05 p.m.

Saturday 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. morning skate; Royals vs. Wheeling 7:05 p.m.

Sunday Reading @ Toledo 3:00 p.m.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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