ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Re-Sign Forward Ben Gordon

Published on August 10, 2010 under 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 signed forward Ben Gordon. Last season, Gordon (5'11/194) (25), who hails from International Falls, Minnesota, was the Royals' second leading scorer with sixty-nine points (24g-45a) in fifty-six regular season games. Gordon also earned four separate call-ups to the AHL last season, scoring two goals and assisting on five others in sixteen total games with the Providence Bruins, Marlies and Abbotsford Heat. He also racked up twelve points (2g-12a) in sixteen playoff games for Reading. Gordon, who has played to a cumulative plus-12 (+12) in his time as a Royal, is currently eighth on the team's career all-time scoring list with eighty-seven points (30g-57a) in sixty-eight total regular season games.

Gordon, who will be entering his third year of pro, was originally acquired by the Royals in a trade-deadline deal with the Cincinnati Cyclones late in the 2008-09 season. After arriving in Reading, he promptly went on a scoring rampage, racking up eighteen points (6g-12a) in the final twelve games of that season. After re-signing with Reading in the off-season, Gordon picked up pretty much where he left off, particularly from early November through mid- January, when he notched forty-seven points (16g-31a) over a span of twenty-eight games-a pace which included eighteen separate multi-point performances. Included in that string were a five point game (3g-2a) in which he registered his first pro hattrick (against Johnstown on December 16) and a four assist performance against the Florida Everblades on January 10, 2010.

The month of December was replete with honors for Gordon, who became the first Royal ever to win the ECHL's Player of the Week Award twice when he garnered that award during the week December 14 - 20. (He also had been honored as Player of the Week as a member of the Royals in March of 2009.) He followed that up by becoming the first Royal ever to be selected as the ECHL's Player of the Month, while also receiving the league's award as the Plus Performer of the Month for December. During that same time period, Gordon was selected to represent the Royals at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition in Ontario, California, and was loaned to the Marlies where he rang off a four game point streak (2g-3a).

Gordon caught fire again for Reading down the stretch, as he registered nineteen points (5g-14a) in the final seventeen games of the regular season. Gordon, who received the Fan's Choice Award from Royals' fans at the conclusion of the regular season, continued his torrid scoring touch through the playoffs when he not only racked up fourteen points (2g-12a) in the team's sixteen playoff games; but also scored what might have been his biggest goal of the year at the 11:01 mark of the third period to bag the tie-breaking game winning goal in Reading's series sweeping 2-1 win over the Florida Everblades in Game Four of the American Conference Semi-Finals.

Prior to turning pro, Gordon played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Minnesota, where he scored thirty-nine goals and assisted on fifty-nine others (ninety-eight points) in 148 games with the Golden Gophers. In his senior season, Gordon tied for the team lead with fifteen goals and led his teammates with seven power play goals and three game winners. In his junior season, 2006-07, Gordon scored Minnesota's second goal in the team's 3-2 overtime victory over the University of North Dakota in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship game. Gordon was awarded the Dr. V. George Nagobads Unsung Hero Award with the Golden Gophers during his sophomore season. Gordon matriculated to Minnesota after a stellar high school hockey career at International Falls High School, which included leading the Minnesota State High School League in scoring during his senior year. During that same season, 2002-03, Gordon helped the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League capture the Clark Cup championship.

The Royals host the team's tenth anniversary home opener on Saturday, October 23, 2010 (7:05 pm), when the Elmira Jackals visit the Sovereign Center. Also, be sure to catch the Royals' season opener live from Trenton, New Jersey, (@ Trenton Devils Saturday, October 16, 2010 @ 7:00 pm)-and all of the team's away games this year-on Royals TV exclusively on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Season tickets for the Royals' 2010-11 season are currently available. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com .

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