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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Sign Forward Ben Gordon

September 7, 2009 - 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 (5'11/180) (24), who hails from International Falls, Minnesota, began the season with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL and was acquired by the Royals in a five-player trade on March 8, 2009. In sixty-three total ECHL games last year, Gordon scored twenty-one goals, assisted on thirty-six others (fifty-seven points) and picked up forty-eight penalty minutes.

Although Gordon, who will be entering his second pro season, scored (and registered an assist) in his third pro game (a 9-7 loss for Cincinnati to the Wheeling Nailers on October 24, 2008), he really didn't hit full stride until mid-January of 2009 when he registered back-to-back four game point streaks for the Cyclones. In his last twenty-three games for Cincinnati, Gordon picked up twenty-nine points (10g-19a). During that stretch, Gordon racked up six multi-point games, including a two-goal performance in a 5-0 win for the Cyclones over the Royals on March 7-the day before he was traded to Reading. In his six games against the Royals last year, Gordon registered six points (3g-3a).

In the trade deadline deal, Gordon, forward Ben McLeod and defenseman Tom Sawatske were traded from Cincinnati to Reading for forward Mac Faulkner and defenseman Gerard Miller and future considerations. Gordon, who played to a plus-16 (+16) overall last year, really hit full gear when he came to Reading, registering eighteen points (6g-12a) in just twelve games with the team. In his first game with the Royals (a 4-2 win over the Wheeling Nailers on March 11), Gordon picked up a pair of assists, which proved to be one of six multi-point performances he had for the Royals. During his season-ending scoring spree, Gordon rang off a seven game point streak for Reading (03/14 - 03/29/09) (4g-8a=12pts) and had at least a point in nine of his final ten games with the team. Gordon's rookie season culminated with his fourth three point performance of the season when he factored in all three Royals' goals (1g-2a) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Dayton Bombers on April 4.

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 open the 2009-10 ECHL season on Thursday, October 15, 2009 (7:05 pm) when the Kalamazoo Wings make their first visit ever to the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Season tickets for the Royals' 2009-10 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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