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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals stave off elimination

May 3, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


The Reading Royals and Florida Everblades opened their Eastern Conference Finals series with each team protecting home ice this week. Despite outshooting Florida two to one in the opening battle, Reading dropped game one 1-0 in Teco Arena in Estero, Florida. The Everblades outscored the Royals three to one in the third period to take a two game to none advantage with a 5-3 victory in game two. The Royals rebounded with a 6-0 shutout victory at home in game three of their best-of-five series on Sunday afternoon. Rookie goaltender Steve Belanger stopped 26 shots for the second shutout victory for the Royals in the postseason.

Reading and Florida meet in game four of the Conference Finals on Wednesday, May 5 in the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. Face off is set for 7:05 p.m. with a Y102 Cinco De Mayo tailgate party beginning at 5:00 p.m. on 7th and Penn Streets, outside of the Sovereign Center. Body Zone will be giving away Royals Rally Towels to the first 2,000 fans through the gate. Every fan in attendance will receive a Royals rally towel courtesy of the Reading Eagle. If a decisive game five is necessary, it will be played in Teco Arena in Estero, Florida on Monday, May 10.

Reading vs. Florida (Kelly Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Finals – best-of-five series)
(Everblades lead series 2 games to 1)

Wednesday, April 28 @ Florida Teco Arena 1-0L
Friday, April 30 @ Florida Teco Arena 5-3L
Sunday , May 2 @ Reading Sovereign Center 6-0W
Wednesday, May 5 @ Reading Sovereign Center 7:05 PM
Monday, May 10 @ Florida * Teco Arena 7:30 PM

* (if necessary)

Reading vs. Peoria (Kelly Cup Playoffs – Northern Division Finals – best-of-five series) (Royals win series 3 games to 1)

Saturday, April 17 @ Peoria Carver Arena 2-1OTW
Monday, April 19 @ Peoria Carver Arena 4-2L
Wednesday, April 21 @ Reading Sovereign Center 3-2W
Thursday, April 22 @ Reading * Sovereign Center 3-1W

Reading vs. Wheeling (Kelly Cup Playoffs – Northern Division Semifinals – best-of-five series)
(Royals win series 3 games to 2)

Thursday, April 8 @ Wheeling Wes Banco Arena 3-1L
Friday, April 9 @ Wheeling Wes Banco Arena 3-2W
Saturday, April 10 @ Reading Sovereign Center 4-3W
Tuesday, April 13 @ Reading Sovereign Center 3-1L
Wednesday, April 14 @ Wheeling Wes Banco Arena 4-0W

LAST WEEK

Wednesday, April 28 @ Florida Teco Arena (Game #1) 7:30 PM

GAME NOTES: Despite outshooting the Florida Everblades 45-20, the Reading Royals dropped game one of the Eastern Conference Finals, 1-0. Reggie Berg scored the lone goal 1:01 into the third period to give Florida a one game edge in the best-of-five series. Reading posted highs in the postseason for shots on goal for (45) and shots against (20) in the contest.

Friday, April 30 @ Florida Teco Arena (Game #2) 7:30 PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals overcame a 2-0 deficit to take the lead in the third period 3-2, but fell in the end 5-3 to the Florida Everblades in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. Brad Church (2g, 1a) and Lars Pettersen (3a) paced the Royals in defeat. Cody Rudkowsky stopped 46 shots in defeat for Reading.

Sunday, May 2 vs. Florida Sovereign Center (Game #3) 1:05 PM

GAME NOTES: The Royals posted their second shutout of the season behind a 26-save performance by rookie Steve Belanger to stave off elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals. Graig Mischler posted two goals and two assists, including the game winner for Reading, who forced a game four in the series. Kent Davyduke (1g, 1a) and Leon Hayward (1g, 1a) posted multiple-point efforts for Reading in the victory.

THIS WEEK

Wednesday, May 5 vs. Florida Sovereign Center (Game #4) 7:05 PM

GAME NOTES: Reading and Florida meet in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals in the Sovereign Center in Reading. Each team has protected home ice in the best-of-five series. The Royals ended a six-game winning streak by the Southern Division Champs and in the process won three straight games at home in the postseason.

Monday, May 10 @ Florida Teco Arena (Game #5) 7:30 PM

GAME NOTES: Game five, if necessary, will be played in Teco Arena in Florida.

ECHL PLAYOFF PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#15 Graig Mischler 3GP TEAM RECORD: 1-2 STATS: 2-2-4 (+2) –
Registered first 4-point game Graig Mischler (2g, 2a) recorded his first four-point effort in the postseason to pace the Royals to a 6-0 win over the Florida Everblades. Reading got themselves back into the Eastern Conference Finals series with the win. Mischler leads Royals scorers in this series with two goals and five points in three outings.
GRAIG MISCHLER 6'3" 210LBS HOMETOWN: HOLBROOK, NY DOB: 9-15-78 LAST YEAR: CLEVELAND (AHL) AMATEUR CLUB: NORTHEASTERN (HE)
DRAFT STATUS: 1998 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – 8th round (204th)

ECHL PLAYOFF GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE:
#31 Steve Belanger 1GP RECORD: 1-0 GAA: 0.00 SPCT: 1.00% TEAM RECORD: 1-2
Appearing in his first professional game, Steve Belanger turned away all 26 shots he faced to keep the Reading Royals alive in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. For Reading it was their second shutout of the postseason (Cody Rudkowsky 4/14/04 @ Wheeling, 4-0W)
STEVE BELANGER 6'2" 210LBS HOMETOWN: ANCHORAGE, AK DOB: 5-20-83
LAST YEAR: VERNON (BCHL) AMATEUR CLUB: VERNON (BCHL)/ KAMLOOPS (WHL) DRAFT STATUS: 2001 – PHOENIX COYOTES – 7th round, (210th)

TRANSACTIONS:
4/27/04 Add LEON HAYWARD (F) assigned from Manchester (AHL)
Delete NICK LEES (F) placed on the 7-day IR
Delete TOMAS SLOVAK (D) transferred from 7-day to 30-day IR
4/30/04 Delete CODY RUDKOWSKY (G) recalled to Worcester (AHL)
5/2/04 Add MIKE BETZ (G) emergency back-up goaltender
5/3/04 Delete MIKE BETZ (G) released

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. at the Sovereign Center. Individual tickets can be purchased at the Sovereign Center Box Office or at any Boscov's TicketMaster location. To order tickets by phone, call 215-336-2000 or 717-260-2000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com to purchase playoff tickets online. To book a group to a Royals home Kelly Cup playoff game call 610-898-7825.

ROYALS ON THE AIRWAVES: All Reading Royals playoff action, home and away, are webcast live on the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com courtesy of Sportsjuice and on ESPN Radio, 1240AM. Join the voice of the Royals, John Curtis for all the play-by-play action. The pre-game show comes your way approximately 30 minutes prior to the drop of the puck.

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