ECHL Reading Royals

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Published on April 22, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


TOP NOTES OF WEEK NUMBER TWO OF PLAYOFFS

1. The Royals clinched the North Division Semi-Final series against the Elmira Jackals in six games (4-2). That marked the eighth playoff series in Royals team history, and the Royals have compiled a 5-3 record in those series. This was first time the team has ever played in a 'best of seven' format. (Six of the prior seven playoff series for Reading were 'best of five' formats, while one 'series'-the Northern Division Wild Card Series in 2004-was a one game 'win or go home' format.)

2. This past week, the Royals went 3-1 in the playoff series against the Jackals, winning both games that were played at First Arena in Elmira, New York during the week. During the series, the Royals went 2-1 on the road and 2-1 at the Sovereign Center. Over the course of the team's history, Reading now played 33 total playoff games and has compiled a record of 18-15 in those games. Reading is 9-6 in playoff games played at the Sovereign Center and 9-9 in road playoff games.

3. By winning the North Division Semi-Final series against the Elmira Jackals, the Royals have advanced to the divisional finals for the third time in team history and the first time since 2005. In 2004, the Royals defeated the Peoria Rivermen in the Northern Division Finals 3 games to 1. (Reading was eventually eliminated in the National Conference finals by the Florida Everblades 3 games to 2). In 2005, the Royals advanced to the North Division Finals by defeating the Toledo Storm in the North Division Semi-Finals. That season, the Trenton (then-) Titans, who went on to win the Kelly Cup Championship, defeated the Royals in the North Division Finals 3 games to 1.

4.The Royals won all three games that went to overtime (Games Two, Five and Six) in the North Division Semi-Finals. At no point in those games did the Royals hold a lead, until the team scored the overtime game winner. Prior to this playoff series, the Royals had only played in three total playoff games that went to overtime: (i) Game 1 of the 2004 North Division Finals against the Peoria Rivermen on April 17, 2004 (2-1 win for Reading; GWG: Judd Medak); (ii) Game 3 of the 2005 North Division Finals against the Trenton Titans on April 27, 2005 (3-2 loss for Reading: GWG Matt Zultek); and (iii) Game 1 of the 2006 North Division Semi-Finals against the Wheeling Nailers on April 14, 2006 (3-2 loss for Reading; GWG: Sean Collins).

5. Brock Hooton scored two goals in the North Division Semi-Finals and both of them were overtime game winners. His first one came in Game One 1:25 into the OT while the Royals were playing short-handed; the second came 8:33 into the first OT session at First Arena in Elmira. During the regular season, Hooton was tied (with Chris Blight) for the team lead in game winning goals (with five), and his two game winners in the playoffs ties him for the league lead (with three players) in that category.

6. Patrick Jarrett factored in all three goals scored by the Royals in the 3-2 win in Elmira last Tuesday, scoring twice and picking up an assist on the game winner by Kevin Schaeffer. That marked Jarrett's second three point game of the series. (He registered 3 assists in the 5-4 overtime win in Game 2..) Jarrett, who picked up an assist on the series clinching overtime game winner by Kevin Saurette in Game 6 on Sunday, is tied for the team lead with seven points (2g-5a=7pts).

7. Kevin Saurette scored his first goal of the playoff series at the 12:09 mark of the second overtime in Game 6 on Sunday. Saurette also scored the last goal of the last playoff series in which Reading played-the North Division Semi-Finals against the Wheeling Nailers in 2006, a series that the Royals lost.. Saurette, who also registered a pair of assists in Reading's 3-2 win in Game 3, is tied with the team lead in playoff points with seven (1g-6a=7pts).

8. Charlie Kronschnabel is currently riding a three game goal scoring streak, having bagged a goal in each of the last three games of the North Division Semi's. Kronschnabel, whose three goals is currently tied for the team lead (with Dany Roussin), scored a short-handed game tying goal in Game 5 in Elmira (which the Royals won in overtime) at the 19:59 mark of the second period. He also scored the Royals' third goal (to tie the game at 3 in the second period) in Game 6 at the Sovereign Center.

9. The game winning goal for the Royals in Game 3 last Tuesday was scored by Kevin Schaeffer (in his first game back from the Providence Bruins since December 15, 2007), while the Royals were on the power play. In Games 4 through 6, the Royals scored just one power play goal in fourteen opportunities with the man advantage. Overall, during the first round series, Reading went 5 for 34 with the man advantage, which is a 14.7% scoring ratio.

10. The Royals penalty killers blanked the Elmira power play in three of the six games played in the North Division Semi's and never allowed more than one power play goal against in any one game in the series. Overall, the Royals PK allowed just three power play goals against in thirty-five chances with the man advantage for the Jackals, which translates into a 91.4% kill ratio in the playoffs.

CLOSING NOTES

1. The Royals out-shot the Jackals in all six games in the North Division Semi- Final series. Reading out-shot Elmira by a total of 59 shots in the series (234- 175). Reading averaged 39 shots on goal per game during the series, which is currently fourth amongst teams in the ECHL's playoffs. When broken down by period, the Royals out-shot the Jackals in 15 periods; the Jackals out-shot the Royals in five; and the two teams tied in shots in two periods.

2. In all six games played in the North Division Semi-Finals, the Elmira Jackals scored the game's first goal. Over the course of the regular season, the Royals played in 39 games in which the opposition scored the game's first goal, and Reading compiled a record of 13-21-5 in those games.

3. In three games during the series, the Royals entered the third period trailing the Jackals, including the come-from-behind overtime win in Game 6, and went 2-1 in those games. During the regular season, the Royals went 3-22-4 when they trailed entering the third period.

4.Mike Salekin, who registered an assist in Brock Hooton's overtime game winner in Game 5 on Saturday night, scored his first pro playoff goal at the 6:55 mark of the third period in Game 6 to tie the game at four. Salekin is currently tied with Shawn Germain and Patrik Hersley for the team lead in the plus/minus category-all three of whom played to a (+2) in the series with Elmira.

5. Goaltender Danny Taylor started and played in all six games for the Royals in the North Division Semi-Finals. Taylor, who now has a career record of 7-3 in pro playoff hockey, went 4-2 in the series with a 2.55 gaa and a .903 save %..

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