TMLfans.ca guest columnist Barry Schickling returns with one of his regular updates on the Leafs prospects playing for the Reading Royals of the ECHL.
The Royals Review
(Jan. 11-24)
READING, Pa. – As the 2009-10 season unfolds, it appears the Maple Leafs and Marlies are facing an uphill challenge in their attempts to reach the playoffs in their respective leagues. But the Reading Royals, the Leafs’ ECHL secondary affiliate, continue to hold down first place in the East Division and their prospects of qualifying for the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs look decent. With 42 games played and 30 to go in the regular season, Reading has a four-point lead in the division over Elmira. The division winner automatically qualifies for the playoffs. However, the rest of American Conference standings are tight, so the Royals would be best served to win the East and not worry about having to clinch one of the five remaining playoff spots.
Here’s what the Toronto-contracted players have been up to over the past two weeks (with this season’s ECHL statistics).
Stefano Giliati – The winger got into just a couple games with Reading before he was recalled to the Marlies for the second time this season. While with Reading, he was one of 13 players who missed his shootout attempt in a loss to Florida. He’s got three goals with the Marlies. (26GP-10G –125A –+2 – 25 PIM)
Ben Gordon – Prior to being recalled to the Marlies on a tryout, Gordon was having a good season. Since his return to Reading, it’s been getting even better. In the space of eight days, he was the third star in a loss to Florida, the second star in a win over Elmira and was first star in a victory against Trenton when he assisted on the game-winning goal with 1.2 seconds left. As a starter and alternate captain for the victorious American Conference team in the ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario, Calif., he was credited with an assist and had three shots, although he was a minus-three. In addition to leading the team in goals, assists, points and shots (131), he’s fourth in the league in points. He has at least a point in 24 of his last 28 games with Reading and is the 16th player in team history to record 50 points in a season. In 19 games this year, he’s recorded more than one point. However, there’s no truth to the rumour that he was selling programmes prior to a recent game. (35GP-19G – 31A –+11 – 31 PIM) (Under contract to Reading.)
Joey Ryan – The Stoneham, Mass. native had a quick turnaround. Five days after being returned to Reading by the Marlies, he was recalled to Toronto for the second time this season. (27GP-2G – 5A – -2 – 39 PIM)
Eric Werner – Perhaps the unsung hero of the club, the fifth-year pro continues to shine on the defence corps. He leads the team in plus/minus and he’s still seeing lots of ice time. At 5-10 and 185, he doesn’t have the size and physical bite to his game that most teams are looking for from their defenders but he’s handling everything else very well. (38GP-3G – 15A – +17 – 25 PIM)
Barry Schickling can be contacted at
Barry.DoubleSMedia@rocketmail.com
