Opening night features plenty of fun and games

By Julie Pelchar Reading Eagle

   The Reading Royals added all the bells and whistles Saturday for their ECHL home opener, their grandest since joining the league for the 2001-02 season. 

   In the afternoon, the Royals held a block party in front of the Sovereign Center with food, a free concert and games.

   The pregame festivities included a motorcyclist, who revved his engine during the player introductions. The Philadelphia Flyers’ Lauren Hart sang the national anthem.
 

   The result was a sellout, and "The Jungle" was roaring throughout Reading’s 2-0 win over Texas.
   

   The Royals failed to fill the Sovereign Center on opening night last year.
  

   "When you build a startup company you’re building a whole company," said Royals general manager Ray Delia. "So there’s a lot of things that you have to do to build the foundation before you can segue into the fun stuff.
   

   "We’re stable now, and we’ve got all the growing pains out of the way and now we can just be creative."
   
Rivals at last?: When the Royals joined the ECHL two years ago, they were expected to have a fierce rivalry with Trenton.
   But Reading went 5-13-2 against the Titans in its first two seasons, and Trenton found an in-state rival in the more competitive Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies.
   Could Reading’s 6-1 win over the Titans Friday spark a change?
   "It’s only one game," Royals general manager Ray Delia said Saturday night. "We’ll know if there’s a rivalry in March.
   "It was definitely gratifying walking in their building and being successful, but already that means nothing right now. I’m thinking about Texas."
   By the way, Trenton announced Friday night’s attendance at 7,142, an obvious inflation. It looked as though there were no more than 5,500 in the 7,605-seat Sovereign Bank Arena.
   Trenton averaged 7,082 fans its first season in 1999-00. It dropped to 5,299 last year.
   
Good timing: The Royals lost Geoff Peters Friday, only to sign another center, Graig Mischler, the same day. Mischler, a third-year pro, played the last two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Barons.
   Reading can only hope to be so lucky the rest of the season, when the AHL calls on its players.
   "It’s worked out great," said Royals coach Derek Clancey. "He just slows the game down, finds guys. He played really well for the first game.
   "He’s a smart player positionally, and he’s a really good, solid two-way guy with his offensive skills. Hopefully, every game he gets better and better for us."
   
Ice chip: Rookie forward Matt Passfield arrived in town Friday. He had been at home in Mississauga, Ontario, recovering from a viral infection.