Royals go for franchise record

The last time Reading went for the consecutive wins mark, it failed against Trenton, tonight’s opponent.

By Julie Pelchar Reading Eagle

   ’Tis the season for winning streaks.
   At least as far as the Reading Royals are concerned.
   Three years ago the inaugural Royals took a long winning streak into December, just as this year’s team has.
   The 2001-02 Royals had won eight straight, one shy of the franchise record set by the Columbus Chill during the 1993-94 season. The Chill relocated to Reading, making room for the NHL’s Blue Jackets in 2000.
   The Royals needed a home win over Trenton to match the record.
   But the Titans halted their streak, outplaying Reading in every way to win 3-1 Dec. 15, 2001 at the Sovereign Center.
   This year’s Royals, who are riding a nine-game winning streak, are hoping history doesn’t repeat itself. The ECHL’s hottest team hosts Trenton tonight needing one more win to set the franchise record.
   For the most part, the Titans have gotten the best of the series. They are 20-5-6 against Reading.
   Three years ago the Titans held a 4-0-1 series advantage heading into the Dec. 15 game.
   While Trenton is 2-0 against Reading this year — the teams met twice on opening weekend — both games were close. The Titans won 3-1 with an emptynetter on opening night and 3-2 the following evening.
   "In the first two games we made bad mistakes and they capitalized on them," said Royals coach Derek Clancey. "We have to make sure we limit our mistakes to the good ones that we can get away with.
   "We have to work hard and keep it simple. We cannot get outworked."
   The Royals were never in the game three years ago. Trenton, which led the division at the time, scored 3:19 in and then went up 2-0 13 seconds later. Titan Cail MacLean, Reading’s current captain, made it 3-0 before the first period ended.
   Having slipped into the habit of falling behind early, this year’s Titans will be looking for a similar start tonight.
   After opening the season with six straight wins, Trenton has won just twice in its last seven games. But the Titans have rallied to take seven of their last nine games into overtime to earn much-needed points in the competitive North Division.
   "We haven’t been playing poorly," said Titans coach Mike Haviland. "We just seem to be not finishing our chances. We seem to be making some glaring mistakes that end up in the back of their net and then we find ourselves behind.
   "But the great thing about this team is they never give up. They continue to come back."
   A stingy defense has led Reading during its current streak, just as it did three years ago.
   The Royals hadn’t allowed more than three goals in a game during the 2001 winning stretch.
   This year’s defense is better. Reading hasn’t surrendered more than two goals in a game and has held its opponents to one goal a game during the streak.
   Even more impressive is that the Royals are climbing the North Division standings with a new group nearly every night.
   Reading will play this weekend’s games against the Titans — the club travels to Trenton Saturday — without leading scorer Graig Mischler and defenseman Martin Wilde, who were called up to the American Hockey League after Reading’s last game Nov. 26 at Peoria.
   "The answer is simple," Clancey said of how the Royals have continued winning. "Guys have really stuck to the system, and they’ve paid the price as a group. Because of that they’re getting rewarded with good bounces.
   "That’s got to continue. We haven’t changed our game, even though (our lineup) has been different every other night. . . . We’ve adjusted a couple things that are minor depending on who we’re playing, but basically we’ve stuck to our system."
   Contact Julie Pelchar at 610-371-5065 or japelchar@readingeagle.com.