Hair today, here tomorrow

Confidence isn’t the only thing growing in the Reading Royals’ locker room during their impressive ECHL playoff run.

By Julie Pelchar Reading Eagle

   A middle-aged woman, as much a fan of sports as Eli Manning is of the San Diego Chargers, attended her third hockey game Thursday.
   Sitting within an arm’s reach of the glass, she had an upclose-and-personal view of the Reading Royals.
   "They looked, well, kind of rough," she said, surprised to see the scruffiness hiding beneath each visor.
   Welcome to the postseason, ma’am.
   From junior leagues to the NHL, facial hair pervades hockey’s second season, and Reading has its fair share of the popular playoff beards.
   But the theme for its first postseason run is the mustache.
   These Royals are indeed brave souls. With the less-thanpopular style that’s a throwback to the 1970s and early ’80s, one half expects these players to skate without helmets.
   "Definitely every team, once playoff time comes, guys are going with facial hair," said Royals defenseman Dean Arsene, who wears a fuzzy, light blonde mustache. "I’m not exactly one that can grow facial hair very well. It’s pretty ugly. It’s pretty ratty.
   "The mustache is pretty much the only area where I can grow it. I had to give it a whirl."
   Reading’s defensemen seem to have the most uncooperative whiskers, or lack thereof.
   Like Arsene, Ian Turner has focused on a mustache because his beard is, well, patchy. Mikko Viitanen wears a goatee. Doug Nolan is the only clean-shaven Royal.
   Mat Snesrud and Reagan Rome have done best on the blue line. While Snesrud has a full beard, Rome’s selection is a little more interesting. He’s got what’s called a chin curtain — hair that grows along the jaw line.
   Think Abe Lincoln.
   Clean-shaven coach Derek Clancey should be proud of his forwards. Their facial hair reflects the chemistry they’ve developed this season.
   First-liners Graig Mischler, Judd Medak and Kent Davyduke wear beards that are somewhere between 5 o’clock shadows and full grown.
   "Medak will grow a beard in two days," said Arsene, jealous of his roommate’s follicles.
   Lars Pettersen’s second line is the barest up front. The center’s got a modest goatee. The minimalist David Massé has a soul patch, a tuft of hair below the lower lip, and Peter Hay has a mustache only.
   "He looks scary," Turner said.
   A pair of goatees flank fullbearded, third-line center Chris Lynch. Captain Brad Church and Dave Stewart have healthy patches on their chins, but little or no hair above their upper lips.
   "Everybody pretty much went with mustaches," Arsene said, smirking, "except the older guys whose wives wouldn’t let them."
   Rumors surfaced after Saturday’s practice at Body Zone, the first in preparation for this week’s Eastern Conference Finals, that Stewart, who at 29 is the team’s graybeard, indeed has white hairs in his thick, dark goatee. Another Royal has used Just For Men facial hair dye, a player said. While the topic of whiskers is a hit in the dressing room, some women close to the Royals are none too happy. "She thinks I look pretty creepy," Arsene said of his girlfriend. But it’s all in good fun. Reading is one of four ECHL teams remaining. The itchiness factor of their newfound growths is a sacrifice these players are willing to make. They certainly wouldn’t mind keeping their razors sharp for a few more weeks.
Contact Julie Pelchar at 610-371-5065 or japelchar@readingeagle.com.

Reading Eagle: Diane Staskowski
Reading captain Brad Church and all but one of his teammates are keeping their razors on the shelf during the Royals’ run.