On the line

By Julie Pelchar Reading Eagle

For Graig Mischler and the Royals, a chance to make the ECHL finals comes down to a fifth game tonight against the Everblades. Sports, D1
 

   ESTERO, Fla. — A Fort Myers newspaper reporter has so aptly dubbed tonight’s bash before the decisive Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals "Bladesapalooza."

   By Saturday, the ECHL’s perennial attendance leader already was selling standingroom only tickets, guaranteeing the Florida Everblades another sellout on the heels of the largest crowd in franchise history.

   The Everblades also are converting one of TECO Arena’s two practice rinks into a theater, where a closed-circuit TV feed of the 7:30 game will be shown to even more fans.

   The Everblades also are holding a free concert in the parking lot, where food and drinks will be sold.

   The Reading Royals are forecasting rain for Florida’s parade.

   That’s the sobering outcome the Everblades will experience if the Royals take control amid the hoopla like they did in winning twice at the Sovereign Center to send the best-offive series back south.

   "We’re not going to change our game plan," said Royals coach Derek Clancey. "We haven’t all series.

   "Their strength is their skill and speed. Our strength is our size and toughness. We’re going to bring that. They’re going to bring their part and hopefully our part wins out."

   At stake in tonight’s game, which will be broadcast on WFMZ-TV (Ch. 69), is the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy, another round of bonus checks and, most importantly, a plane ride to play the Western Conference champion Idaho Steelheads.

   The Royals can capture all of the above if they outplay Florida like they’ve done in three games. Their only poor showing came in a 5-3 loss in Game 2 before a record crowd of 7,734 fans.

   "Even though they had 51 shots, it sounded a lot worse than it really was," Clancey said. "A lot of them were perimeter shots. The positive point of that game was we had a lot of quality chances that we didn’t score on.

   "Even though we lost, we could’ve won that Game 2 as bad as we played."

   Reading’s defense has kept Florida in check throughout the series.

   The Royals have held what was the hottest line in the ECHL playoffs — Tom Buckley, Reggie Berg and John McNabb — to two goals. They’ve outscored the Everblades 13-7, which includes an empty-netter for Florida.

   Berg, McNabb and Chad LaRose are the only Florida forwards to have found the net. While Reading has four power-play goals, the Everblades have yet to score with the man advantage.

   The numbers reflect Florida coach Gerry Fleming’s bewilderment.

   "It was an alien abduction, I think, in Reading," Fleming said of his team, which was outscored 10-1 at the Sovereign Center. "They stole the Everblades. I think there was a UFO sighting in Reading."

   Even though the Royals clearly have the momentum going into Game 5, Reading center Graig Mischler, the points leader in the series, expects the Blades to be more formidable at home.

   "They have the home-ice advantage, and they’ve won both their home games," he said. "So I don’t look for them to feel intimidated at all. I look for them to come out, to really skate and to apply pressure and play physical.
   "It’s going to be a pretty fun Game 5."

   Contact Julie Pelchar at 610-371-5065 or japelchar@readingeagle.com.