Royals win
 

By Julie Pelchar Reading Eagle

Reading forces a deciding fifth game in its ECHL playoff series against Florida.

Sports, C1 Reading has a message for Florida and its thousands of fans in the Sunshine State. Watch out. The Royals love nothing more than an elimination game. Facing a must-win situation for the second time against the Everblades, Reading beat Florida 4-1 Wednesday night at the Sovereign Center, tying the series at two games apiece and extending the Eastern Conference finals to a Game 5 Monday at TECO Arena.
   Chalk up another head-shaking victory for the Northern Division champions. They’ve won four elimination games since the playoffs began April 5.
  "Chemistry, I think more than anything," said Royals center Graig Mischler. "I’ve never played on a team before where everybody is really pulling to win and not let the guy next to him down." "You hear it. It’s a cliche. But I can’t really say it better than that."   
   Reading pulled within a game of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals by grabbing the early lead and frustrating what had been a high-powered offense in these playoffs. "As the game goes on when a team is down they’re probably going to take a couple more chances than they normally do," said Mischler, who with two goals and an assist Wednesday has seven points in the past two games. "We were able to capitalize on that."
   Meanwhile Florida coach Gerry Fleming, who said he was embarrassed by his team’s effort, was left to ponder why the Everblades are flying back home with a pair of losses and a mere goal in 120 minutes of play.
   Goaltender Jeff Maund, picked by Fleming over playoff starter Rob Zepp, wasn’t the reason. Reading chased Zepp with five goals on 14 shots in Game 3.
   The Everblades, who allowed 10 goals in Pennsylvania, left their defense south of the Mason Dixon.
   "They just outworked us, outplayed us, outhustled us, outbattled us, outchanced us and out everything," said Florida coach Gerry Fleming. "They deserved to win, and we didn’t."
   The Royals applied relentless pressure in the second, when they fired the first 20 shots of the period and ended up outshooting the Everblades 23-3.
   David Masse, who had a game-high 10 shots, broke through with his first goal of the series early in the second, one-timing captain Brad Church’s pass in front of the net past Maund.
   Mischler's line connected for Reading’s second goal. Kent Davyduke fed the puck to Judd Medak, who wound up and faked a slap shot from the top of the right circle before sending a gorgeous pass in front to Mischler, who tipped the puck past Maund to make it 2-0.
   The Everblades didn’t register a shot for the first 13 minutes, 16 seconds of the second. But they struck seconds later, fortunate to escape the period trailing by just a goal.
   Rudkowsky went down to play Reggie Berg’s shot from below the left circle. The shot went off defenseman Mat Snesrud’s skate and to McNabb, who knocked it past Rudkowsky.
   The score was Florida’s first in 93 minutes, 35 seconds going back to its empty-netter in Game 2.
   The Royals capitalized on odd-man rushes in the third with Mischler and Mat Snesrud scoring.
   The Royals announced after the buzzer that Game 5 will be televised live starting at 7:30 p.m. by WFMZ-TV Channel 69.
   That announcement evoked an eardrum damaging cheer from the 5,640 fans, the biggest crowd in six Sovereign Center playoff games.
   "They won their home games; we won our home games," said Royals coach Derek Clancey. "Now it’s hopefully time for the visitor to win one."
   Contact Julie Pelchar at 610-371-5065 or japelchar@readingeagle.com.