Yannick Tifu Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Player of Month

Royals Captain Had Sixteen Points—and Three GWGs—in Eleven Games During Final Month of 2012

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, today announced that forward Yannick Tifu has been selected as the Reebok Hockey ECHL Player of the Month for December. Tifu recorded sixteen points (8g-8a) and played to a plus-seven (+7) in eleven games in the final month of Calendar Year 2012, during which the Royals went 10-0-1-0. Tifu is the second player in Royals’ team history to receive the league’s monthly award, joining forward Ben Gordon, who was selected as the ECHL’s Player of the Month in December of 2009. Tifu, an eighth year pro from Brossard, Quebec, currently leads the Royals with thirty-one points (12g-19a) in thirty-two games. December was an eventful month for the veteran forward, who recorded at least one point in ten of the eleven games the Royals played during the month. He stretched his team season-long ten game point streak (5g-11a), which began on November 28, through the first eight games of the month until December 27 when he was held off the score sheet in the Reading’s 2-1 overtime loss in Trenton. The following night, however, he recorded his first two goal performance of the season—which included the game winning goal—in the Royals’ 5-4 win over the Titans. That game was also his team-leading tenth multi-point performance of the season. The next night, in the last game of December for Reading, Tifu finished off a three-goal come-from-behind third period win for Reading with a late game tie-breaking game winner in Trenton. That was his third GWG of the month. Earlier in the month, Tifu recorded his 500th point as a pro (152g-348a) in his 508th professional game, a 7-4 win over the Elmira Jackals on December 7. Tifu, who has played 81 AHL games in his career (9g-32a=41pts) (as well as 76 games in the United Hockey League), recorded his 400th ECHL point (122g-278a) in his 352nd game in this league in the Royals 6-4 win over the Fort Wayne Komets on December 14.. Tifu, who has served as the Royals’ captain since mid-March of 2012, led the Royals last season with fifty-nine points in the 52 games he played for the team after he was acquired from the Chicago Express on November 28, 2011. At the conclusion of last season, Tifu was selected as the Royals’ Most Valuable Player, as well as receiving the team’s Fans’ Choice Award. Tifu, who was chosen as an ECHL All-Star starter 2008 as a representative of the Dayton Bombers, also went to the Kelly Cup finals with the Bombers in 2007. The Royals return to action on Friday, January 4 @ 7:05 pm, when the team travels to First Arena in Elmira, New York to take on the Elmira Jackals. As with all Royals road games this season, Friday’s game will be televised locally in Berks County on BCTV courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations. The Game Night Broadcast kicks off at 6:35 pm on Sports Radio 1240 am and 98.5 fm. Royals multi-game flex plans for the 2012-13 season presented by Steve Moyer Subaru are available at 610-898-7825 and through the Royals website: www.royalshockey.com. Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook at Reading Royals and "Follow" us on Twitter @RRoyalshockey for the latest team information.