Royals Sign Defenseman Bobby Shea

Goaltender Mark Owuya Also Assigned By Toronto to Reading

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 the team has signed defenseman Bobby Shea to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. In another transaction announced today, the Toronto Maple Leafs assigned goaltender Mark Owuya from the Toronto Marlies to Reading. In separate transactions, the Royals also: (i) placed defenseman Dominic Jalbert on the team’s Reserve List; and (ii) activated defenseman Dustin Stevenson from the Reserve List. In a transaction previously completed, the Royals released goaltender Nick Niedert from his ECHL contract. Shea (5’11/202) (22), who hails from Harrison Township, Michigan, just finished his senior season at Bowling Green State University, where he led defensemen on the team with twenty points (4g-16a) and fifty-six penalty minutes. He was selected to the All-CCHA Conference Second Team in mid-March. Shea, who led the Falcons in penalty minutes in all four seasons he played at BGSU, registered 36 points (9g-27a) and 239 penalty minutes in 139 total collegiate games. On March 14, Shea was nominated, along with two other players, for the CCHA’s Defensive Defenseman of the Year Award, the winner of which will be announced tonight at the CCHA’s Awards Banquet at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Owuya (6’2/207) (23), who hails from Stockholm, Sweden, has split his second season of North American pro between the Marlies and the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. He’s compiled a record of 4-4-1 with a goal against average of 3.42 and a .882 save percentage in ten games with Toronto, while he’s gone 3-3-0-0 (2.97) (.904) in six games with the Wranglers. Last year, Owuya won a total of twenty seven games between his time with the Marlies and the Royals. With Reading, he went 16-5-3 in 25 games and earned the team’s Rookie of the Year Award at the conclusion of the regular season. Owuya, who led the ECHL with a .930 save percentage, set a team record with a fifty-five save shutout over the Wheeling Nailers on March 28, 2012, which was instrumental in helping the Royals qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs, where Owuya played all five of Reading’s post-season contests. Prior to signing with the Maple Leafs, Owuya played at various levels of hockey in Sweden, including the Swedish Elitserien (SEL) where he logged 32 games with Djurgarden IF Stockholm and led the league in 2010-11 with a .927 save percentage. Owuya has also played for the Swedish National team in a number of international competitions, including the 2009 U-20 World Junior Championship in which Sweden captured the Silver Medal. The Royals continue a four game road trip through the North Division tonight (Friday, March 22 @ 8:15 pm et) at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, against the Evansville Icemen. The Game Day Broadcast on Friday starts at 7:35 pm et on CBS Sports Radio (1240 am and 98.5 fm) with the pre-game warm-up show brought to you by Steve Moyer Subaru. As with all Royals’ road games this season, Friday’s game will be televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania, courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations. Royals Kelly Cup Playoff tickets are now on sale. The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are tentatively scheduled to start at Sovereign Center in Reading, PA, on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April. More information is 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.