Royals Sign Forward Mike Pereira

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Mike Pereira. The Royals have announced eight players as signed to ECHL Standard Players Contracts for the 2015-16 season. In addition to Pereira, Reading has announced the signing of forwards Justin Crandall, Cam Reid, Joe Rehkamp and Ian Watters and defensemen Jordan Heywood, Curtis Leonard and Sam Windle.

Video content on Pereira can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm0YHMBj1qA.

Last season, Pereira (5’11/186) (23), who hails from New Haven, Connecticut, registered seven points (4g-3a) and eight penalty minutes in a rookie season that was abbreviated to twenty-two games with the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL due to injury. Pereira actually made his pro debut late in the 2013-14 season after the conclusion of his senior season at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, when he joined the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. During a three-game stint with the Sharks, Pereira scored his first pro goal when he bagged what proved to be the game winner in Worcester’s 5-1 victory over the Manchester Monarchs on March 16, 2014.

Prior to turning pro, Pereira had a stellar collegiate career at UMass-Amherst, finishing at least in the team’s top three in goals and overall scoring in all four of his seasons with the Minutemen. In his freshman year, Pereira tied for the team lead with twelve goals in thirty-four games and earned a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie team, while being selected as UMass-Amherst’s Rookie of the Year. A three-time selection to the Hockey East All-Academic team, Pereira led the Minutemen with seventeen goals in his sophomore season, while also leading the team in power play points (7g-6a=13pts), game winning goals (3) and hattricks (2). Pereira, who was chosen as the Hockey East Player of the Week twice and UMass-Amherst’s Athlete of the Week four times during his college career, racked up 107 points (53g-54a) in 135 games with the Minutemen.

The Fifteenth Season of Royals’ hockey kicks off with back-to-back games against the South Carolina Stingrays at North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday (October 17) and Sunday (October 18). Reading then opens the home portion of the team’s schedule on Saturday, October 24, (7:00 pm) when the Elmira Jackals visit Santander Arena. Season Tickets for the 2015-16 Reading Royals ECHL season are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com.