Forward Mike Pereira Returns to Reading

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, today announced that forward Mike Pereira has returned to the Royals from the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League.

Pereira, a second year pro from West Haven, Connecticut, was most recently loaned by Reading to Utica on April 4. In three separate stints with the Comets, he registered two points (1g-1a) and six penalty minutes in seventeen regular season games with Utica. He also appeared in three playoff games (0g-1a) for the Comets, who were eliminated from their first round playoff series with the Albany Devils (three-games-to-one) last night. In forty-seven games with the Royals this year, Pereira scored nineteen goals for Reading—which led all active players on the team’s roster—assisted on twenty-four others (forty-three points), picked twenty-two penalty minutes,  and played to plus-14 (+14). In his final regular season game with Reading, on Sunday, April 3, Pereira scored two goals—including the third period tie-breaking game winner—in a 3-1 win over the Norfolk Admirals.

Pereira is the twenty-third player added to the Royals’ ECHL Playoff Roster, completing the total number of available spots for the team’s post-season roster.

The Royals face the Wheeling Nailers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semi-Finals starting tonight (Friday, April 29 @ 7:35 pm) at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Game One can be heard live on CBS SportsRadio 1240 AM and 98.5 FM in Reading, starting with the pre-game warm-up show presented by Highmark Blue Shield at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. The game will also be televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania, on BCTV courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations. Streaming audio is available free of charge on the Royals’ website (follow the ‘headset’ icon); and streaming video is available on a pay-per-view basis through ECHL.TV.  For more information about the Royals, call 610-898-7825 or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

Eastern Conference Semifinal Best-of-Seven Series

Friday, April 29 (7:35 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

Monday, May 2 (7:05 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

Wednesday, May 4 (7:00 pm) – Santander Arena (Reading, PA)

Thursday, May 5 (7:00 pm) – Santander Arena (Reading, PA)

Saturday, May 7 (7:00 pm) – Santander Arena (Reading, PA) if necessary

Monday, May 9 (7:05 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV) if necessary

Wednesday, May 11 (7:05 pm) – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV) if necessary

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