Defensemen Drake and Knodel recalled by Phantoms

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced Saturday Lehigh Valley has recalled from loan defensemen David Drake and Eric Knodel.Knodel leads the Royals blue line with six goals and 32 points in 33 games. Lehigh Valley loaned Knodel to the Royals on Jan. 30 and Reading won all five games with him in the lineup. Over the last five, he generated two goals, six points and a plus-seven rating. That extended the sixth-year professional to a plus-25 rating, best on the team and third among league defensemen. In his most-recent AHL stint with the Phantoms in January, Knodel had three assists in seven games (+3 rating). In 46 AHL games, the 6-foot-6, 216-lb., left-handed shot has generated 13 points. Drake is in his second professional season and has one goal and six points over 41 ECHL games. Selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by Philadelphia (192nd overall), Drake has played eight career games with the Phantoms (2a). For his ECHL career, the 25-year-old has two goals and 14 points in 105 Royals contests. Upcoming home games: royalshockey.com/promotionsSun., Feb. 16 at 4:00 p.m. vs. Worcester (postgame skate and $1 deal day) Last free postgame skate of the season, presented by Body Zone | $1 kids tickets, plus $1 Hot Dog, $1 Soda & $1 Nacho Concession Special Pricing | Game Included Kids Club Packages presented by Applebee’s, Schuykill Valley Sports and YMCA of Reading and Berks County (Sign Ups Available)Fri., Feb. 21 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Newfoundland (Trading card giveaway, Flyers alumni at game)Beer Tasting (Free Beer fans 21+ with purchase of a game ticket) | Meet Flyers alumni Brad Marsh, Jim Watson and Riley Cote ahead of the  Mar. 28 Royals Alumni vs. Flyers Alumni Game | Trading Card Giveaway presented by Outten |  Purple Goes Green Presented by Berks Nature | $1 Frozen Treats | Kid’s Report Card: Bring by your report card that has an ‘A’ on it and earn a free kids ticket for a future gameSat., Feb. 22 at 7:00  p.m. vs. Brampton (Marvel Night)Spider-Man Meet-and-Greet | Marvel Poster giveaway for the first 1,000 fans| Girl Scout Night  | Abilities in Motion Night | Special Spider-Man Theme Jerseys | One fan has a chance to win four first-class flight tickets and a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando if a Royals player gets a hat trick (pres. by Berkshire Travel)About the RoyalsThe Royals are in their 19th ECHL season and are proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs 14 times, and are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena and the Santander Arena Performing Arts Center.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play. All Royals away games are broadcasted on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric) and Mixlr.