Congratulations to the 2013 ECHL Kelly Cup Champion Reading Royals, who beat the Stockton Thunder 6-0 last night on the road in Game 5 of the Finals.
For first-time visitors to this site: I'm a credentialed freelance NHL writer and a former member of the front office staff of the Philadelphia Phillies' former Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. I have a BA in Communications from Penn State and am also a licensed teacher in the state of Pennsylvania.
While there are many stunning facts that can be presented about this particular championship hockey team and the history that it's connected to, here are 10 for your reading pleasure:
*The Columbus Chill were founded in 1991. Enormous fan support led to the franchise ceasing operations in 1999 in order to pave the way for the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets franchise to be born. This franchise was relocated to Reading, Pennsylvania and began play during the 2001-02 season.
*The Reading Royals win represents the first-ever championship for the entire franchise (dating to 1991).
*The Royals won 62 total games (46 in the regular season and 16 in the playoffs) during the 2012-13 season.
*The NHL lockout created a unique set of roster circumstances for every team in the League.
*Head coach Larry Courville's professional playing career began in 1991 and lasted through 2008. After stops along the way in the NHL, Courville played the final four seasons of his career with the Reading Royals.
*MVP Riley Gill was signed by Courville on February 27, 2013.
*Captain Yannick Tifu was obtained from the Chicago Express on 11/28/11. He generated 47 goals and 84 assists in 124 regular season games since that time.
*The Kelly Cup is named in honor of Patrick J. Kelly, who is one of the founding fathers of the ECHL (1988) and an inaugural inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame.
*Kelly served as a coach of various minor league teams and famously led the 1967-68 Clinton Comets to a 57-5-10 record. He later coached the NHL's Colorado Rockies in 1977-78 and is the only coach in that team's history to earn a playoff berth.
*The Kelly Cup has never been one by a Pennsylvania-based franchise.
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My interviews with famous athletes and sports' personalities
Martin Brodeur: Discusses His Record-Setting Shutout Total and Key Rivalries
Jaromir Jagr: Current NHL Forward and Future Hall of Famer
Philadelphia Flyers' Bernie Parent: Postgame reflections
Bobby Clarke: Philadelphia Flyers' Legend Talks Hockey
Ron Hextall Recalls His Greatest Season
Kerry Fraser: NHL Referee is Still Making the Right Calls
I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook
Let's connect on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter @SeanyOB
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Amazon.com is the number 1 online publishing platform in the world. That's why I used it to publish my first ebook:
I am humbled by the reception it has received to-date and I thank everyone who has been responding to this digital creation.
This mini-tome is a collection of stories and poems for readers who don't take themselves too seriously. I hope that you enjoy it and am always welcome to your feedback.
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It only takes a few minutes to read any of the stories whose links are shown below:
Horror Story: It Was Crawling Up My Chest!
Television Haiku Poem
My First Car Was An All-Time Classic
The Best Holiday Memories
When Baseball Cards Were King
5 Traits of Hardcore Philadelphia Phillies' Fans
Could One Baseball Shatter The Summer?
The Night Lenny Dykstra Was Swinging In The Rain
Philadelphia Flyers' Topps Hockey Card Mystery Revealed
5 Lessons Flyers' Fans Have Taught The Hockey World
5 Traits Old School Flyers' Fans Possess
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My interviews with broadcasters, actors, models and more...
Fox Television's Erin Como Reveals Her Timeless Model for Success: Interview
Ellen Wasser-Hrin: Behind the Scenes of the Modeling World
Model and Actor Rachael Platt-McMullan Proves Why Dreams Are Worth Pursuing
Samantha Paisley's Great Success Story
Megan Irminger: Model Management Agency Has Another Rising Star
Megan Irminger: Model Management Agency Has Another Rising Star
An Actor's Life: An Interview with Mary Frick
The Always Fashionable Biana DeMarco
Visit my Rant Sports Author Page, my Examiner Contributor Page, or my Yahoo Contributor Page.
(Pic insert credit: Reading Royals.)
