Storm ahead

3/21/2005

When: Tomorrow at Reading, 7:05 p.m; Friday vs. Dayton at Sports Arena, 7:35 p.m.; Saturday at Dayton, 7 p.m.

Radio: 97.3

TV: BCSN, Friday

Storm: Toledo (35-22-5, fifth ECHL North) is 4-0-1 in its last five games and took three of four possible points on Friday and Saturday at the Sports Arena versus Trenton, winning 5-3 in the opener and losing in overtime 3-2 in the second contest. ... Since being acquired from Greenville on March 8, C Carl Mallette has six goals and five assists in five games. ...Toledo is 3-4-0 against Reading and 6-0-1 versus Dayton. ... F Scooter Smith is the Storm's top point-getter against Reading with four assists in five games. ...F Steve Slonina has a plus/minus mark of -7 in seven appearances versus the Royals. ... F Nick Parillo has feasted on Dayton this season, with one goal and a team-best eight assists and is +6 in seven games. ... G Scott Fankhouser is 5-0-1 head-to-head against the Bombers with a sterling 1.63 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. ... G Logan Koopmans has struggled against Reading, going 1-2-0 with a 4.29GAA and an .867SVP.

Royals: Reading (36-18-7, second ECHL North) has been on a roll of late, totaling 7-2-2 since Feb. 26, including a 2-0 shutout of the Storm in Toledo on Feb. 27. ...The Royals' top three scorers against the Storm are all centers. Graig Mischler has two goals and five assists in three games, Eric Fortier has three goals and three helpers in seven starts, and Preston Mizzi has two goals and three assists in five contests. ...G Barry Brust has been tough against the Storm, going 4-1-1 with a 1.49GAA and a .940SVP. ...The Royals have outscored Toledo 9-1 in the first periods of their matchups.

Bombers: Dayton (21-36-5, eighth ECHL North) is 1-1-2 in its last four games after going 3-9-1 in its previous 13. ... F Steve Brudzewski, from Bowling Green State University, scored a goal in his pro debut against Johnstown on Saturday. ... RW Ben Knopp has but one point, a goal, in seven games against Toledo and is a -6. ... D Clay Plume is -6 in three appearances versus the Storm. ...The Bombers rank 27th out of 28 teams in goals for (147) and have been outscored by the Storm in their games, 22-13. ... Dayton's power-play is the worst in the league (11.8 percent).

- Dan Saevig