October 27, 2007

Bagnall Assigned to Reading

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, today announced that Manchester has assigned former St. Lawrence defensemen Drew Bagnall and Jeff Likens to the Royals.

Last season, Bagnall ["BAG nahl"] (6'3/215 lbs), who turned 24 today and hails from Oakbank, Manitoba, scored six goals, assisted on nineteen others, and picked up 74 penalty minutes in thirty-nine games for the St. Lawrence Saints. In 140 collegiate games over the course of his four year collegiate career, Bagnall, who was selected in the 6th round (#195) by the Dallas Stars in the 2003 NHL entry draft, scored eighteen goals, assisted on fifty-three others, and picked up 235 penalty minutes. Bagnall, who was signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings on August 23, 2007 and is yet to play a regular season game in the pro ranks due to an injury sustained in a pre-season game with the Monarchs.

This year, Likens ["LIKE ehns"] (5'11/178 lbs) (22) has played in four games with the Monarchs, registering two assists and two penalty minutes. Last year, Likens, who hails from Barrington, Illinois, finished the season with Manchester after completing his four year career at the University of Wisconsin. In ten regular season games with Manchester last year, Likens scored three goals and added three assists. He also played in six playoff games for the Monarchs, In his four year career at Wisconsin, Likens scored ten goals and assisted on forty-seven assists (fifty-seven points) and amassed 194 penalty minutes in 159 collegiate games.

It is expected that Bagnall and Likens will be in the Royals lineup tonight when the Royals take on the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Pensacola Civic Center. The opening face-off drops at 8:05 pm eastern time, and the Royals' game day radio broadcast begins at 7:35 pm eastern time with the pre-game warm-up show.