May 1-2

Wednesday night in downtown Reading as the Royals advanced to the Eastern Conference finals with a scintillating 4-1 victory over the Florida Everblades. Where postseason play is concerned there's no other sport quite like hockey, when a playoff series is extended to its ultimate game your heart is in your throat from start to finish. This game (much like Tuesday's) stayed scoreless until early in the second period when Joel Champagne broke the deadlock to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later Barry Almeida lit the lamp to make it 2-0. It stayed that way until the midpoint of the third period when the 'Blades were presented with a two-man advantage power play for a full two minutes. As the defending league champions you knew Florida would not go quietly, they threw everything they had and a little bit more at the Royals but Riley Gill and the defense corps absolutely refused to be beaten. As the penalties expired the crowd roared its approval, just seconds later Ian O'Connor (one of the penalized players) scored to make it 3-0 Royals. Kirk MacDonald added another goal to put the punctuation on it at 4-0, in the closing minutes the 'Blades finally got on the board but it mattered little as victory was already assured. The traditional handshake line after the game was the first at the Sovereign Center since 2010 when the Royals eliminated Kalamazoo in the conference quarterfinals. That year the Royals faced Florida in the conference semis and Cincinnati in the conference finals. In 2013 the script has been virtually identical as the Royals will meet the Cyclones in this year's conference final as well. Cincinnati advanced by defeating Toldeo and Gwinnett, they come to Reading for the first two games on Friday the 3rd and Sunday the 5th. The middle three are in Ohio, a possible game #6 would be at the SC on May 13. After the emotion and euphoria of Wednesday night Thursday was a rather mundane day by comparison. Jenny had a morning appointment in Quarryville and we had lunch afterwards. In the evening I made my lone appearance of the week at Reservoir Park. Two Midwest games on this night as the Dek Dawgs beat the Lancaster Amvets and the Killbots defeated Yorgo's. Don and Derek officiated, Devyn ran the clock. Three weeks are in the books, we'll be back there for week #4 on Monday the 6th. Take care, thanks for reading.