January 11-12

It was rainy on Saturday morning with temperatures in the 50s, quite the contrast from earlier in the week when it was in single digits. In the afternoon we headed north on 222 for the first of two consecutive game-days at the Arena. The bright green indoor soccer turf was rolled out as the Roar hosted the Missouri Comets (from Independence, near Kansas City). This was the first game of the season's second half for the Roar, through ten games the club had yet to record a victory. On this night the visitors from Missouri ran out to a 9-0 third-quarter lead. The Roar got on the board on a two-point goal from Kingsley Onwuka, a few minutes later JerJer Gibson hit the net from three-point range to make it 9-5. Unfortunately that was the extent of the comeback, the Comets scored twice more to cement a 13-5 win. It's generally understood that expansion teams will struggle, the Roar has yet to score ten points in a game or surrender fewer than ten. The club next plays at home on Sunday the 19th. The arena's changeover crew was busy overnight as the building was converted for Sunday afternoon hockey, the Royals played at 5:00 against the Elmira Jackals. This was the third game in three days between the teams, the Royals won in Elmira on Friday 4-1 and on Saturday 4-2. On this day the boys finished the three-game weekend sweep with a 3-0 shutout. It was the Brandon Anderson show as he stopped thirty shots for his second shutout of the season. Brett Flemming scored the game-winner in the second period, a power-play goal by Ryan Cruthers and a third-period marker from Sean Wiles gave Anderson all he needed for the team's fourth straight win and seventh in the last ten. The overall record improves to 19-12-1, the boys are at home on Friday the 17th against Toledo. Take care, thanks for reading.