October 25-26

Opening Weekend at the Santander Arena for the fourteenth season of Royals hockey, the Elmira Jackals were the opponent for back-to-back games. The teams played in Elmira on Friday, the Royals prevailed 6-5 via overtime shootout. Jenny and her mother couldn't make it on Saturday because of a family baby shower, my mother and her friend Norma used the tickets instead. In recognition of the new association with the Flyers/Phantoms the club wore orange sweaters trimmed in purple and white, they were sold online at the end of the weekend. In the Saturday opener the Royals took a 1-0 lead on an Olivier Labelle first-period score. The second period was one for the rookies and the newcomers, goals by Cam Reid (third-year pro from St. Cloud State), Brock Higgs (rookie from R.P.I.) and Pat Mullane (two-year pro from Boston College) upped the advantage to 4-0. The Jackals broke through early in the third but Quinnipiac University product Zach Davies lit the lamp for the night's final goal in a 5-1 Royals win, Connor Knapp was the goalie of record for the Royals. On Sunday Jenny and Helen were along as the clubs reconvened for a 5:00 start, the Royals fell behind 2-0 in the game's first eight minutes. It stayed that way until the midpoint of the third period, newcomer Mike Marcou (from UMass-Amherst) found the net to put the Royals on the board. The comeback went uncompleted as an Elmira empty-netter in the final minute sealed an 3-1 Jackals win, Phantoms property Martin Ouellette (rookie from the University of Maine) took the loss in net for the Royals. This weekend was the first of several back-to-backs at home for the Royals, twenty-six of our thirty-six home dates are on occasions when we play at home either the day before or after (and just about all of the "doubleheaders" are with the same opponent). The boys next play on home ice on the 30th versus Wheeling. Take care, thanks for reading.