November 24-26

Sometimes things happen that are so bizarre it's best not to even try to figure it out. When we were at the rink for the street hockey league's championships we were subjected to three nights of brutal cold and wind. On Monday temperatures reached into the 60s but the midweek forecast was calling for SNOW. The early part of the week was uneventful in terms of activity, on Tuesday evening after supper I went over to McCaskey. Winter sports season practices began on the 17th, on this night the basketball team was there from 5:30 to 7:30 (practice time alternates weekly, the girls team had been there from 3:30 to 5:30). Coach Powell underwent surgery earlier in the fall, the operation was centered around the neck and throat area. The healing process is ongoing and he's nowhere near 100% but he was there because coaching and the team are what he lives for, he's been at it at McCaskey for a long time. The club has scrimmages scheduled for Saturday the 29th and Tuesday December 2nd, the first game is on the 9th against Chester. Late on Tuesday night precipitation moved into the area as the winter storm warning remained in effect, the snow started falling in earnest on Wednesday morning. Jenny and I talked it over and we decided it best that I not try to travel south to her place (the rural areas around Quarryville are always worse for driving in this kind of weather). She was disappointed to miss the game (so was I) but the thing is I would hate to see her injured in an accident. I HAD to travel because I was working, as a fan she doesn't have to take that risk (besides, we were playing Elmira and they are an opponent she'll see often enough). I left a half-hour earlier than usual but the drive north on 222 was remarkably calm, outside of one traffic backup for a fender-bender there was little issue. The turnout at the Arena was acceptable all things considered, we got underway at 7:30 (the normal Wednesday/Thursday/Friday game time for this season). The Royals took a 1-0 lead thanks to Adam Comrie but the Jackals rallied to lead by one in the second period. David Marshall tied it at 2-2, Comrie's second goal of the night gave the Royals a one-goal lead. Elmira would tie the score 3-3 in the early going of the third period, that score would stand through the end of overtime. In the shootout the Jackals outscored the Royals three-to-one to claim the 4-3 win. Martin Ouellette was the Royals' goalie of record. The drive home was of no consequence, the snow had stopped earlier in the evening and the highway was clear. The Royals are now three games into a ten-game homestand, they don't play on the road again until mid-December. The Greenville Road Warriors come to town for a two-game set on Friday the 28th. Take care, thanks for reading.