March 4

When the ECHL released its season schedule last summer I noted four occasions where the Royals were booked for three home games in a three-day period. One of them was in November, another two were in January (and one of those was altered thanks to that blizzard) and this weekend was the last of the four. On Friday the Royals played their first home game in two weeks as the Wheeling Nailers visited for the opener of a back-to-back set. The Royals went 3-1 on the road trip, on this night at the Arena they suffered a frustrating 7-4 loss. Cam Reid gave the Royals the early lead but the Nailers struck back to take a 2-1 advantage into the second period. In the middle stanza Reid lit the lamp again, Brandon Alderson's goal made it 3-2 Royals entering the final frame. The third period was just about all Wheeling, three Nailer goals in quick order made it 5-3. The Royals scored with the extra attacker to get within one but two Wheeling empty-netters made the final score more lopsided than it really was, Connor Knapp got the start in net and took the loss. The fourth Royals goal was originally credited to Robbie Czarnik, after the game video review confirmed that Cam Reid had been the last to touch it on its way into the net. It is the first Royals hat-trick at home in some time and nobody realized it until well after the game had ended. The boys have a chance to get even with the Nailers on Saturday, on Sunday the Norfolk Admirals visit at 4:00. Take care, thanks for reading.