January 16

Off and running early on Monday morning for the annual 1:00 game on Martin Luther King Day at the Arena. Several years ago we started playing a game on MLK Day and it has proven very popular. The Royals split a pair of games in Elmira over the weekend, this game with the Jackals on home ice was effectively the rubber match of a 3-in-3. This was the third of the Jackals' five visits to Reading and the team has not been doing well lately, they have the worst record in the league and they recently fired their head coach. The Royals fell behind early but late in the first period goals by Matt Willows and Justin Crandall three minutes apart put the home team on top 2-1. Midway through the second Ryan Penny lit the lamp to up the lead to two, late in the period Elmira got it back to make it 3-2. The final period was scoreless until twelve minutes in, Robbie Czarnik's goal gave the Royals some breathing room. Justin Crandall struck again four minutes later, less than a minute after that Steven Swavely hit the empty net to put the wrapper on a 6-2 Royals win. Martin Ouellette was the goaltender of record as the club hits the halfway point of the season at 21-13-2, 11-5-0 at the Arena. The ECHL All-Star Game is in Glens Falls on the 18th, Justin Crandall is the Royals' representative. League play resumes on the 20th with a Friday/Saturday back-to-backer at the Arena, Adirondack visits on the 20th and Wheeling comes in the next night. Take care, thanks for reading.