March 29-31

Back at the Arena on Friday evening for the first of back-to-back home dates, the Maine Mariners were the opponent for the last of their four regular-season visits. On this night Maine scored the first goal and the last goal, in-between the Royals put together a six-goal blitz. In the first period newcomers played a big role, goals from Corey Mackin (recently added after completing his collegiate career at Ferris State University) and Jacob Graves (acquired by the Flyers from the Arizona Coyotes in January, back in the lineup from an extended injury absence) gave the Royals a 2-1 lead. Frank Hora and Michael Huntebrinker lit the lamp in the second, Tyler Brown and Matt Pohlkamp closed it out in the third as the Royals prevailed 6-2. On Saturday Jenny and Helen made another visit to The Hotel, in the evening the Wheeling Nailers visited Penn Street for their fourth and final appearance. For a second consecutive night the Royals fell behind early, the Nailers led 2-0 after one. Josh MacDonald put the Royals on the board in the second period, early in the third Frank DiChiara found the back of the net to tie the game. The matter was not settled until the dreaded overtime shootout, the Royals outscored Wheeling two-to-zero and claimed the victory 3-2. It is the first time the club has won past regulation on home ice in exactly one year (shootout win over Manchester on 3-30-18). Thus far in '18-19 the club has played fourteen games beyond regulation, the mark is 4-10 with all four wins coming in the SO (and the first three of those were on the road), at home the OT/SO record is just 1-5. Jamie Phillips was in goal both nights as the Royals improve to 31-28-10, 15-15-5 at home. The boys play in Portland on April 3 and in Glens Falls on the 5th before hosting Adirondack on the 6th in the regular-season finale. What happens between now and then will tell the story. Take care, thanks for reading.