October 19-20

Saturday night at the Arena on Penn Street in Reading, PA as the home portion of the nineteenth season of ECHL Royals hockey officially began. The club went 1-1-1 on a very tough season-opening road trip, on this night the Maine Mariners visited for the start of a two-game set. Maine scored in the first seven minutes but late in the opening period Frank DiChiara lit the lamp to tie it 1-1. In the second frame the Mariners struck twice to carry a 3-1 advantage into the third period. The Royals pulled to within one on a score by Matthew Gaudreau (three-year pro from Carneys Point, NJ and the brother of NHLer Johnny Gaudreau) but Maine replied with two quick goals to go up 5-2. Brayden Low's tally in the final minute made the final score 5-3, rookie goaltender Felix Sandstrom (from Galve, Sweden on assignment from the Flyers) took the loss. On Sunday the skies were rainy and gloomy but it was dry indoors as the clubs met again, on this day the Royals jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Trevor Yates and Ralph Cuddemi (Yates is a two-year man from Beaconsfield, Quebec whose father Ross led the AHL in scoring in 1983). In the second period Eric Knodel extended the lead to three but Maine roared back with a trio of their own, at the intermission it was 3-3. Early in the third Cuddemi struck again but the Mariners replied fifteen seconds later to knot it again at 4-4. Frank DiChiara put the Royals back on top with thirteen minutes left, from there Kirill Ustemenko and the defense corps held the Mariners off the board for the 5-4 victory. The club stands at 2-2-1 in the early going, the next home game is on Halloween night with the Newfoundland Growlers. Take care, thanks for reading.