October 30-31

Helen was in town on Wednesday morning at her eye doctor, on the way to her house we stopped in Willow Street and got our subs for lunch. Jenny had an appointment of her own in Quarryville, she arrived back at home about thirty seconds after her mother and I got there. The rest of the day was uneventful but Thursday was another story entirely. Rain moved into the area overnight, in the afternoon we made our way north for a rare Thursday night game at the Arena. The Newfoundland Growlers were the opponent for the first of their seven regular-season visits. Halloween was the (obvious) theme for the evening, fans who attended in costume took part in a between-periods judging contest. In the game itself the Royals broke on top 2-0 in the first on scores by Frank DiChiara and Matthew Gaudreau but the Growlers got one back before intermission. In the middle frame Gaudreau struck again to make it 3-1 but Newfoundland replied in kind, at the break the Royals led 3-2. In the third the clubs again traded scores, rookie Pascal Laberge (Quebec native on assignment from the Flyers) gave the Royals a 4-2 advantage but the Growlers just wouldn't go away, after they pulled back within one Steven Swavely found the net to make it 5-3. In the late going Newfoundland again pulled back to within one but down the stretch Felix Sandstrom and company shut it down for a big 5-4 victory. The Royals improve to 2-1 on home ice and 4-3-1 overall, the homestand continues with games against Norfolk on November 2nd and Adirondack on the 3rd. It had rained most of the way up in the afternoon, when we came out after the game it was misting lightly. We stopped on the way out of Reading at a convenience store for drinks and the skies opened, most of the drive home was in various degrees of downpour. By the time I had Jenny and her mother home and I was home myself I was more than glad to be there. Take care, thanks for reading.