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Thursday, February 29, 2024

February 26-29

The new week began in the accustomed Monday manner, on Tuesday Jenny was in town for the rescheduled appointment from the week before and this time it actually took place. Wednesday was a hockey night at the Arena for the second consecutive week, the Wheeling Nailers were the opponent for the last of their five visits. The Nailers are one of only five other franchises still around from the Royals' debut season in 2001-02, they have been based in Wheeling since 1992. To show you how much the ECHL has changed since the Royals started: in '01-02 the club's home schedule featured the Trenton Titans, Roanoke Express, Greensboro Generals, Charlotte Checkers, Johnstown Chiefs, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (no kidding), Dayton Bombers, Peoria Rivermen and Richmond Renegades in addition to still-active Western Conference opponents Wheeling, Toledo (who we haven't seen at the Arena since November of 2019) and Cincinnati (absent from Reading since February of '18). The Royals entered on this night 0-for the season versus Wheeling with two overtime losses being all the club had to show for it, this was the last game of the season series and the Royals finally broke through in a big way. Shane Sellar gave the Good Guys a 1-0 lead in the first period, in the second Ryan Cox cashed in on a power play to put the Royals up by two. Fifteen seconds later newcomer Justin Michaelian (pronounced "mi-KALE-ee-in") made it 3-0, Mason Millman lit the lamp in the third period for the game's final goal. At the other end of the ice Nolan Maier was superb stopping all forty-two shots he faced for his second shutout of the season and the team's third (Parker Gahagen had one vs Worcester back in January). Maier's first credited shutout was actually a 1-0 shootout loss earlier in the month, this time around he and the club were able to celebrate a W. The win draws the record at home to "hockey .500" at 12-12-3, overall 21-24-7. This was the first of five straight at the Arena, the homestand continues with the Adirondack Thunder for a back-to-back on March 1 and 2. Take care, thanks for reading