Back at the Arena on Friday evening for the start of another weekend endurance test, the Maine Mariners were in town for another three-in-three weekend (Maine broadcaster Michael Keeley has coined a phrase for these, he refers to them as "threekends"). This was the last of three such weekends on the home schedule, the Royals also had six of them on the road. On Friday the visitors from the Pine Tree State scored first but it would be the only one they would get. Matt Miller pulled the Royals even in the second period and put them ahead in the third, empty-netters from Jake Smith and defensemen Logan Britt cemented a 4-1 victory. On Saturday the trend continued with Maine getting on the board first, Sam Sedley tied it 1-1 at the intermission. Two answered scores for the Mariners gave them a 3-1 lead entering the third, with five minutes left Mason Primeau lit the lamp making it 3-2. In the closing minutes the Royals went with the extra attacker but Maine turned the tables with two empty-netters of their own for a 5-2 win. Keith Petruzzelli was in goal both nights for the Royals. In the rubber match on Sunday the Mariners again scored the first goal and nursed that 1-0 lead into the third period, Gianfranco Cassaro's score with eight minutes left evened the game at 1-1. Seven minutes of overtime failed to decide the issue, in the shootout Maine outscored the Royals two goals to one and took the game by that same score. Vinnie Purpura got the start on this day and took the decision, the club's record stands at 29-25-11 overall and 15-11-8 at home. A killer five-game road swing looms on the horizon before the club returns home for the final weekend on April 11. Take care, thanks for reading.
