Royal Recaps (12/26/15-12/31/15)

(PHOTO MADE WITH BEFUNKY)

(ROYAL RECAPS) [12-26/15-12/31/15]

After the final two home games of 2015 it was time to go on the road…again. This time it was four games to close out 2015. Stops in Elmira, Brampton & Adirondack were slated for this road trip. Hmm wasn’t the team just away for a long time? Points in each game, another shutty, a collapse, another scoreless shootout, first overtime win were all on tap in this Recap. Let’s get into the games..shall we?

(GAME 1: 12/26/15)

Just one week ago today the Royals played one of their best games of the season after a hard fought (2-0) shutout over Elmira. Now it was time to do it again this time at First Arena. Adam Morrison would get the call yet again after a 33 save shutout last weekend. ECHL defense leader Adam Comrie would get the team on the board first 12:23 into the game on a Car-Bomb special that blew by Niklas Lundstrom for the (1-0) Royals lead. The second period we had goose eggs as each team held strong on each ends and the score remained (1-0) Royals after two. The Royals would finally get on the board again and in quick fashion (just .33 seconds in) as Justin Crandall took an Elmira turnover and ripped the puck low blocker side on Lundstrom for the (2-0) Royals lead. Just moments later Royals would get a lengthy 5-on-3 power play as Elmira took two different penalties and the Royals would capitalize on both front and back end of the power play. The front end saw Comrie bomb his second of the game just like he did the first time and now it was (3-0) Royals. Crandall capped the night with his second just fifteen seconds later to make it (4-0). The rest of the game the Royals shut down Elmira’s offense despite the Jackals having 17 shots in the period. Adam Morrison made huge saves down the stretch to preserve his second straight shutout stopping all 45 shots. He also earned the number one star nod for now two straight games and has been pretty solid since being acquired. All of Morrison’s wins in a Royals uniform have come in shutout form (3).

(GAME 2: 12/27/15)

Before we get into this one get your breathalyzers out and woosah chants together because you may need one of these two after this one. The Royals and Beast played started game one like none other as in the away team would get on the board for the only time in the period as Robbie Czarnik scored 5:47 into the game after a flurry of chances in front of Brampton starter Andy Isles. Royals lead (1-0) after one at Powerade Centre. Brampton would tie it at 6:22 on the power play as recently assigned Angelo Micelli jammed the puck by Morrison which broke his shutout streak at 146:22 to tie things up (1-1). Reading would snag a power play of their own late in the period as Mike Marcou who has a point in each game he has played since joining the team last weekend made it (2-1). A minute and five minutes later Scott Tanski beat Isles on the right shoulder after a uncorked rocket for his second of the season and made it (3-1) Royals going to intermission. Head coach Colin Chaulk saw enough of Isles and pulled him for Cann after the goal. Cann would be one lucky duck in substitution (more shortly). Here we go a two goal cushion going into the final frame it’s all good…or is it. The Royals were penned up in the defensive zone in that period despite leading by two after two as Brampton was dominating but Adam Morrison stood tall. Pavel Padakin 2:16 into period three scored his 3rd goal as a Royal on a beauty of a back-handed shot that went right under the legs of Cann to make it (4-1) Royals. Todd Perry picked up a hooking penalty a few minutes later and what a strange strategy was put on show by Chaulk during Brampton’s powerplay. Chaulk (with 15 mins to go) decided to pull the goalie for extra attacker which worked…for the Royals. Tanski would bury his second of the game for the shorthanded empty net goal (wow that was a lot to say). Royals now lead (5-1) but here is where the train ran off the tracks. Former Jackal Scott Jacklin started the comeback 9:30 into period three. A couple minutes later Travis Brown would score his second in two games against Reading and made the score (5-3). The penalty kill would fail as Micelli would score his second of the game and now it is (5-4) and home team Beast were coming and in all cylinders. Brampton would tie the game with just 31 seconds remaining as Chris Auger threw a puck on Morrison which he couldn't find but the inside the net did and wham it’s (5-5) heading into overtime. The PK would haunt the Royals again as again an unnecessary hooking call on Cam Reid was called 1:32 into overtime. Brampton’s leading scorer Brandon Marino would complete the comeback and the Beast took it (6-5). You could tell down the stretch the Royals just were falling out of gas and were tired and simply collapsed. Not a fun one in team history that’s for sure. This one was one to move on and forget about. A earned point but was it really hard earned?

(GAME 3: 12/28/15)

After last night’s debacle the Royals coming into this game really needed to change their performance and they did just that. They got on the board first 10:56 after a nice pass by Tifu to Comrie for the one time bomb as he is accustomed to this season for (1-0) Royals lead. After a late power play from first period carrying over the second the Royals would grab a two goal lead as Derek Mathers finally scored his first Royals goal after 19 total games with the club to make it (2-0) Royals. Now if you been following this team, the lead hasn’t always stayed safe for the team and the ghost would haunt this one as Brampton would get on the board as Travis Brown uncorked one of his one to cut the Royals lead (2-1). Later in the period the Royals Todd Perry got a 2 minute cross checking minor in which Brampton capitalized on late on the power play as Scott Howes would knot the score (2-2) which would be the score after two. Blowing a lead for Royals hmm we seen this before. A couple of power plays in which neither team capitalized on and strong play down the stretch in the third, we would go to overtime for the second straight night in Brampton. Back and forth we went as each team had numerous chances to snag the to gwg but in with 32 seconds left in overtime it felt that we may go to a shootout…but we didn’t. Robbie Czarnik who has been red hot lately snuck a back hand shot under the legs of Cann for the (3-2) overtime win. This marked the first win this season in overtime and first since game 1 of 2013 Kelly Cup Finals (5-4 Kashirsky). Martin Ouellette picked up his 5th win (5-2-0) of the season making 26 saves. The Beast will make their trip to Reading for two games in a few weeks which will be the final time these teams play during regular season.

(GAME 4: 12/31/15)

After a spilt and three out of four points taken in Brampton, the team was ready to end the four game road swing with a New Year’s Eve showdown in Adirondack for the first time this season. The game started off just like it does when teams see one another for the first time and that is feel each other out mode. Each team had a power play chance but neither could capitalize. Late in the period though the Thunder would get on the board first after Peter MacArthur got first of the season since leaving Europe a few weeks ago to make it (1-0) in favor of the home team. Adam Morrison who is not known for giving up many rebounds made the initial save but the rebound came right to MacArthur who got nailed his second chance on goal in succession. Not much going on for the second half as each team traded numerous good chances but goalies Adam Morrison and Ken Appleby stood tall in goal. Towards the end of the second period the Royals would tie the game on a blue-line shot that went right through Appleby who seemed some what surprised. Nick Luukko who is assigned by Lehigh Valley got the goal and it would be his first of the season and first as a pro (keep that one). The third period was tight as ever as each teams defense was locked on target and did not give up many chances as eleven shots total were in the period. So for the third straight game we would need overtime  in a (1-1) deadlock. The Thunder were the dominating team in the OT session and Adam Morrison was just spectacular and I mean spectacular. One save in particular saw him turn around to look for the puck behind him and the puck somehow came out from under him and out of him but not in the net. He made all nine stops in the overtime session. So we head to the shootout in which the Royals were not in favor of as coming in they were 0-9 in shootout attempts. Adirondack went first and scored first after Dana Fraser snuck one five hole on Morrison for (1-0) lead. After a scoreless second round Cam Reid had a chance to tie it but his forehand try was saved by Appleby and the Thunder had a chance to win it. It was all up to MacArthur and he delivered as his attempt went was a forehand backhand drive that beat Morrison and the home team took it (2-1). (Side Note): Andrew Ammon made his Royals debut and was (-1, 1SOG) in debut

The Royals come back home to kick off 2016 with a pair with the Thunder Saturday (7:00) & Sunday (4:00). The Royals grabbed six out of a possible 8 points on the four game road swing which isn’t bad but the wins still need to pick up in the new year as the R’s are just in the playoff picture. Ten of the total seventeen games in the month of January will be at Santander Arena so a lot of home cooking on the way. “GO ROYALS” “BLEED PURPLE” “HELLO 2016”

-FIN-
Justin Strohm 1/2/16