Follow along with the Royals’ season every Monday (Royals Weekly) and Friday (Royals Weekend) on MarkhamRoyals.com as we look back at the games that were and look ahead to the upcoming action!
Royals Wrap-Up September
The Royals wrapped up the first month of their season with a pair of weekend games against the Lindsay Muskies on Friday, and Haliburton County Huskies on Saturday.
Friday’s game began with a trio of first-period goals for Markham, including first OJHL tallies for rookie Jackson Halloran and junior veteran Anoushan Mugunthan. Unfortunately, it was a lead that wouldn’t hold, as the Muskies bounced back with four unanswered goals, ultimately claiming victory in the second overtime.
On Saturday, special teams were a concern for the Royals, as Huskies forward Deandres De Jesus scored three powerplay goals in the second period. Meanwhile, Markham went zero for six on the powerplay. While Markham was able to cut Haliburton’s initial four-goal lead to two in the second period, that was as close as they’d get to a rally, as the final score would end up at 6-3 in Minden.
The Royals wrapped up September with a 1-6-1 record.
Markham Acquires Mugunthan
The Royals added to their forward group early last week, acquiring Anoushan Mugunthan from the Brockville Braves of the CCHL. Mugunthan played in both weekend games, scoring his first goal against Lindsay.
The 20-year-old Mugunthan, a native of Hawkesbury, Ontario, scored 19 points in 21 games with Brockville last season.
A Fresh Start In October
The Royals have an opportunity to learn the lessons from a tough September and rally back in a new month, beginning with two games this weekend.
First, Markham will return to St. Michael’s College School Arena for their first regular season game against the Buzzers since their playoff series between each other last season. St. Michael’s currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 5-3-0-1 record. Last season, the Royals had distinct control of the season series, going 3-1 in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.
On Sunday, the Royals host the Burlington Cougars at Markham Centennial Arena. Burlington is off to a flying start in the Western Conference, sitting third in the OJHL with an 8-2-0-1 record. In their lone game against the Cougars last year, the Royals rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to win 4-2.