BKN Aviators ~ The Long Bus Ride Home

From the desk of:   THE SKATES OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN AVIATORS:  Say Goodnight Gracie.  The Fat Lady Sings.



By any standard, or at any level, the Brooklyn Aviators and Danbury Whalers just concluded a great playoff series.  The Federal Hockey League can be proud of this one, for the circuit supplied local hockey fans of Brooklyn and Danbury with three superb games.  And in return, both teams and the league experienced good nights at the gate.



Last season, the A's needed all five games plus two overtime periods to advance past Danbury in the opening round of playoffs.  In the recently concluded regular season, the A's and Whalers split ten games down the middle.  In this year's post-season, Danbury was the third seed, and Brooklyn entered as the four seed.  And with two of their three games going into overtime, this last series only reinforces how close these two teams will remain.  The Whalers get to advance now.  And for Flatbush, it's time to close the Hangar doors on another season.

Federal Hockey League Playoffs

Game Three Final:

BROOKLYN AVIATORS   4

DANBURY WHALERS       5

OVERTIME

I - DNW 5; BKN 4*

II - BKN 5; DNW 2

III - DNW 5; BKN 4*

*overtime

Danbury wins series 2-1

1000 Island Privateers Defeat Akwesasne Warriors 2-1

ROUND TWO

DANBURY WHALERS

vs.

1000 ISLAND PRIVATEERS

All Flatbush could muster were three shots on goal throughout the entire third period.  Josselin St. Pierre faced fifty-one shots in the game and made forty-six saves.  You can't find fault with that.  The A's Tweeted and described the Whalers' game tying goal in the third period as "fluky".  Then came overtime.  And well, with no second chances, there is only one outcome that satisfies.  It's a hard way to end a season.



The game was almost a replay of Friday's game.  It was a back and forth affair, with each team taking turns at a run.  In game one, a last second goal sent them into overtime.  In game three, it was the dreaded "fluke" goal that extended the game.



In quick fashion, the Whalers jumped out to a very early 2-0 first period lead.  Goal number one came at 1:07, and goal two followed at the 3:27 mark.  But unlike game one when Danbury took their 3-0 lead into the intermission, Brooklyn responded this time and matched goals.  At 4:28, Joe Dabkowski answered back with Brooklyn's first goal.   At 5:38, Jason Dolgy answered back with Brooklyn's second goal.  And that's what they took into the first intermission this time.



Brooklyn kept things hot in the second period.  At 6:57, Casey Mignone scored on the power play when Danbury got whistled for a 'Too Many Men' bench minor.  Rob Schweyer followed with Brooklyn's fourth goal (unassisted) of the game at the 9:57 mark for a 4-2 Flatbush lead.  Then back came Danbury.  Greg Holt scored at 18:57 to bring Danbury within one again.



For the first 11:59 of the third period, Josselin St.Pierre fended off shots while Brooklyn mustered too few.  And then, one Danbury shot trickled by.  One of Danbury's leading scorers, Sean O'Malley, was credited with tying the game at four apiece.  Brooklyn finished the third period unable to put any kind of pressure on Peter Vetri.  And so into overtime they went.



Sean O'Malley wasted little time in dispatching the Aviators to their bus and starting the long ride back to Brooklyn.  He scored the game winner, and the series clincher 1:54 into the extra session.





It was a great season guys.  Can't wait to start things up again in the Fall.  Have a great Summer and thanks for the fun.

Mike.BTB