BKN Aviators ~ Friday Night Rumble in Danbury

From the desk of:  THE COOLEST GUYS IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN AVIATORS:  Week Two Cleared For Take-Off; Mission - Danbury.


It's that time; it's FHL week two and the A's are opening the doors to Hangar Five and taking-off for Connecticut.  Friday night, Brooklyn's Coolest will head up to Danbury for their first meeting against the Whalers.  Then Saturday, the Aviators return to Hangar Five for a rematch against the Cape Cod Bluefins who defeated the A's in over-time last time they met in Hyannis.




The first place New Jersey Outlaws may have ruined our home-ice opener this season and they'll surely need to pay for that...eventually.  But right now they're still second-in on Brooklyn's rivalry depth chart.  Danbury however; - The Danbury Whalers?  Now you speak of the Brooklyn Aviators' true rival.  After the inaugural season of FHL play, this has developed into a fierce Tri-State area rivalry indeed.  And the folks of Danbury are without a doubt very supportive of their team and fill the seats, which should add some electricity to this initial Friday night match-up of the season.



One thing is very clear about the Danbury team thus far, they are very strong up the middle. Center - Kelly Miller leads Danbury scoring after two games with three goals and three assists; good for six points.  Center-Chris Seifert and Center-Joe Dabkowski are Danbury's other two multiple goal scorers. 



Casey Mignone is Brooklyn's leading goal scorer so far with a pair.  And newcomer Chris Ferazolli leads the team in points with four on the strength of three assists.



Whalers' goalie-Rick Niedert has made both of Danbury's starts so far.  A's Coach Miller rotated his goalies last week.  Lee Thomas made two starts for the A's while Peter Dundovich started in net once.  On a side note, Peter's lone start against Cape Cod last week is still something bordering bizarre.



The A's signed a pair of players during the week.  Coach Miller signed Forward - Vladimir Nikiforov from the ECHL, and picked up more defensive help from the SPHL by signing Defenseman - Ken Trentowski.  Both should be in uniform for Friday's game.



New Jersey leads the circuit with four games played and nine points.  Brooklyn trails in fourth place with four points after three games and Danbury is fifth with three points after two games played.

FHL.com

BrooklynAviators.com

DanburyWhalers

FRIDAY NIGHT

BROOKLYN AVIATORS

(1-1-1) 

vs.

Danbury Whalers

(1-1-0)

From

Danbury, Connecticut

Mike.BTB

BKN Aviators ~ A's Touch Down in Brooklyn Tonight

From the desk of:  THE COOLEST GUYS IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN AVIATORS

OPENING NIGHT at HANGAR #5

Air tower, clear the landing strip at Floyd Bennett Field.  The Aviators are finally coming home.  After opening the season in Lewiston , Maine on Thursday and playing in Hyannis, Massachusetts on Friday night, it's time for the local blades to take to their home ice off Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.



The Aviators took Game One of the season in a return match scheduled in Maine against the defending FHL champion, Akwesasne Warriors.  Two goals in the third period and playing shut-down defense over the last forty minutes Thursday, along with Thomas Lee's 29 saves helped the A's gain victory.



However, in Friday night's game against the Cape Cod Bluefins, two goals by Casey Mignone were good enough to get the A's into overtime.  But they couldn't manage to score another in the extra session.   Cape Cod beat them to it when Dan Gordon scored the winning goal past Brooklyn's starting goalie on this night, Pete Dundovich.



Although they were hard luck over-time losers Friday, the name of the game is points.  And the A's are making a five point landing as they arrive in Brooklyn.  Five points in their first two games puts the A's in an early season lead over the circuit as they head into their first game at home.



Opening Night at Hangar Five will be against the expansion New Jersey Outlaws who now sport two former Aviator players and fan favorites; Mattew Puntureri and John Goffredo.  New Jersey won their Friday night game against the Danbury Whalers at home after dropping their first game in Danbury as part of a home-and-home opening series.

LET'S GO AVIATORS!

TONIGHT

New Jersey Outlaws

VS.

BROOKLYN AVIATORS

From

HANGAR FIVE

FLATBUSH AVENUE, BROOKLYN

Mike.BTB

BKN Aviators ~ Doors to Hangar Five Open October 29th

From the desk of:  THE COOLEST GUYS IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN AVIATORS HOCKEY CLUB ~ 2011-2012:

Coach Miller Making Final Preparations Before Take-Off.

Back in July the organization officially dropped "New York" from their name and opted instead to more accurately represent the Borough of Kings and the local crowds who cheer for them inside Hangar Number Five off Flatbush Avenue.

As the start of the second Federal Hockey League season draws closer, Coach Rob Miller is busy scouting and finalizing his roster.  Many of the Coolest Guys from last season will be returning.  Unfortunately, two very popular players and key contributors from the previous season's success will not.  But all players starting this season forward; whether returning from last season or are new faces to the team, and any future club member, will now represent and play as:

THE  BROOKLYN  AVIATORS

This just reaffirms what I've been saying about them generally being regarded as,

The Coolest Guys in Brooklyn! 

To drop the puck on the 2011-2012 campaign, the Aviators and Akwesasne Warriors will pick up where left off last season, which is on Warriors home-ice where Akwesasne's home team defeated the A's three games to one to win the Federal Hockey League Inaugural Championship back in March. 

Brooklyn and Akwesasne will officially start the FHL season on Oct. 27th.  The A's will play a second road game on Oct. 28th against the Cape Cod Blue Fins.  Then, Brooklyn's home-ice opener will be on Saturday, October 29th, versus one of the three new additions to the League; the New Jersey Outlaws.

The Federal Hockey League is an eight team circuit now.  The returning member clubs from last season are Brooklyn; Akwesanse; 1000 Islands Privateers; and the Danbury Whalers.  Last year's Broome County Barons are now this year's Cape Cod Blue Fins.

The three new teams joining the League for the 2011-2012 season are the Danville Dashers; New Jersey Outlaws; and the Vermont Wild.

One of the most popular players not returning to the A's this season is the 5'10" little bull and (now former) crowd favorite; Matthew Puntureri.  He was traded to the New Jersey Outlaws back in May.  The transaction was an unfortunate situation Coach Miller admitted was made due to financial considerations.


You don't just seemingly and suddenly ignite like the A's did last season and roll off a 21-game winning streak and finish the regular season in first place only after playing at such a ferocious pace as they did to close out last season, without riding your Goalie like an old WWII Flying Tiger.  The Aviators did just that, and their goalie was Kevin Druce.  He also will not be returning this season.


But many familiar names to us locals are returning for another campaign at Hangar Five.  Forwards -Andrew Scampoli, Steve Obelnicki, Anthony Longo, Jesse Felton, Michael Thomson, Casey Magnone, John Goffredo, and Nick Vandenbeld are some of the returning skaters.


On Defense - The truth is, we're thin.  KC Timmons and Jarrett Rush will be back on the blue line.  Nicholas Kuqali makes three signed defenseman.  After that, this is perhaps the team's biggest issue and Coach Miller's toughest challenge ahead.  Coach hopes to solidify his blue line through scouting the southern circuit before the season's opener.


In goal tender Kevin Druce's absence, the Aviators will mostly likely go with a tandem of Peter Dundovich, and Ryan Scott in net this season.


We'll see what new players earn a Brooklyn jersey once Training Camp concludes.  Until then...



...Let's Go A's!




Mike.BTB