Posts on ‘February 8th, 2009’

After last night’s loss to the Jersey Rockhoppers, the Brooklyn Aces vowed to play with more heart against the Danbury Mad Hatters, a team with what some might say pride themselves, perhaps a bit too much at times, on theirs.

On this day however, Aces goaltender Eddie Neville proved just how big his heart was, making 41 saves in what ended up as not only being the league’s first shutout, but perhaps the team’s biggest win of the season.

“I was seeing the puck well,” said Neville. “[Aces Assistant Coach] Rob Miller mentioned to me before the game that their hasn’t been a shutout yet this season. It got under my skin a little bit;  it was motivation and I knew that if I had to give up nothing to help this team win, I was going to do whatever it took.”

Today’s game at Aviator Arena this afternoon features two teams going in two seemingly different directions.

The Brooklyn Aces, the best team in the EPHL, has lost three games in a row and has had problems on defense and with their usually rock-solid goaltending combination of Eddie Neville and Miro Recicar. However, scoring only three goals their past two games, it seems like their offense, which has been infallible all season, may have hit a bump in the road as well.

“We don’t have the same chemistry going,” said Firriolo. “It’s been hard, we just have to find some stability. It’ll happen, we just have to find some new combinations. It’ll happen during the week.”

With the likes of newbies Mike Baccaro, Matt McGilvray and Sean Walsh all a part of the team’s newly formed checking line, Firriolo’s point couldn’t be any clearer. While all three were solid last night, registering a combined seven shots on goal, it’s obvious that they are still getting accustomed to the league.

Nick Niedert has proven more than a few times this season that he knows how to steal games against the best the EPHL has to offer.

Making 35 saves against a hungry Brooklyn offense, the Rockhoppers netminder powered a 4-1 win over an Aces team that is looking far from the first place team it’s supposed to be.

“We’re going to create offense, we’re a skilled team; we just have to take advantage of our opportunities. We’re just a bit too vanilla right now ,” said Aces captain C.J. Tozzo. “We were a bit soft. We have to get hungry again.”

Things started off well for the Aces however, as Chris Holmes slapped his way on to the blank scoreboard in the first, depositing his own rebound past Niedert at 8:36 after a sexy pass from Kyle McCullough, giving Brooklyn a 1-0 lead.