With four games remaining and a playoff birth and first place finish already in the bag, some would question how important this game is for the Brooklyn Aces.
However, after the team’s 6-4 loss to the New Jersey Rockhoppers, expect Brooklyn to get back on track against the last-place Hudson Valley Bears.
The game can also end up being a pivotal one for two Aces in particular, as both of the team’s assistant captains, C.J. Tozzo and Kyle McCullough, currently find themselves with 90 points. While it’s obvious they won’t both score 10 points tonight, great games against Hudson Valley could play a huge factor in the duo being the first two players in league history to get to 100 points.
While Tozzo has put winning ahead of any personal goals, he did say it was something that has crossed his mind.
“Obviously you think about it and it would be nice,” said Tozzo. “But right now, we’re concentrating on playing well going into the playoffs and getting back on track. The way I feel about it now is that it would be a huge bonus, but we want to make sure we’re all on the same page and create a cohesive unit for when we get to the playoffs.”
The Aces will also have Eddie Chlanda and Bill Horton in the lineup, two players brought in for the playoff push. In five games with the Aces earlier this season, Chlanda, who compares his game to that of current New York Islander Trent Hunter, has five points. While Horton is less of an offensive player than Chlanda, he’s a steady defenseman with size that should be able to give the Aces defense even more depth.
With the new additions and the team’s loss on Sunday still looming in their memories, expect the Aces to come out strong and work on pressuring the puck in all three zones, something that when they’ve done it consistently, has played a huge role in their success. Also expect Aces defensemen Rob Miller and Doug Hoffman to continue to shoot from the point, something they’ve been doing much more of lately and a huge reason why they’ve been averaging over a point through their last five games.
So while it may still appear to just be a sparring match between the best and worst teams in the league, this game should still end up being an important one for the Aces.
Site News:
I will be appearing on WKRB 90.3 FM this Thursday at 6:30 to discuss the Brooklyn Aces on the new talk show “Hockey Night in Brooklyn, with Jonathan Rios.”
Tune in!
Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr.
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