Posts under ‘Interviews’

Despite losing in regulation to the New Jersey Rockhoppers 7-5 last Friday and falling in a shootout to the Danbury Mad Hatters on Jan.25, Aces head coach Chris Firriolo is confident the Aces haven’t hit any ruts that can’t be smoothed out with a Zamboni.

As a matter of fact, the bench boss sees this period in the season as one that has provided his squad with the experience they’ll need to finish the season the same way they started it- on top.

Citing injuries to his blue line and forwards as a main reason for the team’s losses recently, Firriolo is proud of the way his team has performed.

By Toni S. Johnson, edited by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Last weekend, at the Broadway play “Speed the Plow,” sat a handsome Clark Kent character, glasses poised, hair immaculately combed and casually dressed in jeans and a classic button up.

His smile was noticeable and his infectious laugh was full of energy.

“Life in the movie business is like the beginning of a new love affair; it’s full of new surprises and you’re constantly getting f****d,” reads the playbill.

Ironically, if you take the same wit and personality that gentleman possessed and put a pair of ice skates on him, give him a hockey stick and throw him on the ice, your superman will turn into the Brooklyn Aces veteran defenseman, Rob Miller.

But don’t let the Clark Kent look fool you.

In 17 games this season, Brooklyn Aces defenseman Doug Hoffman has 16 points, good for third in the EPHL behind Danbury’s Dan Hickman and Hudson Valley’s Dan Malloy. However, in spite of his offense prowess, Hoffman has proven he’s a more than capable defender and has played a pivotial part in the Aces giving up only 53 goals this season despite the injuries and departures of key blueliners line Dan Rohanna, Mike Richards, Andrew Scampoli and Rob Miller.

Chatting with Aces Over Brooklyn this past Saturday before the team took on the Mad Hatters at Aviator Arena, Hoffman talks about his game this season, in addition to discussing how it feels to be only one of three healthy natural defensemen on the team and how the team’s recent losing streak may have been a good thing after all.

Check it out!

As always, you can listen directly here at: http://www.switchpod.com/users/patrickhickeyjr1/DougHoffman1227.mp3

If Aces forward Jesse Felten has a smile on his face lately, it’s for good reason. According to most of his teammates, after he took down Danbury Mad Hatters pest Mykul Haun in a scrap on Dec.18, the 5′8, 160-pound winge became the Heavyweight champion of the world. Even though Felten has never pretended to be a tough guy, he sure has looked like one lately. In the midst of a scoring slump, the speedy winger has transformed himself into a complete player. Already known to be an excellent penalty killer and a solid scorer, Felten hasn’t strayed from the physical play as of late, getting in a handful of fights and finishing his check with extra tenacity and grit.

Chatting with Aces Over Brooklyn before Saturday night’s game against the New Jersey Rockhoppers, the 22-year-old talks about being moved off the “Three Amigos” line and how his game has developed this season.

Check it out!

If the dirt under your nails or the sand in your eyes that you can never get rid of could magically turn into a professional hockey player, the back of it’s jersey would read: KUPER, 8.

The Aces resident pest, B.J. Kuper is the James Bond of agitators in the newly-formed EPHL.

Make no mistake about it, just like Bond’s license to love, Kuper has one of his own as well.

To annoy.

“I’m a grinder, but my job first and foremost is to be a pest,” he said. “To be the first guy in the corners and to hassle defenders and draw penalties. It’s also my job to make the game as uncomfortable as I can for the opposition.”

However, despite his prowess as a pest, Kuper, like a double agent, has no problem masquerading as someone else. With two assists in three games this season, the 23-year-old looks like a first liner on the team’s grind-line with Mike Thomson and Chad Wilcox.

If Brooklyn Aces forward Chad Wilcox was acquired this season for one reason and one reason only, it would be to help lead the team by any means necessary.

Through his first three games this season, Wilcox has done just that, dishing out a bevy of big hits and an assist. However, if those stats don’t prove his worth to his new team, his 25 penalty minutes do an even better job of convincing any naysayer what he brings to the Aces.

All that considered, it’s baffling how quickly the 30-year-old Las Vegas-native has adjusted to his new team, especially when he wasn’t even on the roster when training camp began three weeks ago. Even stranger was his arrival, as a stroke of bad luck ended up giving the grizzled veteran a second chance and the Aces the bona fide enforcer they lacked.

It’s been almost five weeks since Alan Friedman became the majority owner of the Brooklyn Aces and he hasn’t stopped smiling yet. Excited about the direction both the league and team is going in, the Brooklyn business owner and new head honcho of the Aces sees great things in the future ahead. Chatting over the phone on Tuesday night with AcesOverBrooklyn.com, the Canarsie-native discusses his ownership style and what he wants to accomplish this season with his team.

Aces Over Brooklyn.com- Considering the fact that the sports market of New York has enigmatic owners like the Dolan’s, Steinbrenner’s and Wang’s, it’s obvious that fans here want to know more about who calls the shots for their favorite teams. How do you see yourself as an owner?

Almost a decade before New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg made it illegal to smoke cigarettes in restaurants and started the green movement we now know today, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani went on a crusade of his own, making most fireworks illegal in the five boroughs.

If Giuliani saw Aces defenseman Rob Miller on the ice back then, he would have thrown the Morristown-NJ native in the slammer.

Just like an M-80, Miller is living proof that lightning can come in small packages. 5′10 and 190 pounds, Miller hits hard and has a steady offensive game that will undoubtedly be showcased this season in Brooklyn.

“I spent four years in the ACHL and SPHL and that was my reputation,” he said. “Playing small, but tenacious. That’s the way I’ve always played. That’s how I’ve always been categorized. That’s it.”

Every successful team in hockey history has had a slew of role players that can produce when the time comes and pick up the proverbial lunch pail when times are tough.

The New York Islanders dynasty of the early ’80s had players like Andurs Kallur and Butch Goring who consistently came through in the clutch. The 1994 New York Rangers had Esa Tikkanen and Craig MacTavish who annoyed defenses and won big faceoffs. The Devils still have John Madden and Jay Pandolfo, who drive opposing offenses crazy every night with their endless hustle.

The Brooklyn Aces have C.J. Tozzo.

“I’ll do whatever they need me to,” he said. “I don’t see myself as a one-dimensional player. I can fill a variety of roles. I like to use my speed to create offensive opportunities and find my teammates. Because of that, I’d ideally like to be in a playmaking center type role and play with a good scoring winger with speed. I’m the type of player who can create offensive opportunities, but I’m responsible defensively as well.”

Aces forward Jesse Felten knows space on the ice this season isn’t going to come through intimidation tactics.

To succeed in pro hockey, the 22-year-old, who stands in at 5′9 and 165 pounds knows he has to have a few endearing qualities to make a career out the game he’s spent his entire life playing.

Luckily, he’s got NHL-caliber speed and has been playing against bigger players his entire life.

“I come from a big family,” said Felten. “I was adopted and have 16 brothers. There are 23 of us all together. 10 of us were in hockey at one time. It’s a huge thing in our family.”

Add in a wicked release and some solid stick handling ability and it’s easy to see that Felten has the potential to be a star in his first season in pro hockey.

Calm and cool, Felten too sees himself playing a big part in the Aces offensive attack this season.