Posts Tagged ‘James Brannigan’

As far as I know, as of today, Bobby and James Brannigan are the only brothers to play in the EPHL.

They also share the distinction of being the only brothers to play on the same team.

A far cry from the Sutter’s or the Staal’s however, these two still have college hockey experience under their belts and have both made it to the pros, albeit in two totally different ways.

In spite of being six years younger than his brother, James was a member of a Colorado College team that reached the frozen four. Even before this season, he had a cup of coffee in the ECHL with the Augusta Lynx and the Columbus Inferno. This past season, he was also easily the best pure goal scorer in the league, scoring 22 goals in just 17 games, before spending the rest of the season with the Utah Grizzlies.

Before a single puck was dropped at Aviator Arena this season, James Brannigan seemed like a perfect fit for the Brooklyn Aces.

Looking for a place to thrive after being used in defensive roles at Colorado College and the ECHL that didn’t show off his 97 mph slapshot, Brannigan needed a change of scenery and a chance to prove just how talented he really was. Playing amazing hockey during his time in his hometown, Brannigan was leading the league in scoring with 22 goals and 35 points when he was called up to the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL on Dec. 29 .

Now just a heartbeat away from the AHL and even the NHL, Brannigan has seven points in 12 games with the Grizzlies. Chatting over the phone from Utah in this exclusive interview done last night, Brannigan talks about his time in Brooklyn this season in addition to his hopes for the future and how he’s enjoying his time in the Mid-West.

According to a press release by the EPHL, Brooklyn Aces forward James Brannigan has been called up to the Utah Grizzlies, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Islanders. In 17 games this season in Brooklyn, Brannigan was leading the Aces and the league with 22 goals and 35 points.

In other news, Brannigan’s older brother, Bobby, who scored his first professional goal yesterday against the Hudson Valley Bears, has been placed on waivers.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

According to a press release from the EPHL, assistant captain Rob Miller has been placed on injured reserve, while leading scorer James Brannigan has been placed on team suspension, making them both ineligible for tonight’s game against the New Jersey Rockhoppers.

In 11 games this season, Brannigan also leads the league with 17 goals and 26 points.

Miller, who returned after two and half years away from the sport as a player, was thriving as well this season, with 10 points in 11 games.

Through the first eight games of the EPHL’s inaugural season, the Brooklyn Aces have flown high above the competition, amassing a 7-1 record while leaving a trail of smoke over their opponents, outscoring them 52-23.

However, despite possessing the league’s best overall defense, that features talented two-way defensemen such as Rob Miller, Nick Grove, Andrew Scampoli and Doug Hoffman, in addition to the rock-solid goaltender combo of Eddie Neville and Miro Recicar, the Aces offense has been the real story of their magical season.

Nonetheless, while the Aces have gotten offense from a variety of sources, the team’s first line, aptly tabbed “The BMT Line,” of James Brannigan, Kyle McCollaugh and C.J. Tozzo, have left their opponents in pieces, ranking first, second and third in team and league scoring.

“They really work well together,” said Aces head coach Chris Firriolo. “They are definitely a top line in this league, for sure.”

Before the 2008-2009 EPHL season began, Brooklyn Aces head coach Chris Firriolo knew James Brannigan was going to be his poster boy.

And why not? Born and raised in Dyker Heights, the 24-year-old’s play on the ice is a direct representation of what it means to be from Brooklyn: charismatic and tough. Simply put, even if Brannigan was from Boston, he’d still fit the Brooklyn hockey scene like a glove.

However, Brannigan has done a lot more than look good on the ice this season. Scoring eight goals in his first five games, he’s quickly become a fan favorite in his hometown and has proved he’s a lot more than just a marketing ploy for the first year Aces.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure on me,” said Brannigan. “But I couldn’t ask for more right now. Things are going great.”

More than just a talented goal-scorer, Brannigan plays the game with a chip on his shoulder.

Outscoring their opponents 12-7 over their first two games this season, the Brooklyn Aces have combined a talented and speedy offense with an experienced defense and excellent goaltending.

Regardless of their perfect record thus far though, Aces head coach believes his team is capable of even more on the ice.

“We have to get better every day and every game,” he said. “I think we have to create a bit more traffic in front of the net and generate more offense from the top of the blue line in between the circles, that hot zone. 83 percent of the goals in the NHL are scored from that area. We’re also a team that depends on our forecheck. In order for us to be succesful, we have to be consistent on every single shift. That’s the only way these guys are going to get to the next level. They have to continue to work as hard as they possibly can.”

According to the team’s official website, The Brooklyn Aces defeated the New Jersey Rockhoppers 6-3 last night. Brooklyn native James Brannigan and Mike Christensen netted a pair of goals apiece, while Kyle McCullough had two assists.

No other news is available at this time, [I wish I had more, but I'm only covering the team's home games this season] but at the very least, it’s a great step in the right direction for this team. Anyone that has seen this team practice this season will tell you that they have tons of speed on the forward lines and a crafty and intelligent defense to go along with more than solid goaltending.

Looks like the Rockhoppers found that out first hand last night.

Site News:

The newest team in the EPHL, the Hudson Valley Bears, concluded their player draft earlier in the week and three players from the Aces were lost in the process. Defensemen Joe Lyle and Gabe Yeung and goaltender Len DiCostanzo will all have some Uhauls to rent in the next few days on their ways to their new club. While Lyle and DiConstanzo have minimal professional hockey experience, so it’s impossible to know what they would have done this season in Brooklyn, it would have been nice to see the 6′5, 230 pound Yeung [who has skated for 13 teams over the past five seasons in 10 different leagues] in Brooklyn this season, especially with the gritty Dan Rohanna as his partner.

Nevertheless, in spite of those losses, you have to like the direction this team is going. With only three players announced thus far, the Aces have already addressed several key roles, which could play a pivotal role in their success this season.

It may sound a bit cliché, but Brooklyn’s newest pro hockey team, the Aces, may have one up their sleeves this upcoming season.

His name is James Brannigan.

Forged on the Abe Stark hockey rink in Coney Island and solidified in the youth hockey leagues of Long Island, Brannigan’s game is somewhat of legend in Brooklyn.

Turning down an opportunity to play in the CHL this season, Brannigan signed with the team a few weeks ago and is thrilled to come home where his career- and life, started.

“It feels really good to be able to play in front of the city I grew up in,” Brannigan said. “It’s very exciting.”

At 24 years old, Brannigan already has a year of pro hockey under his belt, splitting last season with the Augusta Lynx and Columbia Inferno in the ECHL. Before that, Brannigan spent three seasons as a full-scholarship athlete at Colorado College. However, Brannigan’s star power was dimmed at Colorado, playing behind future AHL stars Marty Sertich and Brett Sterling and former Rangers draft pick Joey Crabb. Limited to fourth line duty while in college, Brannigan knows he has an opportunity to prove himself in Brooklyn this season.