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EHL: Little Flyers topped by 87s, lose another close one

By Tim Riday, 10/02/20, 8:30PM EDT

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The Little Flyers had another strong showing but fell to the 87s, 3-2.


BOX SCORE

Jakub Kubik was a busy man on Friday afternoon.

The Czech native bounced back after being pulled from Tuesday’s season-opener with a strong performance against the New Jersey 87s. He turned aside 37 shots but the Philadelphia Little Flyers EHL team dropped another close game in a 3-2 defeat at Revolution Ice Gardens.

Dante Gattone and Jake Frankenfield each scored their first goals of the season for PLF. The 87s got off to a quick start when Nick Swain beat Kubik at the 8:42 mark of the first period.

It didn’t take the Little Flyers long to respond, however, as Gattone found the back of the net just 32 seconds later. Frankenfield made a nice pinch from the blue line to force a turnover but was quickly pokechecked, leading Gattone to pick up the puck in the high slot and firing a laser home.

Kubik couldn’t do much on a 3-on-2 rush led by Jon Gabriel and Ryan Crane at 11:53 and New Jersey took a 2-1 lead. Then it was the Kubik show.

With just 2:47 remaining in the first, the Little Flyers’ netminder made a brilliant glove save on an 87s breakaway. Gattone had another opportunity to light the lamp as the game went back and forth up ice but was stoned after trying to go five hole on a breakaway of his own.

Kubik wrapped up the opening frame with a glove save, followed by a pad stop on the rebound with 1:07 to go. Shane Green gave Philadelphia some momentum with a clean, open-ice check as the buzzer was about to sound.

The Little Flyers amped up their play in the second period, pushing the pace and taking away passing lanes. Anthony Savignac just missed on a heavy slap shot early on at the top of the circle.

Kubik continued his strong afternoon at 10:52. He turned away a 2-on-0 rush after hanging with a Swain deke and finished with 15 saves in the period. Lain Singer almost tied things up with 12 seconds to go in the middle frame when he picked up a Frankenfield Hail Mary but was denied on the breakaway, hitting 87s goalie Jon Kopack in the logo with his attempt.

An odd-man rush to start the third period translated into a 3-1 lead for New Jersey. Kubik made the initial save on Hunter McGee but had no chance on the second offering.

The Little Flyers outworked the 87s for most of the third and had a golden chance to get back in the game with a 5-on-3 power play with 3:52 remaining.

Robbie Seewagen poked a loose puck towards the boards after the ensuing faceoff and Scott MeGraw dished back to Frankenfield at the point. Frankenfield toed the blue line and went bar down at 3:42 for his first goal with the Little Flyers.

New Jersey tightened up defensively in the waning minutes, however, to hand Philadelphia its second loss of the season.

Loose pucks
The Little Flyers were outshot 15-7 in the first period and 15-11 in the second. Shots were even at 10-10 in the third period. … Philadelphia went 1 for 5 on the power play but was solid on the penalty kill, successfully killing off all three of its infranctions. … The Little Flyers are back in action on Tuesday Oct. 6. They’ll take on Team Maryland at Piney Orchard Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 12:15 p.m.