Aston, PA -- Coming into the weekend, the Little Flyers were chasing the history of Little Flyers past, as the 2016-17 edition were looking to tie and surpass the 2014-15 Little Flyers for most consecutive games with a point (20 games).  However, standing between the Little Flyers and EHL history were two tough hockey teams in the form of the Boston Junior Rangers on Saturday and cross town rival Philadelphia Jr Flyers on Sunday.  A tough week of practice prepared the Little Flyers for battle, and a battle is exactly what this weekend would be.

                The Little Flyers came out in the first period firing on all cylinders as they took every opportunity possible to get pucks towards the net and challenge the Junior Rangers goaltender early and often, as they outshot their opponent 9-0 in the first five minutes of play.  The pressure in the Junior Rangers zone would pay off as Joey Savel knocked down a clearing attempt and got the puck down low to the newest Little Flyer, Trevor Coykendall.  Coykendall dished the puck across to a wide open Alex Ochterbeck who put the puck into the back of the net.  Just under a minute later Chris Franzen would extend the Little Flyers lead as he was carrying the puck behind the Junior Rangers net, when he got parallel with the goal line he shot a high wrister that found room between the goalie and the post to put the Little Flyers up 2-0, Brett Abdelnour and Trevor Coykendall were credited with assists.  The Junior Rangers would regroup and start to see some time in the Little Flyers zone.  The Jr. Rangers were able to cut the lead to 2-1 on a Jimmy Perry goal at the 14:41 mark of the first period.  The period would end with the Little Flyers up 2-1 and outshooting their opponent 15-7.    The Jr. Rangers put the pressure on the home team in the second, as Little Flyers goalie, Joe Giacobbo and the defense were tested throughout the period.  The visitors would score the equalizer late in the second period with an even strength goal from their leading scorer Mike McPherson.  Penalty Killing would be huge for the Little Flyers at the end of the second as the Jr. Rangers had a 5-on-3 power play in the final minutes of the period.  Blocked shots by several players and a few big saves by Giacobbo gave the Little Flyers a boost heading into the third. 

                A Jr. Rangers slashing penalty in the first two minutes of the third gave the Little Flyers an early power play chance.  Little Flyers forward Oliver Arnberg passed the puck to defenseman Cameron Bartkoski at the blue line, Bartkoski unloaded a slap shot into the net for to take the 3-2 lead, Peter Hatton also assisted on the play.  The Little Flyers power play would strike again as Jamie Bucell took a pass from Joey Savel along the boards.  Bucell moved towards the net with the puck to get a shot on net that was saved by the Jr. Rangers goalie but, Bucell stayed with the play and put the rebound across the goal line for his team leading 11th goal of the season, defenseman Chris Best also assisted on the play.  Just over thirty seconds later Little Flyers forward Alex Peterson found line mate Peter Hatton moving into the offensive zone.  Hatton took the puck behind the net and dished a pass into the slot for a driving Christian Karbler who one timed it in the net to give the Little Flyers a commanding 5-2 lead with half a period to play.  The Little Flyers defense would limit the Jr. Rangers shots late in the period.  When the final buzzer went off Giacobbo had picked up his 10th win of the season and the 2016-17 Little Flyers tied the 2014-15 team by earning a point in 20 consecutive games.

                With a point in Sunday’s game against cross town rival Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, the Little Flyers would rewrite the EHL history books but that would be no easy task as the Jr. Flyers dominated play for the first half of the first period.  Even with an early power play opportunity in the period the Little Flyers were unable to get a shot on goal, but gave up a big chance on the other end.  A Jr. Flyers forward got behind the defense for a one on one breakaway chance against Little Flyers goaltender Sam Kany, Kany came up big making the save on the breakaway to keep the game tied.  Mid way through the period Cameron Bartkoski and the Little Flyers power play would strike as Nate Rogers got Bartkoski the puck at the top of the circle, he unleashed a shot into the net for the 1-0 lead on the team’s first shot on goal in the game.  Christian Karbler extended the Little Flyers lead to 2-0 at the 15:27 mark of the period, a shot on net was originally saved but Karbler was there to get the rebound and put it in for his 8th goal of the season, Chris Best assisted on the play.  The Little Flyers would take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission although they were outshot 9-8. 

                The Jr. Flyers came out of the intermission on fire, scoring a goal just 14 seconds into the period to cut the Little Flyers lead to 2-1.  A Little Flyers boarding minor put the Jr. Flyers on the power play, one that the Jr. Flyers would take advantage of as Jr Flyers veteran defenseman Josh Hinderliter would score his second goal of the day to tie the game.  The Jr. Flyers would continue their dominance of the second period when Marko Cohen gave them the lead a little after midway through the game to go up 3-2.  The Little Flyers would attempt to battle back in the closing minutes of the period but couldn’t get the puck in the back of the net.  A Jr. Flyers penalty with 24 seconds remaining in the period put the Little Flyers up a man; the Little Flyers would take the man advantage into the third.  The second period ended with the Jr. Flyers outshooting the Little Flyers 15-6. 

                A one goal deficit and only 20 minutes of play stood between The Little Flyers and history.  Starting the period on the power play would be beneficial to the Little Flyers as 47 seconds into the period Alex Peterson tied the game at 3 a piece on his 7th goal of the season, Peter Hatton and Joey Savel assisted on the play.  A minute and a half later the Little Flyers took the lead as Alex Ochterbeck found Trevor Coykendall down the wing, Coykendall got behind the Jr. Flyers defense and was all alone with the goaltender; he fired a wrister blocker side and high for his first career goal in a Little Flyers sweater.   The Jr. Flyers didn’t go down without a battle as they challenged Kany and the Little Flyers over the next several minutes of play.  Almost exactly five minutes after Coykendall gave the Little Flyers the lead; Andrew Bean of the Jr. Flyers tied the game at 4-4 with eleven minutes and change left to play.  The next ten minutes of game play were as exciting as they get with neither team willing to give up an inch on the ice.  Back and forth play, big saves, blocked shots and big hits highlighted the ten minutes of play as the game was a battle until the end.  With just over two minutes left on the clock Alex Peterson would have the chance to play hero as he found himself on a 2-on-1 with Christan Karbler in the Jr. Flyers zone.  Peterson shot a wrister far side and high into the back of the net for the game winning goal, Trevor Lewandoski was also credited with an assist.  “Hatton, Karbs and I started building up a few good shifts there late in the game.  Karbs and Lewy were really battling hard along the wall and got the puck out.  I just ran my route and picked up the puck behind the defenseman, Karbs got up there fast to make it a 2-on-1, their defenseman took the pass away so I just tried to put it in the net” said Alex Peterson of the play following the game.  Peterson’s 8th goal of the season was one for the history books as the Little Flyers won their 20th straight game and set an EHL record for consecutive games with a point at 21 (20-0-1).  “I think both games this weekend were good character wins for our team, this team showed a lot of perseverance today especially.  It was a roller coaster game; we gave up three goals in the second, then tied it up early in the third, took the lead then gave the lead up and found a way to get the game winner with two minutes left certainly taught us a lot about the guys in the locker room” said Little Flyers head coach Rocky Russo following Sundays game.  “This was an important win for us, we really haven’t been playing up to the standards that we have for ourselves lately and I think we started to turn that around this weekend.  The game was back and forth and we were down heading into the third, no one in the locker room gave up, we played hard until the very end.”  added Peterson on the record setting win.

                The Little Flyers are off this weekend for Thanksgiving.  They will be back at it on Saturday December 3rd & 4th with two home games against the Connecticut Oilers.