Aston, PA -- A semifinal matchup with Mid-Atlantic division rival, New Jersey Rockets, is all that stood in the way of the Little Flyers and the EHL Finals.  During the regular season the Little Flyers went 2-2-1 against the Rockets, losing their last matchup in overtime on the road in New Jersey.  Looking for their second trip to the EHL finals in as many seasons, the Little Flyers turned to veteran goalie Sam Kany in net for game one at home on Friday afternoon.

                The Rockets offense, powered by the leagues regular season scoring leader Donny Flynn, looked to challenge the Little Flyers defense early.  Kany, was up to the challenge, stopping a breakaway attempt just 1:10 into the first period.  The Rockets came right back with another odd man rush, this time a 2-on-1 that they would capitalize on to take a 1-0 lead just 1:32 into the game.  The Little Flyers had a chance to tie the game with two straight power plays, but couldn’t find the back of the net.  A roughing penalty on Philadelphia gave the Rockets their first power play chance of the game.  It took only four seconds for the Rockets to double their lead to 2-0, 7:04 into the first period.  On the opposite end of the ice the Little Flyers were getting chances but couldn’t capitalize through the first ten minutes of play.  Once again this post season it would be Alex Peterson, who got the Little Flyers on the scoreboard.  Peterson took a backhand cross ice pass from Joey Savel and deposited it in the back of the net for his 6th goal of the playoffs.  Not to be outdone it was Philadelphia’s other Alex, Alex Ochterbeck that tied the game for the Little Flyers a few minutes later.  Peterson got the puck to Ochterbeck in the high circle; Ochterbeck put a wrist shot through traffic and past the Rockets goalie to tie the game at 2-2.  After giving up two goals on the first three shots he faced, Kany responded in a big way, stopping the next 11 shots he faced in the first period.

                Less than a minute into the second period the trio of Savel, Peterson, and Ochterbeck would give Philadelphia its first lead of the game.  Entering the zone on a 2-on-1, Savel placed a beautiful backhanded pass on the stick of Peterson.  All alone with the goaltender, Peterson dipped his shoulder and backhanded the puck into the net for his second goal of the game, Ochterbeck was also credited with an assist on the play.  As they would do all day, the Rockets responded with a power play goal a few minutes later to tie the game back up at 3-3.  The last six minutes of the second period would be all about the Little Flyers power play.  Cameron Bartkoski, who scored three power play goals in the series clinching game against New York Applecore would provide the man advantage scoring once again for Philadelphia.  Bartkoski took a pass from Ochterbeck, walked in to the top of the circle and fired a wrister high far side and into the net.  Three minutes after the Bartkoski goal, Ochterbeck gave the Little Flyers some insurance when he connected on a one timer from Savel for his second goal of the game.  The Little Flyers headed into the second intermission with a two goal lead and twenty minutes of hockey separating them from a crucial 1-0 lead in the series. 

                The third period didn’t begin as the Little Flyers had hoped.  Just over a minute into the period, the Rockets cut the Little Flyers lead to one with a Philip Elgstam goal.  Clinging to a one goal lead, Philadelphia successfully killed off a penalty early in the period.  With the Rockets looking for the game tying goal, the defense of the Little Flyers led by Chris Best and Evan Heldt locked down and limited New Jersey's opportunities.  Kany was relied upon late in the game, coming up big with four saves on the final two minutes.  The Rockets would eventually pull their goaltender for the extra attacker with just over a minute left to play.  Little Flyers forward Nate Rogers stripped the Rockets of the puck at center ice and shot it down the ice into the open Rockets net.  Coming back from a two goal deficit to win game one was a big boost for the Little Flyers heading into game two on the road in New Jersey.

            An hour and a half bus ride up the New Jersey turnpike brought the Little Flyers to The Rock ice arena for game two.  Joe Giacobbo was in net for Saturday's game, looking for his third straight series clinching win.  This game would be a physical battle from the time the puck dropped until the final buzzer sounded.  The Little Flyers and Rockets exchanged scoring chances but, both goaltenders had the answer to keep the game scoreless early.  New Jersey was able to strike first with an Angelo Marquart goal.  Philadelphia was unable to respond in the first period, going 0-4 on the power play in the first twenty minutes of play.  Trailing by one in the final seconds of the period, Giacobbo came up huge with his biggest save of the day.  With the puck in the Little Flyers zone a pass through the slot ended up on the stick of the EHL's leading scorer Donny Flynn who was looking at an open net.  Giacobbo, slid over and made a blocker save, robbing Flynn and The Rockets of their second goal of the game.  The Little Flyers out shot the Rockets 19-15 in the period but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.

            Several minutes into the second period, Nate Rogers received a 5-minute major and game ejection for head contact.  The Penalty Killing units and Giacobbo would have to come up big against one of the league’s most dangerous offenses for the five minute disadvantage.  Just over three minutes into the power play, Elgstam took a five minute penalty of his own after boarding Philadelphia forward Jamie Bucell.  The penalty led to Elgstam's ejection from the game as well.  Off of the ensuing face-off the Little Flyers would gain possession in the Rockets zone, Peter Hatton won the draw back to Defenseman Evan Heldt who shot the puck through traffic and into the net to tie the game at 1-1.  Less than a minute later a Chris Best shot from the point was knocked down in front of the net but, Alex Peterson was johnny on the spot and banged the rebound home to give the Little Flyers their first lead of the game.  The Rockets continued to take penalties, giving the Little Flyers chances to extend the lead.  Peterson, would take advantage midway through the period, banking the puck off of the Rockets goaltender's back and into the net.  The goal was Peterson's 9th of the playoffs, the most in the EHL.  

            The Rockets penalty woes continued in the third period with Marquart and Flynn receiving misconducts in the period and not touching the ice for the remainder of the game.  The remaining Rockets players attempted to cut into the Little Flyers lead but to no avail.  Giacobbo turned in one of his biggest performances of the season, making 35 saves in the game on the way to winning his 4th game of the playoffs.  The 3-1 win sends the Little Flyers to their second EHL finals in as many years.

Savel Named TSR Hockey Semifinals Top Performer

Joey Savel was named the TSR Hockey Top Performer for the Little Flyers semifinals series against the New Jersey Rockets.  Savel registered six assists in the two game series including the primary assist on Alex Ochterbeck’s game winning goal in game one on Friday.  Through the first three rounds of the playoffs Savel currently sits second in the league in scoring with 15 points (2 Goals, 13 Assists) behind teammate Alex Peterson who leads the league with 16 points (9 Goals, 7 Assists).