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EHL: Little Flyers Win Three Games in Four Days

By Anthony Lorusso , 10/17/17, 4:00PM EDT

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Brawley Named TSR Hockey Goaltender of the Week

Aston, PA - - The Eastern Hockey League’s Showcase Series kicked off this past weekend with the October Showcase, being held at Rodman Arena in Walpole, Massachusetts.  The league’s Showcase Series puts all 16 teams under the same roof for a weekend to play multiple shortened games (2-25 minute halves) in front of NCAA Coaches and Scouts.  In game one, the Little Flyers would face-off against the New Hampshire Avalanche, looking to avenge last week’s 4-1 loss against the same Avalanche team.  

          The goalie matchup would be the same as a week ago, Brendahn Brawley in net for the Little Flyers and Michael Paglucca across the ice in net for New Hampshire.  The first period was a physical one, with both teams battling tough, looking to score the first goal of the game.  Brawley was locked in, making 16 first half saves against the No. 3 ranked Avalanche.  The two teams headed into the first intermission tied 0-0 with New Hampshire outshooting Philadelphia 16-5.

         The game remained a scoreless deadlock until midway through the second half when the EHL’s leading scorers Joey Savel and Alex Ochterbeck got the Little Flyers on the board.  Forwards Mitchell Hall and Ochterbeck had the puck behind the Avalanche net when Ochterbeck found Savel cutting through the slot towards the net.  Ochterbeck’s pass was right on the money as Savel initially hit the post but followed the puck and deposited it in the back of the net.  The goal was Savel’s 11th of the season.  The Little Flyers had the chance to add to the lead several minutes later when they had a five minute power play after an Avalanche major for head contact was assessed.  Paglucca was able to come up big for the Avs and kept his team within striking distance.  Brawley would be called upon late in the game to maintain a lead as the Little Flyers successfully killed off an Avalanche power play with three minutes remaining.  With the game in its final seconds and the Avs goalie pulled from the game, the duo of Ochterbeck and Savel would seal the game with an empty net goal.  For the game, Brawley made 29 saves, picking up his third shutout of the season.

          In their final game of the showcase, the Little Flyers played the New England Wolves in an early morning game on Saturday.  The Wolves came into the game with a 3-7 record but wasted not time getting on the scoreboard.  Just :44 into the first half, New England saw themselves up 1-0.  The Little Flyers answered back later in the half with Sasha Miniouchine’s 4th goal of the season.  Miniouchine took a cross ice pass from Ryan Galvin and one timed it home, Matt Sheaffer was also credited with an assist on the play.  The Little Flyers started to heat up with under two minutes left to play in the first.  Galvin chipped the puck deep into the Wolves zone and followed the play, getting the puck behind the net to Sheaffer.  Sheaffer, spun around and hit a wide open Avery Smith with a pass, Smith buried the puck into the open net.  With thirty seconds left, the Wolves took a tripping penalty, sending the Little Flyers on their first power play of the game.  With seconds remaining, Ochterbeck scored his 13th goal of the season.  Ochterbeck’s goal was assisted by Savel and defenseman Nick Magill-Diaz.  The Little Flyers headed into the intermission with a 3-1 lead, outshooting the Wolves 16-15.

          New England would not be discouraged by the Little Flyers offensive flurry at the end of the period and came fighting back in the second half.  The Wolves cut the Philadelphia lead to 3-2 7:45 into the second half with an even strength goal.  Less than three minutes later New England would tie the game with a Blake Harlow goal.  Coincidental roughing minors had the two teams playing 4-on-4 hockey until the Wolves took a tripping penalty to put the Little Flyers on the power play.  With plenty of room on the ice, the Little Flyers looked to score the go ahead goal.  Avery Smith won the face-off back to Ryan Galvin deep in the Wolves zone.  Galvin got the puck to defenseman Brendan Coughlin who passed it across to Ricky Walsh, Walsh moved to the slot and fired the puck high glove side, scoring his first goal of the season.  The Wolves were looking to get an extra attacker on the ice with less than a minute left in the game but pressure from Sheaffer, Smith and Galvin led to a turnover and Smith’s second goal of the game.   

          After a successful two win Showcase, the Little Flyers took Sunday off before Monday’s game against cross town rival Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.  This was the second meeting of the year between last season’s EHL finalists; the Little Flyers took the first matchup by a final score of 4-2.  A little over the halfway point of the first period and the Little Flyers shorthanded, aggressive penalty killing by Ryan Galvin and Avery Smith caused a turnover in the Jr.Flyers zone.  Galvin was the first to the puck and sent it cross ice to Smith who scored his 2nd shorthanded goal of the season.  The Little Flyers finished the first period outshooting the home team Jr.Flyers 18-10 and leading 1-0.  Brawley and the Little Flyers defense were huge in the second period, killing off three Jr. Flyers power plays.  Brawley made 13 saves in the period.  

          The Little Flyers were shorthanded just: 34 into the third period but were once again able to maintain the 1-0 lead.  Midway through the period, Little Flyers defenseman Zikmund Mroz was able to add to the Little Flyers lead when he carried the puck from Center ice into the Jr.Flyers and sent a wrist shot into the back of the net.  The goal was Mroz’s first of the season.  Less than a minute later, the Little Flyers were able to extend the lead to 3-0 on Ryan Galvin’s 6th goal of the season.  Galvin deflected a Matt Sheaffer shot from the half wall through the five hole.  The 3-0 win was Brawley’s league leading 4th shutout of the season, improving his record to 8-2 overall.  

Brawley Named TSR Hockey Goaltender of the Week

                Little Flyers 1998 birth year goaltender Brendahn Brawley has been named the Eastern Hockey League’s TSR Hockey Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season.  Brawley won both games at the October Showcase, stopping 60 of the 63 shots that he faced and then capped the week off with a 3-0 shutout of the Jr. Flyers on Monday.  Currently Brawley leads the EHL in shutouts (4), and is tied for the league lead in wins (8).  On Monday, the 6’2” goaltender was also named Tier3JuniorHockey.Com Top Performer.           

PHOTO CREDIT: ROBERT CARR, ACTION SHOTS PHOTOGRAPHY