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EHL: Little Flyers Open Frozen Finals With Overtime Victory

By Anthony Lorusso , 03/23/18, 11:45AM EDT

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Higgins Hammers Home Game Winner

Providence, RI — The Philadelphia Little Flyers began their quest for the Eastern Hockey League Championship on Thursday night with their first round robin game against the Boston Jr. Rangers. 

     The goaltending matchup featured Alex Henson for the Little Flyers and Nolan Egbert for the Jr.Rangers.  The two teams were evenly matched in the beginning stages of the first period with the Little Flyers holding a slight shot advantage.  Boston was able to strike first when Tyler Gardiner scored on a 2-on-1 11:53 into the first period.  The Jr.Rangers had a chance to double their lead two minutes later when they headed to the first power play of the game.  Henson and the penalty killing unit did a good job limiting prime scoring chances by the dangerous Boston offense on the man advantage to keep their deficit at one.  With less than three minutes left in the first, the Little Flyers tied the game thanks to reigning Defenseman of the Year Nick Magill-Diaz.  Below the Rangers goal line, Joey Savel passed the puck to Ryan Galvin who got the puck to Magill-Diaz at the point.  Magill-Diaz sent a shot on goal that looked to be deflected off of a Rangers stick and into the net.  Boston held a slight shot advantage 13-12 after the first period but the teams were tied at 1-1.

     The two teams exchanged scoring chances back and forth but neither team could break the tie through ten minutes of play in the second period.  John Grealish put the Jr.Rangers back on top 11:50 into the second period on a one timer right in front of Henson.  With under two minutes left to play in the period, the Jr.Rangers doubled their lead with a power play goal by Matt Arajuo.  The Little Flyers headed into the third period facing a 3-1  deficit with twenty minutes left to play.  

     Henson, kept the Little Flyers within striking distance making a toe save on a Jr. Rangers 3-on-1 chance to begin the third.  Under two minutes into the period, the Little Flyers received their first power play chance of the day thanks to a Jr.Rangers tripping penalty.  The league’s top unit took advantage when Joey Savel sent a pass cross ice to Alex Ochterbeck who beat Egbert high glove side to bring the Little Flyers to within one, Mitchell Hall also assisted on the play.  With momentum shifted in the Little Flyers direction, they continued to pressure Egbert and the Jr.Rangers in hopes of tying the game.  With the intensity of the game picking up, the penalties increased as well, as the two teams combined for eight penalties in the third period after being called for just two in the first two periods.  Brendahn Brawley, had to enter the game in relief of Henson after Danny Sorabella ran into the Little Flyers starting goaltender, forcing him from the game.  The interference penalty by Sorabella sent the Little Flyers on a shortened 4-on-3 power play.  As all penalties expired, Savel found Ziki Mroz creeping in from the blue line.  Mroz sent a shot past Egbert to tie the game at 3-3 with eight minutes left to play.  With 2:30 left in the third, Ricky Walsh got called for a tripping penalty which gave the Jr.Rangers a big opportunity to score the game winner.  Brawley made a huge save when he robbed the Jr.Rangers Mike McPherson on a backdoor shot attempt.  After being able to kill off the penalty, time ran out in the third and the two teams needed sudden death overtime to determine this one.

     It didn’t take long to determine a winner in overtime as just 1:09 in Alex Ochterbeck fed Eric Higgins the puck in the slot.  Higgins, sent a wrist shot into the back of the net for the game winning goal.  Brawley picked up the win in relief of Henson, making 6 saves.  Next up for the Little Flyers is a 7PM game on Friday night against the New Hampshire Avalanche who defeated the Philadelphia Revolution in their first game of round robin play 3-1.