AVIATORS EARN SPLIT VS WILKES-BARRE AND GRAB SECOND PLACE SEED

By Joe Soccoa

            NEW YORK – The Aviators had their work cut out for them this weekend as they split against the Wilkes-Barre Miners. Saturday a 36 shot effort wasn’t enough as they were blanked 3-0. Top players Daniel Backstrom (-3), Dom Sacco (-3), and Jimmy Warrick (-1) were kept off the score sheet on a night they sure like to have forgotten. Stephan Mundinger was on the losing side making 17 saves off 20 shots. Special teams, which have been a strength for the Aviators, were shut down as they went 0-for-4 against the five wins Miners.

            The Aviators and Miners would meet in the second of the back-to-back in Brooklyn on Sunday and decided the split with a 6-3 victory. It was a stronger start for the Aviators who with their win were able to wrap up the second seed in their respective division.  It was a low shot affair in the first period as both teams traded chances but came up empty.  However, things flared up as penalties began to mount.  In the first period alone 8 penalties were handed out; four on each side.

            The second period started with a carryover of a powerplay for the Aviators and was able to covert thirty seconds in. Sam Shaheen would convert on his first of three goals of the contest. In fact, the Aviators scored the first three goals of the game and opened a 3-0  (Gunther Stange, Sam Shaheen) halfway through the game. Inside the final minute the Miners were able to get on the board and cut the deficit to two.

            The Miners would enter the third trying to chip away and they were able to by converting on a power play and cut it to 2-1. The Miners overall in the game went 2-for-14 on the power play.  Sam Shaheen captured the hat trick at 10:53 and put the Aviators back up 2. Yet again the Aviators played with fire as the Miners cut it back to within one with a little under eight minutes left in the game.

            Backstrom who wasn’t great in the Saturday game was able to rebound with a strong performance and scored on a breakaway goal to ice the game and the Aviators went up 5-3. Tristian Malone would add on an empty netter to seal the deal.

            There are four games remaining in the regular season and the Aviators will look to use those games as final preparations for a deep run once more. They’ll host the Jersey Shore Friday February 26th and 27th.