Wednesday Night Rivalries have become a staple in NBCSports broadcasting. The program is the equivalent of Monday Night Football, except for professional hockey. NBC does not own the broadcasting rights to the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles, but if they did, their game against Flagler on Wednesday night would be the network’s Wednesday night rivalry. Last matchup between the two teams was hard-hitting, physical, dirty, and down right mean and Wednesday night looked to hold much of the same. Of course, the Eagles taking the ice on Wednesday might have looked a little different than the Eagles most are used to seeing. With fall break the following day, some players were headed home to be with their families, while others were finishing up work for classes. This changed the face of the lineup, and allowed some Eagles to step up in a huge game and use their talents on the ice against a conference rival. Some of these players included Liam Kehoe, Jennifer Maier, and Karlo Piccinini. A few weeks back, Coach Joyce asked if there were any Patriots fans in the locker room. I raised my hand, and he posed me the question, “Why are the Patriots so good? Besides Tom Brady.” I answered that every man on the roster can fill in a roster spot and fulfill the duties that the position requires. He shook his head in agreement and added it’s a system and everyone knows their job and what needs to be done on the field. The Eagles are much like the New England Patriots in that when conflicts arise that limit certain players from playing, another Eagle is waiting and can jump in the lineup seamlessly.

The first tale of the tape of the season that allows us to look at a previous meeting of the two teams from earlier in the year. The Eagles played the Saints back on October 8, and defeated Flagler 4-2. Flagler was up in that game until the last period of play, when the Eagles shut down Flagler’s offense and bombarded the goalie with shots to take the lead, and eventually the game. The game was one of the most physical games the Eagles have played to date, as well as a game they controlled the entire time despite the scoreboard saying otherwise. The Eagles come into Wednesday’s game with a record of 4 wins and 4 losses, averaging 5 goals a game, and allowing 4 goals a game. Flagler comes into the matchup with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss, averaging 6 goals a game, and allowing 3 goals a game. So, they have a better record, they score more goals on average, and allow less goals on average, Flagler is the better team coming into this matchup right? Not necessarily, if at all. The thing about statistics is you can make numbers say what you want, based off of sample size and context. They say numbers never lie, but they can be deceiving. For example, Flagler has only played three games (a relatively low sample). This gives them less chances to lose, especially after looking at their opponents so far (FIT and Lynn both teams Riddle has beaten handily. There’s your context). Delving deeper into their goal averages, again a low sample of three games, shows that the Saints scored 4 goals in a game against FIT, and 2 goals last time playing the Eagles. So how do they average 6 goals a game? They put up 12 goals against Lynn, and in such a small sample size, that outlier will skew the data. I love diving into the statistics and numbers prior to games (as I’m sure you have noticed as every game has a pregame analysis of significant digits and the tale of the tape), but to only understand a team solely off of numbers can be misleading. After looking at the previous head-to-head matchup, and a dissection of the significant digits, I give the Eagles the advantage in Riddle vs Flagler II.

The puck dropped, and the Eagles were in control from the get go. An early power play allowed a few scoring chances, but their first goal came minutes after the power play. Brendan Barger checked an unsuspecting Saint, allowing Ryan Marks to swoop in and take the puck on a breakaway. Marks had Kyle Usiak to his left, and pulled the goalie all the way to the right side of the net. Marks waited and was patient before sending a tape-to-tape pass to Usiak, who had a wide open net. Usiak planted the puck in the back of the goal to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. This was the beginning of a great game for Usiak. A few minutes later, Turner Kauffman carried the puck into the zone, and shot right at the Flagler goalie. The goalie gave up a big rebound, and Mr.Excitement, Kyle Usiak, was there to put another goal on the board. Flagler would get a scoring chance, which was stopped by Andrew Caputo, that would lead to a brawl between a Saint and Spencer Kuhlman. When the scuffle was cleared, Kuhlman was given a game misconduct. The final goal of the period came about from the strong puck play of Ryan Marks, who baited the goalie again before Glenn Corey could flip the puck top shelf. The first period ended 3-0, Eagles. Shots show how much the Eagles dominated, as the Eagles outshot the Saints 19 shots to 8 shots, with 8 of the Eagles shots coming in grade A scoring areas and just 3 of the Saints shots coming in grade A scoring areas.

The Eagles got the scoring going to start the second period. Every player on the ice for the Eagles when the next goal took place touched the puck before it went it. Brendan Barger carried the puck into the attacking zone, followed by Turner Kauffman gaining possession and dangling towards the net. Richard Means took the shot when Kauffman lost the puck, and finally Kyle Usiak put the puck home. Usiak’s third of the game, hats off to you. Usiak wasn’t done yet though, and neither were his line mates. Kauffman won an offensive zone face-off, Means kept the puck in the zone, and found Usiak for his fourth of the game. Flagler would come to fear the name Kyle Usiak, and his performance on Wednesday night proved why he’s known as Mr.Excitement. Flagler would put one on the board next, but the score was still handily in the Eagles favor at 5-1. Brendan Barger made the next goal happen, as he caught a puck in the air that was destined to leave the Flagler zone, placed it on the ice, skated in a few strides, and let a slap shot go that raced past the goaltender low and on the ice. 6-1, Eagles. Turner Kauffman showed great puck pursuit, as he won a neutral zone face-off, and pushed it towards the Flagler goalie. The goalie misplayed the puck, by passing it off of one of his defenders, and Kauffman who followed the puck the whole play caught the misdirection on his stick. He promptly scored on an out of position goalie making it 7-1. The Eagles shot 13 times in the second period, with 8 shots coming in grade A scoring areas. The Saints shot 8 times, with 3 shots coming in grade A scoring areas.

To Eagles kept on the gas in the third, starting the period with a goal. Ryan Marks won the face-off to Alex Hess. Hess found Marks again planted behind the net, who passed it out to the slot to Glenn Corey. Corey shot as soon as he felt puck hit stick, and the goalie didn’t stand a chance. He scored on a bended knee that looked like a professional style goal. Corey would be the man of the period though, as he scored the next goal as well, this time taking a shot from the outside. The goalie got a piece of it, but to no avail. For Corey, this would give him a hat trick. Hats off to you, Glenn Corey. This would make the game 9-1, and this is the score that would end the game. The Eagles would shoot 10 times in the third, with 4 shots coming in grade A scoring areas. The Saints would shoot only 2 times, with 1 shot coming in a grade A scoring area. Goalie stats to end the game showed the start, Andrew Caputo, stopping 10 of 11 shots faced. A solid performance, as the chances Flagler did get were usually odd-man situations. Julian Wolstencroft would relieve him mid game, and end the game stopping all 7 of the shots he faced. A shutout performance.

This game was not nearly as physical or fast-paced as the first game between these two teams this season (besides the early brawl and some dirty hits). The Saints slowed their pressure on the Eagles, and this hurt them as the Eagles put up double the amount of points on them compared to their first meeting. It also proves the earlier analysis that the average numbers Flagler has put up so far this season, are a product of sample size and context. The Eagles put up triple the amount of goals on the Saints than what they usually allow. Does this game at all negate the previous article I wrote that this series is a hard-fought rivalry? No, these two teams still dislike each other, and play hard until the final whistle. The last play of the game involved a check that broke the glass (although that’s a common occurrence at the Daytona Ice Arena). Some rivalries will have lopsided matchups, and this was one of them. I’m sure the Flagler Saints are looking at what they did right in the first matchup to try to recreate that for next time. As for the Eagles, they have the weekend off with a fall break. They sit at 5 wins and 4 losses, a winning record. The fall break will be a good time to recuperate and rest in anticipation of the final month of games for the semester. The Eagles sure gave themselves something to celebrate over the break with such a huge win, and celebrate they will.

-Nick Conrad

Watch the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP-mb5jb49k