Ice Chips
November 2, 2014 - Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release
Ilya Solarev Helps Danbury Baffle the Battalion
The first four games of the season didn't go exactly the way the Danbury Whalers had envisioned. After dropping three of their first four games the Whalers new they needed to be better on both sides of the puck. With so much fire power on the roster it was only a matter of time before the offense erupted and the defense played the way Danbury fans have become accustomed to seeing. They got exactly what they were hoping for Saturday night. Ilya Solarev collected a hat trick and three assists, Ian Delong had two goals and one assist, Brett Liscomb had a goal and four assists and Mike Brown made forty saves as the Whalers cruised to a 7-1 win over the Berksire Battalion on Saturday night.
The home team got the scoring started at 6:32 of the first period on the 3rd goal of the season by Ryan Patsch. Matt Caranci led the charge up the ice and his drop pass intended for Ben Shoeneberger deflected off a Battalion defender onto the stick of Patsch who was able to beat Berkshire goaltender Louie George on the short side to give Danbury the 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes later Brett Liscomb registered his 3rd tally of the season by corralling a bouncing puck in the slot and firing it past George to make it 2-0 before the first period was ten minutes old. At the 13:41 mark of the first Ilya Solarev made it a 3-0 Danbury lead on a shorthanded goal, his 4th of the season. While on a power play after a Jarrett Rush penalty, former Whaler Kevin Morrison couldn't keep the puck in the offensive zone allowing Solarev to spring free on a 3 on 1. Solarev skated in and unleashed a laser that beat George high to the glove side and ended the evening for the Berkshire net minder who stopped 6 of 9 shots. Each team collected ten shots a piece after one period of play.
Ilya Solarev got the scoring started on the power play in the second period on what might be the goal of the year to date. After some good offensive zone pressure by Danbury, the native of Russia moved into the left circle and made a deke around the sliding Berkshire defender. He walked in all alone on goaltender Daniel Palmkvist going backhand to forehand before tucking the puck into the net. It was the 5th of the season for Solarev and his second of the game. Solarev collected his 6th of the season and completed the hat trick at 6:15 of the second taking a wrist shot from just inside the blue line that somehow found its way through a screen in front and wound up behind Palmkvist to make it a 5-0 lead for Danbury.
The Battalion finally got on the board at the 7:14 mark of the middle frame on the 2nd goal of the season by Michael Kaslowskas. The Berkshire forward cruised into the Whalers zone and cut to the slot where he fired a wrist shot that beat goaltender Mike Brown to the five hole. Ian Delong made it a 6-1 lead at 14:03 of the second on his 1st of the season. Delong was the beneficiary of some beautiful tick tack passing by line mates Brett Liscomb and Solarev, as the latter placed a perfect puck right onto Delong's stick in the crease and he tapped it home past Palmkvist. Just over three minutes later Delong cashed in his 2nd of the game and 2nd of the season to put the Whalers ahead 7-1 and cap off the scoring onslaught by the home team tonight.
These two teams will meet again Sunday November 2nd at the Danbury Ice Arena for the rubber match of the three game weekend series. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00.
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Wolves Lose Lead Late; Claw Out 6-5 OT Victory in Dayton
DAYTON, OHIO- In a battle of 1st and 2nd Place teams in the Federal Hockey League, there's only one thing fans can expect: A no-holds-barred battle, clawing and mangling a way for a victory. Hold on tight, this turned out to be a battle for all the marbles.
Watertown got the scoring off, with Chad Bennett scoring an unassisted goal past Dayton's Matt Kinsella at the 1:41 mark. Bennett scored his 5th goal of the season, early on in the contest. If you thought the scoring stopped there, this game has more surprises for you.
Dayton tied it up nearly two minutes afterward, with August Aiken scoring his third goal of the young season, past Josselin St. Pierre. Aiken had assists from Ahmed Mahfouz and Seth Ronsberg, who the latter is playing in just his second game back.
Watertown then scored on back-to-back takeaways to end the 1st Period at 3-1. Junior Harris and Justin MacDonald scored within 55 seconds of each other, with some help by Bennett and Corey Evelyn.
Nearly halfway through the second period, the Demonz' Brandon Blair tussled with Watertown's Phil Grainger, sparking a charge into the Hara fans. It seemed the circuit of electricity went through the Demonz' break, as Jared Hicks scored on a Power Play goal shortly thereafter. Hicks scored his fourth goal, Skinner and Len Pelletier assisted, with the Demonz now trailing 3-2 with 8:40 left in the second.
Watertown wasn't done either, as Junior Harris pounced again off a defection off Kinsella. As Nathan Judd-Warren took a shot off the Daytonian goalie, Harris took the loose puck and fired it home. Watertown led 4-2 after two periods.
Now enter the third period, a hockey period which sometimes is designated as the magic to comebacks. Tonight, it's how it almost panned out for the Demonz. Brian Marks, halfway through the third, scored on another Demonz Power Play, bringing Dayton down by one again at 4-3. Marks' second goal of the year was capped by Ahmed Mahfouz and Robert Vanwynsberghe assists. Watertown, just a minute and change after, scored with Junior Harris completing the hat trick. MacDonald and Erickson assisting on Harris's third play, and Watertown led 5-3, late in the third.
The Demonz would slice the deficient again down to one, with Robert Vanwynsberghe's Power Play goal, his third of the year. Mahfouz picked up his third assist of the night, and Brian Marks contributed on this goal.
Time ticking away, the Demonz would battle Watertown on a 4-on-4. A miscue at the far point would see the puck find Seth Ronsberg. On a hurried breakaway, it was Seth Ronsberg tying the contest up at 5. We would need some Overtime tonight at Hara Arena.
Watertown, on the short-handed side of a power play, converted on a costly turnover. Phil Bronner coaxed the puck on the far end side, finding a streaking Dane Erickson. Game. Set. End.
Watertown won win tonight in OT, 6-5. For the Wolves, it was the first game in now six tries where Watertown failed to pick up three points. The Wolves, however, kept perfect after a ferocious storm and moved to 6-0-0. Dayton fell to 3-1-1 on the season.
Kinsella took the loss, allowing six goals in nearly sixty-two minutes recording 29 saves on 35 Wolf shots. St. Pierre picks up the win, with 34 saves on 39 Demon flurries.
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Steel City Falls 6-2 to the Dashers
The Dashers came out strong in their first game against Steel City. Andrew Harrison scored the lone goal in the first period at 5:06. Tom Tracy scored for Steel City halfway through the second but the Dashers annihilated the period outscoring the Warriors 5-1, with goals tallied by Danville's Gehrett Sargis, Harrison, Justin Brausen, Justin Levac and Dan Turgeon. The last puck to see the back of the net was from the Warrior's Ryan Alves.
The Danville Dashers return at home on November 23, 2014 at 5:05 PM vs. FHL newcomers the Berkshire Battalion.
Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2014
- Whalers Harpoon Battalions, 5-3 - Danbury Whalers
- Whalers Home Today - Danbury Whalers
- Ice Chips - FPHL
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