ACES BLOW 4-0 THIRD PERIOD LEAD

To find the last time the FLYING ACES lost 4 games in a row you would have to go way back to the tail end of the ACES 7th season in the Federal C. The league at that point was called the Aspen Ice Adult Hockey League. WHACK-A-MOLE was still a member of that league. The ACES had yet to win the championship. The Rolling Stones had never played in Cuba and David Bowie was still alive. Back in that 7th season, the FLYING ACES fell to the BOMBERS 7-4, the SHAMROCKS 7-5, the HITMEN 5-0 and in the first round of the playoffs, the MULLIGANS 6-3. And now the nose diving FLYING ACES have done it again, blowing a 4-0 3rd period lead and losing in a late night shootout to the FLYING DUTCHMEN. Nick Minarik gave his ACES 2 periods of shutout hockey, Josh Lovering scored twice with laser slapshots from the other side of the county, Craig Jones brought one of the best 'Ace Cases' ever and Bill Marcolini scored a goal. But none of this mattered. It was to be a DUTCHMEN night.

The ACES lose 4 straight and fall to 5-4-2. They sit in 5th place in the league known as the Federal C. With the playoffs looming just around the corner, the FLYING ACES need Darren Jones back from IR and they need Lou Johnson back on the roster regularly. Up next is a nasty contest with the battle ready BOMBERS. Holding the A.S. Cup and hungry for the regular season sweep of the ACES, the B-Boys are coming to town Sunday, April 3, for a 10:30 puck drop.

Sputtering ACES Look To Gain Ground

The defending champion FLYING ACES have now lost 3 straight. The last two losses at the hands of the BUZZARDS and POWERTIME. Though the ACES did manage a point in the P-TIME shootout loss, they have only grabbed 3 points in their last 5 games.

The shootout loss saw Kevin Smith's amazing 9 game goal streak come to an end. Smith scored 15 goals in those 9 games, hat tricking twice. His last goal came in the 4-3 loss to the BUZZARDS. A game that also saw Matt Stockwell get the 'Johnny Ace' cap for his 2 goal performance. A performance that surely would have earned him his 4th First Star Patch had the ACES won. The FLYING ACES currently sit in 5th place in the Federal C with 11 points. A win tonight would be a great start to this last leg of the season.

Aside from Darren Jones who is out with a lower body injury the entire ACE roster will skate tonight against the 4th placed FLYING DUTCHMEN. As usual the puck drops an hour and a half before midnight.

ACES Road Trip Ends With A Loss

The FLYING ACES fell to the MULLIGANS Wednesday night ending a 5 game road trip with a 3-2-0 record. Along with Captain Darren Jones the short benched ACES were missing Lou Johnson, Eric Kusznier, Bill Marcolini, Bubba McCabe and Matt Stockwell. Bob Mitchell remained with the team and will travel back to Flemington for their contest with the BUZZARDS tonight. Mike Gianetti brought the 'ACE Case'.

The ACE/SHAM-MULLIGAN rivalry has an ugly history and is not getting better with age. Wednesday's game was a scrappy, penalty filled mess. And it was getting out of hand. The FLYING ACES alone totaled 10 minutes in the box with penalties from Bleck, Gianetti, C. Jones, Petersen and Smith. The MULLIGANS took advantage of the situation scoring 2 powerplay goals. They also added an empty netter and grabbed a 4-1 win. Kevin Smith scored the loan goal for the ACES keeping his impressive 8 game streak alive. The loss knocked the FLYING ACES to 3rd place, tied with CBK.

Tonight the BUZZARDS come to town looking to avenge their season opening shootout loss. With a 7:30 puck drop, very few seats are available. 

FLYING ACES Down SHAMS In Shootout

It was another late one Sunday as the ACES traveled to SHAM-land for some Federal League hockey action. Craig Jones, Lou Johnson, and Bubba McCabe were scratches. ACE captain, Darren Jones, was out with a lower body injury. The FLYING ACES recalled Stephen Kmet, who had not skated with the club since their debut season, and Bob Mitchell to fill out the roster.

In their first meeting of the season the SHAMROCKS stomped the ACES 9-4. And Sunday night at the Flemington Ice Arena, the FLYING ACES came for some payback. They jumped ahead in the 2nd when Josh 'Oh My Gosh' Lovering went five-hole on the SHAMROCK goalie. But the SHAMS quickly answered back. The ACES made it 3-1 in the third off goals from Steve 'Leapin Leprechaun' Leoszewski and Kevin 'From the Heavens' Smith. Nick 'The Brick' Minarik was up to his usual puck stopping madness in net. But the SHAMROCKS clawed their way back scoring twice late. The tying goal came in the closing seconds of regulation play. There was no resolve in the 3 on 3 OT so the game would be determined in a shootout. ACE Alternate Captain, Ryan Bleck, picked his first 3 attackers but only 2 would be needed. The SHAMROCKS started the shootout and their first skater was denied by Minarik. Mike 'The Machine' Petersen went first for the ACES and scored. On their 2nd attack the SHAMS did find the back of the net to even it up. But the ACES scored again on the stick of Mike ' The Machete' Gianetti. The SHAMROCK's 3rd attacker was also shutdown by Minarik and the ACES took the win.

Mike Gianetti, who also had an assist, took first star honors and the 'Johnny ACE' cap. Petersen, Lovering and Leoszewski each had assists. Matt Stockwell brought the ACE case. The 5-2-0 FLYING ACES road trip continues Wednesday as they face the 2-3-1 MULLIGANS.

BOMBERS Take A.S. Cup

Thursday night the 4-1-0 FLYING ACES skated against the 3-2-1 BOMBERS for the 17th A.S. Cup contest. The ACES lead overall 9 to 7. Mike Gianetti was a healthy scratch. Matt Donahue brought the 'Ace case'.

After a scoreless first period owned by the goalies, the ACES struck on a power play midway through the 2nd. Kevin Smith's 12th goal of the season came from a Steve Leoszewski pass. The BOMBERS bounced back early in the 3rd to knot it up 1-1. That score held until, with 6 minutes left in regulation, the BOMBERS scored again for the 2-1 lead. Eric Kusznier scored next for the FLYING ACES, but the goal was called off for goalie interference. After strongly objecting the ruling, Kusznier received a game misconduct and was sent to the lockers.  As the FLYING ACES contemplated pulling their goalie, the BOMBERS struck yet again. And down 3-1 In the closing minutes of play, with empty net, the ACES gave up another. The A.S. Cup would go to the BOMBERS.

 The FLYING ACES travel to SHAM land Sunday to defend their first loss of the season against the rivaled SHAMROCKS.  

ACES Steal One From CBK

Sunday night the FLYING ACES (3-1-0), with an 'ACE Case' provided by Derek Weaver, battled CBK (2-0-2) to clear up a 3 way tie (that also included the BOMBERS {3-2-0}) for 3rd place. The ACES skated with their smallest squad in the club's 10 seasons of hockey. The Jones brothers, Josh Lovering, Lou Johnson and Bill Marcolini were all unavailable. Darren and Craig Jones lost their father only days earlier. Leonard Jones Jr., 68, passed away Friday in New York. In a pre game locker room conversation, the FLYING ACES dedicated the nights game to the Jones family.

On the ice, the ACES and the KIDS had scored a combined 39 goals this season. With the FLYING ACES averaging 5.7 goals a game and CBK averaging 4, an offensive battle was expected. But this was not the case. Sunday's game was a defensive contest, scoreless into the third period. Nick 'The Brick' Minarik was on top of his game. With the help of a solid defense, he held his club in there with a countless number of saves. CBK did however break through in the third to take the 1-0 lead. And that's how it stayed, until, with 5 minutes left on the clock, Ryan Bleck crossed the blue line and hit Steve Leoszewski with a slick pass. Leoszewski then went tape to tape to ACE point leader, Kevin 'From the Heaven' Smith, who tied the game with his 10th goal of the season. 2 minutes later Smith scored his 11th, the game winner, off another beautiful pass from Leoszewski. The ACES came back on the COMEBACK KIDS and hold 2nd place in the Federal.

Smith was awarded the 68th First Star Patch. His 9th. Only two other ACES have 9 patches. Kyle Turner and Nick Minarik.  Minarik is the current holder of the elusive Silver Bear Trophy. The FLYING ACES continue their 5 game road trip against the BOMBERS Thursday, February 25th at 10:30. They'll try to hold onto the A.S. Cup and grab a shot at first place in the Federal League. 

Dominating Dutchmen Dramatically Dropped

Monday night the 2-1-0 FLYING ACES traveled to Dutchland to face the 2-2-0 FLYING DUTCHMEN for an FIAHL contest. Mike Gianetti brought the upgraded 'Ace Case'. Darren Jones was on assignment in Mexico and Patrick Mack was recalled from Teterboro, causing a minor controversy with league officials that was quickly resolved.


Things started out sweet for the ACES with a goal from Steve 'Leapin Leprechaun' Leoszewski. But they went sour just as fast. The FLYING DUTCHMEN, with a barrage of breakaway attacks on Nick 'The Brick' Minarik, first tied the game and then took a commanding 3-1 lead. While the ACES played sloppy, battling just to clear the puck on the short benched squad. Giddy and smiling, the FLYING DUTCHMEN added 2 more goals for the 4 goal lead. A lead that was very reminiscent of a 2015 ACE-DUTCHMEN match up where the FLYING DUTCHMEN were crushing the slumping ACES 4-0. In that game the ACES roared back for the 9-6 win. Monday night the FLYING ACES roared back once again. Down 5-1 the ACES clawed their way back on an astounding 4 goal performance from Mike 'The Machine' Petersen. Leoszewski added another and Kevin Smith scored his 9th of the season. But down 7-6 with 6.6 seconds left in the third period, the DUTCHMEN, with empty net and extra attacker, were determined not to blow yet another 4 goal lead. They tied it up as time expired.


So the 7-7 game would be decided in a 3 on 3 overtime. And after Minarik stopped yet another breakaway chance for the DUTCHMEN, the ACES dominated puck possession. Then ACE defenseman, Eric 'K-Man' Kusznier, deposited the game winning goal. The 15th of the night. Kusznier earned his 3rd First Star Patch. Steve Leoszewski took the Johnny Ace cap for his 4 point performance.


After the bye week, the FLYING ACES road trip continues when they visit CBK(2-0-2) February 15th for their first matchup of the season. The 10:00 puck drop is heavily anticipated. Tonight the official ACE band, Randy Morning, will play what is said to be their last show ever at Bernie's Tavern in Chester N.J.