Flying Aces Snap 3 Game Skid And Overcome 'Ace Case Disgrace' On The Back of a Minarik Shutout!

The Melick Flying Aces of Flemington turned it around with the return of starting goalie, Nick 'The Brick' Minarik. The October 15 road contest at the Whack-a-Dome was the Aces last game before the bye week. At 0-2-1 in their previous 3 games, the Flying Aces needed a win badly. And who better to get it from then the very team that knocked them out of the sky in last seasons finals. Whack-a-Mole. Ace 'Shock and Awe' line mates Kevin Smith(2G 1A), Kyle Turner(1G) and Mike Petersen(1A) and Ryan Warn(1A) did all the damage on offense while Nick Minarik was quite stubborn in net, letting no puck pass. 'The Brick' earned First Star honors for the first time this season for his 'Rabid Badger' style of play.

Ace Sniper, Mike Gianetti, missed the game due to schedule confusion and It was his turn to bring the 'Ace Case'. This meant no pre or post game beverages for the team. The team captains had a short meeting on possible disciplinary measures, but in the end decided it best to leave it up to the AIAHL Players Union. After all it is one of the most powerful unions in New Jersey.

The Flying Aces are back on the road tonight at 10:30 battling the Primates. A skilled team that has won the AIAHL's 'Worst Name in the League' contest for the past 6 seasons. Here are 3 of the other names they were considering when they realized 'Predators' was not bad enough: 

Great Apes, Anthropoids, Old World Monkeys, 

#19  

BOMBERS Keep ACES Grounded and Sweep Season Series

Days after the Aces were blown out by the B league, juggernaut Hitmen (9 to 3), the Melick Flying Aces of Flemington lost their third game in a row. The C league rival Bombers came in looking to hold on to the A.S. Cup for more than one game and to get out the brooms Sunday night at Aspen Ice Arena. Ace management called up Doug Leonard from the Perkasie Red Barons to fill in for goalie Nick Minarik.
The feisty Bombers scored on one of their first shots on goal and kept on scoring. The Aces answered quickly and often, but could never grab the lead. The Flying Aces seemed to be outplaying their airborne foes, but the Bombers continued to score key goals. With a final tally of 8 to 6 the victorious Bombers made yet another bush league move. They took a team photo on Flying Ace home ice. But the only persons who really seemed offended were this reporter and the short tempered zamboni pilot.
Perhaps the Aces were satisfied with the classy pre-game offering of beer and whiskey by 'non bush league' Bomber Captain, Bill Auld. Or perhaps they just wanted to move on and focus on tonights game against another rival... Whack-A-Mole. Or maybe the new Flying Ace mascot, 'Ace' put the boys in a non confrontational postgame mood. Either way, for the first time in AIAHL history, The Bombers keep the cup for two games in a row.

#19

BOMBERS Take A.S. Cup in Late Night Shootout

The Melick Flying Aces of Flemington, with a depleted roster lost the A.S. Cup Battle to a depleted Bomber squad in sudden death, shootout fashion. The game became ugly when a 'Bomber' scored the tying goal midway through the third and screamed "Suck it!" to Ace goaltender Nick 'The Brick' Minarik. The Aces and perhaps the rest of the league were shocked at such bush league play coming from the league commissioner's team. With no goals scored in the short overtime, it was time for a sudden death shootout. The Bombers went first and scored 5-hole on Minarik. Then the Ace shootout equalizer, Ryan Warn, mis-played the puck and didn't get a shot off. The loss was the Flying Aces first of the season. But the fact that it wasn't a regulation loss, was the silver lining of this cloud. The point the Aces got from the contest put them in first place, as Whack-a-Mole lost in regulation. 

Aces Shell Shorthanded Shams

The Melick Flying Aces of Flemington took down a depleted Shamrock squad Thursday night. It was the Aces fourth win in as many games. The 9-3 victory concluded the Aces two game road trip. On the ice, Ace hot shot Kyle Turner struck hard with a hat trick and an assist. Mike Petersen had 3 assists and a goal. Nick Minarik, 4 for 4 this season, was nasty in net making the Shamrocks work hard for everything they got an letting only two even strength goals in. Kevin Smith had a goal and an assist. Flying Ace Captain Darren Jones had two key assists. Eric Kusznier took the First Star Patch for the first time in his Ace career with the game winning goal. J. Lovering, M. Gianetti and M. Stockwell also had goals. 'Juvy' Lou Johnson had an assist and his first ever visit to the Ace penalty box. The Ace Case was loaded with glorious, exciting, colorful liquids. The Flying Aces head back home to Aspen Ice Arena for an AS Cup battle with the Bombers on Monday night.

I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with the 'Garden State Sport Scene' website. For those that are not, here is the brief post game interview they did with Flying Ace GM Sterling Morrison.

GSSS: Are the Flying Aces going for a perfect season?

Morrison: This is AIAHL, Federal C league hockey. I promise you that is the last thing on our mind. We don't overlook any game. We do want to win them all, but we know the type of talent we are up against. Our schedule is about to get very tough. The Championship Cup is all we care about.

GSSS: With all the free agents available after the Iron B League lockout, do you feel you dropped the ball by not signing any of those players.

Morrison: Absolutely not! Look, we hated losing (Kevin) Brown but that's how it goes. Aside from that, we are very happy with the current roster. And we feel this squad can get us back to the finals.

GSSS: Is there anymore information available on the Ryan Warn, Newark Airport, luggage incident?

Morrison: Are we really still on that? Come on guys. Let's stick to current events. It wasn't drug related, and that's a fact. That's all I have on that one.

GSSS: We keep hearing about this documentary. When will it be viewed and is it true that it is over an hour long?

Morrison: I have nothing at all to do with that. I believe it will be shown after the 100th game or the winning of the Championship Cup. Which ever comes first. I know the last one was held until we won our first playoff game. But I'm really the wrong guy to ask.  

 

#19

CBK Shows Off New Jerseys and New Players at Home Opener... ACES Spoil the Fun!

The Melick Flying Aces of Flemington hit the road for their third game of the season last Sunday. It was the first stop of a two game road trip. The 0-2 Come Back Kids greeted the Aces with sharp new jerseys and some very smart off season acquisitions. 

Craig Jones and Kyle Turner were both on the healthy scratch list for the Flying Aces.

If you didn't understand the lethal power of the Aces 'Shock and Awe' line, this game was a fine reminder. Instead of reeling from the loss of Ace sniper, Kevin Brown, the Flying Aces simply went retro, putting Smith, Petersen and Warn together again. The three were responsible for 5 goals (3 from Petersen and 2 from Smith) and 2 assists(Warn). CBK, with their usual resilience, were down big. But rallied for their home crowd and tied the game at 3. However the Flying Aces stormed back with 3 unanswered to double up CBK and get the 6-3 win.

Mike Petersen captured his 5th, First Star Patch, on the back of his second hat trick in a row. It should be noted that Nick Minarik was also in the running for 'the patch' after his lights out performance in net. 'The Brick' shut down CBK on several key breakaways and let up only one even strength goal. J. Lovering had the other Ace' goal and E. Kusznier had an assist. 

After the game the Aces gathered round the team EuroVan and celebrated 'the changing of the stats'. It was their 68th game and their 34th win. And the Aces know all too well what happens when they hit that 100 game mark. Music was provided by the Animals and then a bit of Steely Dan. At 3-0 the Melick Flying Aces of Flemington are psyched to battle the 1-2 Shamrocks in a late one tonight. 

#19 Bleck

ACES Take Care Of Business At Home

Last Saturday, the Melick Flying Aces of Flemington welcomed the REGULARS to Aspen Ice Arena for the second game of their sixth season. The Aces looked to go 2-0 before a tough road-trip matchup  against 0-1 CBK followed by a visit to Pot O' Gold Arena to battle the rival Shamrocks.

Young Ace Ryan Warn, back from Euro-assignment, was expected to play but ran into trouble with Customs at Newark International Airport. 'Luggage problem' was the only information available from N.I.A. Security. The Ace front office was tight lipped and Flying Ace captain, Darren Jones, would not comment on the matter.  Also on the healthy scratch list was Grind-liner Matt Stockwell. With no info available on his absence either, fans were forced to assume Stockwell's THERMCO modeling contract was the reason, as it was team photo night. ACES FACT #68: Stockwell has never appeared in a Flying Aces team photo.

On the ice, the Regulars were much improved. Offseason acquisitions made up for the loss of several skilled players. X-Aces C. Anderson, K. Breuer and B. Herzhauser put 3 of the Regulars 5 goals in the net. On the other side of the pond it was an Ace explosion as the lamp was lit a record 11 times. First Star Patch honors went to Kyle Turner who scored 4 times and had 2 assists. Not far behind was Mike Petersen with a hat-trick and 2 assists. Then there was Kevin Smith with a goal and 3 assists. Captain Jones joined the party with 2 goals and an assist. And Juvy Lou Johnson had a goal and an assist. Mike Gianetti, Josh Lovering and Eric Kusznier each contributed with 2 assists. And Bill Marcolini had an assist of his own. 

The 11-5 win was a good one. But the Aces are going to have to lock down their D and get ready for some angry games on the road. Starting with this Sunday's battle with CBK. The puck drops at 9:45. The Flying Aces will be wearing their road grays.  

#19 Bleck

Aces Welcome Buzzards To The League With Some Federal C Hospitality

The Melick Flying Aces of Flemington kicked off their 6th season in the AIAHL Sunday night at the Aspen Ice Arena. At 31-31-3 the Aces were looking to start the season with a big win against a powerhouse franchise. A franchise that in 3 games held the Aces to 1 goal. A franchise that averaged 8 goals a game against the Flying Aces. A franchise that had played in the Iron B League the past 4 seasons. And that franchise is.... The Buzzards.

The Aces came in with memories of a second trip to the AIAHL Finals without the ultimate prize. Swept by the Whack-a-Moles in less than dramatic fashion. Once again the Championship Cup had alluded their grasp. And now it was time to play again. Another chance. A brand new season. With Craig Jones and Eric Kusznier on the healthy scratch list, the Aces called in Kevin Brown (one more time) to add a wee bit of fire power and properly welcome the Buzzards back to Federal C ice.

At the drop of the puck two things were clear. 1- The Buzzards were buzzing with confidence and ready to go. 2- The Flying Aces had nothing to lose... And no intentions of losing. With 3 O-lines and 2 D-lines, the Aces played smart, well balanced hockey. And that's not to say the Buzzards did not. But this is expected from the Buzzards. The Aces looked like they took a big step with their position play. A page had been turned. And when Kevin Smith scored the first goal of the night, anything was possible in this new Aces book(maybe it's time for the season 6 bible, The New Testament).

At the start of the second period, Jim Donnelly, in a power play situation, tied the game for the Buzzards. The goal brought the Aces back to reality. Tied at one, the Buzzards understood this wasn't the same Aces squad they had walked all over in the past. The Winged Scavengers changed their style of play a bit looking to take the lead. But as they did, the Ace defense was as impenetrable as goalie, Nick Minarik, had been in the first period. The Buzzards were unable to attack, as their offensive was denied wave after wave. And then it happened. 2nd season Ace, Kyle Turner, scored. The Aces' were back in the lead. As the second period ended the smell of blood was on the ice.

The start of the third period reminded this reporter of a classic game between America and Russia in the 1980 Olympics. A one goal lead and a lot of time to kill. But the Buzzards, were maybe not fully invested anymore. They looked tired and frustrated by the Aces' play. "C League my ass" one of their skaters cried. It was almost as if they were mad they had to fight for a win. The Flying Aces kept on the attack. Their defense almost flawless. But when the Buzzards did get through on two separate occasions, two key breakaways, skater vs. goalie, 'The Brick' made the stops. And the Ace bench roared! Midway through the third period, 'Grind-liner', Matt 'I'll Kick Your Ass In Court' Stockwell, slammed a rebound home to give the Aces a 3-1 lead. Stockwell's goal earned him his first patch of his Aces career. The Buzzards were compromised. The team imploded giving up to more goals in the closing minutes of the game. One to Mike Petersen and another to Kevin Smith. The Flying Aces were once again above 500. And what a way to start season 6. 

The Buzzards will be back looking for revenge in their next season 6 meeting. But for now, the Aces can enjoy this epic home victory. And they can rest up in an early by-week and await the 0-1 Regulars who will be coming in angry off a 2-10 loss.

Kevin Brown will be missed, but always welcomed back to the Aces squad. He contributed with a huge assist. Kyle Turner had 3 assists, Kevin Smith had 2. Mike Petersen and Derik Weaver each had 1.

The Flying Aces welcome The Regulars to Aspen Ice Arena on Saturday, September 6 at 9:30 for a prime time battle. The boys will be skating in their home Teal.

-#19 Bleck