Dover Eagles unable to hold off Blue Hens

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NEWARK, Del. --  The Dover Air Force Base Eagles and the University of Delaware Blue Hens, American Collegiate Hockey Association men's division 2 team, gave the crowd a show as they raised money for the Fisher House Foundation March 23, 2014, at the Fred Rust Ice Arena on the University of Delaware campus in Newark, Del.

With a combined total of 21 goals, the public address announcer couldn't keep up as both teams scored goal-after-goal, ending in what would be a lopsided 16-5 Blue Hens victory.

This event raised $3,200 for the foundation, which is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans' families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. They served more than 22,000 families in 2013 and more than 200,000 since the foundation's inception.

"We are here to have fun and raise money for a great charity," said Vince Falkowski, Blue Hens head coach. "It's fun; the kids have fun, the players have fun, and the crowd seemed to have fun as well."

In a valiant effort, Matthew McKenzie, Eagles goalie, stood-on-his-head as he managed to stop 18 of 20 shots that the Blue Hens threw at him during the first period. Blue Hens forwards, Jason Melendez and Mike Stickle, gave their team a 2-0 lead to start the game. With time running out at the end of the first period, Sam Ernst, Eagles center, managed to slip a puck past the Blue Hens goalie. After one period of play, the Blue Hens were up 2-1.

The second period began with a Blue Hen eruption of five straight goals coming from: Matthew Goldberg, forward, Benjamin Salzar, forward, Teddy Wood, defenseman, had two, and Corey Leskanic, forward, had one on a power play.

"If you have three guys in your crease at the same time, one of them is bound to put the puck in the net behind you," said Matthew McKenzie, Eagles goalie. "They [Blue Hens] knew where to be and when to be there."

Midway through the second, the Eagles trailing by six goals, managed to cut the Blue Hens lead in half. Eagles D-men, Alec Burgess and Casey Wheatley, scored a goal apiece, as the second period came to an end with the Blue Hens up 6-3.

During a second intermission interview, Blue Hens captain and defenseman, Matthew Kirincic, said that his team was putting in a good effort and playing a simple game.

"We're just going to keep on doing the same thing in the third period that we've been doing in the first two," said Kirincic. "We're going to play the same game."

The third period was a repeat of the second, as the Blue Hens didn't let up. Once again, they put five straight biscuits into the Eagles net. Blue Hen goals were scored by Chris Lambrinakos, forward, Georffrey Liter, forward, Shaun Cox, defenseman, Nathan Marks, forward, and Teddy Wood, forward, had his third goal of the night, giving him a hat trick.

"We're a great passing team," said Falkowski. "Passing moves the puck up the ice a lot faster than skating."

With a 11-3 Blue Hen lead, the Eagles forward, Casey Wheatley, scored his second goal of the night. But this was soon followed up by Blue Hens forward, Nathan Marks, as he rocketed a puck into the net.

The last Eagle goal of the night would come from defenseman Kyle Gaylord. The Blue Hens would finish the game with three additional goals coming from forwards Gregory DiGioia, Chris Lambrinakos, and Matthew Goldberg.

The game ended with a 16-5 Blue Hens victory. The Blue Hens also led in the shots-on-goal department with a 65-32 edge.

Dover Eagles highlights of the game included multipoint games coming from Ernst, three points, Wheatley, two points, and Michael Roth, two points.

The University of Delaware Blue Hens had eleven players with multipoint games, including a four-point explosion from Wood who had three goals and one assist.

The Dover Eagles will play their last charity game this season against the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Team at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at the Pond Ice Arena, in Newark, Del. Tickets for this charity event will be $10 each (children five and under are free).

Eagles goalie, Matthew McKenzie, spoke about his excitement for the upcoming game against the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Team.

"Those guys have been playing together for years, they know the game of hockey," said McKenzie. "They're going to come out and show us something we've never seen before."