Buffalo Saints Tournament Wrap Up: Another invitational only tournament and the Jr Flyers Midget team is well up to the task. The First game of the tournament was against top ranked Victory Honda, last years Michigan State Champion. The Jr. Flyers would start the tournament under a sight travel disadvantage. After booking the bus and making hotel arrangements for a Friday evening 7:30 pm game only to have the schedule switched to a 4:30 pm game. Leaving Ice Line at 6:00 am and arriving at the rink with less than an hour to spare does not make for good hockey legs. Victory Honda took advantage of the Sluggish Jr Flyers team to take a 1-0 first period lead 2:33 into the game. Victory Honda built on it's lead to with a power play goal halfway through the 2nd period. After the ice cut Dominic Morrone scored 4:33 into the 3rd period to cut the lead in half 2-1. Now a rejuvenated Jr Flyers started applying the pressure and were changing the level of the game until another Jr Flyers  penalty and another Victory Honda power play goal. With time running out and the Flyers were trailing 3-1 and it did not look good. After some pressure and a Victory Honda icing the Jr Flyers had their chance. A key face off win by Mike Cauley and pass from Tom Newman saw Frank Cross beat the goaltender with 2:21 left in the game to make it close. With the goaltender pulled and the Flyers buzzing Trey Milstead banged home the tying goal with help from Ryan King. The only question remaining would the referee count the goal. He did and the first game ended in a 3-3 tie.

The second game of the tournament the Flyers faced the Jr Bruins (14-2-1) a AAA Midget team playing in the Jr B Empire league. This was one of the ugliest games the Jr. Flyers would play yet this year. The Jr Bruins scored the only goal in the first period and the game was still fairly calm. One minute into the second period the Jr Flyers were called a 5 minute Major Penalty for boarding. With play still going on the Jr Bruins player slashed the Jr Flyers player and the Referee stopped play. In this four on four situation Dominic Morrone scored to tie the game at one apiece. The Jr Bruins took the lead back scoring on the time left from the 5 minute power play advantage.  After trading slashing penalties back and forth the Jr Flyers Dominic Morrone scored on the power play to tie the game for the last time. John Williams scored at 11:57 from Greg Dobson of the 3rd period and Trey Milstead added another 22 seconds later from Brian O'Neill and Dominic Morrone and the Jr Flyers were up 4-2. With 6 minutes left the Jr Bruins self destructed and took 9 penalties and Misconducts. Mike Cauley scored two power play goals one unassisted and the other from Frank Cross and Tom Newman in the Jr Flyers 6-2 victory.

The third game and 2nd of the day was a fast paced up and down the ice game with Little Caesars. For the 3rd time this tournament the Jr Flyers gave up the first goal less than 2 minutes into the period. John Williams evened the score 6 second later with an assist from Tim McGarry. After no scoring in the 2nd period the Jr Flyers took a short lead in the 3rd period when Greg Dobson scored from Brian O'Neill, but a 1:33 later Little Caesar's tied the game 2-2. The Jr Flyers again took the lead with 6:35 remaining on a goal by Brian O'Neil from Trey Milstead but Little Caesar's knotted the score 22 seconds later with a goal with 6:13 left. With less than 3 minutes to play Kyle Izett launched a rocket from the top of the face off circle that caught the post and the Flyers were up 4-3 but for how long. This did proved to be the game winner as Dominic Morrone scored into the open net with 23 seconds left, to secure the 5-3 win.

After going (2-0-1) and gaining 5 pts in the round robin there was some strange tie breaking rules. The Pittsburgh Hornets (3-0-0) for 6 pts finished first and would play the Boston Little Bruins (2-1-0) for 4 pts. In the other semi final Victory Honda (1-1-1) 3 pts would play Dallas Stars (2-1-0) for 4 pts. The Jr Flyers played the Buffalo Saints (2-1-0) for 4 pts in the 2nd place consolation game. The forth game was all Jr Flyers. Dominic Morrone scored 16 seconds into the game with an assist from Brian O'Neill, Greg Dobson makes it 2-0 four minutes into the game assisted by Morrone and Kyle Izett. The Jr Flyers made it 3-0 when Mike Cauley scored from Zack Brown an George Stevens 44 seconds later. Buffalo called time out and the game settled down. The Jr Flyers added another on the power play as Chris Ferry beat the goalie from the point. Buffalo scored its only goal in the 2nd period on the power play. Late in the 2nd period Kyle Izett scored from John Williams to make it 5-1. Scoring in the 3rd was Trey Milstead from Ferry and Williams and Frank Cross unassisted. The Jr Flyers had avenged their 5-3 loss to Buffalo earlier in the season with a 7-1 win.

Buffalo Saints Tournament Notes: College Scouts attending Quinnipiac, Colgate, Michigan, Brockport, Buffalo State, Oswego, Canisius. Tournament Semi Finals Pittsburgh Hornets beat Dallas Stars 7-6 and Boston Little Bruins beat Victory Honda 1-0 Finals Pittsburgh Hornets beat Boston Little Bruins 6-1.

Marquette Michigan Wrap Up: The Jr Flyers Midget team performed well at this invitational only tournament. The Flyers started the tournament with the LA Jr. Kings. Jr. Kings scored the only goal of the opening period. After the ice cut the Jr Flyers fell behind 3-1 with an even strength and power play goal. The Flyers answered back with three power play goals (Manero, Morrone, Morrone). Another ice cut and the Flyers poured on the shots scoring the lone goal again on the power play while out shooting LA 15-3 in the 3rd period and 46-20 overall. LA GAME SUMMARY

The second game of the tournament the Flyers faced a tough Honey baked squad which was coming off a 6-2 loss at the hands of the Chicago Chill team. This game was the talk of the tournament, both team flying up and down the ice. After a scoreless first period the Honey baked team scored early to take a 1-0 lead, then following with a 2nd goal minutes later. With some help from his teammates Brian O'Neill scored his first goal 17 seconds later to close to 2-1 and less than 3 minutes more Brian had tied the score 2-2. After the face-off Honey baked walked in on the very next play to take the lead 3-2. Trey Milstead even the game with a late goal. In the 3rd Dominic Morrone scored and Philadelphia had the lead for the first time in the game. The lead lasted late into the game until Chris Ferry was called for interference. Honey bake ties the score with less than 5 minutes remaining. In Overtime both teams had many good scoring chances and play going back and forth. Late into the Overtime the Flyers were pressuring in the Honey baked zone, They had a point shot blocked which leads to a 2 on 1 with 10 seconds remaining, Honey baked scores with no time remaining to win the game 4-3. HONEY BAKED GAME SUMMARY

After getting one point in the OT loss the Flyers must beat the Chicago Chill to advance. (Chicago Chill beat Pittsburgh 3-1 to win the Motor City cup in Detroit) Frank Cross puts the Flyers in the lead in the first period and Phila leads after one 1-0. Chicago scores two in the 2nd to take the lead until a late blast from Dominic Morrone ties the game at two. The third period starts out as all Flyers and O'Neill scores to put Philadelphia in the lead again. Chicago ties the game and puts the Flyers away for good with three goals two minutes apart and a final 7-3 loss. CHICAGO GAME SUMMARY

The 8am fourth game vs. an 0-2 Soo Indians team (Chicago 8-1 and LA 3-2) had little to get excited about. The Soo team bounced one in from outside the blue line a minute and a half into the game and it did not look like Philly came to play. Phila finals scores two in the 1st and a third in the 2nd. After some locker room discussion about how they are playing the Flyers came out in the 3rd scored 5 and coasted to the win. SOO INDIANS GAME SUMMARY

Marquette Michigan Notes: John Williams, Brian O'Neill, Dominic Morrone, and Trey Milstead were all pursued by D-1 college coaches. I left the college coaches names and schools out of this recap in respect for those coaches and our players privacy. The NTPD also watched Milano and Morgan in the Honey baked game. I was asked if I was starting Mike. There were many USHL and NAHL teams expressing interest in Stevens, Williams, Morrone, Milstead, O'Neill, and Cauley after the tournament. Congratulations on Dominic Morrone for making the Marquette Tournament "All Prospects" team.

COPY of SCOUTS SIGN IN LIST ON Jr FLYERS OFFICE DOOR!