Wings fall to Sled Stars in season finale
by Bill Kile III (Photos by Stephanie Belcher)
ATLANTIC CITY – The Wings of Steel sled hockey team suffered a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to the host Vineland Sled Stars in a nonleague game March 9 at the Flyers Skate Zone here.
The Wings stormed back to after falling behind 2-0 in the first period on goals by Ben Mills three minutes in (assist Jeremy Crum) and Anthony DiPrimio with eight seconds left (assist Bryan Mills).
The visitors got back to within 2-1 with a goal from Alexander Sattersfield at the 9:42 mark of the second period and evened the score at 2-2 when Matthew Chowansky found the back of the net 3:03 into the third period. Nathaniael Costa was credited with an assist on the tying goal.
In an attempt to win the season finale, Wings coaches Paul Valentine and Ernie Jewell decided to pull their goalie for an extra skater with an offensive zone faceoff and just 17 seconds left on the clock.
Vineland was able to gain control of the puck and send Bryan Mills on a breakaway. As he entered the Wings’ zone, Mills was able to put the puck into the open net as time expired for the winning tally.
Both goalies – Stephen Belcher of the Wings and Jacob Olson of Vineland -- played an outstanding game and finished with 13 saves apiece.
Bennett shuts out Wings of Steel
by Bill Kile III
VOORHEES - The Bennett Blazers shut out the Wings of Steel, 3-0, in a Delaware Valley Hockey League Sled Division game Dec. 9 at the Virtua Flyers Skate Zone here.
Tolu Ojo got the Blazers on the scoreboard when he scored 3:06 after the opening face-off.
It was a tight-checking, back-and-forth game for the next 26 minutes of action as the goalies - Bennett’s Samantha McMinn and Steven Belcher - stopped everything that was sent their way.
Things opened up in the third period as the Blazers and Wings of Steel both had more shots - seven and six, respectively - in the last 15 minutes than they did in the first two periods combined.
The Wings of Steel almost tied the game when Alexander Satterfield was in all alone on a breakaway against McMinn about a minute into the third period. Satterfield fired a shot that was turned away by McMinn and Satterfield put back the rebound that was also smothered by the Bennett goalie.
On the ensuing play up the ice, Bennett increased its lead to 2-0 as David Ramos found the back of the net with 13:39 left in regulation. Ruby Elbert and Sean Thomason were credited with assists on the play.
Hunter Williams scored on a breakaway with 5:38 left to make it 3-0.
Despite the three-goal deficit, the Wings of Steel continued to apply pressure in the Blazers’ defensive zone, but McGinn was solid in preserving her shutout.
The final shots on goal were 13 for Bennett and nine for the Wings of Steel.
Gerry Herman’s Blazers improved to 2-1 with the win, while the Wings of Steel slipped to 1-5 on the season.