In their sixth and final meeting of the year the Valencia Flyers played host to the Arizona RedHawks in a matinee affair on Valentine’s Day. The RedHawks came in with a depleted and tired lineup but received no sympathy from the home team, as the Flyers won their sixth game in six matchups with the Western Division’s last-place squad. The Flyers showed no love for the RedHawks, who had lost the previous night in Long Beach, as Valencia stormed back late in the game to hand Arizona its 19^th consecutive loss, with an 8-5 victory at Ice Station Valencia.

 

The Flyers started strong and got on the board first to open up the game, as David Tagvoryan remained hot with his 13^th goal of the season just 2:27 into the contest. Jake Ryan took a pass from John Dove at the offensive blue line and ripped a wrist shot that Tagvoryan was able to re-direct past Arizona net-minder Nicholas Salami at 17:33.

 

Just 32 seconds later however, Arizona was able to tie it up on a long slap shot that eluded Flyers’ goaltender Steven Estep. Nicholas Zern’s long slapper somehow found its way through traffic and past Estep at 17:01. The defenseman’s seventh goal of the season came from Danny Fazio and Benjamin Miner.

 

The Flyers picked up their play towards the middle of the period and peppered Nicholas Salami with tons of shots, but the goaltender making his first-ever start in the WSHL weathered the storm and kept the game tied until Thomas Meinhardt lit the lamp with 9:35 left in the first.

 

Newest Flyer James McGuirk broke in all-alone on Salami and blistered a wrist shot over the net. Meinhardt collected the puck and skated to the bottom of the circle and beat Salami with a snap shot off the bar and in, to make it 2-1 Valencia. Meinhardt’s 17^th of the season came unassisted.

 

With 5:22 left in the period Arizona came roaring back and knotted the game once more, on a goal by Schilar Kessler. Just after killing a Flyers’ power play, Kessler took the puck over the Valencia blue line one-on-one. He skated wide on defenseman Alex Descheneaux and unleashed a back hand shot that may have surprised Estep. Kessler’s fifth goal of the season came off assists from Kelly Duke and Nicholas Zern.

 

In a wild first period the Flyers struck just 14 seconds later, as Joey Cicoria picked up his first point in the WSHL by tipping a Todd Graham shot home to make it 3-2. The power play goal scored at 5:08 was produced by Graham and Cam Noland.

 

The Flyers struck once more before the period ended as Cam Noland notched his ninth goal of the season off an assist from John Dove while on the man advantage. Noland’s long range wrister deflected off the skate of RedHawks’ defenseman Miles Johnson and past Salami to give the Flyers a 4-2 lead with 2:32 left before the break.

 

Not to be outdone, Schilar Kessler tallied his second of the game and sixth of the season just 38 seconds later to pull his team within one, once again. Kessler took a pass from Kelly Duke and broke in down the left side. His wrist shot deflected off the stick of defenseman David Knowles and past Estep with 1:54 left in the period.

 

The first period ended with the Flyers leading in every offensive category but only up 4-3 on the big board. Shots were 22-10; chances 12-3 and hits were 28-27 all in favor of the home team after one period of play. The Flyers also clicked for two goals on three power play chances, while Arizona failed on their lone attempt.

 

1:07 into the second period Kelly Duke took a chip pass from Schilar Kessler and beat Steven Estep with a back hand move to tie the game up and prompt Coach Bill Muckalt to make a goaltending change. Duke’s fourth goal of the season was more than enough for Muckalt as he summoned Taylor Nelson off the bench to replace Estep. Estep faced 11 total shots in just over 20 minutes of play and stopped only seven.

 

Nelson came in and quickly the Flyers picked up their play by putting Arizona’s weary defense on their heels.

 

With 15:57 left in the period Thomas Meinhardt notched his second of the game and 18^th of the season while putting home a James McGuirk rebound to make it 5-4 Valencia. McGuirk’s assist gives him points in each of his first three games since joining the Flyers; collecting 2 goals and three assists over the weekend.

 

The Flyers’ penalty kill continued to impress mid-way through the period, as Kyle Schwartz, Thomas Meinhardt, James McGuirk and many others collectively killed all four second period power play chances that Arizona had. In fact, the RedHawks’ failed to even collect a shot over their first five man advantages of the game.

 

Moments after killing a penalty, David Knowles jumped up into the play after taking an outlet pass from Evan Sharpshair. The 20 year-old defenseman used his speed to back off the Arizona defense and fed David Tagvoryan in the slot. Tagvoryan dangled around one defender and sent a backhand shot over the glove of Salami to make it 6-4 Valencia with 7:49 left in the period.

 

Taylor Nelson came up huge 50 seconds later as Alex Descheneaux was forced to pull down Schilar Kessler on a breakaway and referee David Gibbons awarded a penalty shot.

 

Kessler ran out of room as Nelson did not budge and held his ground, as Kessler shot the puck into the logo on Nelson’s chest, holding the two-goal Valencia lead.

 

Exactly one minute after the big save, the Flyers struck again to extend their lead to three before the intermission. Harout Keshishian’s notched his sixth of the year as his wrist shot beat Nicholas Salami to make it 7-4 with 5:59 left in the period. Evan Sharpshair again tallied an assist on the goal, which prompted the Arizona coaching staff to make a goaltending change of their own. Friday night’s starter Brandon Decker replaced Salami, who stopped 32 of 39 shots over nearly two periods of play.

 

The Flyers again out-shot Arizona by a rate of 25-19 and also out-hit the visitors 28-16 in the second period. Arizona however had nine scoring chances in the period to Valencia’s eight, as Taylor Nelson continually came up big for the Flyers after relieving Estep.

 

Finally in the third period, play slowed down for the first time all morning. As both team seemed to show tired legs after a long weekend, especially the travel weary RedHawks. Both teams were caught reaching all period and each had tons of chances on the power play in the third, as things got chippy late in the game.

 

While on a two-man advantage half-way through the period, it appeared the Flyers had notched their eighth goal of the game when Alex Stephens put home a rebound that was lying uncovered in the crease. The goal was quickly waved off however, as the Flyers were deprived of a goal for the second time in the contest.

 

Arizona received a big boost when they killed the remainder of the lengthy two-man advantage for Valencia. Seconds later the RedHawks received a power play of their own, and just six seconds into it Nicholas Zern notched his second of the game and eighth of the season. Zern’s long wrist shot from the point pulled Arizona within two, with just 3:47 remaining and was produced by Schilar Kessler and Chris Gartner. The assist gave Kessler four points on the day, with two goals and two assists.

 

Nelson however would make a couple more solid saves, including a beauty of a stop on a Benjamin Miner breakaway chance and preserve the win for Valencia.

 

For good measure, John Dove would notch another goal late in a contest, by scoring on a rebound with just 19 seconds left on the clock. Dove put it home after David Knowles’ shot was stopped by Brandon Decker, for his team-leading 23^rd goal of the year.

 

The Flyers would kill the remaining 19 seconds and take the 8-5 victory. The win gives the Flyers three in a row overall and six out of six against the first-year RedHawks on the season.

 

Nicholas Salami took the loss for Arizona in his first start of the year. Brandon Decker did not factor in the decision after entering the game in relief and played well, stopping 32 of 33 shots.

 

Offensively Schilar Kessler had a great day for Arizona; as the forward notched two goals and two assists, for a season-high four points. Kelly Duke and Nicholas Zern also had solid efforts, as both finished with three points.

 

 Taylor Nelson got the win for Valencia after coming in for Estep, evening his record at 2-2-2. In just about two full periods of play, Nelson stopped 23 of 24 shots.

 

 

The Flyers were paced offensively by David Tagvoryan and Thomas Meinhardt, who each scored twice. John Dove tallied a goal and two assists, while Cam Noland, David Knowles and Evan Sharpshair all enjoyed two-point games.

 

The Flyers return to action next Friday night at 7:45 p.m. when they welcome in the seven-time Western States Hockey League Champion Phoenix Polar Bears. The final weekend of the regular season continues on Saturday against the league-leading Fresno Monsters, also at 7:45 p.m. The season concludes on Sunday morning, as Phoenix returns at 10:25 a.m.

 

Be sure to check out Valenciaflyers.net for the free live webcasts and much more. Continue to check out the site over summer and into the fall as many changes are coming for the 2010-2011 season!