BROOKLYN, NY – The New Jersey Outlaws took yet another step toward clinching a playoff spot Friday night as they soundly defeated the host Brooklyn Aviators 7-3 at the Aviator Sports and Recreation Center. Nathan Oke led the way for the Outlaws with a pair of goals and three points on the night. Defenseman Lawne Snyder also had a three-point game, picking up three assists.
It was the seventh straight win for New Jersey over Brooklyn this season and the Aviators fourth consecutive loss since the calendar turned to 2012. The contest took over three and a half hours to play.
New Jersey started off strong, scoring the first four goals of the game. Oke opened the scoring with a power play goal just 2:06 into the contest. 48 seconds later, the lead doubled when newcomer Travis Karasiewicz put one past Brooklyn goalie Josselin St. Pierre at the 2:54 mark. Kevin Cooper picked up another man advantage goal for the Outlaws at the 9:02 mark. By the time John Goffredo found the back of the net at 16:16 of the period, the Outlaws were firmly in control at 4-0.
Lucas Schott broke the New Jersey run with a power play goal at 17:31 of the first for the Aviators but it was all Brooklyn could must before the intermission.
The middle stanza was quiet by comparison to the first as one goal was scored. It came off the stick of Matt Miller of the Outlaws as he cleaned up his own rebound in front of St. Pierre at 18:10 of the period. When the horn sounded to end the frame, New Jersey had its four goal lead back at 5-1 heading for the final twenty minutes.
Whatever Brooklyn head coach Rob Miller said to his team between the second and third periods must have been good because the Aviators came out like a house of fire to start the final stanza. Chase Watson scored for Brooklyn just 29 seconds in and when Nick Petriello beat Outlaws net minder Adam Dekker twenty seconds later, the home team had pulled to within 5-3.
Startled by the two quick strikes by the home team, New Jersey quickly reestablished its control of the game when Matthew Puntureri scored a power play goal at the 2:15 mark to push the lead to 6-3. Oke capped his and the Outlaws’ scoring when he netted his second of the evening at 14:44.
Dekker made 21 saves to post the victory while St. Pierre stopped 26 in a losing effort. New Jersey finished the game three-for-eight on the power play while Brooklyn was one-for-five with the man advantage. The three stars of the game were Oke, Snyder and Karasiewicz.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night back in Wayne at the Capital One Ice Vault. Contact the author at gary.marchese@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.