NY Aviators hockey: the story so far

 Posted by at 11:00 am  Aviators Hockey, Featured story
Jan 122011
 

New York Aviators goaltender Kevin Druce, second in the Federal Hockey League with a 2.82 goals-against-average.

It’s been a while since we’ve written about the New York Aviators, the Brooklyn minor league hockey team that plays its games at the Aviator Sports and Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field. This weekend, starting on Saturday night at 7:30pm, they will take a 14-12-2 record into a seven-game homestand – I thought this would be a good time to get everyone caught up.

After a disappointing 2-5 start – with all seven of those games played on the road – the Aviators have battled their way back into third place in the six-team Federal Hockey League. 28 games into the season, they have still only played 11 games in Brooklyn, where they are 9-1-1. So the upcoming homestand is a big opportunity for the team to make up some ground on the second-place 1000 Islands Privateers – their opponent on Saturday – and the first-place Akwesasne Warriors – their opponent on Sunday.

NY Aviators forward Matt Puntureri

Leading the team with 17 goals scored is Matt Puntureri, a 25-year-old right winger from Pennsylvania. Puntureri’s nine goals in December earned him the FHL’s Player Of The Month honors. He’s seventh in the league in goal scoring, and he is eighth in points scored with 40 (through Tuesday night’s games).

The team is backstopped by goalie Kevin Druce, whose 2.82 goals-against-average is the FHL’s second-best. Druce is credited with 11 of the team’s 14 wins.

Fun fact: defenseman K.C. Timmons is second in the league with seven power play goals!

The Aviators signed an affiliation agreement with the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League earlier this season. The agreement allows Wheeling to call up top-performing Aviators, and also send its own players to Brooklyn for injury rehab and performance assignments. The Nailers themselves have affiliation agreements with the Penguins and Les Habitants of the NHL.

The Aviators play through mid-March, and the top four teams make the playoffs.

The New York Aviators play their home games at a 2,000 seat ice rink at the Aviator Sports & Events Center, 3159 Flatbush Avenue. Tickets are $12 each, $8 for children and seniors and free for active-duty military personnel. (More: Aviators official site)

New York Aviators: minor league hockey begins at Floyd Bennett Field this Friday

 Posted by at 8:30 am  Aviators Hockey, Featured story
Nov 082010
 

Minor league hockey comes back to Brooklyn this week! The New York Aviators, already six games into their second season, open up their 30-game home schedule this Friday night at the Aviator Sports & Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field.

The Aviators begin their second season in the brand-new six-team Federal Hockey League – made up of three other teams in New York State, one in Connecticut, and one on the Canadian side of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne. The FHL joins six other North American minor ice hockey leagues. Unlike the more established American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League, no FHL team has an affiliate agreement with an NHL franchise, so the NY Aviators bring in most of their players from junior- and college-level hockey. Continue reading »

Eddie Money playing Aviator Centerstage Saturday night

 Posted by at 9:00 am  Events, Music
Sep 242010
 

Eddie Money will be playing at Aviator Sports complex this Saturday night for a Wounded Warrior Project benefit.

I will admit to having forgotten this song until I was doing some quick research for this article.

But I’m glad I remember it now. Eighties’ music rocks.

Prices range from $25-$45 – see the Aviator web site for details.

This weekend: Irish Musical Festival at Aviator

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Events
Jun 222010
 

The Aviator Sports complex is playing host to the Brooklyn Irish Music Festival this Saturday and Sunday. New York’s own Celtic rock band, Black 47, takes top billing on both days. Girsa, the popular tween LadyCelt group will also play on Sunday, and the rest of the lineup includes Seanchai & The Unity Squad and Greg Trooper.

Tickets are $20 for a single day, and $30 for the weekend.

Saturday, June 26, 2010 | 2:00pm – 11:00pm

  • Greg Trooper
  • The Fighting 86s
  • Three Pints Shy
  • Boston’s Erin Og
  • Strayaway Saints
  • Mac Talla Mor
  • The Snakes
  • Black 47

Sunday, June 27, 2010 | 2:00pm – 10:00pm

Black 47

Girsa

Kings County Fair Extended Through Memorial Day Weekend

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Events
May 262010
 

All photos courtsey of Aviator Sports & Event Center

Good news! The Kings County Fair at the Aviator sports complex has been extended by a week, through Memorial Day Monday. The hours are the same as last week – 5pm-11pm Monday through Thursday, 5pm-1am Friday, noon-midnight Saturday, and noon-11pm Sunday. General admission is still $7 plus rides, with specials through the week.

I’m told that the energy-efficient Ferris Wheel needs only the same amount of power that would power a TV. No indication if that’s the fairly benign TV I have in my home now, or the 72″ power-hungry plasma I want to have on my wall.

Hanger 7 photo by Veronica Tookmanian

Around South Blogistan – May 17, 2010

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Blogwrap
May 172010
 

The Kings County Fair is going on at the Aviator sports center for seven more days. Did anyone go this past weekend? If you have pictures you would like considered for publication here, please e-mail them to tips@bksouthie.com.

It’s Sunday night at the time I’m writing this, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg that has been my very hectic weekend. Right now, I’m trying to squeeze in some blogging in between the rock show I just got back from and some work for my “day” job that has to be done before the start of the Frankfurt workday, which means I have literally five minutes to write the rest of this blog post. So instead of my regular charm and wit, I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for a link dump this week.

I promise to be funnier next week when I’m not high as a kite on 11:30pm Dunkin Donuts coffee.

Kings County Fair at Aviator Complex

 Posted by at 9:00 am  Events
May 142010
 

The Kings County Fair is underway! A host of rides, carnival games, and food stands have descended on the Aviator Sports Center located at Floyd Bennett Field (map), and will remain through this weekend and the next. Ooh – there’s a zoo (I won’t tell PETA if you don’t) with a baby kangaroo, and Buffo, The World’s Strongest Clown.

Hey, this is just my $0.02 of free advice, but if you’re one of those people that’s terrified of clowns…? Stick close to the kangaroo.

The cost to enter is $7 admission, and their are several pay-one-price specials for rides throughout the next ten days, including tonight’s $25 Midnight Madness. The Kings County Fair is open Monday-Thursday 5pm-11pm, Friday 5pm-1am, Saturday noon-midnight, and Sunday noon-11pm.

[UPDATE] Now extended through Memorial Day Monday: see details.