Wings fall flat in Trenton visit

By Tom Hoffman

It sounded like a Wings home game, even though the schedule said it was a New York home game. And while the fans may have been into the game, somehow the Wings were not as the New York Titans maintained a solid record away from their actual home at Madison Square Garden and handed Philly a lopsided 20-13 win at Trenton's Sovereign Bank Arena Saturday evening. 5,239 attended the neutral site game where the Wings dropped to 7-2 and New York improved to 6-5.

The teams played an even opening 15 minutes before Athan Iannucci gave the Wings what would turn out to be their only lead of the night just 11 seconds into quarter number two. New York would then score the next four goals and six of seven to take an 8-4 lead. Jason Crosbie and Iannucci would get the Wings within a pair before a late Jordan Hall tally put the Titans up 9-6 at the half. The third quarter started slow, the first goal by New York's Casey Powell not coming until 7:16 had been played. Ryan Boyle upped the Titans lead to five goals just 34 seconds later before the Wings last real flurry of goals (Rob Van Beek, Iannucci's third of the night, where he was draped by four NY defenders and still was able to get the ball past Titans keeper Matt Vinc, and Jake Bergey's second) again made it a two goal deficit. Then, with Shawn Nadelen and Geoff Snider in the box, the New York powerplay would take over, igniting a five goal run that would put the game out of the Wings reach. The closest the Wings could get the rest of the night was within five goals but a pair of empty netters from Powell and Pat Maddalena would untimately seal up the Titans first ever win over Philadelphia.

Powell and Boyle each had four goals to lead the Titans, Powell adding seven assists to lead all players with 11 points on the night. Iannucci added four tallies for the Wings while Snider led the team with six points on a goal and five assists while winning 18 of 33 faceoffs. The Wings will look to rebound from this game when they visit Rochester next Saturday night.

Wings Half-Season Report Card

By-Kevin M. Neibauer

At the half way point, your Philadelphia Wings sit at the top of the entire league with a 7-1 record. Let's look at at what has gone right, and what very liittle has gone wrong.

Several factors have brought about the changes. Leadership, Coaching, and especially goaltending have made major positive changes.

Of course, the nearly five goal a game pace that Athan Iannucci is on has a lot to do with things as well.

Let's start with management. Lindsay Sanderson has always been one of the great lacrosse mimds of the day. Case in point with Sanderson, it may be just dumn luck, but he acqired Jason Crosbie for Sean Greenhalgh. Sanderson took some heat over that move, but Greenhqlgh suffered an injury and has not a game this year. Sanderson also "stole" AJ Shannon. The GM gave up Keith Cromwell, Dan Marohl and Matt Roik, none of whom were playing for a bonafide left handed shooter than will complement AI and Jake Bergey. Couple his knowledge with the talent and experience of Coach Dave Huntley and Chris Sanderson and you have the start of a great team.

Lindsay Sanderson was the coach the lasr few seasons, so why the big change this year?

Leadership abd goaltending. The defensive team has shown a ton of matuirity that is a huge boost.

Matt Roik, a very goodf goaltender battled with confidence and playing in the shadow of Dallas Eliuk. Roik was like the second boyfriend. You know, a girl has ger first love, they split up and go seperate ways.

The girl meets another guy, usually a great guy, but a guy who is usually doomed. Doomed because she still has feelings for the first love.

That was Matt Roik, he was doomed simply because he ws not Dallas Eliuk. But, in fairness, his defense was not always great in front of him.

Rob Blasdell has been just what the doctor ordered. Calm, cool and very talented, Blasdell has been a rock in the cage and is even beginning to contribute to the offense by jumpstarting fast breaks.

Defensively, the unit has stepped it up a great deal. Shawn Nadelen, Kyle Sweeney, Tom Hajek, John Christmas and especially Rob Van Beek are having career years.

Once the Wings get a lead late in the game, they are lethal. What is making them so lethal has been the face-off success of Geoff Snider. Snider seemed to struggle in the early going, with penalty issues.

Snider, a volatile player, has the fire that ignites the team. His temperment is his game. When he plays under control he is a main cog that runs the machine.


Athan Iannucci....what else can you say? MVP. 'Nooch" is going to be a great player for a long time. Jake Bergey....Comeback Player of the Year?
Merrick Thomson....in the running for Rookie of the Year.

The rookies have all played like veterans, Jamie Rooney, deadly shot negates his lack of size. Pat Heim has played very well, Jim Borell uses his speed to start the offnese, David Mitchell has played very well. A fan doesn't panic when he sees one of the "kids" on the floor.

Veteran leadership is big with all teams, especially this one. Peter Jacobs has been a calming force, silent leader type. Jake Bergey is making life easier for AI. Bergs is finally healthy and playing like he's 25.

The biggest additon to the team and the leadership role has been without a doubt, Jason Crosbie. Anyone who has been to practice or spoken with H
Jason can immediately feel his intensity.

Crosbie has been a major influence on the kids, especially, Merrick Thomson. Crosbie has this team believing and, more importantly, listening.

7-1, Eight games to go. But as Russ Cline stated, "7-2 is nice, but, all that is for sure right now is that the worst we can do is finsh 7-9, we haven't accomplished anything yet.....But, I feel good about this team."

So, two with Toronto, one with Rochester, Chicago, Minnesota, Portland and two crucual games with New York.

The Titans could be a thorn, its hard to beat a team three times in a season..

So, the overall grade would be an A-. All the great work means nothing unless the Championship is hoisted (hopefully in South Philly)


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