They Live Together, They Win Together

BROOKLYN, NY – More than just about any other sport, hockey relies on teamwork and trust. The average shift on the ice lasts anywhere from 35-55 seconds, and even the best players usually skate for only a quarter of the game.

The best teams turn this mix of skill, smarts and solidarity into a winning formula. Maybe that explains why the New York Aviators, one of six teams in the Federal Hockey League, have won 20 games in a row and gone undefeated since December 27. Members of the hottest team in professional hockey do more than trust each other – they share the same refrigerator.

“We’ve got more than half the team living together, so it helps build chemistry,” Aviators forward Chris Holmes, one of 14 players who share a three-floor home on 120th street in Rockaway Beach, said. “Everyone is so close on this team. I don’t know how the other teams are off the ice, but we spend so much time together. Even if you wanted to get away from someone, you couldn’t.”

Outscoring their opponents 96-42 during the winning streak, the Aviators have erased memories of a horrible start to their season, when their record stood at 5-7 and the team ranked toward the bottom of the league in wins and offense. Saturday night’s 6-4 victory over Akwesasne sent the Aviators over the Warriors into first place in the standings with the regular season closing in less than two weeks.

With the winning streak bringing the already close-knit team even closer, the guys have found out about each other’s talents.

Leading scorer Matt Puntureri is the resident entertainer of the group, known for belting out Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl” for the guys in the house on their days off. Anonymous sources also claim he has sung Madonna hits on the team’s bus trips for away games.

Though he can’t carry a tune like Puntureri, scrappy but skilled forward John Goffredo, in addition to his 21 goals this season, is the resident video game champ in the house, beating his teammates in FIFA and NHL 11 at will.

Angelo Serse, according to sources, is the best cook of the group, but that’s only because teammate Mike Christensen left to go to culinary school.

With plenty of jokes flying around, regular video game tournaments and quality grub, the Aviators are enjoying their time together.

“We could have our own sitcom,” Aviators forward Jesse Felten said. “We’re always laughing and having a good time.”

The Federal Hockey League is the lowest rung on the professional hockey ladder. The Aviators, the single-A affiliate of the ECHL Wheeling Nailers (an affiliate of both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens), play in the 1,500 seat Aviator Sports and Recreation Center in Brooklyn, New York, usually to a crowd of 400 die-hard fans.

The league is a feeding ground for other leagues such as the East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League, the places where most NHL players get their start in professional hockey.

Of the 200 plus players who have played in the FHL this season, 14 have been called up to the ECHL or gotten an opportunity to play in higher caliber leagues in Europe (though none of them has been called up to the NHL), making each game that much more important. Every player is looking to get noticed.

“We all talk to each other about everything,” Holmes said. “We spend our free time together, doing everything from going food shopping to playing video games or just hanging out. We know why we’re all here and what we have to do.”

Sometimes, that “having to do” is dropping the gloves. Averaging about 20 penalty minutes a game, the Aviators aren’t above fighting in order to secure a victory. By comparison, the toughest team in the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins, average just under 17.

However, it hasn’t been the Aviators’ toughness that has saved their season, it’s been their ability to score goals.

“We knew the way we were playing defensively that all we had to do was pick it up on offense,” forward Andrew Scampoli said. “We didn’t see this streak coming, but we never panicked either.”

Joining the team after the winning streak started, defenseman Nick Grove immediately saw the team’s chemistry and desire.

“When I got here, I could tell how confident these guys were. They weren’t worried about being a goal down sometimes. It’s like they know someone will come through,” Grove said. “We’re not playing our best hockey, but we’re finding a way to win.”

Seeing his tight-knit team’s confidence soaring, Aviators Head Coach Rob Miller is trying to keep the guys on track toward a championship.

“When you’re on a streak like this, you almost expect to win every night,” he said. “But you can’t take anything for granted.”

Just 31 years old, Miller, who played his last season as a player two years ago in Brooklyn, shared a locker room with several of the players he now coaches.

“There are no cliques here,” he said. “Everyone here wants to win. They all communicate very well with each other. They’re all on the same page.”

Their fans too are hoping the team’s togetherness and recent winning streak help them win a championship.

“I only wanted to go to a couple of games to tide me through the winter,” Aviators fan Mary DeBernardo, who now sits next to the team’s penalty box at every home game, said. “But now I want a championship. I can taste it.”