UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

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BLUE BEATS SILVER IN OT THRILLER

A close contest in regulation saw the "new Blue" squad force overtime, and O'Hara's heralded return heroics in the extra frame shootout earned the extra point for their first win over SIlver.


 
Silver started strong with a 3-0 lead to end the first period. Kelly Park got things started just over a minute into the game beating O'Hara with feeds from Dave Willis and Jon Gillespie. The first period was much closer than the score indicated, and chippy play with an excessive amount of stickwork by both squads was the theme. Both teams were more evenly balanced after the 3 for 1 trade of Gillespie to Silver for newcomers Jim Dowd, Geoff Pappas, and Jeryl Frankenfield to Blue. Dowd looked good on a line with Louzier and Nalette as Doug Heavisides was conspicously absent again, prompting Captain Dave Fitts to demote Heavisides to the second line (if he returns next week...we'll see). Also scoring in the first were Tom Dakai from the point on a nice pass from Gillespie, and Tao Smith on yet another nice feed from Gillespe at 8:44 and 5:20 respectively.
 


There was 10 minutes of scoreless hockey after Silver's 3rd goal until Blue started picking away at the lead. Louzier netted a rebound shot from Dowd and Jason Young when an overwhelmed McDermott was covering the other, other man in the slot leaving Louzier open for the tap-in at 8:42. Gillespie received a 2 minute minor for bodychecking a streaking Murphy with a lowered shoulder along the boards in an attempt to pinch him off - artistic interpretation by the referees, I assume, that could not be ignored when Murf's head hit the upright at the end of the Blue bench. Louzier scored on the resulting power play, with 1:40 left to go in the second, assisted by John Murphy, on a 2-on-1 against McDermott ringing one off the post and crossbar with a 'twisted wrister' past a shocked Turner. Silver had their chances in the second to extend their lead when McDermott ripped one from the high slot sneaking in and receiving a perfect pass from Dyke Shaw, and on a Gillespie breakaway - BOTH denied by O'Hara's right pad, which saw plenty of action in this contest. Both goalied kept their teams in it, and were well tested by the start of the third, with the score 3-2 in Silver's favor.
 


Silver finally extended their lead to 4-2 when Dyke Shaw scored with some hard work after receiving a pass from Jason Gaudette at 9:29. The middle of the third belonged to Blue as consecutive goals 11 seconds apart tied the contest at 4 apiece. Todd Nalette scored down low after beating a Silver defender and going top shelf from a pass from Jason Young. Silver then coughed up the puck at their own blue line and Dave Fitts moved in to shoot the puck past a challenging JT when the low percentage shot found a way through to tie the game at 6:11. Penalties, penalties, penalties, for stupid shit like slashing, roughing, high sticking that drew blood, hitting after the whistle (the ref's new favorite penalty, so watch out!) saw both teams spend time in the sin bin late in the third. However, this game was so close and well matched it couldn't have been any other way, and the refs did their best to keep it under control. There was no more scoring for the remainder of the period, and play was chippy and back and forth, with both goalies ensuring at least one point for their respective teams.
 


OVERTIME: With Gillespie and Smith in the box for Silver, and Murphy in the box for Blue - those players ineligible for the shootout - the 5-man lineups were selected: Coffey, Park, Willis, Shaw, and Gaudette for Silver; Louzier, Dowd, Nalette, Fitts and Young for Blue. Hockey's most exciting play was executed by each player, and thoroughly bastardized by Park (more later), and the goalie's duel was decided by Blue's Todd Nalette roofing one into the top corner. O'Hara was spectacular in the shootout sealing the victory with a sprawling glove save on Gaudette with Silver's last attempt.
 


The league is pleased to hand out its very first L.V.P. (Least Valuable Player) award to none other than Silver's Kelly Park for his "Kelly Park Hat Trick" with his third consecutive breakaway without a shot on goal, culminating in his shootout OT debacle when he deked himself out, fell, crashed into O'Hara and then knocked the net off with his shoulder without getting so much as a shot on goal. Congrats, Kelly, you earned it!
 


Final score: Blue 5-4 OT

Final analysis: the "new Blue" could challenge Silver for a right to play Red in the inaugural UVHL finals...

Final tally: Nalette - 2G, 1A incl. OT winner; Louzier - 2G; Gillespie - 3A; Dave Fitts - 1G (game tying); Jason Young - 2A; 8 other players with 1 point.

 

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