UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	Gamblers by 4 goals
OVER/UNDER:	12 goals

First versus the worst. Studs versus Duds. Whatever you want to call it, it has been sheer domination by the Gamblers this year. Outscoring the Dead RIver Men 23-6 in 3 games, this one shouldn't be any different. There is hope for Dead River, and that tiny glimmer of hope lies in the fact that this is an early game and that is when DR has it's best attendance.

Dead River has been a big question mark in net with Greg Hadley going down with a tweaked knee. Not that they will miss his 5.50 GAA, but at least they knew what they were getting in net. Matty Barrett filled in last week, but let up 11 goals against fellow basement dweller, The Whalers.

The Gamblers have had a pair of bad games, losing to aforementioned Whalers and having to come back in the 3rd period to Tuck, down 3-1. Matty Marrazzo has kicked into top gear, leading the UVHL in both goal scoring & points this year, while his two linemates, Danny Ammel & Willy Meyer have been fantastic.

If Dead River can get 2 solid lines & 4 defensemen, this should be a solid game....until the 3rd period. If not, then the 'Blers will tear them limb from limb.

My prediction, 8-4, Gamblers.

Gamblers embarrass Dead River 10-3

The Dead River franchise has sunk to new lows, as they have given up 10 goals in back to back games, as they were spanked into submission this week 10-3 by the Gamblers. For Dead River, it was a combination of mediocre goaltending, horrific defense and an attitude bordering on ignorance as they thought that they could run and gun with the most prolific scoring line in the history of the UVHL.

With that said, you can't lay all of the blame on Dead River and deny that the Gambler's are dynamic & gifted goal scorers. If I had video footage of some of their goals, I could easily put out a "How To Score" DVD compilation. That DVD compilation would be in stark contrast to "How NOT To Score" which shows Greg Hadley & Shawn McDermott at the bar post game.

This also could have been a much uglier game if the Gambler's hadn't shown some class and pulled their foot off the gas in the 2nd & 3rd period. As usual, the G-Men received 90% of their scoring from their top line, as Ammel, Marrazzo & Meyer chipped in 9 of the 10 goals & 19 out of 24 possible points on the night.

The MMA line was on fire, and must have sacrificed another virgin before the game, as they seemed to be floating above the ice, untouchable by the mere mortals on Dead River. Despite this being a 3-3 game with 5:30 to play in the first period, DR scored on their first 3 shots and were being outshot 20-3 at that point. Ian "Fish" Gill scored DR's first goal over 5 minutes into the game, again....it took over 5 minutes for them to record their first shot. The extended period of time without any action seemed to have lulled the Gambler's netminder, Greg "So Fine" Feiden into a trance-like coma. Gilly scored his goal walking out of the corner and tucking the puck 5-holio on Feiden, but the next shot which came over 2 and a half minutes later was a beautiful tip by Marty "Greybeard" White who was planted in the low slot, and tipped the point shot up and over Feiden who had EVERYTHING covered down low.

Dan "The Man" Ammel was on fire tonight, netting 4 goals in the first period, the first coming just 62 seconds in off a nice drop pass from Meyer down the far boards let Ammel rip off a snapper high glove side. He was at it again on his next shift after knocking in his own rebound from a tipped point shot. Dan-O completed the hat trick at 8:41 when a Tyler Dickinson turnover resulted in a Marrazzo to Meyer to Ammel goal. Dead River bounced back with a pair from White & Robbie Pattison, only to see Dead River pour it on in the last 5 minutes and add 3 more goals. Meyer Broke the tie on a weak point shot from Young, that he stopped and took a couple steps to the far corner for the empty netter as Barrett was down and out.

The 'Blers had a highlight reel goal to make it 5-3 on a tic-tac-top-toe goal where Meyer passed it to Marrazzo in the far corner, back to Meyer cutting off the boards and to the net. Meyer dropped his shoulder, faking a shot, and hit Ammel on the back door as Barrett came across the crease very quickly for a big guy, only to see Ammel roof the puck up and under the crossbar. The Gambler's did add a bit of insult to injury with 2 seconds to play, on a perfect 150 foot indirect pass off the boards from Marrazzo to Meyer. Meyer corralled the puck at full speed on the far boards and headed in all alone, making a move to his forehand at the far post, cut across the top of the crease and tucked it in behind Barrett who just couldn't handle the speed of Meyer.

Poor Matty Barrett, who did make some HUGE saves in this one, including a breakaway on Tyson Seeley in the first and a pair of glove saves on Ammel midway through the second. Barrett Generally was in position to make the first save, but did tend to leave a couple of rebounds, and without any defensive support, the G-Men pounced.

The 2nd period was a bit better, both because Dead River seemed to put more focus on their own end, but also because the Gambler's took their game down a notch as DR became frustrated and chippy. Both teams took 3 penalties in the middle frame, but there was no scoring for the first 11 minutes of the period. The Gambler's did knot 3 more goals late in the 2nd period with Willy "The Miserable" Meyer completing his hat trick at 3:58, the "Danimal" getting his 5th of the game on a turnover at center ice and beating Barrett 5-Hole, and the only NON-MMA goal coming off the stick of Allison "The Hook" Malcolm with an assist to Seely. Ally, was also in the game notes for mixing it up with Dead River's aging veteran, Marty "The Party" White, eventually showing her feminine side as she told Marty..."You're a fucking cocksucker." White was distraught after the game, as he sipped on his 7th Vodka on the rocks and said, "Cocksucker?!?!? I'm definitely an asshole....but am I really a cocksucker?"

The 3rd period was penalty-less and saw Meyer adding his 4th goal with 2:58 to play. Both teams seemed to be just playing...to play. Dead River had been rocked, and both teams knew it, and there was no need to embarrass them even more.

With only 2 games remaining before the playoffs, the Dead Rivermen, need to figure out what kind of team they are. If they want to see any success in the playoffs, they are going to have to abort the run-and-gun attitude, pull back and play some real hockey. Their defensive zone is a mess, from the forwards all the way back to their goalie.

The Gamblers keep-on-keeping-on. They are scary good if you give them an inch. If you don't play to shut their top line down, they'll eat you alive and shit you out like a day old burrito.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
GMB	13:58	Goal	Ammel, Robert(28)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(27)
LAB	12:21	Penalty	Loomis, Jason(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
GMB	12:02	Goal	Ammel, Robert(29)	Assist(s): Young, Jason(7) Marrazzo, Matt(31)
LAB	09:55	Goal	Gill, Ian(3)	Assist(s): Rosati, Robert(3)
GMB	08:41	Goal	Ammel, Robert(30)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(28) Marrazzo, Matt(32)
LAB	07:16	Goal	White, Marty(3)	Assist(s): Scull, Tom(6)
LAB	05:30	Goal	Pattison, Rob(11)	Assist(s): none
GMB	04:38	Goal	Meyer, Will(28)	Assist(s): Young, Jason(8)
GMB	01:23	Goal	Ammel, Robert(31)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(29) Marrazzo, Matt(33)
LAB	00:40	Penalty	Golden, Richard(8)	2 minutes for Tripping
GMB	00:02	Goal	Meyer, Will(29)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(34)
2nd PERIOD
LAB	12:58	Penalty	Rosati, Robert(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	12:58	Penalty	Gattie, Marc(7)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	10:22	Penalty	Malcolm, Allison(2)	2 minutes for Tripping
LAB	07:17	Penalty	Pattison, Rob(6)	2 minutes for Hooking
GMB	06:17	Penalty	Marrazzo, Matt(5)	2 minutes for Tripping
LAB	06:02	Penalty	Scull, Tom(10)	2 minutes for Tripping
GMB	03:54	Goal	Meyer, Will(30)	Assist(s): Ammel, Robert(19) Marrazzo, Matt(35)
GMB	02:36	Goal	Ammel, Robert(32)	Assist(s): none
GMB	00:41	Goal	Malcolm, Allison(4)	Assist(s): Seely, Tyson(7)
3rd PERIOD
GMB	02:58	Goal	Meyer, Will(31)	Assist(s): Ammel, Robert(20) Young, Jason(9)

LOG IN:
Username:		You must be logged into your Forum account to leave game comments. Please log in to the right to add your Brilliant Diatribes & Thunderous Verbal Attacks about this game.
Password:
	forget username / password? create account

Game Comments:
Z-Skate White River Jct, VT Registered: Posts: 108	Players .. Mar 1st, 2010 09:16 AM DR need any skaters for Tuesday night ..?
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Ugly Mar 2nd, 2010 01:08 AM This one could get out of hand fast, after playing with fire the past couple weeks, I don't see the Gamblers waiting until the second half of the game to turn it on.
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Reversed Score Mar 4th, 2010 12:47 PM Parky, I'm sure you'll catch this mistake, but DR did not WIN 10-3 like the score currently reads.