UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	EVEN
OVER/UNDER:	6 goals

This is a tough one to call. The Nord's took the first two games....barely, 3-2 and a 2-1 shootout win. Tuck completely embarrassed the Nordiques on January 26th, 7-2 which sparked an impressive 4 game winning streak where they outscored their opponents 22-10. They are coming off of a brutal 5-3 loss to the Gamblers where they jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period and dominated through two full periods.

The Nordiques started the year off strong, but hit a mid season slump where they couldn't buy goals. Their play was lazy & uninspiring and it looked as though everyone was waiting around for someone else to do something. They can thank the last placed Dead River Rats for jump starting their offense in a 7-2 win 2 weeks ago followed by a solid 5-3 win over a hot goaltender in Petey Bartline & the Brewers.

If Tuck has all of their "tools" there...hahaha, then they can dominate all 3 zones. Their netminder may be the best in the region but seems to have broken his confidence by moonlighting in the "B" league and giving up 12 goals in one game......11 of which came on offspeed knuckle pucks.

In net for the Nords is Johnny "Temper Tantrum" Turner who also had his own battle with self confidence earlier this year, but seems to be back in form. The Nords are led by "Super" Jordy McGee who will be called on often to break down Feiden.

Tuck is led offensively by a trio of natural goal scorers in Jimmy Hay (16 goals in 15 games), Halsey Coughlin (13 goals in 12 games) & Derek Nowak (10 goals in 11 games). They have 2 of the best defensemen in the league in Andy Helming (22 points in 13 games) & Ryan McGovern (21 points in 17 games). Helming leads all UVHL defensemen in scoring this year.

This one should probably end up in a one goal game, with Tuck winning 4-3 or going to a shootout 3-3.

Nordiques power through Tuck: 6-3

The Nordiques regained some redemption tonight, against a tough Tuck squad with a solid 6-3 win. After being embarrassed by Tuck 7-2 five weeks prior, the Nordiques were on a mission to regains some of their first half swagger, and possibly move back into second place and a first round playoff bye.

Tuck was in the middle of a health crisis, as the campus orgies at the Business School had left a couple key players home with a stomach bug. Missing were Yacey,Coughlin, Nowak, Barnett & Bates among others.

Leading the charge for the Nordiques was "Super" Jordy McGee with 4 goals & an assist. McGee seemed to be everywhere tonight, and the Tuckies didn't have an answer for him.

Tuck scored first 7:52 into the period on a power play goal with the Nordique's Ian "The Grin" Coates in the box for high sticking. The goal came on a nice play and even better pass by Andrew "Hellboy" Helming as he took a turnover at the far point in the Nord's defensive zone, walked the puck down the far boards beating 2 defenders before finding Hay in front from behind the goal line. McGee struck just 61 seconds later on a pass from Poli "The Nightmare" Nightengale. "The Nightmare" broke the tie with 2:40 to play on a 2 on 1 with winger Jimmy "Nancy" Kerrigan. Kerrigan made a nice pass through the defender to Nightengale who delayed for a second then went back against the grain, beating Steve "You Killed" Kenning upper corner, glove side.

McGee finally broke through on a breakaway this season, granted it was after he stripped a Tuck defenseman of the puck at the near faceoff dot, skated 10 feet and beat Kenning 5-hole, it was still a breakaway, and he wanted everyone in the UVHL to know it! McGee completed the hat trick on another nice pass from Kerrigan, as things started to pick up for the Nordiques and the ice started to tilt downhill for Tuck. The Nordiques continued to press, but only Tuck was able to score in the final eight and a half minutes of play on a screened blast from the point from Ryuji "Goochie Goochie" Kikuchi.

The Noridques carried their momentum into the 3rd period with a Shawn "McLovin" McDermott to McGee goal. There was a whole lot of Irish lovin' after that one, as McDermott rubbed his greasy body up on Jordy in a weird goal celebration that saw McDermott do a shot of Jameson & Blue Cheese on the bench. McGee had probably the nicest play of the game with 2:41 to play as he and Kikuchi went to the end boards chasing a dump in. McGee went down, slamming into the boards, jumped up, stole the puck back from Kikuchi, cut to the front of the net dragging Kenning across the net and then throwing a backhand pass to Dwyer on the near post all alone for the goal. The Nordiques had a solid 6-2 win in hand, and Turner was counting the bottles in his case of beer for possibly winning Player of the Week with 2 goals allowed and 29 saves against a highly ranked Tuck team, only to see a defensive turner turn into another "Goochie Goochie" blast from the point, tipped in by Hay with only 4 seconds to go. Turner was distraught, and looked as though he was ready to stab someone in the eye....that player's name is to be kept sealed, as the big burly defenseman for the Nordiques may end up killing himself, and the last thing the Nord's want is one lame play to end the life of their star defenseman, Tommy "The Great Ape" Dakai......oops.

Let's keep in mind here, that the Nordiques dominated a short benched Tuck team. Missing quite a few of their stars. Regardless, they played a solid game, and deserved the win.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
NDQ	08:43	Penalty	Coates, Ian(3)	2 minutes for High Sticking
TCK	08:08	Goal	Hay, James(17)	Assist(s): Helming, Andrew(15)
NDQ	07:07	Goal	McGee, Jordan(18)	Assist(s): Nightingale, Poli(2)
NDQ	02:40	Goal	Nightingale, Poli(3)	Assist(s): Kerrigan, James(3) McDermott, Shawn(10)
TCK	01:53	Penalty	McGovern, Ryan(2)	2 minutes for Tripping
2nd PERIOD
NDQ	12:11	Goal	McGee, Jordan(19)	Assist(s): none
NDQ	08:31	Goal	McGee, Jordan(20)	Assist(s): Kerrigan, James(4)
NDQ	05:38	Penalty	Dakai, Tom(6)	2 minutes for Holding
TCK	03:18	Goal	Kikuchi, Ryuji(3)	Assist(s): McKay, Simon(10)
3rd PERIOD
TCK	12:09	Penalty	Kikuchi, Ryuji(1)	2 minutes for Body Checking
NDQ	10:24	Goal	McGee, Jordan(21)	Assist(s): McDermott, Shawn(11)
NDQ	10:04	Penalty	Dakai, Tom(7)	2 minutes for Charging
NDQ	02:41	Goal	Dwyer, Kevin(10)	Assist(s): McGee, Jordan(19)
TCK	00:04	Goal	Hay, James(18)	Assist(s): Kikuchi, Ryuji(3)

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Game Comments:
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Feiden? Mar 2nd, 2010 01:05 AM Do you mean Yacey? I've been picking against the Nords since their collapse to this team 5 weeks ago. We'll see if they can rally for a shot at second place, but if YACEY is in net, I'd have to give them the advantage. If Osgood's in net, all bets are off!
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 723	Feiden, Yacey, Osgood? Mar 2nd, 2010 08:45 AM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: JTStally Do you mean Yacey? I've been picking against the Nords since their collapse to this team 5 weeks ago. We'll see if they can rally for a shot at second place, but if YACEY is in net, I'd have to give them the advantage. If Osgood's in net, all bets are off! Stally, what the hell are you talking about? Feiden plays for the 'Blers. Can we get some info from the Tuckies, who won the oil wrestling contest to play net tonight, Yacey or Kenning? I heard Grundy is available to play if need be. KP
rgrunds Stowe, VT Registered: Posts: 376	Always.... Mar 2nd, 2010 10:59 AM the oil wrestling sounds like fun too.
McG Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 47	Mar 2nd, 2010 01:22 PM Kenning gets the start.
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	I read it, too, eh. Mar 2nd, 2010 05:15 PM "The Nords are led by "Super" Jordy McGee who will be called on often to break down Feiden." We all know you meant Yacey and/or Kenning, and not Feiden, but you typed it and you balls are officially busted! McD P.S. I'm gonna eat my weight in wings post-game to make up for missing last week! GET IN MY BELLLLYYYY!