UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Big gap between 2nd and 3rd

ODDS:	Tuck by 4
OVER/UNDER:	7

The disparity between second place Tuck and the third place Nordiques is like a chasm between the legs of one of Greg "Man Whore" Hadley's ex girlfriends... HUUUGE. An accurate analogy? Sure... the Nords will try to go in and they won't even be able to touch anything. The Big Three D will prevent any scoring opportunities, and Yacey will be like a contraceptive shutting down all chances of anything getting through. The Nords will be severely shorthanded tonight, and will also be without their leading scorer Jordan McGee. However, no excuses will be given in this league. If you don't show up, be prepared to get embarassed. Tuck by 4, probably 5-1, maybe even by a larger margin... and a Yacey shutout wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Gap tighter than expected between Tuck & Nords

Our very own Greg "Man Whore" Hadley would have been pleased, compared to usual, at how tight the gap was between these two squads. I had predicted that the Nords wouldn't even touch the inside of the Tuck net (for the full pre-game report just click on it, eh!), but unlike a typical Hadley Saturday night, the Nords got one in and felt it. However, that was all they got...

In the first, JT made 2 saves on Tuck, got pulled out of position and a sprawling Nords player could not make the save on Helming's goal from Hay at 13:21. Helming started right where he left off, scoring a goal and leading his team from the forward position rather than from his usual defense. There were very few shots, but the play was back and forth. The Nords welcomed a new addition to their roster, winger Anthony Ciardelli, who made his UVHL debut against a tough opponent. There were 8 Tuckies and 11 Nords, and methinks that is why the game was as close as it was... that and some great goaltending at both ends! Shots were 9-4 for Tuck at 5:27, and Ian Coates made a save for JT at 5:05 at the tail end of a 3 shot Tuck flurry on his back iin the slot after Turner got the first two. A bad pass by Nords D Drew Crapser was gloved by Helming in the slot, and Tuck went in on a 3-on-1 in tight, but Turner was there. CJ was calling off icings and the players were getting annoyed. Ryan McGovern knocked down his teammate Steve Bates in the neutral zone as he went for the puck. Shots finished 17-4 in favor of Tuck.

A Crapser shot hit Dan Yacey's stick up high and the puck got lost in the air. It came down opportunistically for Nords winger Brian Racicot who put it in at 14:42 to tiw it early in the second. JT took one off the facemask and then made 2 more saves at 11:03. A long pass just between the Tuck D for Jim Kerrigan sent him in on Yacey for a breakaway at 10:45 pursued by McGovern and Scott Howard, but Yacey shut him down. Turner made a blocker save on Colin Carrihill at 6:12. This was a very clean game, and there was absolutely no bullshit. Even Kelly Park was relatively quiet! However, the pace was a little slow compared to a usual Tuck contest, but they only had 8 skaters and that made a difference. Tuck had some sustained pressure at 3:33, and the Nords blocked & deflected several shots. CJ missed 4 icings by this point. Park got high sticked in the face at 1:16 as he snuk by Carrihill along the boards, and Carrihill did not control his stick. Luckily there was no blood drawn, or any chicklets on the ice, and Carrihill got a minor instead of a major, and Park was able to keep his mouth going. Second period shots were much closer and stood at 11-9 for Tuck.

In the third, there was some nice D from Howard as he poke checked the puck into the corner and away from the speedy Racicot who got past him to nix a partial breakaway. Helming missed just wide on a nice quick shot at 12:44. Another bad pass for the Nords saw Coates put it right to James Hay, but JT got his glove on the breakaway backhander from the high slot. There was more great D from Tuck as Jordan Barnett intercepted a Kerrigan 3-on-1 pass with a spin move in the neutral zone, and then sent the puck up to Bates who beat JT low at 10:54 to put the Tuckies up by 1. McGovern nixed Marsh on a breakaway after Coates sent him a nice pass at 9:31. The Nords did not get their first shot on goal this period until the 7:56 mark, and the shot total stood at 10-1 Tuck. There were many, many more sloppy Nords passes. Carrihill went wide on a 2-on-1 shot. Yacey made a nice glove save on Park at 4:44 as the Nords pushed to tie it, and shots were 11-5 Tuck. Tuck was in control of the game for the last several minutes. The Nords foolishly did not call a timeout. However, they did manage to pull the goalie with 46 seconds left, and stop two Tuck chances at the open net. A last ditch Nords effort was shut down by McGovern in the slot. Shots were 17-8.

Final Score: Tuck 2, Nords 1

Final Tally: There were no multiple point getters, and Steve Bates got the GWG. Yacey and Turner were both excellent, and they also got into the Three Stars along with Bates. Turner faced 45 shots, and Yacey received 21, and both had save percentages over 95%.

Final Analysis: A much closer game than expected, and it was great to see a defensive battle with awesome goaltending instead of a men's league blowout. SEE? You CAN play good hockey, Boys! The biggest problem for the Nords is bad passing. Until they fix this they will have no chance of returning to the Finals no matter how good Turner is in net. Tuck can win with no matter who shows up, and they played a great game without Johnson, Coughlin, and Jan 25th POW winner Josh Cherney. The Nords sorely missed UVHL 3rd leading scorer Jordan McGee, and Roger "The Dirty Dentist" Phillips. They might have been able to take advantage of a light Tuck roster, but it seems that people have other priorities. Like what? I don't know...

See you on the ice!

McD

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
TCK	13:21	Goal	Helming, Andrew(13)	Assist(s): Hay, James(9)
2nd PERIOD
NDQ	14:42	Goal	Racicot, Brian(15)	Assist(s): Crapser, Drew(3)
TCK	02:16	Penalty	Carrihill, Colin(3)	2 minutes for high sticking
3rd PERIOD
TCK	10:54	Goal	Bates, Steve(5)	Assist(s): Barnett, Jordan(8)

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Game Comments:
The Dark Canuck Fairlee, VT Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 340	Any predictions? Feb 12th, 2011 02:29 PM I'm hoping all the hype and admiration this J CHERN kid gets is backed up by some on-ice performance. His followers have held him on a pedestal, and practically worship the ice he skates on. Just need to see for myself, if he is "The Real Deal"
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	We're Doomed, Marshy. Feb 12th, 2011 10:08 PM My prediction is that you'll barely get a shot on Yacey with McGovern, Helming, and Johnson patrolling the blueline on Tuesday. I'll be in the scorebox this week, and that might actually help us cuz I'd just be a fat pylon out there against them anyway. Thankfully I made my debut against the Whale instead of Tuck or the Gamblers... and I still got roasted by Gramling. McD
stevekenning Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 15	Yup. Feb 13th, 2011 07:24 PM Tuck takes this one 6-0. Helming scores all 6, unassisted. I'll probably ice the puck a few times. COUNT IT.
The Dark Canuck Fairlee, VT Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 340	Well.... Feb 14th, 2011 10:41 AM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: stevekenning Tuck takes this one 6-0. Helming scores all 6, unassisted. I'll probably ice the puck a few times. COUNT IT. Kenning, you may be right on there. And McD, I WILL get a shot on net..even if I have to shoot it from our own end. We are going to be really short on bodies...but nevertheless, we will give it our all. Hockey is NIRVANA
McG Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 47	Short benches on both sides Feb 15th, 2011 08:42 AM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: The Dark Canuck Kenning, you may be right on there. And McD, I WILL get a shot on net..even if I have to shoot it from our own end. We are going to be really short on bodies...but nevertheless, we will give it our all. Hockey is NIRVANA Should be a game. I'll fall in the neutral zone at least once and curse like a sailor.
The Dark Canuck Fairlee, VT Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 340	Kinda Harsh McD Feb 15th, 2011 03:02 PM I'm sure SOME of Hadley's ex's were less than pure as the driven snow, but the last one he had was a pretty cool chick, and definitely NOT a whore...just sayin buddy!