UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

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Avalanche win close one over Leafs on 10/11

The Avalanche welcomed back their captain Sean McCabe but were stil without their # 1 goaltender Dr. Ivan Tomek who for the second week in a row had a last minute emergency making him unable to suit up for his team. This time (thankfully) it was not an injury from a cat-attack, but a delay in surgery (okay...we guess that is a valid excuse...). Unable to get a hold of alternate goaltender Pete Aldrich, McCabe had to turn to the co-commish once again to fill the net. A beat up JT sucked it up once again for the league but would say afterwards that he was "done doing double duty" until he was back in shape. JT and his wife celebrated the birth of their first child, Alden, in June, and there was some sympathy weight gained and some flexibility lost after his first summer off of hockey ever. He wasn't sure when he did it, but JT pulled his lower back at some point during the game, but he held it together enough to give the Avs a chance to win against a light but improved Leafs squad from last week's opener. The first period was scoreless and well played by both teams, and the only stat was a bodychecking penalty to the Leafs Sean Casavant at 11:45. You could feel the tension lift off the Leafs as they were unsure of their chances after a week 1 loss and first time playing with new teammates. Again, the Leafs' Louzier and Nalette were nowhere to be found, but at least Nalette had a valid excuse - a board meeting at the golf course that could not be rescheduled although he tried. With only 8 skaters the Leafs held their own against a full Avs roster, but it was the Avs who struck first at 10:19 of the second with newcomer Mike Hickey scoring from Sean Hochreiter past JT. Hickey connected again moments later at 9:09 with an assist on John Brown's goal, his second goal in as many games, also assisted by Chris Johnson. The rest of the period was scoreless, but there were many chances for the Leafs as the Avs took 4 penalties in the last 6 minutes of the second period. Several Leafs started to roll and generate chances. Dave Fitts missed a breakaway opportunity after a lucky bounce in the neutral zone saw the puck go towards the backchecking winger who turned around and approached JT in the Avs net down the right wing. Fitts tried his famous TV highlight drag move from last season, but he wouldn't be blowing the smoke off his stick this time as he missed the top corner and the net by at least 3 feet. The very next shift Fitts hit the crossbar on a deflection, and Heavisides, Fitts, Gogan, Loomis and Manny were getting chances on the ensuing power plays, but nothing was getting past JT and the Avs were defending well. All goals during this game were at even strength. The third period saw the Leafs pull within 1 goal at 12:56 of the third when Kyle Manny fed Jason Loomis in front to make it 2-1 in favor of the Avs. It didn't last long because 26 seconds later the Avs Aaron Guyette got his first goal of the season from Fred McNutt and McCabe. The Leafs didn't give up, and Fitts and Loomis had a great scoring opportunity turned away by JT only to be answered at the other end by Jami James who made it 4-1 for the Avs at 8:58 of the third from fellow defenseman Ed Sheehan and Aaron Guyette with his second point of the night. There were no penalties in the third, and Ken Lallier kept the Leafs in it the whole game, especially by stoning the Avs speedy Chris Johnson with 6:15 left to go. Manny and Loomis connected again for the Leafs, this time it was Manny who scored with 3:19 to go bring the Leafs within 2 goals. The Leafs pulled Lallier with about a minute and a half to go, but just couldn't pull within one. Avs forward Chris Johnson tried to pad his stats by sending one towards the empty Leafs net from the neutral zone and was met with boos from the Leaf players on the ice and on the bench, but his attempt missed and the game ended 4-2 in favor of the Avs.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
BRE	00:00	Goal	Hickey, Michael(1)	Assist(s): Hochreiter, Sean(1)
BRE	00:00	Goal	Brown, Johnathan(1)	Assist(s): Hickey, Michael(1) Johnson, Chris(1)
WHL	00:00	Goal	Loomis, Jason(1)	Assist(s): manny, kyle(1)
BRE	00:00	Goal	Guyette, Aaron(1)	Assist(s): McNutt, Fred(1) McCabe, Sean(1)
BRE	00:00	Goal	James, Jami(1)	Assist(s): Sheehan, Edward(1) Guyette, Aaron(1)
WHL	00:00	Goal	manny, kyle(1)	Assist(s): Loomis, Jason(1)
WHL	00:00	Penalty	Casavant, Sean(1)	2 minutes for Bodychecking
BRE	00:00	Penalty	Hickey, Michael(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
BRE	00:00	Penalty	James, Jami(1)	2 minutes for Interference
BRE	00:00	Penalty	Bouchard, Henry(1)	2 minutes for Bodychecking
BRE	00:00	Penalty	Hochreiter, Sean(1)	2 minutes for Tripping

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