UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

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#1 Potter Construction victorious in Mud League Championship over #3 Nords

After many years of being the favorite in the multiple versions of the "Mud League" at Campion Rink in the spring time, and losing multiple times in a row in the final like the Buffalo Bills, Potter Construction finally pulled off the victory when they were the favorite! Last year they turned the tables themselves with their upset victory over Murphy's in OT in the 2005 final, with Murphy's being possibly the best men's league team ever in the Upper Valley since the original Storm King years (Murphy's was definitely THE best team in this author's 9-year Upper Valley hockey tenure). In this very first UVHL-run Mud League for 2006 Potter went up against the Nordiques, the 2005-06 UVHL Whalen Cup Champions (in name only since there were only 6 Nords from the full season on the Spring squad, so we'll let the debate continue as to which squad has the ultimate Upper Valley hockey bragging rights...). Regardless, Potter Construction was the class of the league this spring, and the level of competition was taken to a new level with the addition of this deep, fast, cohesive and competive squad from Hartford, VT to the UVHL. Head refs Tony Gove and Carl Hatfield were lamenting the fact that Potter was not a regular part of the UVHL's full season in Woodstock, and wished that their classy and relatively clean play (that means you, Obar) and high skill level would be a consistent part of the league from now on. Alas, only time will tell... Potter's plot to get Nords goaltender extrordinaire hungover for the final was thwarted by Fat Bastard last night as McD downed the shots sent JT's way at Murphy's post-game, but perhaps JT should have slammed them down himself because he would have been more relaxed and carefree since his team was useless and could not stop Potter's attack. To put it simply, Potter won this game in front of the net. Period. They found the open man, crashed the net, got rebounds, found holes, and buried their chances. The Nords were outshot at least 3-1,maybe even 4-1. The Nords D, who are as capable as any squad, looked like chickens with their heads cut off running aound and chasing the speedy Potter forwards around. It came down to the play in front of the Nords net, and none of it was JT's fault. The Nords had already blown their load against the Smoke Eaters 6-0 yesterday with their best game of the season, and were just outclassed by Potter in the Final. That is not to say that the game wasn't competitive, because it was, but the score was just so much in favor of Potter, as were the chances. The Nords tried, but failed, and lost to a better team, so they can sleep well at night knowing that they didn't blow a lead (because they never had one) or let it get away from them (because it was never theirs to begin with). Potter Construction clearly won this game, hands down, and they deserve credit for it. It also didn't help the Nords to have their captain Kelly Park on frickin' vacation (loser!), but it wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome if Park had been there, maybe 2 goals and 2 minutes of puck possession, definitely not enough. Enough jibber-jabber and sour grapes! Congrats to Potter! And what about the game you say? Well, there was lots of scoring and lots of penalties, some fisticuffs, and even some whining, too!

The scoresheet started with a Potter penalty to Josh Obar at 11:12 of the first for hooking. Guess who scored yet another short-handed goal against the Nords? Yep, that's right, Will "The Thrill" Meyer at 10:48 from Tom Crapser made it 1-0 on a shorty to start JT's blood pressure rising. Matt Authier went to the Nords box at 3:12 for roughing along with Josh Obar who went to the other box for offsetting minors, but no goals were scored. Late in the first Marcus Ericsson took a holding penalty and went to the Nords box at 0:40. The second period started with a 1-0 score in favor of Potter, and the Nords were very competitive although they were just hanging on at times. Ref Tony Gove gave indications that he'd be taking two most of the time after he called Nords winger Matt Authier and Potter center Tom Crapser for more offsetting roughing minors at 14:17. However, Dan McGee capitalized on the Ericsson minor at 14:07 on the PP from Anthony Shaw and Jason Rouillard. Potter's quick attack continued and they made it 3-0 on Bruce Hathorn's goal from Gino Riffle and Kevin Louzier at 13:12. Veteran winger Al Sorrentino continued his playoff point streak for the Nords solving Obar at 12:36 from Tom Dakai and Dan Ammel. Dan McGee went to the box for cross-checking at 10:08 and then "GOOOOOAAAAAAAL!" by none other than the Nords own "Twisted Steel" Greg Hadley on the PP from Authier and Drew Crapser on a nice tip deflection over Obar at 9:34. Suddenly there was some hope for the Nords, and it was a 1-goal game, for a whole minute and two seconds when Gary Smith put Potter back up by two on his goal from Meyer at 8:22. Many penalties ensued, again of the two-fer variety that saw Potter's Kevin Guilbault and Nords Mike O'Neil receive roughing minors at 8:58, and then Nords D Doug Troy go off for interference and Potter's Gary Smith for unsportsmanlike at 7:26. This messed with the lines of both teams, and the Nords were pissed, and they continued to fight hard in this losing battle, but none more pissed than JT after he was called on a delay of game technicality for a minor penalty after covering the puck beside the net behind the goal line by Gove at 4:24. Ever heard of that one? Me neither, but the call stood. At the tail end of the ensuing PP Gino Riffle scored at 2:24 from Dan McGee to officially end the Nords chances at two titles in the same season. JT was furious, and got charged and run at by Potter forwards two plays in a row, and then lost his cool going after Kevin Guilbault in the crease at one point in the second, although Gilly was not completely at fault to be honest. There was whining from both sides and play was getting chippy. Gove did a good job keeping level heads and not letting the competitiveness get out of control. Nords center Dan Ammel received a roughing minor at the 1:32 mark of the second, and Kevin Louzier made the Nords pay scoring a backbreaker with only 27 seconds to go in the period from Gilly and Hathorn. Three penalties started the scoresheet for the third until more goals were scored late in th eperiod as fatigue set in for the Nords. Nords D Tom Dakai was battling with Dan McGee for the puck at 13:18, but it was Dakai who got the lone minor for holding, Then it was Ericsson with a hooking minor at 6:30 for the Nords, and finally Matt Authier with his third and game-ejecting penalty at 5:31 for cross-checking. On a positive note, the Nords killed off all three minors in the third. But, the scoring didn't end there. Captain Matt Potter scored at 3:36 from Meyer and Rouillard. Nords speedy winger Mike O'Neil completed a beautiful individual effort goiing down the right side off passes from Dakai and McDermott and cut sharply in front of Obar finding a hole to answer at 3:18. Dan McGee continued his big-game performance scoring at 2:27 from Trey Schaft, followed by Bruce Hathorn's third fed by Kevin Guilbault at 2:06 to put Potter into double digits. To add insult to injury Will Meyer scored from Gary Smith at 0:25 to end the scoring giving them both points on the GWG and the final goal of the season.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
PTR	00:00	Goal	Meyer, Will(1)	Assist(s): Crapser, Tom(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	McGee, Dan(1)	Assist(s): Schaft, Trey(1) (1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Hathorn, Bruce(1)	Assist(s): Riffle, Gino(1) Louzier, Kevin(1)
NDQ	00:00	Goal	Sorrentino, Alfonse(1)	Assist(s): Dakai, Tom(1) Ammel, Robert(1)
NDQ	00:00	Goal	Hadley, Gregory(1)	Assist(s): Authier, Matt(1) Crapser, Drew(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Smith, Gary(1)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Riffle, Gino(1)	Assist(s): McGee, Dan(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Louzier, Kevin(1)	Assist(s): Guilbault, Kevin(1) Hathorn, Bruce(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Hathorn, Bruce(1)	Assist(s): Louzier, Kevin(1) Guilbault, Kevin(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Potter, Matt(1)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(1) (1)
NDQ	00:00	Goal	O'Neil, Michael(1)	Assist(s): Dakai, Tom(1) McDermott, Shawn(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	McGee, Dan(1)	Assist(s): Schaft, Trey(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Hathorn, Bruce(1)	Assist(s): Guilbault, Kevin(1)
PTR	00:00	Goal	Meyer, Will(1)	Assist(s): Smith, Gary(1)
PTR	00:00	Penalty	Obar, Josh(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Authier, Matt(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
PTR	00:00	Penalty	Obar, Josh(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Eriksson, Marcus(1)	2 minutes for Holding
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Authier, Matt(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
PTR	00:00	Penalty	Crapser, Tom(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
PTR	00:00	Penalty	McGee, Dan(1)	2 minutes for Cross Checking
PTR	00:00	Penalty	Guilbault, Kevin(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	O'Neil, Michael(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Troy, Doug(1)	2 minutes for Interference
PTR	00:00	Penalty	Smith, Gary(1)	2 minutes for Unsportsmanlike
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Marsh, Greg(1)	2 minutes for Delay of Game
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Ammel, Robert(1)	2 minutes for Roughing
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Dakai, Tom(1)	2 minutes for Holding
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Eriksson, Marcus(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
NDQ	00:00	Penalty	Authier, Matt(1)	2 minutes for Cross Checking

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