UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	Gamblers by 5
OVER/UNDER:	11 goals

The Gamblers finished on a high note last week coming from behind down 3-1 against the Nords only to score a nasty GWG with 30 seconds left and are 2-0. The Whalers have had trouble their first two games figuring out their own end, and have been blown out by double digits. Hopefully frustration will not set in, because this is supposed to be FUN win or lose. However, there is only so much soothing and healing that beer and wings can offer a competitive hockey player...lets hope that will be enough for the Whalers after the Gamblers go to 3-0, but I predict it won't be double digits this time.

Gamblers come back from 0-2 to win 3-2 in shootout.

WE WELCOME GUEST WRITER ROBERT GRUNDSTEIN (aka rgrunds in the UVHL Forum) THIS WEEK FOR OUR WEEK 3 GAME WRITE-UPS!

Who Arewe the Goalies?

This game was like a meal of Ground Glass; abrasive and without benefit. If it wasn't for the goaltending, the improved Whaler D and a couple Gambler forwards, there wouldn't have been a reason to watch. Condon was the differerence in the second shootout decision of the night and was fast, efficient and didn't have to do any spelling at all. The game was strangely substandard for the Gamblers who didn't skate well, set up or organize themselves. They over-relied on ubermensch Willi Meyer and had a hard time coming up with an act of intelligence without him.

The first period started optimistically for the Gamblers who came out fast and controlled the puck. They distributed themselves on the ice well and even when they were offsides, kept the puck in the Whaler zone. From there it deteriorated.

Condon was tested early when the Gamblers fell apart in their own end and was deft. Real deft. Thank God there was no English composition involved, but who cared? He was oiled. The Whale scored at 7:14 by Liam Oliver when the Gamblers couldn't keep the puck out of the slot in their own end, but that seemed to be a league theme all night and goalies had to tolerate defenses that insisted on passing across ice in their own zone instead of just taking the puck up from the mid-boards to the blue line along the boards. Simple, yet inaccessible to many sets of defense on this night.

A fight at 5:30 put Whalers Jim LeClair and Gamblers Dan Ammel in the box for roughing and Scott Leger with a 5 minute major. Whalers F Liam Oliver got a game misconduct and continued to provide a reason in defense of 19th century English anthropologists who actually used to study whether the Irish were advanced primates.....or not. When you weigh less than most household pets, you really should control your aggressive behavior. Mr. Park took control of the situation and saved Liam from his own defects.

The play continued without purpose. Both teams seemed uncertain and the puck drifted like the players. Lallier made some nice saves and his defense cleared the puck well. Sloppy passing made the game hard to ascertain. Both teams crowded the puck on offense and teammate collisions were common. Lallier made a nice save on a break out from 10 feet and mercifully, the period ended.

The second period was more of the same on offense. Condon looked very sharp and had to save his team from random puck movement in his own end. The Gamblers had two defense behind the net at times and looked dumb. Neither offense could really control the puck or organize plays. Nothing seemed to be happening and the way it was happening was ugly. Condon's glove seemed to have it's own intelligence though and he kept his team in the game.

The Gamblers failed to keep the Whaler offense against the boards and let Whalers F Scott Shaw to walk in on Condon and place the puck in the net after allowing a comfortable amount of time for shot selection.Condon was not demoralized by the goal and shorly after made beautiful pad save. He also kept his composure when his team passed to the center at their own blue-line for a turnover/shot and when Gamblers D Brendan Drew joined 20 others chasing the puck when he should have stayed in front of the open-side net.

The Whalers, however, watched their own end nicely. Really nicely, and balanced the ice well to protect all defensive zones. It continued to be a rough and uneven game and even forced Jim LeClair to a moment of existential nausea during which he Ralphed his brains out in the corner. Who knows, maybe he ate something that didn't agree with him....undercooked Yak? Nevertheless, it was an appropriate display. Adding to the demented character of the game was JT, who insisted on practicing his color announcing in the scorekeeper's box so he could be ready when asked by the Korean National Team to do their games.
The third period saw the Whalers stumble on defense. There were some bad giveaways and they started to crowd Lallier. Danny Ammel scored when the Whaler D didn't watch the left slot. Inspired by their success, the Gamblers forced Condon to save their asses again at 12:16 after a subnormal turnover at their own blue line. Condon stoped the breakaway. Two minutes later, Lallier saved on a turnover and at 8:13 the Gamblers took a chance from the blue-line boards and made a shot from outside the building over Lallier's stick shoulder. Score tied/2-2

For a short while, there was end to end action. Lallier made a very strong save and Condon gloved a walk in shot, but the lack of control was evident. The action was the product of accident and not design. At 2:34 Zaneloni split the entire Gambler team and skated across Condon who saved. In appreciation, the Gamblers immediately turned the puck over in their own end at 1:02 and Condon bailed them out again. Shoot out.

Marrazzo and Ammel both scored. The Whalers couldn't get one past Condon.

This game looked like a pick up game with good players. The passing and team play was suspect and the Gamblers couldn't organize without Meyer on the ice. The Whalers looked better and improved their defensive performance which they had to do or start using plywood for a goalie when after Lallier walks out. This should be an off-night for the Gamblers who have to stop sucking their thumbs when Meyer and Ammel are off the ice.

Condon/Player of the week. Kept his team in a game they deserved to lose. Made all the difference.

Shots on Goal
Gamblers: 24
Whalers: 25

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
WHL	07:14	Goal	Oliver, Liam(2)	Assist(s): Aher, Zach(2) Zanleoni, Jay(1)
WHL	05:30	Penalty	LeClair, Jim(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
GMB	05:30	Penalty	Young, Jason(2)	2 minutes for Roughing
WHL	05:30	Penalty	Oliver, Liam(2)	5 minutes for Hitting From Behind
WHL	05:30	Penalty	Oliver, Liam(2)	10 minutes for Game Misconduct
2nd PERIOD
WHL	03:28	Goal	Shaw, Scott(1)	Assist(s): Zanleoni, Jay(2) Laperle, Gary(1)
3rd PERIOD
GMB	14:17	Goal	Ammel, Robert(4)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(4) Fraser, Scott(2)
GMB	08:15	Goal	Young, Jason(1)	Assist(s): Harrington, Mike(2) Malcolm, Allison(3)
SHOOTOUT
GMB	1	Marrazzo, Matt		GOAL Scored on Ken Lallier
WHL	2	Barton, Adam		SAVE BY Jered Condon
GMB	3	Ammel, Robert		GOAL Scored on Ken Lallier
WHL	4	Zanleoni, Jay		SAVE BY Jered Condon

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Game Comments:
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	Whalers out of the closet! Oct 27th, 2009 05:03 PM Kenny is bringing out the subs for tonight's game against the Gamblers, so this should be a good one! McD
vtdownhiller , AL Registered: Posts: 67	classic Oct 30th, 2009 07:40 AM When you weigh less than most household pets, you really should control your aggressive behavior Dude...funniest line ever...yet so true