UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	Gamblers by 2
OVER/UNDER:	7

For the Gamblers it won't matter who shows up because they regularly beat opponents with only 9 on their bench as long as the MMA line is intact. For Dead River it WILL matter who shows up. They can almost match top lines offensicely, and they have an experienced and tenacious defense, but the edge clearly goes to the Gamblers in goal and that may be the difference. Seeing as I picked every game wrong last week, I might as well pick the improbable...Dead River by 1...Pattison scores late in a tied game and celebrates in the crease...Condon goes postal and an old time hockey Donnybrook ensues with half of each team suspended for next week. Um...maybe not...Gamblers by 2.

Gamblers easily go to 5-0 record

They won a couple of close ones that could have gone either way, but they are undefeated no matter how you calculate it. Last season's Whalen Cup Champs are continuing where they left off led by the stellar goaltending of Jered Condon, the focus and winning spirit of captain Will Meyer and his talented linemates Matt Marrazzo and Dan Ammel, plus the solid supporting cast that plays a smart team game. Dead River has shown flashes of brilliance in the first 5 games of the season. Their top line and defensive unit can hang with any team in the league, and when this squad plays like a cohesive unit they are in every game and can even dominate. Unfortunately on this night they just didn't have it, but they showed up and played nonetheless knowing that goaltender and GM/captain Greg Hadley was standing in the pipes on half a knee just to make sure his squad could have a fun game. Hads underwent a surgical knee procedure a mere two and a half weeks ago and had the green light to skate lightly, but not to play goal. After exhausting all other goaltending options from other UVHL tenders and none being able to make it in his place, Hads bravely put on the pads to put a big "twisted steel" body in front of the goal line so that a game could ensue. The Gamblers knew and understood and did not go overboard punishing Hadley with offfensive chances, and Hadley left the game uninjured in the third period when JT showed up for relief. Along the way Hads made some great pad saves on his good side, and nabbed several pucks with a quick glove, too.

This game was more like pond hockey after the Gamblers established a lead, and the effort and urgency of a usual UVHL contest was absent from the Oilers from then on. DR got a too many men penalty at 11:44 of the first, but they killed off the Gamblers potent PP. Ammel scored at 6:26 from Meyer and defenseman Marc Gattie. Marrazzo scored at 4:07 from Jason "Slapshot" Young to send the Gamblers into the second period with a 2-0 lead.

Meyer fed Marrazzo for his second of the night at 7:21, and then Meyer added a goal to his two assists at 4:56 from Gattie. Oilers defenseman Rick "Anger Management" Hughes got nabbed for interference at 0:52 and didn't like it one bit, but in his youth and in a non-USA hockey league it might have been overlooked, but not anymore. Referee Kelly Park explained the rule and the call and Ricky took his lumps and did his time.

The Oilers got on the score board when Evan "Shifty" Duggan solved Condon at 7:51 from Ian "X-mas" Gill (come on, Gilly! lose the green helmet with the red jerseys! Ho-ho-ho!). The Gamblers went on a tear scoring twice in 50 seconds now that they didn't have to hold back since JT was in the Oilers net. Neither JT nor the Oilers seemed to care or be that into trying to win the hockey game at that point being down 4-1, but the Gamblers did. Marrazzo fed Meyer at 6:53, and Allison Malcolm found the back of the net from Marrazzo and defenseman Mike Harrington at 5:43 to make it 6-1. Duggan and Young each went to the box for roughing coincidental minors at 2:53. There was some crankyness surrounding goal celebration between Turner and Meyer, and Meyer's eyes turned red and he scored a pair of goals at 0:54 and 0:41 both assisted by Ammel and a second assist on the second goal going to Malcolm. Oilers defensemanTyler Dickinson benefited from a Dean Cashman pass in front to make it 8-2 with 17 seconds left to play if only just to make Condon's head a little smaller to slightly adversely affect his league leading GAA.

Final Score: Gamblers 8, Oilers 2

Final Analysis: The gamblers have benefited from a solid top line, solid goaltending, hard work...and LUCK. Their 5-0 record is legit for now, but they have scraped out two come from behind wins and were handed this one on a silver platter. Until they are unseated, they remain the UVHL's best team. The Oilers have potential, and hopefully Hadley will be able to return to the net. If not, then they need a regular replacement that the team can get used to as they continue to find their team game, which I am confident that they will. Anyone can win on any given night in the UVHL, the talent and parity is close between most teams, and any team can show up with a stinker and be upset or surprised. Unfortunately, for the Oilers, the Gamblers came to play on this night and didn't show much mercy.

Final Tally: Check out the boxscores section and don't forget to vote for the Long Trail UVHL player of the Week! The winner gets to claim a free case of beer at Long Trail!

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
LAB	11:44	Penalty	Pattison, Rob(1)	2 minutes for Too Many Men
GMB	06:26	Goal	Ammel, Robert(5)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(5) Gattie, Marc(2)
GMB	04:07	Goal	Marrazzo, Matt(6)	Assist(s): Young, Jason(1)
2nd PERIOD
GMB	07:21	Goal	Marrazzo, Matt(7)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(6)
GMB	04:56	Goal	Meyer, Will(4)	Assist(s): Gattie, Marc(3)
LAB	00:52	Penalty	Hughes, Rick(1)	2 minutes for Interference
3rd PERIOD
LAB	07:51	Goal	Duggan, Evan(3)	Assist(s): Gill, Ian(2)
GMB	06:53	Goal	Meyer, Will(5)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(5)
GMB	05:43	Goal	Malcolm, Allison(1)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(6) Harrington, Mike(3)
LAB	02:53	Penalty	Duggan, Evan(2)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	02:53	Penalty	Young, Jason(3)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	00:54	Goal	Meyer, Will(6)	Assist(s): Ammel, Robert(2)
GMB	00:41	Goal	Meyer, Will(7)	Assist(s): Ammel, Robert(3) Malcolm, Allison(4)
LAB	00:17	Goal	Dickinson, Tyler(1)	Assist(s): Cashman, Dean(2)

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Game Comments:
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 724	toss up! Nov 10th, 2009 10:46 AM This game is a toss up. It really could go either way, depending on who shows up for the River Rats.
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 724	LOVE THE PRE-GAME! Nov 10th, 2009 12:22 PM McD, nice call on the pre-game! But I've never seen Condon explode! Oh right, I have, almost every game! KP