THE

UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Whalers
Brewers
1st
1
1
2rd
0
1
3rd
1
3
FINAL
2
5
Shots
32
35
November 10th, 2009 - 9:20PM
Union Arena - Woodstock, VT
Pre-Game
Recap
Box Score
Discussion
Game ID: 597

McWhistle calls penalty fest in Whalers-Brewers battle

Serves him right to have to type out an extra long list of penalties in the write-ups for punishment in having his referee whistle lodged in his thorat! This was a hard working game that got heated at times, and the USA hockey standard was maintained (and then some!) with a total of 15 penalties, 12 of them obstruction calls, 90% of them called by McWhistle! BOOO!

Right off the get go the whistle was sounding. Brewers captain Garren Poirier was called for interference at 13:53, barely a minute into the game. Next was Whalers D Sean Clauson for tripping at 10:28. Brian Smith found Brock Barton open at 7:39 setting him up for the first Brewers goal of the game only to be answered by the Whalers defenseman Colin Vernon at 5:39 from forwards Jay Zaneloni and Liam Oliver on the PP with Barton in the box for holding at 6:55.

In the second Brewers goaltender Pete Bartline was called for tripping after taking out the foot, unintentionally or not, of Zach Aher with a poke check at 12:45 who had just missed a breakaway chance and had cut in front of the net. Bartline lost his shit on the debatable call by McWhistle, and spewed out a tapestry of profanity that any trucker would be proud of. Healthy debate ensued post-game about whether or not a goalie of all innocent people should EVER be called for a trip, and McWhistle pledged to consult the rule book, so here is the answer: Yes. Now shut up and go back to your crease! Seriously though, here is Rule 639 from page 208 of the 2009-11 Officlal Rules and Casebook from USA Hockey:

RULE 639 TRIPPING

a) A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on any player who shall place his stick, foot, arm, hand or elbow, or extends the leg (Leg Checking) from the front or from behind, in such a manner that it shall cause his opponent to trip or fall.

(Note 1) If, in the opinion of the Referee, a player is unquestionably hook-checking or poke checking the puck and obtains possession of it, thereby tripping the puck carrier, no penalty shall be imposed.

Main point on the call, no possession of the puck - Bartline went for the puck, touched it, but the poke check took out Aher's foot and Aher never would have fallen as a continuance of his chosen path if not for the stick of barltine taking out his foot. On a side note, from the ref seminar the instructors informed us about the most misunderstood call in all of USA youth hockey. When a defensive player dives to poke check an opponent on a breakaway or partial breakaway, gets the puck first, but then takes out the player with stick or sliding body, a tripping penalty IS to be called every single time. The refs at the clinic said that the parents boo and hiss, coaches complain about that call, but that is the USA hockey rule, although it may not be so in the NHL. Lesson over, shit happens.

Back to the game...the Brewers were incensed at the call, and they were extra motivated and scored a mere few seconds into the PK notching a shorty by Smith from Chris Johnson on their first march down the ice after the "brutal" call going up 2-1 while a man down. Oliver shot the puck over the glass and was given a delay of game minor, but the Whalers held off the Brewers PP and LeLallier made some key saves. Late in the period there was a slew of penalties to the frustrated Brewers: Smith for hooking at 0:58, then Jason Yehle for hooking while on the PK at 0:34, and thenanother one to Poirier for hooking and his mouth got him an extra 2 for unsportsmanlike conduct, and then to Johnson at 0:19 for taking down a streaking Oliver along the boards. It was like old time hockey with a full penalty box and an empty players bench! The Brewers maintained composure after that killing off a 5-on-3 and several minutes of being shorthanded, things calmed down, and Bartline played great.

In the third Clauson went for tripping at 11:20 only to be joined by Steve Bernier for hooking an advancing Brewers puck carrier at 9:47 and the Brewers got a 5-on-3 chance of their own, but neither team scored with the two-man advantage. In fact, there were no PPG's in the game whatsoever, only one shorty. barton went for tripping at 5:49 giving the Whalers another shot to pull even at 2 per side, but bartline came up big again. Barton and Gary Laperle got tangled up along the boards and landed in a cuddle puddle at 3:31 and went to the box for roughing and holding coincidental minors respectively. The score was 2-1 Brewers with 3:10 to go when the momentum changed. A somewhat rusty Nick "Dr. McSelfish" Bayley solved Lallier off a feed from Aaron Mancuso to give the Brewers a 2 goal lead with little time left on the clock. It seemed to make the Whalers desperate, and in trying to pull within one by forcing offense, it opened up more chances for the Brewers and Billy "the Eagle" Fletcher scored back-to-back breaking goals at 1:37 from Poirier and at 0:35 from Barton and Johnson. Up until the Bayley goal this was anyone's game, and it was a good one to watch. Scott Shaw didn't stop skating and ruined Bartline's one goal effort with only 22 seconds left from Vernon and Adam Barton.

Final Score: Brewers 5, Whalers 2

Final Analysis: Regardless of the many penalties, a former UVHL ref said to McWhistle post-game "thanks for calling them, it hurts us more when they are not called". The Brewers won the game in the final 3 minutes, and it was close right up until then. Bartline played great two weeks in a row, and the Whalers were in this the whole game. Both squads should be proud of their efforts, and McWhistle should go to counselling for "premature whistle-itis"! (which seems to be chronic at this point!)

A big post-game thanks goes to Brian Walsh from Long Trail for picking up the Brewers-Whalers-McWhistle tab at Bentley's! Thanks, Brian, you are a class act, and it is much appreciated!

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!

McD
LEAGUE PICK 'EM
 50%
Whalers
50% 
Brewers
12 PICKS
THREE STARS

Peter Bartline

GA: 2
SAVES: 30
SAVE%: 0.938

Bill Fletcher

GOALS: 2
POINTS: 2

Adam Barton

GOALS: 0
POINTS: 1

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