UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Whalers have tough game ahead of them

ODDS:	Tuck by 3
OVER/UNDER:	8

Tuck is a talented squad, and the Whalers will have their hands full. Even if the Tuckies are a little tired out from hosting their tournament this past weekend, the Whalers will be fortunate to keep the game within 2-3 goals. However, the Whalers have had a better showing with respect to their attandance lately with the exception of last week. Getting to the Tuck net is difficult with the Big 3 patrolling the blueline, and then Yacey is in net to deny over 90% of the few chances allowed. Tuck will be tired, and I forsee a 5-2 Tuck win.

Tuck scores 8 unanswered goals vs. Whalers

It was an old fashoined spanking. The Whalers merely looked at the malfeasant Tuckies wrong, and got the strap for their insolence. Is malfeasant even a word? I need a dictionary... You know what I mean, right? The melancholy mood of the Tuck squad did not lead to any mercy being shown this night. Tuck's Chris Johnson must have still been pissed from his three roughing penalties from last week against the Brewers and decided not to show up or he would implode. James Hay made his UVHL Swan Song tonight as he rushes off after the game to his sweetheart in Iceland for the impending birth of their first fairskinned hockey love child - and how sweet his Swan Song was! Haysey led his team and earned La Premiere Etoile and a POW nod for his efforts! Enough prologue... Helming started the game at center and left the blueline to McGovern, Howard, and Lombard instead. The Whalers looked MUCH better with the return of Jay Zaneloni to their line-up after a southern sojourn, shave, and full body wax. It was a 10-on-10 match-up and Z, Hall and Gramling created some good chances down low at the 9:30 mark. Shots were 6-3 for Tuck with 8:40 left to go, but the Whalers scored first after Helming got too cute in his own end and lost the puck to Avery who fed Walsh in the slot with his pants up this time at 7:21. Tuck scored on a pass in front and a scramble at 4:13 with Kenning getting the goal from Helming and Hay. Halsey split the D going righ tot left, but Gaede's lost stick knocked the puck away with 2:20 to go. A McGovern slapper was tipped and slowed down by a Whaler in front fooling Lallier and making it 2-1 Tuck at 0:56 from Hay and Helming. Shots were 16-8 Tuck inthe first.

A weird shot hit something up high on Lallier and in careened behind him at 14:24. Yacey made 2 saves on Gramling on a right side partial break at 13:56. Welch fucked up a clear cross ice breakaway pass to Avery hesitating too long coming out of his own end. Laperle was getting in everyone's way, especially his own teammates, and Avery had to jump over him to avoid a second collision after Laperle knocked down a fellow Whaler earlier in the game. Lallier came across with a nice save at 12:38. Bates had the moves at 11:40 but his pass in front was to no one. Lallier ducked to avoid and to try to glove a shot, but it went in off a quick Hay snapper just after the face-off win by Helming at 10:19. Kenning jumped on a loose puck with Lallier down and out after a complete defensive breakdown by the Whalers at 9:00 from Hay and McG. Shots were 10-3 Tuck. There were several missed chances and broken plays during the next few minutes of play. Coughlin cut hard with the puck, got poke-checked, and then Bates put it past Lallier at 3:51. Shots were 16-5. Z got a breakaway pass from Gramling with a defender on his right, and he hit the post past yacey on a backhand at 3:31. Helming took a big slapper from the right just inside the blueline at 2:25, and it could have been a breakaway if he'd had the legs with the lone defender, Aher, stuck in the middle of the ice. Bates had a great neutral zone move to beat a Whaler mid-ice and then made a nifty pass between his legs to send in a teammate for a chance that saw Gaede block the shot. Lallier made th efirst save, but Tuck potted the rebound at 1:11 for Bates' second in a row, this time from Barnett. Shots stood at 19-8 for Tuck. McG fronted a point shot, and then made a great pass to Hay for a breakaway that led to a 5-holio goal with only 13 seconds left.

As per the game sheet the only third period action was a penalty to Kenning for tripping at 7:58 that he disputed and wishes credited to Barnett instead. I was getting ready for my game during the third, and the boxscore has little else to show, so luckily you hockey fans got an account of most of the action!

Final Score: Tuck 8, Whalers 1

Final Tally: Hay led all scorers with 5 points on 2G, 3A; Bates had 2G, 1A; McGovern had 1G, 2A, and Helming had 3A. Tuck generated 46 shots on Lallier, and the Whalers 22 against Yacey

Final Analysis: Congrats to Hay for the gift of fatherhood soon to be bestowed, for scoring 2G, 3A in his Swan Song AND an Icelandic maiden, a POW nod, and for his classy play in the UVie the past two seasons since he unfortunately won't be back until the season is done. Tuck was just too deep for the Whalers to keep up, but the Whalers did look good at times and generated a few solid scoring chances only to be snuffed out by the best goalie in the league.

See you on the ice!

McD

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
WHL	07:21	Goal	Lynch, Peter(2)	Assist(s): Avery, Michael(2)
TCK	04:13	Goal	Kenning, Steve(6)	Assist(s): Helming, Andrew(15) Hay, James(11)
TCK	00:56	Goal	McGovern, Ryan(3)	Assist(s): Hay, James(12) Helming, Andrew(16)
2nd PERIOD
TCK	14:24	Goal	Coughlin, Halsey(9)	Assist(s): Carrihill, Colin(4) Bates, Steve(15)
TCK	10:19	Goal	Hay, James(12)	Assist(s): Helming, Andrew(17)
TCK	09:00	Goal	Kenning, Steve(7)	Assist(s): Hay, James(13) McGovern, Ryan(7)
TCK	03:51	Goal	Bates, Steve(7)	Assist(s): Coughlin, Halsey(7) Carrihill, Colin(5)
TCK	01:11	Goal	Bates, Steve(8)	Assist(s): Barnett, Jordan(10)
TCK	00:13	Goal	Hay, James(13)	Assist(s): McGovern, Ryan(8)
3rd PERIOD
TCK	07:58	Penalty	Kenning, Steve(1)	2 minutes for tripping

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Game Comments:
Grambo Hartford, VT Registered: Posts: 13	Young Blood Feb 27th, 2011 09:48 PM Well... the Whale might be adding some young talent in the next couple weeks with some of our young fellas finishing up their seasons. At least we know these guys will make it to all the remaining games. This should help solidify some solid numbers for the Whale, and hopefully bringing along some W's with it.
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	You can only hope... Mar 1st, 2011 04:53 PM Keep the dream alive, Grambo! Remember, you have to play in 4 UVHL games to qualify for the playoffs, eh. McD
stevekenning Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 15	UVHL needs better staff Mar 4th, 2011 01:25 PM I got recorded as having taken a penalty? I don't take penalties. I don't play aggressively enough to take penalties. I'm rarely within 15 ft of the puck. Give them to Barnett. He could use to pad his stats.
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	Ooops! Mar 4th, 2011 02:41 PM Are you sure? Who is the guilty party then? The refs sometimes report the wrong # and our scorekeeper isn't always aware enough to check if it is right or not. I just think you're sore from getting a penalty and needed to vent. Do you feel better now? I like the 2 goals you scored in that game, Stevie. The penalty just makes you look tougher! Don Cherry would be proud. McD