UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gambling Against the Whale

ODDS:	Gamblers By 4
OVER/UNDER:	10 Goals

The Gamblers had a bye last week to open the season and have been chomping at the bit to get back on the ice as a team. The Whalers took a rough loss to the Nordiques 6-3, outshooting them, but running into a hot goaltender.

The Whalers were missing some key players last week and their success this season is heavily dependent upon fielding a full roster each week. The offensive prowess of Dan "McNoShow" McGee and Woody Redpath were missed last week, the speed and three-zone play of Chris "Google Me" Gogan and Tommy Crapser were missed last week and the reach of Chucky "Hightower" Gaede was missed last week.

The Gamblers have gone through some changes from last season. Their heart and soul, Willy "Weeble" Meyer, is still out with a post concussion symptoms. They can never fill that void in their lineup, but they've also lost Allison "Captain Hook" Malcolm and Nick "McStick" McDonald to "life events." Joining the team this year is the tenacious Dougie "Heavy D" Heavisides. Dougie will join the potent offense led by Matty "The Mailman" Marrazzo who led the Gamblers with 47 points in 20 games last season.

The Whaler's Kenny "Two Pad Stack" Lallier will need to be stellar to keep this game close, but there is no way in hell the Whalers win it. Vegas has Gamblers winning by 3 goals, 7-3 is my guess.

Gamblers Harpoon Whalers 5-2

The Gamblers started the 2013-2014 season with a BYE in week one, shook off some of the cobwebs and took it to the Whalers 5-2. That loss put the Whalers at 0-2-0 to start the season after a 6-3 loss to the Nordiques in week 1.

This was a very clean, fast paced game that saw a total of 59 shots on net. The Gamblers Ryan Van Schoik was solid, turning away 25 of 27 en route to the win. The Whaler's Kenny "Hip Replacement" Lallier was a bit busier, stopping 27 of 32 and facing more scoring chances than his counterpart at the other end of the ice.

The Gamblers opened up the scoring 5:02 into the game after defenseman Marc "The Narc" Gattie let a thundering pointshot go that collided with the end boards and bounced right onto the stick of Topo "Thing 1" LaCroix who was waiting just to the right of the net.

The Whalers tied the game up with 2:12 left in the first period after Dillan "Fierce" Pierce made a pefect LONG 110 foot pass to Woody Redpath at the far blueline. Redpath entered the Gambler's zone, cut back along the tops of the circles and finds Scotty "Sugar" Shaw in the high slot all alone. Shaw gets 2 pad stacked by Van Schoik, but manages to bury the puck under the laid out goaltender.

END OF THE FIRST: Gamblers 1, Whalers 1

The second period was all Gamblers as they outscored the Whalers 3-1, scoring 3 consecutive goals. The first came at 8:16 when Matty "The Milkman" Marrazzo fed Dan "The Danimal" Ammel for his first of the season. Ammel got a nice bounce off the ensuing faceoff at center ice and walked in all alone on Lallier who probably peed himself a little as Dano beat him with a snapper just 11 seconds after his first goal...3-1 Gamblers.

Douglas "Ironsides" Heavisides made it 4-1 on a nice feed from The Milkman before Jimmy Kerrigan took a Redpath pass and beat Van Schoik with 1:14 to play in the second frame.

END OF THE SECOND: Gamblers 4, Whalers 2

The third period was a bit quieter than the middle frame, but an Interference call at 8:57 on the Whaler's Jason "Yelling" Yehle put Marrazzo on the board as Heavisides returned the favor and posted a helper on his first of the year. With that goal, Marrazzo took home the first star for his 1 goal and 2 assist performance. That goal was essentially the straw that broke the camel's back as the Whaler's lost the wind in their sales going down by 3 goals again that late in the game.

END OF REGULATION: Gamblers 5, Whalers 2

The Gamblers were clearly the better team here and continued to put quality shots on Lallier in this win. The Whalers have dropped their first two, but a much needed BYE in week 3 may allow them to regroup for Dead River in 2 weeks.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
GMB	09:58	Goal	LaCroix, Topo(1)	Assist(s): Gattie, Marc(1) Dodds, Cody(1)
WHL	02:12	Goal	Shaw, Scott(2)	Assist(s): Redpath, Woody(1) Pierce, Dillan (1)
2nd PERIOD
GMB	08:16	Goal	Ammel, Robert(1)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(1)
GMB	08:06	Goal	Ammel, Robert(2)	Assist(s): none
GMB	04:52	Goal	Heavisides, Douglas(1)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(2)
GMB	03:25	Penalty	Harrington, Mike(1)	2 minutes for Tripping
WHL	01:14	Goal	Kerrigan, James(1)	Assist(s): Redpath, Woody(2)
3rd PERIOD
WHL	08:57	Penalty	Yehle, Jason(1)	2 minutes for Interference
GMB	07:15	Goal	(PP)Marrazzo, Matt(1)	Assist(s): Heavisides, Douglas(1)

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