UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gamblers Look to Stay Perfect Against Nordiques

ODDS:	Gamblers By 7
OVER/UNDER:	9 Goals

The Nordiques got rocked by Tuck 9-0 two weeks ago in a brutal dose of reality, falling to 1-1-0 on the season. The Gamblers played a perfect game last week as they took down the favorited Tuckies 5-4 in an amazing game that saw great goaltending, scoring and defense.

With that information...do the Nordiques stand a chance? No way in hell. Are they as bad as the 9-0 ass whooping Tuck gave them, no, but they are still a long ways away from where they want to be.

The Gamblers are a very well balanced team but have had a history of close games against the Nords, Vegas has this one going 7-2 Gamblers. If the Nordiques clean up their own end, this should be much closer, 5-3 says I.

Gamblers Beat Up Nordiqeus 6-1

The Gamblers stayed perfect with a solid 6-1 win over the struggling Nordiques who have only scored 7 goals through 3 games. That is just over 2 goals per game while the dynamic Gamblers have scored 28 in 4 games(7 per game) and the Tuckies have scored 37 in 5 or 5.4 goals per game.

This could have been worse had it not been for the big play by the Nordique's Johnny "Showtime" Turner(formerly "Temper Tantrum" Turner). Turner saw 44 shots on the night while his counterpart, Ryan "Van Sizzle" Van Schoik turned away 32 of 33 on the night. Van Schoik was a wall and if it weren't for a bad angle goal by Stuart "Gargantuan" Grande with 4:34, he would have had a shutout.

The Gamblers scored with a pair of early goals from "Thing 1" & "Thing 2" LaCroix, Topo & Ryan LaCroix. The Things were all over the Nordiques who found it tough to contain them. Ryan "Thing 2" LaCroix opened the scoring 4:31 into the game with a slapper from the tops of the circles, nailing Turner just under the chin and landing in the slot. Thing 2 beat both defensemen, Kelly "Defensive Liability" Park & Shawn "McDefense" Park, to the puck and beat Turner with a quick move to his backhand.

Thing 1(Topo) scored just 13 seconds later, again on Park & McDermott who would eventually be MINUS FIVE in this game as Marc "The Narc" Gattie found the puck on his stick in the far corner and fed LaCroix crashing the net.

Matty "The Milkman" Marrazzo put the Gamblers up 3-0 with 5:09 to play on a nice pass from Dan "The Danimal" Ammel, almost the same exact play as the previous goal and again Park & McDermott suck.

END OF THE FIRST: Gamblers 3, Nordiques GOOSE EGG

Park figured into the next goal for the Gamblers as Gattie cut across the high slot and passed the puck to Thing 1 crashing the net. Park stuck his stick out to deflect the pass in the slot, but only managed to tip the puck 5-hole on Turner. Pitiful.

Marrazzo made the next play happen as he took a pass from Jason "Slapshot" Young in the near corner, took a stride to the front of the net and found Ammel in the high slot all alone. Ammel burried the puck inside the far post on Turner....5-0 Gamblers. Park & McDermott were in-fact on the ice.

END OF THE SECOND: Gamblers 5, Nordiques ZERO

The Nordiques tightened up their ship a little in the 3rd and managed to keep the Flyin' Gamblers to just one goal while scoring their own. Stuey Grande figured into both as he tried to start a breakout but blew a tire at his own blueline, turning the puck over to Ammel who went in all alone on Turner and...5-HOLIO on Turner. 6-0.

Grande made up for his turnover with 4:34 to play with a coast to coast rush that saw him along the goalline to the left of Van Schoik. Grande fired the puck along the ice and it squeaked in, ruining the shutout bid.

END OF REGULATION: Gamblers 6, Nordiques 1

The shots on goal were 44 to 33, but the Gamblers carried the play at a higher percentage than what the shots would declare. Most of the Nordique's shots came from the perimeter as the Gamblers clogged up the middle of the ice and protected their zone very well.

The Gamblers were clearly the better team and the Nordiques have a lot of work to do.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
GMB	10:29	Goal	LaCroix, Ryan(6)	Assist(s): none
GMB	10:16	Goal	LaCroix, Topo(3)	Assist(s): Gattie, Marc(5)
GMB	05:09	Goal	Marrazzo, Matt(5)	Assist(s): Ammel, Robert(2) Bergeron, Ryan(3)
2nd PERIOD
GMB	11:59	Goal	LaCroix, Topo(4)	Assist(s): Gattie, Marc(6) Young, Jason(1)
GMB	10:15	Penalty	Harrington, Mike(3)	2 minutes for High Sticking
GMB	01:20	Goal	Ammel, Robert(5)	Assist(s): Marrazzo, Matt(6) Harrington, Mike(2)
3rd PERIOD
GMB	11:39	Goal	Ammel, Robert(6)	Assist(s): none
NDQ	04:34	Goal	Grande, Stuart(1)	Assist(s): Turner, John(1)
GMB	00:05	Penalty	LaCroix, Ryan(2)	2 minutes for Hooking

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Game Comments:
stu1848 Etna, NH Registered: Posts: 7	Ok...seriously Nov 19th, 2013 09:27 AM Do I think we're as rough as the "game report" suggests, absolutely not. Yes, my new team, thanks for asking, has some rust around the edges; however, the chassis is strong and the engine just had an oil change. In other words, our boys (and girl) have taken the week to get lines sorted and attitudes mended. We're ready for a well-played battle with the dreaded Gamblers, who may, as the league picks suggest, have over estimated their value. Let's bring it, gentlemen!
The Dark Canuck Fairlee, VT Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 340	agreed Nov 19th, 2013 12:56 PM I'm hoping we have a MUCH better showing than last game...that was brutal. It'll be nice to put a few in the net tonight...
habman Killington, VT Registered: Posts: 33	Nov 20th, 2013 02:18 PM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: The Dark Canuck I'm hoping we have a MUCH better showing than last game...that was brutal. It'll be nice to put a few in the net tonight... You'll get'em next time.
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Butterflies Nov 22nd, 2013 12:02 PM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: habman You'll get'em next time. Maybe...so long as he doesn't whiff on another penalty shot.
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Seriously, though Nov 22nd, 2013 12:02 PM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: stu1848 Do I think we're as rough as the "game report" suggests, absolutely not. Yes, my new team, thanks for asking, has some rust around the edges; however, the chassis is strong and the engine just had an oil change. In other words, our boys (and girl) have taken the week to get lines sorted and attitudes mended. We're ready for a well-played battle with the dreaded Gamblers, who may, as the league picks suggest, have over estimated their value. Let's bring it, gentlemen! A member of the Nords writes the pre-game report. Take it up with him. #JustSayin
The Dark Canuck Fairlee, VT Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 340	Ouch.. Nov 22nd, 2013 12:25 PM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: JTStally A member of the Nords writes the pre-game report. Take it up with him. #JustSayin that hurt Stally...I over-thought that one for sure...all I was thinking was putting that puck right through the net...It's common knowledge that Kelly does the pre-game write-ups...no need to take anything up with him, I whiffed it...I'm sure you woulda buried it tho right?
JTStally Hanover, NH Registered: Posts: 159	Ray Charles Nov 22nd, 2013 05:13 PM IN RESPONSE TO: BY: The Dark Canuck that hurt Stally...I over-thought that one for sure...all I was thinking was putting that puck right through the net...It's common knowledge that Kelly does the pre-game write-ups...no need to take anything up with him, I whiffed it...I'm sure you woulda buried it tho right? ...could have seen a slap shot was coming on that one, and honestly might have stopped it too :) Me? I usually bury a double-deek backhand, but I never get the chance to try it out anymore. Whatever, it only works once per goalie, so we'll see if I ever get to put that one past J.T. As far as the write up, that was reference to a separate comment where one of the Nords (Stu1848) was countering what Parky had written about the team. I was merely pointing out that the write-up was written by a fellow Nord.