Battle of the Heavyweights: Round 2 - Tuck @ Gamblers
ODDS: | Gamblers By 2 Goals |
OVER/UNDER: | 10 Goals |
The lifetime series between these two teams sits at 21-20-0 in favor of the Gamblers...pretty impressive. The difference was a 5-4 Gamblers win 2 weeks ago as both teams entered the game without a loss.
In that 5-4 win the Gamblers got two huge goals from an unlikely source, as Jason "Slapshot" Young tallied two goals. Dan "The Danimal" Ammel, Marc "The Narc" Gattie and Ryan "Thing 2" Lacroix scored the other 3 goals with Gattie getting the game winner early in the 3rd period.
Tuck has the top two goal scorers and point producers this season in Brandon "The Harry One" Harrington(10-6-16) and Jed "Old" McDonald(8-5-13). Harrington's point production was bolstered by his 6 goal and 2 assist performance in an 11-3 blowout of the Whalers.
Tuck also has the advantage in net as Mike "Wine & Dine" Devine has a ridiculous 1.80 GAA in 5 games. The Gambler's Ryan Van Schoik has also posted some stellar numbers with a 2.33 GAA in 3 games this season.
Tuck was favored in the first game, yet the Gamblers played them tough pulling out the win despite going down 0-2 early. Tuck should be favored this week, but a source inside Tuck's franchise has leaked some details about Tuck being shorthanded tonight due to the holiday this week.
Gamblers are favored by 2 goals, but that all depends on the rosters. Vegas says...Gamblers win 6-4.
Tuck Gives Top Ranked Gamblers First Loss of Season
In a rematch from two weeks before where the Gamblers came from behind and beat Tuck 5-4 the Tuckies also dug themselves out of an early 2 goal hole, but throttled the Gamblers 9-3. The pre-game report stated that Tuck was going to be short-handed, and they were missing their fearless leader Brandon "The Harry One" Harrington, but they didn't need him. Without Harrington Jed "Old" McDonald and John Dawson were able to shine, putting up 5 goals and 12 points between them. McDonald was outstanding with 3 early goals and four assists on the night. Dawson was almost as good with a pair of goals and trio of assists.
The Gamblers, who usually route all of their opponents, did not like getting routed themselves and turned this game ugly as they took 14 minutes of penalties. Leading the way were the kings of agitation, the LaCroix brothers with 10 minutes of penalties.
GAME NOTES:
GMB 1-0 : D to D, point shot along the ice by Dodds, hit a skate in front and through 5-hole
GMB 2-0 : Heavisides storms down the far boards, cuts around the defenseman to the top of the crease, avoids a pokecheck by Devine and slides it past him.
TCK 2-1 : McDonald gets a pass in the slot, goes to his backhand and chips it over the pad of Van Schoik.
NOTE: With 13:18 to play in the second, Van Schoik does an amazing snow angel save after a puck squeeked through him.
TCK 2-2 : Pass into slot, jammed home.
TCK 3-2 : PP goal, worked along the boards for about 40 seconds, down low below the goal line and then right to Dawson coming from the far boards. Dawson elevated the puck real quick, far side just under the crossbar.
TCK 4-2 : Great breakaway pass from Dawson, McDonald to his backhand up over pad of Van Schoik who was stretching to cover the far post.
TCK 5-2 : BEAUTIFUL goal as Dawson carried the puck down the near boards on a 2 on 2, McDonald beat his defenseman to the crease and Dawson hit him back door as he reached around his defender to make the pass.
NOTE: Referees called back a goal after a point shot on the PP(4:08 2nd Period) that Van Schoik saved but the puck dropped right next to him where a Tuckie jammed it home. Unfortunately, there was a quick whistle that beat the puck going into the net.
NOTE: Devine makes a big save at 1:52 of the second on Thing 2 as he broke in on a breakaway and tried going 5-hole.
NOTE: Thing 1 LaCroix gets things heated with a double rough at 1:44. Mike Devine went after him behind the net. Stick in the goalies face. Mellen & Mikey Harrington serve for LaCroix & Devine
TCK 6-2 : PP goal. An beaut as Dawson did 3 cutbacks along the far boards between the hashmarks and corner, finally the Gambler chasing him lost an edge and he found Nowak coming off the far boards. Van Schoik 2-pad stacks but Nowak puts it between his skates and the near post.
NOTE: Gamblers do not like loosing.
TCK 7-2 : PP Goal, Thing 2 in the box for a trip. Pass out to slot, jammed home.
TCK 8-2 : Wow, partial breakaway from McDonald, drops to Mellen, along ice for the goal
GMB 8-3 : Marrazzo and Ammel on a 2 on 2 and Marrazzo air mails one to the back post for Ammel, Ammel catches it and pulls it back across the top of the crease at full speed and deposits it in one motion. Great pass, great goal.
TCK 9-3 : Comes out from behind the net, Van Schoik was down at the other post and just tucks it in empty net.