UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

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ODDS:	EVEN
OVER/UNDER:	8 Goals

The first official Playoff Play-In in UVHL History takes place tonight between the #4 Whalers & #5 Dead River teams. These teams have earned a split in the season series with the Whalers winning the first contest, followed by a pair of wins by Dead River and finally a win by the Whalers 3 weeks ago.

In the season series, both teams have scored 16 goals and allowed 16 goals. It's been a great season and the deciding game of the season couldn't have been set up any better.

Both teams are coming off fantastic wins on Tuesday night with Dead River bitch-slapping the Nordiques 8-2 and the Whalers SHOCKING the 12-2-0 Tuckies 4-3.

The odds are EVEN on this one, you pick, but the Whalers threw down a 6-3 thumping on Dead River last time they met. If that's any indicator, then the Whalers move on to the Playoffs.

Dead River BLOWS 4 Goal Lead, Loses Play-In 6-5

Dead River looked like they were heading to the playoffs after storming out to a HUGE 5-1 lead over the Whalers on Thursday night. But Jay "The Zamboni" Zanleoni had a different idea and single handedly turned this game around with 3 late goals including the Game Tying and Game Winning Goals.

Let's set the stage here. The (#4)Whalers were 6-11-0 in the regular season not a great record, but they had 2 huge wins over Tuck this year, the only team to beat Tuck more than once. (#5) Dead River started the season off 0-10-0, but finished 3-4-0...very respectable. Two of those wins came over the aforementioned Whalers. How does that sound for a game?!?!

Some of that confidence showed early as Dead River dominated the first period, outshooting the Whalers 17-9 and taking a 2-1 lead after 15 minutes behind a pair of unassisted goals from James "Han" Solon who used his stick with precision just like a jedi wielding a lightsaber.

Dead River netted 3 more goals in the first 9 minutes of the second period and were cruising to the playoffs...when, well shit happened. A late roughing call on Geoff "The King" Noble set up a Woody "Road Runner" Redpath power play goal with just 5 seconds to play in the second period. That last minute goal seemed to spark something in the Whalers, a glimmer of hope heading into the third period.

Then Jay "The Zamboni" Zanleoni happened. Zanleoni hoisted his team on his back, threw in 3 goals, chugged some beer and went home. It was a thing of beauty. His first came off a nice feed from Redpath with 11:35 to play. That goal made it 5-3...there was a glimmer of hope. Then Gary "the Pearl Necklace" LaPerle made it 5-4 from Kirt "Big" Johnson and Kevin "Santa" Clausen..."Holy Shit could this really happen?" asked one Dead Riverian from the bench. Then a turnover up high in Dead River's zone saw the puck land on Zanleoni's stick in the high slot. Z moved to the right and beat Albertazzi 5-holio...hole fucking shit, pigs are flying. And finally with 4:45 to play, "Lucky" Chucky Gaede found Z cross ice on the faceoff dot for a one-timer past Albertazzi for the eventual game winner...DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!?!?!

It was a hell of a game, highs & lows for both teams. More lows for Dead River, but it's definitely a learning experience.

Whalers advance to play the Gamblers on Tuesday night.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
LAB	11:30	Goal	Solon, James(15)	Assist(s): none
LAB	09:35	Goal	Solon, James(16)	Assist(s): none
WHL	02:29	Goal	Redpath, Woody(10)	Assist(s): Kerrigan, James(9) Zanleoni, Jay(10)
2nd PERIOD
LAB	13:22	Goal	Lawrence, Justin(7)	Assist(s): Moran, Terence(10)
WHL	12:59	Penalty	Clausen, Kevin(5)	2 minutes for Tripping
LAB	11:59	Goal	(PP)Moran, Terence(9)	Assist(s): Sprague, Ray(2)
LAB	06:19	Goal	Lunt, Loren(8)	Assist(s): noble, geoff(3)
LAB	00:30	Penalty	noble, geoff(5)	2 minutes for Roughing
WHL	00:05	Goal	(PP)Redpath, Woody(11)	Assist(s): Zanleoni, Jay(11) Kerrigan, James(10)
3rd PERIOD
WHL	11:35	Goal	Zanleoni, Jay(13)	Assist(s): Redpath, Woody(18)
WHL	10:23	Goal	Laperle, Gary(4)	Assist(s): Johnson, Kirt(5) Clausen, Kevin(9)
WHL	07:14	Goal	Zanleoni, Jay(14)	Assist(s): none
LAB	06:54	Penalty	Sprague, Ray(5)	2 minutes for Roughing
WHL	04:45	Goal	Zanleoni, Jay(15)	Assist(s): Gaede, Chuck(3)
LAB	02:40	Penalty	Moran, Terence(4)	2 minutes for Hooking

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