UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	Blues by 1
OVER/UNDER:	4-3

In the late game tonight we have the Blues who are sitting in first place with a 9-1-1 record hosting the Jacks who are currently in third place with a 6-5 record and could catch the Gamblers who have a bye this week. All three meetings between these two teams have be decided by 1 or 2 goals and look for tonight to be no different. Between the two teams they have 8 of the top 10 scorers in the league but look for this game to end with the Blues winning by the score of 4-3.

Labatt's is still King

The Labatt Blues and Lumberjacks never disappoint, and this was their historical 20th meeting. The Blues had taken 12 of 19 to this point and all 3 games this season, but the games have all been relatively close, physical and extremely entertaining.

The weather tonight didn't stop the Blue's roster from traversing the treacherous Rte 4 Killington Pass, yet only 7 Lumberjack's made the journey in the snow. Luckily the 'Jacks were able to pull in a coupe of players from the Whaler's roster, who had just finished their own battle with a short bench.

Ray Sprague opened the scoring on this one, when a pointshot by Jason Pelkey was tipped by Terence Moran at the top of the crease, and right to Sprague who backhanded the puck into the open net. Right place...right time...goal.

The Lumberjacks tied the game in the final minute of the first when the two Whaler's subs connected as Ryan Longfield fed Dillan Pierce cutting to the net for a quick shot that beat Pelkey low glove side. Remarkably there were zero penalties in the first as these two talented teams focused on speed and skill.

END OF THE FIRST: Tied 1-1
SHOTS: Blues 7 - Jacks 8

The Lumberjacks carried the momentum of the late first period goal into the second period, scoring just 76 seconds in when Gary "The Pearl" Laperle forced a turnover down low that put the puck on "Jumbo" Joe Guadet's stick at the tops of the near circle. Guadet fed Jake Robinson going to the back post and roofed a shot over Jay Seals as he came across the crease.

It took over 6 minutes for the Blues to answer, but it was a great effort from Mike Anderson who took a feed from Bart Moran and stormed up the far boards, blowing by Longfield to the outside and smoked a half slapper, far side on Ryan Libby...blocker side. Seals kept the score tied with 4 minutes to play in the second frame when he 2 pad stacked a Jordy "McBreakaway" McGee to Joe Gaudet pass. Trevor Billings took a late body checking penalty in the final minute of the period to close out notables in the second period.

END OF THE SECOND: Tied 2-2
SHOTS: Blues 21 - Jacks 21

Bart Moran set up Mike Anderson for his second goal 4 minutes into the third period as Anderson beat Libby 5-hole with a sneaky snapper from Libby's left. The Blues could taste the blood in the water...or maybe just the exhaustion on the Jack's bench and peppered Libby and controlled play for most of the period. A Laperle trip with 6:36 to play led to an abundance of good scoring opportunities but it was Jay "Zdeno" Zanleoni who recklessly blocked 3 shots in the final frame to keep his team in it...I mean really, who tries to block shots in men's league. The exhausted 'Jacks took another hit after losing Longfield after he tried to catch a clearing shot that broke his hand, leaving the 'Jack's bench even shorter.

Mike Anderson completed the hat trick with 2:45 to play when he took a drop pass in the high slot and beat Libby with a snapper that was bar down. Beautiful shot, insurance goal and this one was over.

END OF REGULATION: Blues 4 - Jacks 2
SHOTS: Blues 38 - Jacks 26

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
LAB	08:35	Goal	Sprague, Ray(2)	Assist(s): Moran, Terence(8) Pelkey, Jason (4)
LMJ	00:29	Goal	Pierce, Dillan (7)	Assist(s): Longfield, Ryan(2)
2nd PERIOD
LMJ	13:46	Goal	Robinson, Jake(1)	Assist(s): Gaudet, Joseph(1) Laperle, Gary(5)
LAB	06:13	Goal	Anderson, Mike (5)	Assist(s): Moran, Bart(5)
LAB	00:46	Penalty	Billings, Trevor(5)	2 minutes for Body Checking
3rd PERIOD
LAB	10:59	Goal	Anderson, Mike (6)	Assist(s): Moran, Bart(6)
LMJ	06:36	Penalty	Laperle, Gary(1)	2 minutes for Tripping
LAB	02:15	Goal	Anderson, Mike (7)	Assist(s): Smith, Brian(5) Moran, Bart(7)

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