UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gametime!!! Let's Gooooo!!!!!

Game 1 of the 2022-2023 season sees the defending, from 2020, champion Lumberjacks take on a very tough Labatt Blues squad.  Labatt holds a 16-10 advantage since their first head to head match in 2014.

Before COVID robbed us of both the 2020-21 & 2021-22 seasons, the Blues took the first 3 games of the year, only for the 'Jacks to win the final two matches...including the only one that mattered on March 3rd, 2020 to take home the Whalen Cup with a 3-2 win.

The Lumberjacks are still anchored by the very large & heavy Ryan "The liberator" Libbey as his massive 5'6" - 115lb frame chews up pucks like a fat kid with a bag of oreos.  The Jacks also return the UVHL's leading goal scorer in Jordan "McBreakaway" McGee(12g, 12a in 12gp) while the Blues return the legend TJ "Too much Jam" Moran who was was just behind McGee with 10g, 13a in 14gp.

This should be a battle, but it may take a period or two to knock the rust off.  Vegas says the Blues are a favorite by 1 goal with an Over / Under of 8.5 goals scored.  

Who you got?!?!

Lumberjacks Double up Blues to open UVHL Season

Our first game back in over 2 years was an exciting one.  The Lumberjacks used 5 different goal scorers and 11 different players registered a point as they take game one of the season series.

The Jacks came out flying, registering 7 of the first 8 shots on goal but couldn't convert past Jon "The wall" Hall.  After surviving the onslaught, the Blues quickly took control and registered the next 6 of 7 shots and dominated play.  

The Blues took 2 hooking penalties in the first period by Keith "Bubba" Lazarczyk and Kyle Richards.  The latter penalty led to a faceoff win by Jay "The Zamboni" Zanleoni to Alex Boccolucci for a quick snapper past the Blues goalie from 50 feet out.  Hall didn't have a great look at the shot as there was plenty of traffic in front of him.

The first period ended with a 12-9 shot advantage and 1-0 lead for the hometeam Lumberjacks.

TJ "Miracle" Moran starts the second frame with a short breakaway after intercepting an errant Lumberjacks pass at the top of the circles, but Ryan "The Liberator" Libbey was there to shut the door.  Moran blamed a long offseason, grueling work schedule and bum shoulder on the disasterous breakaway attempt.  Immediately after the attempt, the 'Jacks transitioned up-ice and worked the puck up to Marc "The Narc" Gattie.  Gattie let rip a bomb of a snapshot that was tipped by Neil MacKenzie to give the Lumberjacks a 2-0 lead just 44 seconds into the frame.  

Over the next 10 mintues the only notable action was an interference penalty by Dillan Pierce of the Lumberjacks at 8:50.  Solid movement by the Blues wasn't enough to beat The Liberator.  A nice defensive play Zanleoni, using his giant ass to shield the puck along the boards int he defensive zone sent McDonough out of the zone at full spead and hitting Reid "Kit Kat" Hersey flying up the far boards to create a 2 on 1.  Hersey hit McDonough at full speed in the slot and a quick move to his back hand had McDonough beating Hall at 4:03 for a 3-0 lead.

TJ Moran was Johnny on the spot yet again, picking up another Lumberjack turnover at the top of the circle as he was curling back into the zone.  Moran showed his range and speed as he took the puck to Libby's right, looked backdoor for the pass and then cut back to the front of the net, using his reach to tuck the puck past the vertically challenged Libby with 2:40 left in the second period

The Lumberjacks got the last tally with just 9 seconds left on gritty play by Dillan Pierce who worked the puck down low, battled for possession with Evan "Posturpedic" Seely and then fired the puck to a Gary "The Pearl" LaPerle in the slot as he one-timed the puck for a 4-1 lead.

END OF THE SECOND PERIOD: Lumberjacks 4 - Labatt Blues 1.  SHOTS: Lumberjacks 25 - Blues 16

Early in the 3rd period we had an unfortunate instance of a player abusing an official.  That player was ejected.  Please remember the rules that you have agreed to in the player conduct section of our website.  https://www.uvhl.com/player-conduct.php.  Also remember that due to official abuse, the league is stuck with player refs that are doing their best, are a bit rusty and some that have never reffed before.  It's a hard job, tougher than it looks, and you are more than welcome to help us out and put the stripes on if you think the refs aren't doing a good job.  That player was ejected per the UVHL rules and the game goes on.

Other than the ejection, we saw no penaties and no goals until a flurry in the last 3:30 of the period with 4 goals scored in a span of 2 minutes.  Labatt had nothing to lose and played their best hockey putting 20 shots on goal in the 3rd.  A beautiful play between Moran and the Major brothers cut the Blue's defecit to 2 goals as Moran took a pass from Sam Major breaking down the near side, cut across the tops of the circles, giving the puck to Max Major and opening up for a return pass in the high slot for a gorgeous one-timer.

On the ensuing faceoff, McDonough got his second of the night on hustle and an individual as he lost the faceoff.  The puck was won back to Brian "Smitty" Smith, but an unfortunate bounce saw the puck hop over his stick and McDonough was able to pick Smith's pocket with a head full head of steam.  McDonough's broke in on a partial breakaway with Hall making the first save, but as he was falling past the goaltender, he was able to chip the puck, that leaked through behind Hall, into the net just 10 seconds after the Blues scored.

Jordy "McAssist" McGee intercepted a D to D pass in the Lumberjacks zone, beat a defender wide and used the net for protection before finding Anderson Harris backdoor to make it 6-3 with 2:20 to play.

Another point blank one-timer from the slot finished scoring with 1:37 to play.  Stephen Hamilton made a great play coming down the far boards to keep control of the puck in the Jack's zone.  Hamilton then snuck a beautiful backhand pass to Max Major in the slot for a quick hard shot to beat Libbey.

END OF THE GAME: Lumberjacks 6 - Blues 3.   SHOTS: Lumberjacks 36 - Blues 36

Overall it was a great game to watch.  Tons of skill and scoring attempts, but the difference was the slow start by the Blues.  The Lumberjacks were just solid in all aspects, from goaltender out.  The Blues take on the Whalers at 8:20pm in week 2 while the Lumberjacks take on a revamped Tuck squad at 9:45pm.