Tuck vs Gamblers round 2 did not disappoint. A shit-ton of goals scored and a season high 9 penalties in this one as the top two teams in the UVHL battled it out. In week one, Tuck took home a 7-5 win behind a bing night from Sam Gray(2g,2a), Stefan Soucy(2g, 3a) and Luke Stickel(1g, 3a). The Gamblers had a big night from rookie Ben Perron(3g, 2a), but his effort wasn't enough.
NOTE: The Gamblers showed up sporting their brand new High-Visibility Orange jerseys. Rumor has it that they can double as traffic cones and/or be rented out to be used on construction sites during the week. A brilliant and visionary idea from their captain William Meyer to not only bring the cost down for the jerseys but the free marketing and awareness that comes with having your jerseys out and about the upper valley. If you would like to rent the Gambler's jerseys, email Will at GamblersJerseyRentals@gmail.com.
Tuck was a 2 goal favorite tonight and clearly the Gamblers had other plans, jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first period using 4 different goal scorers. The Gambler's net protector, Luke "McKickSave" was much better in this one as turned away an onslaught of rubber en route to the 45 save win.
Despite the 4-1 lead after one, the Tuck Business School Turduckens capitalized first at just 2 minutes into the frame. Jonathan Carkeek started the rush as the last defender in his zone, cutting through a pair of Gamblers at center ice, before pulling 4 Gamblers to him and feeding George Clark for a backhand chip-in. Clark's first goal of the season. 1-0 Tuck
From then on, the first period was owned by the Gamblers. William "Oscar" Meyer tied the game at 10:21, taking a pass at the offensive blueline from Topo "Thing #2" LaCroix, that was behind him, tipping it between his legs and going in on a partial breakaway with two Tuckeroonies on his tale. Avoiding an overhead two hand slash at his stick to beat goaltedner Brendan Kelley with a quick move to his backhand. Tied 1-1
Meyer teamed up with Max Woods and Matty "The Gazelle" Marrazzo on the next goal. Marrazzo picked up a turnover in the neutral zone, hitting Meyer just inside the Tuck zone. Meyer found Woods all alone heading to the far post. Woods made a nifty play to his backhand, beating Kelley who was coming across the crease, 6:38 into the first. 2-1 Gamblers
50 seconds later Ryan "Goose" LaCroix, AKA Thing #2, scored on a nifty behind the back pass from Alex Dodds who was below the goal line. That was Thing 2s fifth goal of the season. 3-1 Gamblers. Dodds had another beautiful backhand pass to LaCroix's brother, Thing #1 with 4:11 to play. Thing 1, positioned at the top of the crease, chipped the puck past a diving Kelley for the 4-1 lead. Remarkably there wasn't a single penalty in the first period. 4-1 Gamblers
END OF THE FIRST: Gamblers lead 4-1. SAVES: McCormick 11, Kelley 9.
The Gamblers got things going at 1:55 when Topo "Thing 1" LaCroix jammed home a centering pass to Alex Dodds from his brother Thing 2.
This set things off and Tuck went into Advanced cheat mode, using their math and geometry skills to pass the puck around the Gamblers as if they were stationary traffic cones. At one point leading up to their 2nd goal, it looked as if they were on the powerplay, moving the puck low, to high, cross the seam and then back Carkeek to for the score. The Gambler's goaltender, McCormick, looked a bit dizzy as the puck passed him. 5-2 Gamblers.
On the next shift, the Gambler's Thing 1 LaCroix took his first of 3 penalties on the night for tripping. As LaCroix looked on in shame, the Tuckies possed the puck waiting for their opportunity to strike. Luke Stickel was the recipient of the apple after pulling potting a rebound past McCormick. 5-3 Gamblers.
Tuck's momentum was killed shortly after that with a pair of penalties just 23 seconds apart. Carkeek for Tripping and Balboni for slashing. Actually, upon further review, it was actually the 4th slash that the ref had finally had enough, and sent Balboni to the box. Just 40 seconds into the 2-man advantage, "Wet" Willy Meyer notched his 2nd of the night and 4th of the season. Meyer cleaned up a Ray Nolan rebound from a well placed point shot. 6-3 Gamblers.
The end of the second period got ugly. Thing 1 took a tripping call with 2:51 to play and then Thing 2 and Balboni both went off with 28 seconds to play. Balboni for an unnecessary cross check off a faceoff and Thing 2 with a retaliatory trip.
END OF THE SECOND: Gamblers 6 - Tuck 3. SAVES: McCormick 26, Kelley 17
Tuck took over in the third period and the Gamblers went into survival mode. Tuck threw 21 shots on net to the Gambler's 7. McCormick was fantastic and turned away 19. Soucy got on the board first, taking a loose puck off a faceoff in the neutral zone and beating the Gambler's defenseman wide. Soucy cut into the faceoff dot and beat McCormick with a hard low shot stick side. 6-4 Gamblers.
Willy Meyer regained the 3 goal lead 82 seconds later on a great pass from Ryan "The Boogeyman" Bergeron. Bergy hit Marrazzo with a cross-ice breakout pass, transitioning from defense to offense and creating a 3 on 2 heading into Tuck territory. Marrazzo drove down the far boards, dropping a pass to Woods who's quick shot left a big rebound for Meyer to thrust mightily into the back of Kelley's cage. 7-4 Gamblers.
Just over a minute later Carkeek found a loose puck at the tops of the circles and threw a high wrister on net. McCormick made the routine and easy save....only to see the puck glance off his glove, up in the air, drop and roll into the net. A goal McCormick surely would like back....please don't call me surely. 7-5 Gamblers.
Tuck was locked in after that, controlling play, owning zone time and firing shots on net. None of which could beat McCormick who was also locked in. After an extended period of possession time in the Gambler's zone, you could tel lthey were exhausted and with 1:19 left, Thing 1 LaCroix had had enough and took his 3rd penalty of the night, laying out a Tuck player with a check. It was a thing of beauty, if we were in a checking league, but here it was unnecessary and dirty. The penalty earned LaCroix a trip to the locker room and his night was done. Things only got uglier from there, with Tuck's Seamus O'Neil & the Gambler's Max Woods also being sent home with matching roughing calls with just 39 seconds to play.
FINAL: Gamblers 7, Tuck 5. SAVES: McCormick(GMB) 45, Kelley(TCK) 23