UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

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The top two teams in the UVHL battled it out in an ugly, vicious and contentious game.  The problem with the Gamblers and Blues is that they are essentially mirror copies of each other.  Both teams play with an edge, both teams have players that constantly push the boundaries, both teams love to complain about every missed call, and both teams refuse to hold their own players accountable for the things they are complaining about the other team doing.

It's an ugly combination, and caused this match to get out of hand.  10 penalties were called, and the refs probably could/should have called quite a few more...but as we always say, we only have 2 referees, they're doing their best, they can't have eyes or a good view of every player at all times.

Regardless of their drawbacks, these two teams are also highly skilled and put that skill on full display.  Nine different players recorded a goal and 13 total registered a point on 84 shots on net.  The Blues' Jon "Showtime" Hall and Gamblers' Luke "The Duke" McCormick were both outstanding. Showtime turned away 34 of 37 shots and McCormick was extremely busy, saving 41 of 47.

The first period of play was fast and loose.  Odd-man rushes and quick transitions led to a ton of  saves by both goaltenders.  The Gambler's struck first on a Spencer "The Flyin' Hawaiian" Zaha goal, tipping a Ryan "The Bogeyman" Bergeron point shot in the first minute of play.  Just over 3 minutes later the Gamblers tallied another one on a point shot near the far boards by Sean "Copland"  Collins, resulted in a rebound directly to the stick of Ryan "Thing 2" LaCroix in the slot.  LaCroix buried the rebound top corner for a 2-0 lead.

A chess match took place over the next 7 minutes with both goaltenders coming up big, before the Blues finally broke through.   Colin Clark hit Kyle Richards at the blue line from his own harshmarks on the boards.  Richards headed in 2 on 1 with Brian "Big Smitty" Smith, and looked pass the whole way.  The Gambler’s defender took the pass away, so Richards changed speed, and cut into the crease, tossing a backhander past McCormick.

A tripping penalty by the Gambler's Ray "May Day" Nolan led to a powerplay goal in the final minute. Clark found Richards near post to the left of McCormick before Richards fed Smitty back door, putting it up and over a diving McCormick to tie the game.

END OF THE FIRST: Game tied at 2.  SAVES: Hall(Blues) 14, McCormick(Gamblers) 16.

The second period saw both teams penalized 3 times and the Blues jump out to a commanding 5-3 lead.  The Blues broke the tie at 10:50 as Mike Anderson found Clark in the neutral zone.  Clark dropped the puck to Smitty who fed Clark back down low with speed and cruising to the net.  A quick move to the top of the crease and Clark beat McCormick with a quick chip top corner glove side.  Third assist goes to Richards who started the play in his own end, getting a loose puck in the slot and flipping it out of the zone to Anderson in the neutral zone.

The Gamblers tied the game 30 seconds later on a fantastic effort by LaCroix who took a pass from Bergeron with speed into the neutral zone.  LaCroix attacked 1 on 2 and flipped a tumbling muffin in on Hallsy from the blueline leading to a big rebound in the slot.  Tyler White took out LaCroix on his way tot he rebound, which also took out Colin Clark, leaving the rebound free for Ray Nolan to pick up and chip past Hall.

On the very next shift, the Blues put in two more goals, the first coming off the stick of Max Major who picked up a loose puck from a scrum in front of McCormick and slid a backhander in along the ice.  Assists going to McAuliffe & White who both had opportunities before Major cleaned up the garbage.  46 seconds later, the Gambler's Matty "The Milkman" Marrazzo gets his breakout pass through the middle picked off by Richards.  Richards hit Anderson coming out of the corner who tips the pass past McCormick as he was slashed on the hands by Marrazzo.  Anderson retalliated and both players went to the box for 2 minutes and felt shame.  

With 8 minutes remaining in the period, on a 4 on 4, LaCroix sprung Alex "Little Dickey" Dodds for a breakaway.  Dodds deked Hall out of his jock, and as Hall went down in some sort of Dominik Hasek-ian spine-twister, which I think freaked out Dodds, he couldn’t gather the puck and put it in the open net.

Dodds had another opportunity on the power play with a minute to play.  Hall came out of his net to clear a puck, but threw it right into Dodds entering the zone.  Dodds, caught the puck and put it down, firing the puck just wide on the open net as Hallsy dove from the hashmarks to come across.

END OF THE SECOND: Blues 5, Gamblers 3.  SAVES: Hall(Blues) 24, McCormick(Gamblers) 30

The Gamblers started the third period on the power play, which may have been the ugliest powerplay I have ever seen.  It's actually indescribable, no words...just watch the video below.



Other than that horrendous start, the third period seemed to slow down a bit, as both teams seemed to be over the bullshit and game already.  Four penalties were still called, including a hooking call by LaCroix on McAuliffe who was in on a breakaway.  Initially ruled as a penalty, and over-ruled by head Referee Jordy McGee to be a penalty shot.  McAuliffe did a little shimy-shake and buried a quick snapshot past McCormick.

Hall made a pair of big saves late in the third, including a Willy "Wobble" Meyer breakaway to keep his team up by 3.

 

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——- Meyer Breakaway in 3rd, save by Hall

——- McAuliffe breakaway, hooked by LaCroix, leading to a shootout goal.

LAB - 6-3 - Penalty shot, short side.

 

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
GMB	14:02	Goal	Zaha, Spencer(1)	Assist(s): Bergeron, Ryan(4) Marrazzo, Matt(8)
GMB	10:45	Goal	LaCroix, Ryan(6)	Assist(s): Collins, Sean(6)
LAB	03:08	Goal	Richards, Kyle(7)	Assist(s): Clark , Colin (8)
GMB	02:01	Penalty	Nolan, raymond(2)	2 minutes for Tripping
LAB	00:51	Goal	(PP)Smith, Brian(2)	Assist(s): Richards, Kyle(10) Clark , Colin (9)
2nd PERIOD
LAB	10:58	Goal	Clark , Colin (7)	Assist(s): Smith, Brian(1) Anderson, Mike (5)
GMB	10:29	Goal	Nolan, raymond(1)	Assist(s): LaCroix, Ryan(6) Bergeron, Ryan(5)
LAB	09:48	Goal	Major, Max(6)	Assist(s): White, Tyler (10) McAuliffe, Tim(3)
LAB	09:02	Goal	Anderson, Mike (1)	Assist(s): Richards, Kyle(11)
GMB	09:02	Penalty	Marrazzo, Matt(3)	2 minutes for Slashing
LAB	09:02	Penalty	Anderson, Mike (3)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	08:40	Penalty	Nolan, raymond(3)	2 minutes for Body Checking
LAB	07:03	Penalty	Major, Max(2)	2 minutes for Roughing
GMB	03:50	Penalty	LaCroix, Ryan(2)	2 minutes for Hooking
LAB	01:20	Penalty	Anderson, Mike (4)	2 minutes for Hooking
3rd PERIOD
LAB	11:31	Penalty	Hamilton, Stephen(2)	2 minutes for Interference
LAB	10:26	Goal	McAuliffe, Tim(5)	Assist(s): none
GMB	10:26	Penalty	LaCroix, Ryan(3)	2 minutes for Hooking (Penalty Shot)
LAB	10:21	Penalty	McAuliffe, Tim(4)	2 minutes for Tripping
GMB	02:30	Penalty	Aher, Zach(1)	2 minutes for Hooking

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