UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

#1 Blues vs #4 Lumberjacks

Game 1 of the playoffs.  The #1 seeded Blues(10-4-0) hosting the #4 Lumberjacks(6-7-1) in an epic tilt for the ages.  The season series has been split at 2 games apiece, with the Jacks winning their first two games and the blues winning the last two.  The Blues have been trending in the right direction and should push themselves to the finals next week.

The Blues win the goaltending battle with Jon "Supertrooper" Hall leading the league with a 3.92 GAA.  The Jack's Ryan "The Liberator" Libbey sits 3rd, but a far ways away with a 4.67 GAA.  

Offensively, both teams have studs, but the 'Jacks Jordy "McBreakaway" McGee's 30 points(2nd in the UVHL) is special.  McGee is the bus driver, driving the Lumberjacks offense with Patrick "McNasty" McDonough(26pts - 6th) right behind him.  The Blues have a handful of bus drivers, with Colin Clark(24pts), Kyle Richards(23), Tyler White(22) & TJ "Mucks" Moran(22) all consistently contributing.

VEGAS SAYS the Blues have this one in the bag.  It'll be close, but Labatt's will have a late surge for the win.  Over / Under 7.5 Goals.

Blues Throttle Lumberjacks for trip to Whalen Cup

In the first semi-final of the 2023 Whalen Cup Series, we saw the Top Seeded Labatt Blues take on the #4 Lumberjacks.  What started out as a very good chess match opened up in the second half and saw the high-caliber offense of the Blues outmatch the Lumberjacks and their defense & goaltender stifle and contain their opponent's offense.

The Blues were powered by the offensive trio of Kyle "King" Richards, Tim "McBarDown" McAuiliffe and "Cool Hand" Colin Clark.  The trio scored 6 goals and 13 points on the night with Richards potting two goals and three helpers.

Despite the 8-2 thrashing, the Lumberjacks opened the scoring 5 minutes in with a shorthanded breakaway by Jordy "McBreakaway" McGee.  A Colin Clark twisted wrister from the tops of the circles tied it up  two minutes later from Brian "Selke" Smith cross seam pass.  The Lumberjacks too their final lead of the game at 6:06 when "Sticky" Nicky Hall tipped a pass to Neil "The Real Deal" MacKenzie for the 'Jack's second breakaway goal of the period.  The Blue's goaltender, Jon "Super Trooper" Hall was heard threatening his defense with physical violence and a night in the State Police Barracks if they didn't clean their shit up.

A nifty passing play between Max "Maxi" Majors, McAuliffe & Richards that saw Majors spin and throw a no-look back hand pass to Richards streaking down the far side.  Richards one-timed a pass to McAuliffe in the high slot who gave it back to Richards who quickly gave it back to McAuliffe for the easy goal.  It was a gorgeous goal that had the Lumberjacks confused and a bit discombobulated.

END OF THE FIRST: Blues 2 - Jacks 2.  SHOTS: Blues 9, Jacks 9

The Jacks held their own in the second, keeping the frame scoreless for the first half before the lumberjacks scored a pair of beautiful passing goals.  The first came off Richard's stick as he and Clark went in 2 on 0 with Richards feeding Clark before buring the return pass into the empty netter.  The second came with Aaron Murray feeding McAuliffe on a 2 on 1 before McAuliffe hit Murray back door for the 4-2 lead with 4:17 to play in the second period.

END OF THE SECOND: Blues 4 - Jacks 2.  SHOTS: Blues 20, Jacks 19

A late 2nd period penalty by the Lumberjacks set up an power play goal early in the 3rd.  King Richards added his 3rd assist of the game, when he found McAuliffe sneaking back door behind a defender.  McAuliffe took the pass off his skate as the Jack's goaltender slid far post, then McAuliffe lightly backhanded the puck into the empty net near post.  McAuliffe returned the favor at 7:54 with a beautiful one-time pass along the Lumberjacks blueline, springing Richards in on a partial breakaway.  Richards went wide on his backhand before cutting hard around Libbey for the 6th goal of the game and his 5th point of the night.

6 goals in, but none of them could be blamed on the Lumberjack's netminder.  Too much skill and talent from the Blues offense.

Sam "May Day" Majors took advantage of a horrible Lumberjack's turnover in their own zone, depositing a loose puck past Libbey to make it 7-2 Colin Clark put the dagger in, stealing a puck from the Lumberjacks at center ice, while on the penalty kill, and then tucking one past Libbey on a partial breakaway.

FINAL: Blues 8 - Jacks 2.  SHOTS: Blues 34, Jacks 36.

With the win, the Blues head to the Whalen Cup Finals on February 28th, 2023 to take on the Tuck Turduckens.