UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gamblers vs Mustangs - Rnd 2

The struggling Mustangs bring their league wost 1-4-0 record and -14 goal differential to Wendall A. Barwood Arena this Wednesday night against a surging Gamblers team who just downed a surging Whalers team 2-1 in a goaltending duel between the Gambler's Evan "Showtime" Cline and the Whaler's Tucker "Big Sexy" Garrity-Hanchett.  

The Mustangs have been reeling after a huge upset 6-5 (SO) win over Tuck 3 weeks ago.  Dropping a pair of games to the Whalers (7-4) and Lumberjacks (7-1).  Their GM, Will "The Thrill" Mudge is up for "Least Valuable GM" as his efforts to field a full and competent roster has been poor.  Mudge, offer them some free wings at Applebee's, a back rub, a happy ending...hell offer to baby sit their f*cking kids next weekend, just get your full roster there.  The Mustangs have one hell of a roster when everyone shows up.  If not, put some focus on playing good hockey in front of your goalie, Colin "Farr From Good" Farr before he jumps off the Quechee Gorge.

The Gamblers are on an opposite arc.  After dropping a pair to the Whalers & Tuck, they've rebounded with an 8-3 win over the 'Jacks and that 2-1 defensive gem against the rising Whalers.  Led by their fearless leader, Willy "The Wobble" Meyer (4g & 4a), Max "Choppin" Woods (7g & 2a).  On the back end, defensemen Sean "Copland" Collins has put up 7 points in 6 games and Ryan "The Boogeyman" Bergeron has been scarey good in front of their goaltender.

The only saving grace for the Mustangs is that this is an early game, so maybe some of their regulars will stay up past their bedtimes to help them out.  

Vegas thinks this is a 3 goal win for the Gamblers, I'd have to agree, but it may be more.

Gamblers Trounce Lost Mustangs

I must first apologize to all the players and 3 fans in attendance for this early game as I was unable to get the music functioning no matter what I did. As often happens, others fuck with the system, the cords and the settings and leave it in disarray. So, as this mid-season game got underway, it was only to the sounds of hockey… skating, pucks banging, sticks smacking and the faint sounds of whining from somebody somewhere…

The first shot attempt of the game went right over Tucker’s glove who was in the Mustangs net in relief of Colin Farr. Gamblers captain Will Meyer was fed a sweet breakaway pass by Ryan “Bergie” Bergeron for the opening goal at 13:51. This game had a fast pace right from the get go for both teams, but the Gamblers were outshooting the Mustangs heavily despite keeping up with the speedy Gamblers. ‘Stangs Matt “I’m Not a Douche” Derouchie fired one over the Gamblers net and then Max Woods scored at the other end on the ensuing play high on Tucker at 7:40. Shortly after that the Mustangs missed the net again… one job… At 5:30 Gamblers Luke Dreary had a breakaway that Tucker stopped. Dreary made a nice play off the face off in his own end and pushed the puck past the Mustangs defender to create space and distance for himself to go in alone. Daddy’s Special Boys connected in front with a nice tip at 3:18 at the top of the crease for Topo “Daddy Loves ME More” LaCroix from brother and linemate Ryan “NO, Daddy Loves MEEE More” LaCroix with their Dad in the stands once again tonight to enjoy this game. How cool is that, eh? That’s love and support when your Dad comes to the game to watch you play as an adult. It looks good on you, Mr. LaCroix! Regardless of love and fan support, Tucker made the save on the sweet tip… Uh oh… there it is again… this shit just comes to me… Topo “Sweet Tip” LaCroix… it’s official now, like it or not. It seems terribly appropriate that Ryan now be so named “Sweet Feed”…Dreary got another chance at 1:43 and buried it from Max “Eye of the Tiger” Woods and Sean “Tom” Collins to make it 3-0. The ‘Stangs were catching back up on shots and the period finished 18-14 in favor of the Gamblers.

At one point of the period, I heard a clear abuse of the official statement made form the Gamblers bench. It was something to the effect of “Drop the fucking puck, Fenton”, and it was a personal insult. I could not tell who exactly it was that made it, so I could not assess the penalty as the minor official. I would appreciate it if whomever said it would come forward so that they can ref a game and see what it fucking feels like to be in the spotlight. We will do this on the honor system and you can report yourself to your team captain, Will Meyer.

To start the 2nd period St. Germain from the Mustangs showed his stick skills with a juggling act in the neutral zone to control puck possession for his squad and advance the play the other way. Shortly thereafter it was Mustangs forward Matti “Local Legend” Hartmann demonstrating her skills at full speed with a sweeeet behind the leg deke. The Gamblers’ player’s jock is still on the ice. Shots were even now at 11:37 and the Mustangs were clearly putting forth a good effort. “Sweet Tip” LaCroix then used his superior speed to split the Mustangs’ D for a great backhand chance! Bergeron continued leading the play from the back end finding Woods for his second goal of the game at 8:39, also assisted by Spencer “Kings Hawaiian” Zaha who worked hard all game. Tucker made the first save on this goal and was peppered the entire contest. He’s a hockey crazy motherfucker. Not only did he play two games tonight, he had to be up and at Campion rink for 5:30 AM Hanover High hockey practice and THEN play at 7:30 AM in Jay Campion’s morning group. That’s FOUR skates in 24 hours! How do you NOT pull a hammie or piss dust? Oh, the powers of youth… About a minute later “King” Spencer fed Woods for the Hatty at 7:39 and the Gamblers were up 5-0. I think the G’s hit the crossbar around 6:00 but it happened so fast I just heard the “ding!”. Topo “Sweet Tip” LaCroix made a sweet steal and sped in on a breakaway with St. Germain’s long stick harassing him the whole way for a backhanded chance on Tucker. Topo then made a nice pass to Collins who beat a Mustangs defender for yet another backhanded chance. Topo potted one at 5:23 to put the Gamblers up 6-0. St. Germain showed his sweet hands again making a nice deke in the high slot for a good chance just missing the net weaving his way through two Gamblers defenders. Uh oh… here it is again… “Sweet Hands” St. Germain… it’s official. You can’t give yourself your own nickname, right? It has to be earned. Boom. Hartmann then made yet another nice play getting off a quick, good shot in the slot off a sweet pass and good save by Cline who was also having a good game in net. Cline then made two more good saves from the L and then from the R sides of the net. Shots finished 35-28 with the Gamblers maintaining the edge in that department.

Early in the 3rd a Gamblers goal was called off due to an offside at 14:27. Cline made a beautiful rolling save keeping the puck between his arm and his body. At the other end Tucker made a point-blank save on Collins. #4 on the Mustangs made a really great deke with a spin-o-rama on Woods in the neutral zone but then passed backwards right to Woods after he entered the offensive zone. There were 4 fans in the stands at this point in the game! Chris Mudge made a great poke check on Meyer defending the Mustangs from another dangerous shot after Meyer beat two Mustangs on his way to the net. Right after that the Gamblers hit the crossbar. Will Mudge then had a nice stick check on Woods trying to cut to the middle on a 3-on-2. The ‘Stangs mustered 3 shots in a row including a Max Gavin shot and nice R pad save by Cline to keep the shutout alive. The Mustangs generated the next two SOG’s and shots were tied 40-40 with 8:08 to go. By 7:32 the M’s were actually up 42-40 on shots and the net was knocked off to stop the play. The Gamblers had a 3-shot barrage and the net was knocked off at the other end. Jack Smith was sent to the box at 6:17 for a trip and the Gamblers made them pay with PPG goal at 4:58 when “Sweet Feed” LaCroix scored from Woods and Collins. Woods had his 5th point of the night on the play. The Gamblers had a good PP and the goal came off a 2nd chance and rebound off of a nice passing play in the O-zone. Collins followed that up with an unassisted breakaway goal at 4:02. Cline continued the strong play and had another shutout-worthy save at 3:38 with the blocker on Max Gavin yet again. Collins finished the scoring with his 4th point of the night at 2:46 from Luke Webster and Will Meyer to make it 9-0. The Mustangs’ Jamal Sabky made a nice late play feeding David Bartlett up ice to the far blue line who then found Gavin with a nice pass to the middle. Shots ended 52-44 for the Gamblers and the final score was 9-0, although it really didn’t feel that one-sided.

MVP? There are 3 solid nominees from the Gamblers this week in a 44-save shutout performance by Evan Cline, and 5-point and 4-point nights for Max Woods and Sean Collins. A shutout in a men’s league game has to trump anything other than a Darryl Sittler 10-point performance for the Leafs against the Bruins in the 80’s, so Cline is my top pick.

LVP? Nobody sucked. Again. However, I don’t think there would have been a shutout if Chirs Warrington was on the back end for the Mustangs, nor do I think the Gamblers would have scored 9 goals if Warrington was there either.

POST-GAME: Nothing to report from these squads tonight.

Respectfully submitted,

McDefense, aka HKYDOC