THE

UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gamblers
Whalers
1st
1
0
2rd
1
1
3rd
1
0
FINAL
3
1
Shots
31
30
January 3rd, 2024 - 9:20PM
WABA - White River Junction, VT
Pre-Game
Recap
Box Score
Discussion
Game ID: 1464

Cline Makes 29 Saves In Win Over Whalers

Both the Gamblers and the Whalers came into this game riding hot streaks. The Gamblers came into Wednesday’s game on a four game heater and leading the league in goals for and second in goal differential. The Whalers have won five of their last six games coming into their match up against the Gamblers.

Less than a minute after puck drop Gamblers forward Spencer Zacha was called for a trip giving the Whalers an early man advantage. Though they had some good looks, they couldn’t get one past goaltender Evan Cline. The Gamblers struggled to get anything going early as they were out shot five to nothing five minutes into the first period. However their first shot was on a breakaway for Luke Deary where he tried to go backhand to forehand but was shut down by Whalers goalie Tucker Garrity-Hanchett with the left pad. The pace began to pick up and both teams traded chances Nate Robinson on one end with a snap shot from the slot, and Matt Marrazzo with a fantastic opportunity of his own on the other end, but he was also denied. Midway through the period, the game saw its first goal when the Gamblers capitalized on a turnover as brothers Ryan and Topo Lacroix teamed up for an easy back door tap in, Topo with the finsish. After the goal both teams went up and down the ice back and forth. It was a goaltender’s worst nightmare shot after shot, many of them from right out front. Luckily for both teams though, the men between the pipes were up for the challenge. Had it not been for Tucker and Cline, this game could’ve gotten ugly quick, but the score remained 1-0 through fifteen minutes.

As the puck dropped to begin the second frame the Gamblers wasted no time putting the pressure on, and just over two minutes in Kyle Murray-Smith made an incredible play stickhandling around a defender and sending a great pass over to Topo Lacroix for his second of the game. The Gamblers made some strong bids for a third but a turnover at the blueline sent James McCormick the other way on a partial breakaway and he was able to cash in on his own rebound to bring his team to within one. For whatever reason with his team still up by a goal Gamblers D man/goon Zach Aher found it necessary to take a Whalers player’s feet out from under him, earning himself a tripping penalty directly following McCormick’s goal. Aher was fortunate enough to have a netminder like Cline to bail him out and hold off the Whalers to protect his team's lead. As time winded down in the second period Will Meyer came down the right side and took a slap shot almost squeaking by Tucker who fell backwards in desperation to keep the puck from crossing the goal line and keeping his team within striking distance going into the third. 

To the surprise of nobody in the building the third started the same way the previous two periods began… fast. Murray-Smith found himself with the puck on his stick in the high slot as he fired a wrister that looked to be going top right over the glove of Tucker, but instead went right into it making for yet another highlight real save. Now the Whalers began to fight back putting the Gamblers to the test, but no matter how much Cline was tested he just would not give in, frustrating the Whalers. And if putting one past Cline wasn’t hard enough, with just over six minutes left in the game they would have to kill off a holding penalty by Brandon Chiasson. Aside from the goaltending, it was KUA forward Kyle Murray-Smith who stole the show with his speed and incredibly fast hands, and in the dying seconds of the powerplay his shot was on full display as he ripped a laser top shelf past the glove of Tucker making it a 3-1 game with four minutes to go in regulation. That goal would seal the deal for the Gamblers. The Whalers did not go down without a fight though with multiple breakaway chances at the end that they could not find a way to bury them. The buzzer sounded and the Gamblers won their fifth straight game by a score of 3-1. Their next game will be next Wednesday against the struggling Mustangs who will be hungry for their first win since November 8th. The Whalers will look to bounce back against powerhouse Tuck also next Wednesday the 10th. 

LEAGUE PICK 'EM
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Gamblers
0% 
Whalers
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THREE STARS

Evan Cline

GA: 1
SAVES: 29
SAVE%: 0.967

Topo LaCroix

GOALS: 2
POINTS: 3

Tucker Garrity-Hanchett

GA: 3
SAVES: 28
SAVE%: 0.903

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