UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Gamblers Looking Past Lumberjacks to Finals

I'm still lazy, here's the ChatGPT Pre-Game Report...

Pre-Game Report: Gamblers vs. Lumberjacks Playoff Showdown

Get ready to lace up those skates and sharpen your sticks because the ice is about to get hot as the #1 seed Gamblers clash with the #4 seed Lumberjacks in a playoff showdown that promises to be a barnburner. These two teams are no strangers to each other, but tonight's game holds higher stakes than ever before as the winner punches their ticket to the finals.

Head-to-Head History:

The Gamblers have had the Lumberjacks' number all season long, notching three consecutive wins in their regular-season matchups. With scorelines like 12-1, 5-1, and 8-3, it's clear that the Gamblers have been dominant. But as any hockey fan knows, the playoffs are a whole different beast, and the Lumberjacks are hungry for redemption.

Stat Leaders:

Leading the charge for the Gamblers is Max "The Mighty Woodsman" Woods, whose 25 points make him a force to be reckoned with on the ice. But let's not forget about the dynamic duo of Will "The Wizard" Meyer and Ryan "Topo" LaCroix, who have been dishing out assists like they're going out of style.

On the Lumberjacks' side, Jordan "The Lumberjack Legend" McGee has been lighting the lamp with 22 points of his own. However, with names like "The Mighty Woodsman" and "The Wizard" on the ice, the Lumberjacks will need to bring their A-game to keep up.

Between the Pipes:

In goal, it's Evan "The Great Wall" Cline guarding the net for the Gamblers, boasting an impressive 2.4286 GAA. Meanwhile, Ryan "The Lumberjack's Last Line of Defense" Libbey will be tasked with shutting down the Gamblers' potent offense.

Player Banter:

Now, let's talk about Zach "The Tinder Swindler" Aher. When he's not laying down big hits on the ice, rumor has it he's swiping left and right with the best of them. Will he swipe his way to victory tonight? Only time will tell.

And then there's Jay "The Zamboni" Zanleoni, known for his gruff demeanor both on and off the ice. Will he clear the ice for his team's success, or will he get stuck in a rut?

Prediction:

In terms of the money line, the Gamblers come in as the heavy favorites, and for good reason. With their dominant regular-season performances and a star-studded lineup, it's hard to bet against them. However, the Lumberjacks have been known to surprise, and anything can happen in playoff hockey.

Final Thoughts:

As the clock ticks down to puck drop, both teams know that tonight's game is about more than just bragging rights – it's about advancing one step closer to hoisting the championship trophy. So grab your jerseys, rally your friends, and get ready for a night of heart-pounding action on the ice. It's Gamblers vs. Lumberjacks, and it's going to be one for the ages. Let's drop the puck and let the games begin!

Gamblers Down Lumberjacks 3-1 to advance to the Whalen Cup Finals

It was a balmy 55-degree humid night in late February for the first of two semi-final games. The unfortunate result was the worst ice this season with a bouncy puck and a great deal of snow accumulation on the surface even in the first period. The game was delayed by the Hartford High School quarterfinal game ahead of us which fucked up parking as no one had left yet as we all arrived. As if parking isn’t bad enough in the poorly lit and awkward Barwood Arena parking lot already,,, but hey, we DO have a nice rink once we’re inside compared to the previous version of the WABA, and that’s something to be thankful for. There were two fans in the stands at the start of this 1 vs. 4 semi-final, and that’s how it remained.

In the 1st, the game started at a good pace as both teams were ready to compete right off the first face-off. The best chance early came for the Lumberjacks at 12:51 on a 2-on-1 saved by Cline and then the rebound hit the post. Shots were 5-2 for the ‘Jacks at 11:06. Max “Tiger” Woods almost poke checked one in at 10:03 as the L’s D took it right in front of the net. Ummm… don’t do that. That’s a no-no we learn before Pee-Wee hockey, eh. Cline made another good save at 8:27 with his L pad and the Lumberjacks were keeping pace with the speedy and skilled 1st place Gamblers. Harris Anderson cleared the puck up the L boards and hit the Whalers’ Kelly Park right in the back. Ouch! That had to hurt! Several of the Gamblers’ passes were too far ahead of their teammates, and the G-men iced it at 4:10 with shots now at 10-9 for the G-spots. The puck was so bouncy already kinda like late April playoff ice making it difficult for both squads. The ‘Jacks had a 2-on-1 that was shut down and blocked by Ryan “Bergie” Bergeron. I noticed that it wasn’t really cold in the scorebox, so it was a nice change to be just in my hoodie and no gloves as I operated the clock, tracked shots, played music and took game notes. There were good chances at both ends, and each team iced the puck under pressure. The Lumberjacks were playing it much tighter denying time and space to the Gamblers and were playing better team defense. Shots finished 14-12 G’s at the end of the scoreless first.

In the 2nd, Lumberjacks star Jordan McGee, the UVHL’s 5th leading scorer, beat the Gamblers’ D and got hauled down by Topo LaCroix while still getting a shot off on Cline at 13:44. On the PP the ‘Jacks had trouble penetrating, and Gamblers captain Will Meyer had a shorthanded chance that was saved by Libbey with about 47 seconds left in the man advantage. At 9:12 Sean Collins made a nice dive at the blueline to keep the puck in the L’s zone. ‘Jacks Andrew Miraldi took a hooking penalty at 8:30 on Woods trying to stop a partial breakaway inside the zone. The Gamblers managed one quality shot of goal from the R point on the ensuing PP. Meyer took a signature low blast on a 1-on-1 saved by Libbey 5-hole at 5:37. Collins played some good D on McGee backchecking from a long way back to lift the dangerous McGee’s stick at the last second to prevent the shot. Woods and Miraldi had a collision in front of the ‘Jacks net and Woods didn’t like it. The Gamblers scored off a rebound at 3:16 as Matt “Power Forward” Marrazzo finally solved Libbey and the ‘Jacks defense from linemates Meyer and Luke Deary with Marrazzo finding a tiny bit of space just between Libbey’s outstretched R pad and the inside of the post. The ink had barely dried on the scoresheet when the Gamblers scored again just a mere 14 seconds later at 3:02 with Meyer feeding Topo LaCroix on a shot from distance past the R pad, and suddenly it was 2-0 and this close game changed immediately. There were few shots on goal this entire period. Miraldi took another penalty at 0:49 for high sticking and the Gamblers sealed the deal on the PP with a backbreaking goal with just 10 seconds left in the period on Meyer’s 3rd point of the game and first goal from Collins and Marrazzo. The second finished 3-0 and shots 27-17 Gamblers.

In the 3rd, Lumberjacks captain and founder Jay Zaneloni hit the post early at 14:06 past Cline, and then the Gamblers hit the crossbar past Libbey at 13:25. The ‘Jacks played some good team D in front of their net to block and thwart the Gamblers’ top line of LaCroix-Woods-LaCroix several times only allowing 1 shot on goal during the onslaught. Neil McKenzie went to the box for the ‘Jacks for a bodycheck at 6:43. Lumberjacks’ Dillon Pierce made a really nice backcheck and cleared the puck on the PK and the ‘Jacks killed it off. Ryan “Fresh” Frisch made a great rush up the ice for a shot on net that Nick Hall buried off the rebound at 3:58 to spoil Cline’s playoff shutout. Marc “Beer Belly” Gattie was a monster all night along the boards grabbing possession, shutting down advancing Gamblers and thwarting plays. I lost count of all the takeaways he had playing one of his best games of the season in the game that mattered most. Libbey was pulled at 1:53 and the ‘Jacks went up 6-on-5 to try and bring it within one. Pierce had a great shot on net after taking some hard body contact by the G-spots in the high slot while falling down. Zaneloni made a smart pass to a teammate behind the net to open up the play and create a last-ditch chance in front. The Lumberjacks played one of, if not their very best, games of the season tonight with a full squad and ended the season on a better note losing 3-1 to the G-men and being outshot 34-25.

MVP:  Could there be any other than Gamblers’ captain Will Meyer who always plays his best when the season or game is on the line? Meyer had a monster 1G, 2A in this 3-goal game. Willy has been doing this kind of stuff since he played for the Hanover Midgets back in ’98 and ’99. The bigger the game, the bigger he plays. He’s a natural leader and led his team to the Whalen Cup Final with his play tonight. The other best player was Evan Cline who played so well carrying a shutout into the 41st minute of the game saving 24 of 25 shots and a 0.960 save percentage.

LVP?:  Nobody sucked or cost their team the game. 

POST-GAME:
Houston, we have a Lumberjacks sighting! Zaneloni, Gattie and Libbey were all at the bar post-season tonight and it was a fine sight to see. They get to finish the season without the horrible blemish of the goose egg on their post-game record that the Mustangs have in the 2023-24 UVHL season. It was great to see you guys out afterwards, eh! We modified Gattie’s nickname because, to his credit, there really aren’t very noticeable love handles around his waist, but the Dad-beer belly is present compared to his younger days when he was a svelte physical specimen back in the day. I told him how he had a monster game along the boards and the kudos were appreciated at season’s end. I got to meet Libbey for the first time, and it was good to see all three-smiling enjoying food, drinks and camaraderie as their season finished.

Respectfully submitted,
McDefense, aka HKYDOC