UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

A Clash of Style, Skill, and Sass

ODDS:	Gamblers By 1 Goal
OVER/UNDER:	7.5 Goals

Pre-Game Report: Gamblers (4-1-1) @ Lumberjacks (3-3-0)
Date: December 11th, 2024
Time: 8:20 PM
Location: Lumberjack Ice Barn

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A Clash of Style, Skill, and Sass

The Gamblers head to Lumberjack territory in what promises to be another chapter in their storied rivalry. Historically, the Gamblers have dominated this matchup, leading the all-time series 22-12. But don’t count out the Lumberjacks just yet—this team has the offensive firepower to make a game of it, even if their defense sometimes resembles a turnstile at rush hour.

Last time out, the Gamblers rolled to a 5-1 victory, with the LaCroix brothers leading the charge and Evan “Showtime” Cline slamming the door shut on the Lumberjacks. However, this Lumberjack squad has bounced back with some big wins since then, and with Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca, Neil “Mac Attack” MacKenzie, and Zach “Dangerous” Dayno all sitting in the top three of the UVHL scoring charts, this could be a very different game.

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Keys to the Game

For the Gamblers:

• Cline’s Time: With a league-leading 2.00 GAA, Evan “Showtime” Cline is the backbone of this team. If he stays on his game, it could be another long night for the Lumberjacks.


• Turnover Hunters: The LaCroix brothers, Topo “Thing 1” and Ryan “Thing 2”, live for capitalizing on defensive miscues. The Lumberjacks can’t gift them opportunities like they did last time.


• Keep Your Cool: The Lumberjacks love to chirp, whine, and generally act like they’re auditioning for a soap opera. The Gamblers just need to stick to their game plan and not get drawn into the drama.

For the Lumberjacks:

• Big Three Offense: DeLuca, MacKenzie, and Dayno have combined for a staggering 38 points this season. If they get rolling, even Cline might have a tough time keeping the puck out of the net.


• McCormick’s Redemption: Luke “The Spiceman” McCormick is coming off a rough outing against the Gamblers, allowing five goals on 40 shots. He’ll need to channel his inner brick wall to keep the Lumberjacks in it.


• Stop Complaining: Seriously, stop. The refs are tired of it. We’re all tired of it.

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Players to Watch

Gamblers:

• Topo “Thing 1” LaCroix: The elder LaCroix brother has been on fire this season, and his hat trick last time out against the Lumberjacks was a thing of beauty.


• Billy “The Rivet” Rivellini: With 7 points in limited action, Rivellini has been sneaky good. Watch for him to break in behind the Lumberjacks’ defense—because somebody always does.


• Evan “Showtime” Cline: He’s the best goalie in the league for a reason. The Lumberjacks will need something special to beat him consistently.

Lumberjacks:

• Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca: The league’s leading scorer can score from anywhere, whether it’s a snipe from the circle or a greasy rebound in the crease.


• Neil “Mac Attack” MacKenzie: The playmaker extraordinaire leads the league in assists and will be key to breaking down the Gamblers’ defense.


• Zach “Dangerous” Dayno: Third in league scoring, Dayno brings speed, skill, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

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Quotes from Around the League

• Topo LaCroix: “The Lumberjacks? They’re just target practice for us.”


• Nathan DeLuca: “I don’t know who Topo thinks he is, but we’ve got the firepower to shut them up for good.”


• Evan Cline: “DeLuca’s a great scorer, but I’m not losing sleep over it. I’ve got his number.”


• Luke McCormick: “I’ve been working on my glove hand... and my patience. I’m ready for them this time.”

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Odds & Predictions

• Moneyline: Gamblers -160, Lumberjacks +140


• Over/Under: 7.5 goals


• Prop Bets:
  
  
  
  • DeLuca to score 2+ goals (+300)
  
  
  • Cline to make 40+ saves (+250)
  
  
  • Topo LaCroix to record 3+ points (+200)
  
  
  
  

Prediction: The Lumberjacks’ offensive stars will make this one closer than the last matchup, but Cline and the LaCroix brothers are too good to bet against. Final score prediction: Gamblers 4, Lumberjacks 3.

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Final Word

This game has all the ingredients for an instant classic: star power, a fiery rivalry, and plenty of chirping to keep things spicy. Can the Lumberjacks finally knock off their nemesis, or will the Gamblers continue their dominance? Tune in Wednesday night to find out!

Lumberjacks Shock the Gamblers in Shooutout Thriller.

Lumberjacks Chop Down Gamblers in Shootout Stunner

The Lumberjacks (4-3-0) pulled off a gritty, jaw-dropping shootout victory against the Gamblers (4-2-1) in a game that had more twists and turns than a bad rom-com. After blowing a two-goal lead and surviving multiple defensive blunders, the Lumberjacks held on to hand the Gamblers their second straight shootout loss.

It was a night where stars shone bright, goalies stood tall, and Zach “The Tinder Tickler” Aher yet again reminded us that defense isn’t his strong suit.

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1st Period: Turnovers and Tap-Ins

The game started with both teams handing out turnovers like Oprah giving away cars.

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  Gamblers 1-0 (9:25): Jay “The Pizzaman” Zanleoni gifted the puck to Ryan “Thing 2” LaCroix, who wasted no time sliding the puck past Luke “The Spaceman” McCormick. The shot was so sneaky it could have auditioned for a Mission Impossible movie.

  
  


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  Lumberjacks 1-1 (3:03): Neil “The Real Deal” MacKenzie used his puck-handling wizardry to spin two Gamblers out of their skates before threading a pass through rush-hour traffic to Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca for a tap-in. Rumor has it that pass came with a complimentary map for the Gamblers' defense.

  
  

McCormick saved the period for the Lumberjacks by stoning Thing 2 in the final minute. LaCroix’s face after the save said, “Are you kidding me?”

End of the 1st: Gamblers 1, Lumberjacks 1
Shots: Gamblers 13, Lumberjacks 11

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2nd Period: Chaos Intensifies

The second period brought more drama than a reality TV reunion episode.

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  Lumberjacks 2-1 (14:19): Dillan “Fierce” Pearce pinched aggressively, keeping the puck alive before feeding Jordy “McNasty” McGee, who turned Max “Driftwood” Woods inside out and sniped one top-shelf. Cline dropped to his knees faster than a teenager trying to tie their skates, leaving the net wide open.

  
  


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  Gamblers 2-2 (7:10): Thing 2 tied it up on a rebound after Tinder Tickler Aher’s cannon of a shot (32 mph of pure fury) created chaos in front. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

  
  

The period ended with both teams exchanging chances, but neither could find the go-ahead goal.

End of the 2nd: Gamblers 2, Lumberjacks 2
Shots: Gamblers 14, Lumberjacks 6

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3rd Period: Tension Mounts

Both teams played the third period like they were walking on a tightrope, terrified of making the game-losing mistake.

Luke “The Spaceman” McCormick denied Topo “Thing 1” LaCroix on a jaw-dropping rush right off the opening faceoff, keeping the Lumberjacks alive. The rest of the frame saw both teams clog the middle and fire shots from the outside, hoping for a lucky bounce.

No goals were scored, and the game headed to a shootout.

End of Regulation: Gamblers 2, Lumberjacks 2
Shots: Gamblers 38, Lumberjacks 25

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Shootout: DeLuca the Hero

The shootout was a goalie clinic, with McCormick and Cline trading highlight-reel saves until Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca ended it in style.

1. GMB Max Woods: Glove save by McCormick.


2. LMJ Zach Dayno: Right pad save by Cline.


3. GMB Topo LaCroix: Another glove save by McCormick.


4. LMJ Neil MacKenzie: Blocker save by Cline.


5. GMB Ryan LaCroix: McCormick shuts the door.


6. LMJ Nathan DeLuca: Forehand to backhand, lifting it over Cline’s pad for the game-winner.

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Final Score:

Lumberjacks 3, Gamblers 2 (SO)

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Three Stars:

1. Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca – Game-tying goal, shootout winner, and plenty of chirps for the Gamblers.


2. Luke “The Spaceman” McCormick – 36 saves, including a spotless shootout performance.


3. Ryan “Thing 2” LaCroix – 2 goals and a whole lot of frustration after the loss.

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Post-Game Quotes:

• DeLuca: “I knew Cline would bite on the fake. Easy money.”


• Cline: “I stopped DeLuca in regulation... shootouts don’t count.”


• McCormick: “I’d like to thank my defense for making me look like a Vezina candidate tonight. Wait... never mind.”


• Aher: “No comment. I need to focus on swiping right.”

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The Aftermath:

The Lumberjacks showed resilience and composure, proving they can hang with the league’s elite. The Gamblers, meanwhile, find themselves in unfamiliar territory with back-to-back shootout losses and plenty to think about heading into their next matchup.

The moral of the night: Never underestimate a Lumberjack, especially one named Nathan “DeRoofa” DeLuca.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
GMB	09:25	Goal	LaCroix, Ryan(5)	Assist(s): none
LMJ	03:03	Goal	DeLuca, Nathan(11)	Assist(s): MacKenzie, Neil(9) Gattie, Marc(1)
2nd PERIOD
LMJ	14:19	Goal	McGee, Jordan(3)	Assist(s): Pierce, Dillan (1)
GMB	07:10	Goal	LaCroix, Ryan(6)	Assist(s): Meyer, Will(6) Aher, Zach(1)
LMJ	03:59	Penalty	Dayno, Zachary(3)	2 minutes for Tripping
SHOOTOUT
GMB	1	Woods, Max		SAVE BY Luke McCormick
LMJ	2	Dayno, Zachary		SAVE BY Evan Cline
GMB	3	LaCroix, Topo		SAVE BY Luke McCormick
LMJ	4	MacKenzie, Neil		SAVE BY Evan Cline
GMB	5	LaCroix, Ryan		SAVE BY Luke McCormick
LMJ	6	DeLuca, Nathan		GOAL Scored on Evan Cline

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