UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

ODDS:	Nords by 1 goal
OVER/UNDER:	6 goals

Tuck comes into this contest with 6 goals to their credit last week, the Nords with 9. Well, that was last week. There is no way either team will come close to those totals tonight because this will be more of a defensive battle rather than a scorefest. Turner enters week #2 fresh off a shutout with some confidence in the new Nords squad. Fitzgerald steps into the Tuck net thankful that he is not facing the Storm Kings top line again, and he shouldn't have to lose any more hair over the Nords' offense. This will be a competitive game between these two squads, but the slight edge would have to go to the Nords merely because they have been together longer and have added only 2 new players, whereas Tuck has a roster mostly full of new players. Their second meeting this season will likely be different from tonight's most likely outcome once Tuck finds their team game, but if the Nords take a shift off Tuck will capitalize and is capable of doing some damage. Prediction: Nords by one in a 3-2 or 4-3 game.

Mantin spoils JT's 2nd consecutive shutout with 0:41 to go

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Shutouts are rare in men's league hockey. Two in a row are even more rare (like a McDermott goal). Just as surprising was the domination of Tuck by the Nordiques. Everyone was surprised, including JT in net for the Nords with a chance at two shutouts in a row, a feat never before achieved in UVHL history. Tuck was without captain Ryan McGovern who would have made a significant defensive difference, and 3-point scorer from last week Nowak. The Nords were missing two, but their two new players, Dan Jodice and Andy Puchilik, showed up and played well in their first UVHL game. The Nords went with a debatable strategy that was discussed heatedly pre-game rotating a 7th forward through the lines, and 5D. Some thought it was doomed to fail. Some thought it was the right call. Others had no opinion because they were new and sat dumbfounded at the total and utter dysfunction within the Nordiques locker room. What had they gotten themselves into? Who were these UVHL assholes? In any case Nords captain Tao Smith took full responsibility for the outcome be it good or bad. Luckily for Smith the Nords were playing a newly formed and depleted Tuck squad and not the Storm Kings of last week. The game was close in the first with only one goal scored by the Nords with 3:10 left by Ian Coates on a backhander from Dan Jodice and Greg Marsh. End of the first: 1-0 Nords. The second period continued with the Nords up by one until halfway through Jodice potted his first UVHL goal from Jordan McGee at 7:40. Things settled down a little as the Nords had some breathing room, but Mantin kept creating chances for Tuck all game keeping it close, at least for now. The Nords generated their most shots in a period with 16 on Fitzgerald in the second, and he saved almost of them, but the Nords found the back of the net twice more at 4:26 on Marsh's first of the game from his centerman Coates, and at 0:55 on another Marsh goal, this time from big D Tom Dakai. I must note that this was Marshy's best game in about 3 years, and he was shooting and skating like he was under 30 again. Shots were 13 for Tuck and 25 for the Nords at the end of the second, with the Nords up by a comfortable, but hardworking, 4-0 lead. In the third Tuck managed another 7 shots on goal, while the Nords only managed 4, but it was the Nords' attempts that found the net (if the scoresheet is correct). Smith scored at 6:53 after not giving up on a play assisted by Coates and McDermott. Jordan McGee continued his scoring ways at 5:28 from Coates who added his 4th point of the night, and then John McGee charged in from the defense beating at least 3 Tuckies en route to an unassisted effort at 2:55 to make it 8-0. At that point nobody said it, but the "inside thoughts" on the Nords bench were of JT's possible shutout. He was stellar again in the net, and turned away more Mantin attempts, but it was not to be. Mantin danced in from the netural zone evading THREE Nords who absolutely MUGGED him, and yet somehow he still emerged advancing with the puck on his stick. Mantin got in front, faked, and put it over a sprawling JT to spoil the shutout with a mere 41 seconds to go on what was probably the best goal of the night. Kelly Park answered with 3 seconds left, like anyone cared at that point except for Kelly himself, assisted by Mike O'Neil and Jordan McGee.

 

Team:	Time:	Type:	Player:	Details:
1st PERIOD
NDQ	03:10	Goal	Coates, Ian(3)	Assist(s): Jodice, Daniel(1) Marsh, Greg(4)
TCK	01:40	Penalty	Ralli, Pace(1)	2 minutes for Hooking
2nd PERIOD
NDQ	07:40	Goal	Jodice, Daniel(1)	Assist(s): McGee, Jordan(5)
NDQ	04:26	Goal	Marsh, Greg(1)	Assist(s): Coates, Ian(1)
NDQ	00:55	Goal	Marsh, Greg(2)	Assist(s): Dakai, Tom(2)
3rd PERIOD
NDQ	06:53	Goal	Smith, Tao(2)	Assist(s): Coates, Ian(2) McDermott, Shawn(1)
NDQ	05:28	Goal	McGee, Jordan(4)	Assist(s): Coates, Ian(3)
NDQ	02:55	Goal	McGee, John(1)	Assist(s): none
TCK	00:41	Goal	Mantin, Adam(1)	Assist(s): none
NDQ	00:03	Goal	Park, Kelly(2)	Assist(s): McGee, Jordan(6) O'Neil, Michael(4)

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Game Comments:
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 724	My prediction! Oct 21st, 2008 09:44 AM Nordiques 27, Tuck 1
hkydoc WRJ, VT Registered: Jan 2004 Posts: 517	My prediction... Oct 21st, 2008 11:26 AM Park will dipsy doodle and cough up the puck at least three times, O'Neil will miss a pass or two looking at his own reflection in the plexiglass, Marshy will hurt someone with a waist-high-east-west-slapshot-pass, McDermott will cough up a chicken wing and slip on some blue cheese, Smith will lose more face-offs than he will win and will have a great sweat with the guys, Nightingale will be a nightmare on RW, Willis will just want to have fun, Phillips will drill somebody with a wicked wrister, Coates will have a hockey smile, Dakai will pummel any Tuckie that bodychecks him, Turner will have a minimum of one total fucking meltdown in net at his own players, the McGee brothers will be in awe of the Nords' total dysfunction on the ice and in the locker room.
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 724	sweet Oct 21st, 2008 12:25 PM McD, you think I'll cough up the puck 3 times? ONLY 3 TIMES. Thanks bud. I thought I'd cough it up at least 3 times in the first shift. KP
kpark Quechee, VT Registered: Dec 2003 Posts: 724	Hmmmm, The Deeks, a contender?!?!? Oct 22nd, 2008 12:16 PM After last nights games, I'm gonna have to say that the Nordiques are contenders. The Kingers lost BIG 12-5 to a Doctor-less Brewers squad. They were missing their franchise player in Robbie Barker & no Tommy Scull on defense, but the Brew Crew were sans-Bayley and Isaac. The Nords rolled 8-1, and LOOKED solid. Hopefully it isn't just a fluke, but the team looks good. Nice job last night boys.
goaliem31 Cornish, NH Registered: Posts: 63	Oct 25th, 2008 01:23 PM Kelly you are gong to be crying after the game on tuesday.. "YOUR GOING TO GET LIT UP!!!" your quote is going to ring true but, the glove will be on the other hand!!! LOL