UPPER VALLEY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Folks, this one was supposed to be routine. The Mustangs show up, Tuck survives, everyone goes home. Instead, we got a full-blown late-game upset, powered by a rookie, a defenseman who remembered he can shoot, and a third-string goalie situation that somehow worked.

Yes, this was Tuck’s third goalie of the season, because nothing says “organizational stability” like cycling through netminders like you’re speed-dating trauma. And yet, Ben Carlson stood tall enough for Tuck to pull off a 5–2 shocker over a Mustangs team that left the rink emotionally disassembled.

The star of the show? Rookie Aaron “The Leopard” Leopold, who casually dropped 3 goals and 1 assist like he’s been doing this for years. Add in Maclean “Stolen Valor” Lalor remembering he’s allowed to score, and suddenly Tuck looked like a real hockey team. Briefly. But still.

1st Period: Chaos, Broken Skates & Immediate Consequences

The game opened perfectly for a Mustangs disaster film: first shift, Will “The Thrill” Mudge pops steel out of his right skate and is stranded in the middle of the zone like a man waiting for AAA. Not ideal.

The Mustangs were already short-benched and brought in mercenaries Ray Nolan (Gamblers) and Dan Fenton (Whalers), because nothing screams team chemistry like borrowed players.

14:03 — TCK 1–0
Maclean Lalor starts it by moving the puck cross-ice to Leopold, sending him in with Max Plonsker against Nolan. Leopold feathers a perfect pass to Plonsker crashing the far post, and Plonsker buries it. Surgical. Unnecessary. Beautiful.

With 12 minutes left, Colin Farr throws a full Statue of Liberty save on Lalor — literally holding the puck up like he’s asking for applause. (He got it.)

9:12 — TCK 2–0
Kyle Lockwood enters the zone, fires from the high slot, and the puck ricochets off a body, off Farr, off Leopold, and into the net. The official scoring term is “chaos pinball.”

6:50 — MTG 1–2
With his skate mysteriously healed, Mudge poke-checks in the neutral zone and springs Fenton. A fake slapper opens space, Fenton cuts to the slot and beats Carlson under the arm. Clinical. Annoying.

6:39 — MTG 2–2
Eleven seconds later, the Mustangs move the puck like they’re running a power-play clinic: Mudge ? Lauren Williams ? Nolan ? Mudge ? Trevor White ? a gorgeous flip pass to Mikey Cimis. Cimis walks, cuts, shoots — puck deflects top corner. Honestly rude.

4:45 — TCK 3–2
Leopold crashes the net like it owes him money and jams home a rebound off Kaleigh Donnelly’s high-slot shot. Rookie energy. Veteran result.

End of 1st: Tuck 3, Mustangs 2
Shots: Tuck 12, Mustangs 9

2nd Period: The Leopard Hunts

Early in the period, Van Bailey strips a defender and goes in alone, but Carlson tracks him perfectly and shuts the door. Small moment. Big foreshadowing.

5:38 — TCK 4–2
Crisp puck movement leads to Bryce Kuhn finding Lockwood cross-ice. Lockwood goes below the goal line and kicks it back to Lalor, who unleashes a lethal laser labeled low blocker. Farr never found it. Neither did his defense.

Tuck took over. Farr made a huge shoulder save on Lockwood, then followed it up with a full windmill robbery on Lalor. Farr was doing CrossFit in net.

2:05 — TCK 5–2
Lalor scoops a loose puck in his own slot, explodes up ice, cuts at the blue line, and drops it to Leopold at the top of the circles. Leopold walks in and snaps it blocker side. Hat trick watch activated.

End of 2nd: Tuck 5, Mustangs 2
Shots: Tuck 13, Mustangs 9

3rd Period: No Goals, Maximum Outrage

One minute in, Leopold crashes the net and is taken out by Trevor White, sending him into the crease. Plonsker circles and taps the puck into an empty net while Farr just… stands there. Goal waved off for goalie interference. Problem: the interference was caused by a Mustang. Justice was not served.

Adam “Big Mac” Macsata took a checking penalty at 3:29 and a hooking call at 0:30 because late-game discipline is a myth.

Final: Tuck 5, Mustangs 2
Shots (3rd): Tuck 7, Mustangs 7

Editorial Wrap

This was a massive, season-altering win for Tuck. Third goalie. Rookie hero. Defenseman redemption arc. For one glorious night, the standings felt… manageable.

For the Mustangs, it was a long night of broken skates, borrowed players, and watching a rookie skate circles around them like he was late for something important.