Remember that epic Patriots-Seahawks Superbowl from two years ago? Seattle had the ball at the Patriots goal line with a chance to score and win the game, and had the game's premier running back Marshawn Lynch in the backfield. That's when Seahawk's coach Pete Carroll called a pass play that was picked off by New England's Malcolm Butler and the Pats escaped with their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Well, last night in Foxboro the two teams played for the first time since that amazing title game and again the game came down to a goal line situation, the Patriots trailing 31-24. Tom Brady had just driven the Pats 74 yards downfield after Pete Carroll had made yet another questionable decision, opting to go for a two point conversion on Seattle's touchdown moments before. Had they been successful it would have made it a two-possession game, but the gamble didn't pay off and so Brady had several chances to tie the game by punching it into the end zone from just a yard out. But that last yard can be the longest yard (sounds like a good title for a football movie), and Brady tried a quarterback sneak that was stuffed, then another that also went nowhere, and even LaGarette Blount, who had three rushing touchdowns on the night, couldn't get in on third down. That's when the Pats finally went to the air, on fourth and game, but Tom Brady's fade pass to Rob Gronkowski was out of reach when Gronk tripped over the feet of Seahawk's safety Kam Chancellor and that goal line stand plus three Doug Baldwin touchdown receptions gave Seattle the win, and the Pats suffer just their second loss of the season.
Elsewhere, the NY Jets moribund season continued with a 9-6 loss to the L.A. Rams yesterday in a game about as exciting as a time share seminar. Rookie Bryce Petty made his first NFL start for the Jets in place of the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick and was picked off with less than two minutes to go by L.A.'s Alec Ogletree, dropping the Jets' record to 3-7 on the year.
To the NHL, and the Boston Bruins are finding ways to win, not by a lot, but by enough, and last night's 2-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche was a case in point. The B's rode a first period goal by David Krejci, his second of the season, that came on a nice touch pass in the offensive zone from David Backes. Krejci zipped in from the right wing to laser a low, stick side shot into the corner of the net past Semyon Varlamov for the only goal Tuukka Rask would need to record his 33rd career shutout. It's not as though the Bruins didn't generate a lot of chances against Varlamov, who turned away 43 Boston shots to only 21 by Colorado, but the Bruins have had trouble finishing their chances even over this nice stretch in which they've won three in a row. Last night was the second of back to back games but now the B's get a three day rest before finishing up their road trip in Minnesota against the Wild.
It hasn't happened much this season, in fact now only twice, but the Montreal Canadiens actually lost a game in regulation, bowing 3-2 to the Blackhawks in Chicago last night. Patrick Kane had the game winner, a highlight reel goal in which he cut down the middle of the slot with Habs captain Max Pacioretty draped all over his back, undressed Montreal's Jeff Petry with a deke move so sick it will probably give Petry nightmares for weeks about showing up to school naked, and went top shelf as he was falling down to beat back up netminder Al Montoya for the game winner. Even best goalie in the world Carey Price probably doesn't stop that one.
The NY Rangers won again last night beating the Edmonton Oilers 3-1, with ex-NY Islander Michael Grabner scoring twice in the victory to improve the Rangers' record to 12-4 on the year.
Huge win for the second seeded Bellows Falls Terriers who won the Division 2 state football championship yesterday in thrilling fashion, 20-14 over top-seeded Bur and Burton in a game at Rutland High School. Terriers quarterback Logan Cota had the game winning touchdown, scrambling into the end zone on a broken play, thinking quick on his feet after he saw his intended receiver wasn't open. Brendan Kendal had a late interception to dash any hopes of a Bulldogs comeback. The state title is the first for Bellows Falls since 2010 and is payback for a loss to Burr and Burton in the title game in 2015.
Middlebury was ousted from the NCAA Division three Field Hockey playoffs, falling to Messiah 4-2 yesterday.
However, in womens' college soccer the Panthers were victorious in the Division three regionals yesterday on a pair of goals by Virginia Charman, the first two of her career and a good time to get them, leading Middlebury to a 2-0 win over Stevens.
In college womens' hockey UVM and Providence skated to a 1-1 draw, with senior Bridget Baker tying the game for the Catamounts, and UVM's new womens' basketball head coach Chris Day got his first win as UVM beat Dartmouth 59-54 at Patrick Gym. Candice Wright had 11 points to lead the Catamounts.
Finally, Vermont Academy basketball star forward Bailey Patella has verbally committed to attending the University of Vermont when he graduates, to play for John Becker's Catamounts.
