Today I... (Part 2)

[Malarowski]

Had a poor game last night, didn't feel good on my feet.

On a positive note though, I put in an order yesterday for some custom VH Footwear skates. Excitingly looking forward to having skates that fit actually.

 

[TLow97]

Clinched the division last night. Two more games and our quest for the cup begins.

 

[Ozz]

Subbed for a buddy and got 3g1a including a nice shorty to start the game off right.

 

[Jarick]

Last weekend our team finally won against a strong opponent, first time all year. We played a really structured team game and weathered a first period where we were outshot 15-4 and then ended up taking a 5-1 lead (then giving up two goals).

I've been playing RW as a lefty the last couple years but this game we switched so the righty was on RW and I'm on LW. Makes it much easier to see on the breakouts. I'm able to give touch passes now and we're moving up the ice as a unit rather than individuals. Also fed a nice pass that was buried on a one-T.

The other sweet thing was that I got my teammate back from last week, where we were on a 2-on-0 and I shot instead of passed. This time, he spots me breaking out on the right side and open and passes to me. Then the defender and center start to chase me and he drives up the middle of the ice by himself. Sent a nice little saucer right over their sticks onto his tape where he deked and beat the goalie...but hit the post. Still, it's the thought that counts

 

[Ozz]

Last weekend our team finally won against a strong opponent, first time all year. We played a really structured team game and weathered a first period where we were outshot 15-4 and then ended up taking a 5-1 lead (then giving up two goals).

I've been playing RW as a lefty the last couple years but this game we switched so the righty was on RW and I'm on LW. Makes it much easier to see on the breakouts. I'm able to give touch passes now and we're moving up the ice as a unit rather than individuals. Also fed a nice pass that was buried on a one-T.

The other sweet thing was that I got my teammate back from last week, where we were on a 2-on-0 and I shot instead of passed. This time, he spots me breaking out on the right side and open and passes to me. Then the defender and center start to chase me and he drives up the middle of the ice by himself. Sent a nice little saucer right over their sticks onto his tape where he deked and beat the goalie...but hit the post. Still, it's the thought that counts

Which wing do you prefer? I shoot RH, play both, but prefer LW so I have my stick on the inside.

As far as passing goes, I think I'm a better backhand passer half the time because most players aren't sure how to defend it (or they never expect I'll come up with what I come up with). I seem to get caught/picked more on my forehand when in tight situations.

 

[Goonzilla]

Today I'm sore from copping a slap shot right yesterday right to the back of my leg in about the only place where there's no protection in my pants. All nice and purple.

 

[Ozz]

Tonight my [worst] team played some guys we have issues with. Major hacks. I knew I had to keep cool and calm, which I did, and despite an awful start we came back with a 6-goal 3rd period to beat them 8-6. I had 6 goals. A few of them were just flat out outworking their Dmen and surprising the goalie with quick shots, a couple were hard shots opposite of the direction I was skating while atop the circles and through traffic (mentioned a few posts ago, I love this move and it almost never fails me), and one sweet top/short side snipe that hit bar, went across, and out after their defensemen pushed me to the outside and thought I was done. Ha, you'd best guard me better :p

A couple of those goals came off of drop passes which I'd given to my teammates hoping for them to take it through and (hopefully) score. But they surprised me with drop passes so I ripped 'em.

 

[soireeculturelle]

been doing hot yoga every other day since the start of the week. started doing yoga at age because I was getting a lot of grouin injuries playing hockey, have not had recurring problems since. weight-lifting and spinning was my main source of off-ice workout in the past couple of years, but Ive always liked the relaxation part of yoga. plus it's a pretty good workout as well.

 

[Sureshot]

Won our first game today! Despite the fact that it was game 2 of a back-to-back double header which went to OT. Scores were 3-6 and 6-5.

0g but at least a couple of assists for me today. I was also playing D for a good majority of both games - did alright overall, but definitely was the cause of a couple of goals.

In the 2nd game, I almost scored the OT winner but the goalie made an outstanding blocker save on my shot which was destined for the top corner.

Our team is noticeably improving overall. Our goalie has really stepped up and kept us in both games when we were gassed. He's really starting to make better decisions, improving his reactions and talking a lot more when the puck's around the net. Not bad considering it's his first season as goalie.

Likewise, our D is starting to make better decisions, and are managing to hit our forwards a lot more often on the breakout. We had a few goals from those passes today.

Our forwards are also doing a good job - we have one guy who's scored about 10 goals in 4 games, and he brought his brother who hasn't skated in forever but put in a massive effort and ended up scoring a couple of goals.

The thing that's still killing us right now is short benches. Yet again we were 2 people down today (would have been 3, if that guy's brother didn't join the team). So we're still having to play really crazy long shifts. We haven't played a single game with a full team yet... I can't really blame anyone either, life has just been throwing things at some of our players. I think the league just needs to allow more players per team.

Anyway, rambling done. Stoked about the win and looking forward to the next game. I'm also glad I didn't pass out after playing so much hockey this morning...

 

[fish7]

I did not play well in our 4-3 win today. I was very rusty after a couple of weeks off. I did get credit for two goals, but did not shoot either of them. On the first one, the defense man stole the puck from me and in the same motion popped it in the top corner. I am not sure what he was thinking. The second one bounced off my shin pad.

 

[Ozz]

Had our opening goal in a 5-4 SOL. Half our team was subs so we were a bit off. Each team has 1-2 games left before playoffs start, and all the seeds are set already, so it was just as well as far as that goes.

 

[Mikeaveli]

I was back on D for our game tonight, a 10-3 win. I had 2 assists, the first being a secondary on the cycle and the second being a cross-crease pass for the tap-in. I was pretty solid defensively, and I played more physically than usual.

 

[soireeculturelle]

went out for the first time on an outdoor rink that the montreal canadiens built in partnership with local municipalities. essentially it's an outdoor, NHL-sized rink with a refrigeration system. it's about 1/10 of the price of a traditional indoor rink but has the same ice quality. a lot of players of all ages using the ice. there was a 7 vs 7 game going on from end to end (with goalies in each net) and a few individuals working on their puck skills away from the crowd. a lot of fun, and probably the best initiative I know in terms of promoting the game in the grass-roots level.

 

[Maupin Fan]

went out for the first time on an outdoor rink that the montreal canadiens built in partnership with local municipalities. essentially it's an outdoor, NHL-sized rink with a refrigeration system. it's about 1/10 of the price of a traditional indoor rink but has the same ice quality. a lot of players of all ages using the ice. there was a 7 vs 7 game going on from end to end (with goalies in each net) and a few individuals working on their puck skills away from the crowd. a lot of fun, and probably the best initiative I know in terms of promoting the game in the grass-roots level.

What is the name of the rink?

 

[CanucksSayEh]

I somehow managed to go without a point in a 12 goal game..

 

[Jarick]

Which wing do you prefer? I shoot RH, play both, but prefer LW so I have my stick on the inside.

As far as passing goes, I think I'm a better backhand passer half the time because most players aren't sure how to defend it (or they never expect I'll come up with what I come up with). I seem to get caught/picked more on my forehand when in tight situations.

I think I prefer the left side. I can see the breakouts developing and make better passes. It's also easier to chip the puck around the defender and pick it back up for a breakaway. As far as shooting, seems like I have more luck going stick side.

Something that seems to happen a couple times a game is me wide open on the weak side wing, literally nobody around me, and I'm SCREAMING for a pass from my defenseman. He spots me, waits a full second, and then sends a weak pass my way that has no chance in hell of reaching me before someone from the other team swoops in.

But I know that means I'm too far away. I REALLY need to work on skating back into the play instead of looking for that home run breakaway pass (note, I'm not flying the zone early, I'm at the point in our end while they are in the corner near the goal line).

Skating back towards the middle, supporting the puck carrier in the offensive zone, getting more involved, moving my feet, I really have a lot to learn.



But I did sign up for Spring League today, so that's going to be fun.

 

[Ozz]

2A in a 4-2 win to jump our opponent and take 1st. Would have been 3A but we had one funny bounce that took me out of the running. I played D and was focused on their top guns most of the night, and I may have blocked more shots than our goalie ended up having to do One of their goals was accidentally put in by our other defensive line (woops), and the other was on them as well. Great top shelf shot through traffic, goalie was committed too low.

I think I prefer the left side. I can see the breakouts developing and make better passes. It's also easier to chip the puck around the defender and pick it back up for a breakaway. As far as shooting, seems like I have more luck going stick side.

Something that seems to happen a couple times a game is me wide open on the weak side wing, literally nobody around me, and I'm SCREAMING for a pass from my defenseman. He spots me, waits a full second, and then sends a weak pass my way that has no chance in hell of reaching me before someone from the other team swoops in.

But I know that means I'm too far away. I REALLY need to work on skating back into the play instead of looking for that home run breakaway pass (note, I'm not flying the zone early, I'm at the point in our end while they are in the corner near the goal line).

You probably have seen that I play on teams of varying skill; I get that "great LATE pass" all the time on some of them. Drives me crazy. I get so open it's ridiculous, then by the time someone feels they're safe to give it to me, the right play is gone or may as well be. Drives me insane!

I usually prefer going left side as well, but my partners and I switch (both when I'm on D or wing, and as a Center I'm guilty of being all over the place if necessary). As you said it's easy to chip the puck ahead and pick it up, coming in hard for a quick shot stick-side. Though a couple games ago I did the same thing on the right side and was able to release incredibly quick shots from the bottom of the circle which both went in five-hole. I had to outrun their last defender on both of those plays, and one had me extending my top hand to chip it up 2-3 times in order to outskate the guy, blocking him out w/my shoulder. I think swapping here and there helps me a lot because I'm not forced to stick to a certain set of tools on the rush.

It seems everyone I play with prefers sticking to their shooting hand side no matter what

 

[Canadiens1958]

Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation

What is the name of the rink?

An initiative of the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation, sixth rink going up in Longueuil. More information here.

http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=705474

 

[SillyMe]

Today I........upgraded my gloves from Vapor 3.0 to 7.0
I find that fun!

 

[Caps2Fan]

Today I........upgraded my gloves from Vapor 3.0 to 7.0
I find that fun!

I love these gloves. Went from Vapor X-Lite to 7.0. So nice.

 

[SillyMe]

I love these gloves. Went from Vapor X-Lite to 7.0. So nice.

7.0 are very comfy.
I tried on just about every glove at Monkey, and for the $, they are the best for me....although I did go there to try on the Vapor Pro ( again- tried on last week), but they didn't have them in Black/white, so the 7.0 were the ones for me(Close to the same- 7.0 a lil better, and only $10 more).
Pretty pumped.

 

[RockemSockemProberts]

I bought waxed laces for the first time. I'm sold.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

I bought waxed laces for the first time. I'm sold.

I hate how the wax feels on my hands after using them, though.

 

[Sureshot]

Bit of a heartbreaker today, lost 6-5 with 15 seconds left until OT. We were up 3-1 at one stage and quite dominant, but they came back into it and pipped us at the post. We're pretty good offensively but our D still needs some work.

Had a funny assist during the game - their goalie came out to the boards to play the puck and fired it up the ice. I picked it up at the half-way line and took a shot as I saw that he was still out. The shot pinged off the inside of the post but luckily it fell to a teammate who put it in.

Had an OK game overall but need to work on my shooting some more. Had a few breakaways but either weakly hit the goalie, shot it over or shot it wide. I also fanned on a peach of a one-time pass at one stage. Sad(mod edit) that any stick times around here are during my work hours... need to figure out an alternative arrangement.

 

[Analyzer*]

Wasn't today and wasn't in a league, but...

Intercepted a pass out front and skated the other way. Got taken down just before the net and somehow ended up on my back sliding beside the puck. It just missed the net, but I pulled an Ovechkin and swung my stick above my head, got the puck to centre it to a Leaf fan who buried. The nicest pass I've ever done.