Today I... (part 4)

[Goonzilla]

I'm always there to play hockey, but I don't mind a little rough and tumble every now and then if some guy is being a #%^*. Thankfully they are few and far between.

I think most of the guys who bring the dirt and cheap shots usually pick their targets carefully..and when they're put on the spot they might yap a lot, but they won't back it up.

By the same token I enjoy bumping people where I can, but I don't pick on weaker skaters; keep it clean, and leave plenty of handbrake on. No one seems to complain, I'm happy to cop it back..and do..and the refs are pretty good at leaving that stuff alone.

I put a couple on last night, the ref invariably puts the whistle up towards their mouth, has a think about it on the way and the whistle goes back down. The bench certainly enjoys it; and I think everyone does to be honest. The boards rattle a bit, but no one gets hurt.

 

[Ozz]

Today I...... barely got the ****ing puck at all. I hate it when that happens. We lost (though by a lot less than last time), but what really stinks is feeling that I had almost nothing to do with anything positive that happened.

After being blown out last time, we were all making a conscious effort to be better in our own end, which we absolutely were; mistakes were kept at a minimum this time. The thing is, we were having a hell of a time (in a bad way) trying to actually exit our own zone. All the forwards tended to get stuck down low, leaving the "best" play in most instances to be icing the puck (which I hate, but it works).

It doesn't help that one or two of the other team's players were absolutely ringers (in the novice league!), which honestly I don't understand how that even happens. Like I know we all started with varying degrees of "beginnerhood", but there is no way this one guy got THIS good in two months or whatever. But they put these guys back on D, so clearing the zone along the boards was quite difficult, and they pinched like crazy, but knew exactly when to do it so I (winger) couldn't just deke past them out of the zone either.

ALSO, they were really chippy. Like... I get that you want to win and go tell your pals at Burger King how you kicked ass and took names last night, but come on... we all have to work in the morning. Is it really "worth it" to have NHL-style puck battles, *******? :

Anyway, rant over.

I hate battling for pucks along the boards. Usually I let them have it, then attack. The last time I did I put a guy out of the game. Puck was frozen, he pushed me and said there was "no way I was winning this battle", so being the carnival style strong man that I am, I threw him through the air with one arm. He got up and grabbed me by the neck, from behind, and hauled me down backwards. As we fell, I laid an elbow into him which I guess nailed him right in the solar plexus, and that was all she wrote. Dude was screaming, I thought he fell on his arm wrong and snapped it in half. All's fine though, we ended up playing pickup one night and now I'm friends w/his whole team (they even picked me up to help against some tough teams in another division).

But I digress. Battling like that is often just asking for a dumb penalty to happen. One guy on our team is good for exactly that almost once per game.

My game last night ended with 5 cop cars in the parking lot, a cop in our locker room and several cops in the lobby.

Sounds like a crazy night! Last time we saw cops at the rink, we headed to the locker room saying "Two cops? We can beat that!". They were interested in that statement

 

[Clarkington III]

I hate battling for pucks along the boards. Usually I let them have it, then attack. The last time I did I put a guy out of the game. Puck was frozen, he pushed me and said there was "no way I was winning this battle", so being the carnival style strong man that I am, I threw him through the air with one arm. He got up and grabbed me by the neck, from behind, and hauled me down backwards. As we fell, I laid an elbow into him which I guess nailed him right in the solar plexus, and that was all she wrote. Dude was screaming, I thought he fell on his arm wrong and snapped it in half. All's fine though, we ended up playing pickup one night and now I'm friends w/his whole team (they even picked me up to help against some tough teams in another division).

But I digress. Battling like that is often just asking for a dumb penalty to happen. One guy on our team is good for exactly that almost once per game.





Sounds like a crazy night! Last time we saw cops at the rink, we headed to the locker room saying "Two cops? We can beat that!". They were interested in that statement

This is my favorite part about hockey and part of why I try to play as much as I can for random teams when offered.

 

[Ozz]

This is my favorite part about hockey and part of why I try to play as much as I can for random teams when offered.

It's crazy how many guys you end up compiling into your contacts list over the course of a year or so!


Last night we won 7-4, I had 1g2a. Goal was a simple one timer right in the crease, but the assists were great. A zone to zone parabolic arc pass over everybody (I was down on D corralling the puck and they left a winger hanging), and then one that I sauced through 3 opponents from one circle to the same winger from the last goal in the other circle. The best part was the breakout pass came from one of our D-men, which I barely got but took from a couple feet behind me and slid up to my forehand as I walked the best player on the other team to break into his zone. All in one motion, everyone focusing on me, again leaving our fastest guy (and probably w/the best shot) COMPLETELY open on the other side. Goalie just laid sprawled out for a few seconds after getting annihilated by that one

 

[Goonzilla]

Today was a fantastic day. The first day in about six months that I have had a full range of motion in my knee without any pain or discomfort. Still not firing on all cylinders, but feels like it's not too far away.

It's been frustrating as hell playing for a while now and being constantly off the pace.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

Today I... scored two goals, and got kicked in the face. There's got to be some sort of hat trick in there somewhere

Luckily I wear a full cage. What's "funny" is the face kicking happened before the goals. What's not funny is the fact that, while I'm sure the actual placekicking of my dome was not on purpose, it was a direct result of the ultra-chippy, reckless play that they've been allowing in my league for whatever reason. I guess they assume that we're a lower division so people are "still learning", but they're not doing anyone any favours by "letting the boys play" when some guys apparently don't have a firm grasp of the rules yet.

 

[STC]

Had an epic game the other night. Playing on my main team in the over 30 A league vs our main rival who we've beaten in many championship games over the past 10 years. With 11 minutes left in the game it was 4-0 and I had all 4 goals. All highlight reel goals too. Decided to let others get involved at that point and final score was 7-1. played those guys probably 100 times and don't think I ever had 4 vs them. Can't even remember getting 3 past them in the past 5 years.

 

[Maccas]

Did a great little drill in training last night, taking Slapshots from the top of the circles, you had to call where you were aiming for (Low, Med, High or Low glove etc for the better players) and if you didn't hit your spot you had to do 10 press ups. My slapshot has been pretty awful for some time now, it's just one thing that I cannot get to click.
So naturally I aim to get it about a foot off the ice (where I've been trained to aim for) and manage to hit the crossbar and then 3 successive posts. A nice 40 press ups for me!

 

[Cursed Lemon]

I haaaaaaaate when the other team doesn't show up for an adult league game.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaate.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

I haaaaaaaate when the other team doesn't show up for an adult league game.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaate.

Wow. Do you like...... not have to pay to play in your league or something

 

[Teastick]

did my very first forward crossover in my life...

As a 39 years old dad with zero experience (only skated 2-3 times when I was 5 or 6, I think it doesn't count) and started learning skating 3 weeks ago (thanks to the Youtube videos!!!), I'm proud of myself.

 

[Ozz]

Last night we lost in a shootout to the top team in the division. Great game. I got the tying goal with about 70 seconds left, a nice writer far side from middle of the circle after scooping it up from our blue line and walking it in. I had just jumped out for my shift and was the most fresh, so the D dropped the puck for me and off I went.

We gave up a PP goal, scored a shorty, and the only other game time goal was a point blank giveaway that they made good on. We were happy with the 1 point, that last minute goal was something we rarely get when it really counts.

did my very first forward crossover in my life...

As a 39 years old dad with zero experience (only skated 2-3 times when I was 5 or 6, I think it doesn't count) and started learning skating 3 weeks ago (thanks to the Youtube videos!!!), I'm proud of myself.

Congrats! 3 weeks is pretty good, some people still can hardly stand up by then.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Wow. Do you like...... not have to pay to play in your league or something

Oh we do.

That's what continues to mystify me.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

Oh we do.

That's what continues to mystify me.

Wow, no kidding. I dunno. Do they all work for a law firm or something? I am mystified when guys don't show up, but when it's a whole team all at once?

 

[AD1066]

I haaaaaaaate when the other team doesn't show up for an adult league game.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaate.

Wow, an entire team?

I've had concerns before, two days before Christmas for example, but the league director was kind enough to put me in contact with the other team's captain so we could confirm we'd still be playing.

But on a non-holiday week I guess you'd have no reason to expect an entire team to be absent. It would have been a nice courtesy of them to call the rink or let you know somehow.

Were you able to get some practice in?

 

[Summer Rose]

Today, as I sit here at 4:51 a.m. drinking coffee, I want to shoot whoever thinks 7:00 a.m. games are a good idea.

At least I'm only a linesman for it.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

Today, as I sit here at 4:51 a.m. drinking coffee, I want to shoot whoever thinks 7:00 a.m. games are a good idea.

At least I'm only a linesman for it.

I would love 7AM games! 10:30PM on the other hand....

 

[Goonzilla]

I would love 7AM games! 10:30PM on the other hand....

I love an early start. No better way to start the day; fresh ice.

'I love the smell of hockey gear in the morning..

..smells like..victory'

 

[Summer Rose]

Had to throw out a coach for the first time this season during my 8:30 game this morning.

How someone can get so mad/abusive over a squirt game to where he needs to be ejected for his conduct is just totally beyond me.

 

[Maccas]

Today, as I sit here at 4:51 a.m. drinking coffee, I want to shoot whoever thinks 7:00 a.m. games are a good idea.

At least I'm only a linesman for it.

I'd kill to have morning games! I'm lucky if I get a game before 10pm outside of the summer and last year I had 2 or 3 that started after Midnight!

 

[Goonzilla]

Today I was able to skate flat out for the first time in far too long. I loved it. Still gotta build it up and not overdo it (short shifts), but to not be dragging my ass on every shift was great. All of a sudden I can get to the puck again.

 

[Summer Rose]

Today I was reffing for a squirt game and before the game one of the coaches (for a team from Alaska, I'm from Arizona) pulled me aside and said "I have a student coach who's 15 and has his helmet on and will be on the bench along with my 4 other team officials including myself". I thought nothing of it, because he was talking about stuff I'm admittedly unfamiliar with and I just took his word for it and told him that sounded fine to me. The opposing bench (a local team in AZ) took offense to them having "5 team officials" and tried to give me extensive **** for the first 10+ minutes of the game.

I mostly just ignored them and even uttered the phrase "shut up" to one of them on the bench (I didn't face who was talking so I don't know who it was but voice depth meant it was obviously an adult though).

I don't know what to make of it. The Alaska team seemed to know what they were talking about and I didn't have a rulebook on me, so was I in the wrong to just take their word for it? If they were knowingly breaking rules it would have been a pretty damn elaborate lie. And to what end? Is having 5 team officials on the bench that much better than the maximum-allowed 4?

Seriously.

 

[hillcrest34]

Today I had my first big spill whilst skating. Doing some cross over practice after my learn to skate lesson and lost it and ended up banging my head on the ice. Bit of blood but nothing else. I'm more so frustrated at myself as it meant I missed the last 15 minutes of practice time while the checked me out

 

[Ozz]

Today I had my first big spill whilst skating. Doing some cross over practice after my learn to skate lesson and lost it and ended up banging my head on the ice. Bit of blood but nothing else. I'm more so frustrated at myself as it meant I missed the last 15 minutes of practice time while the checked me out

I hope you're okay for certain. I tripped up last year and smacked the back of my head against the ice real hard, if not for my helmet I probably would have been messed up.



Last night we lost 7-4 after being down 0-4 about halfway. Again missing one of our best 2 players, who our team needs to compete. The other guys just aren't picking up any slack. I had 0g3a, again making almost everything happen

The goalie we played against is funny. One game he'll shut me out for scoring on him, the next I will shell him. If that continues to hold true, I can't wait until the next time we play!

 

[Goonzilla]

Today I had my first big spill whilst skating. Doing some cross over practice after my learn to skate lesson and lost it and ended up banging my head on the ice. Bit of blood but nothing else. I'm more so frustrated at myself as it meant I missed the last 15 minutes of practice time while the checked me out

I had a bad tumble yesterday, bad in that it must have looked bad or spectacular, because I was really moving at the time, which is undoubtedly what saved me from getting damaged as I had more backwards momentum than downwards, otherwise I would have been #%^*ing sore or hurt.

Been going a couple of hours and was getting jaded. Transitioned from forwards to backwards on my 'weaker' side and caught an edge, landing on my back travelling backwards. It was the first time I've fallen like that in quite a while..and the only gear I had on was gloves. I still had time to raise my head up as I was falling to make sure it didn't hit the ice. It was slow-mo time.

I think it's a very important skill to have or be conscious of..keeping your head up off the ice when you fall..but a skill learned the hard way unfortunately.