Hockey School Dropout

Seriously, if the team I play goal for had a stronger net presence, they would be 1 or 2 divisions higher. What a great group of guys, especially on the ice!

Now, to the game review - I started battling a cold late last week, but it was manageable so I decided to cancel my other games and play this one. I felt reasonably good in the warm up and was eager to follow up my last game.

We were up against a team we hadn't played yet, but there top scorer used to play for the team I run, so I gave them all my guys a heads up. It worked out mostly well, as they made sure to play him tight and not let him get a good head of steam going. Sadly, I allowed a goal on the first shot of the game *Hang head in shame*. The shot came in from the glove side circle, and I punched out the blocker to knock it away from the goal, but it hit the inside bottom corner and went behind me. I expected the puck to bounce off and go to the blocker side boards, but it went in. I must have just timed it badly. I was more confused than anything else. Anyway, play resumed and the Bees began torturing the opposing goalie again. No joy for a while, and then we took a penalty. Killed off some of it, and then their top guy walked off the half wall into the slot. I lost sight of the puck with 2-3 players right in front of me. I knew the puck was coming, just didn't know when or where. As I shoved one of their players out of the way I caught a glimpse of the puck, but couldn't react in time to stop it. 2-0 for them. I had made a couple saves in between those goals, so it wasn't bang bang at least! My wife and kids came to watch, and after the 2nd goal, I looked over and indicated I couldn't see it. My wife at least wasn't laughing after that goal. :)

The Bees, I think sensing I thought we were still in it, charge down the ice and not long after jam one in, and I'm certain we're on the path to a comeback. Sure enough, we knot it at 2 not long after. My team continues to dictate the play, and after a few minutes, we go up 3-2. Nicely done guys! Of course, I've barely seen the puck for about 5-6 minutes now, and we take a penalty. Again, we kill about 1/2 of it, and they get another to tie it. I had to have what happened explained to me after the game, cause I had no idea what happened. Their top guy (again) came in low and took a shot which I steered aside and behind the net. I stood back up and saw the puck going to my left behind the net, so I moved to that side. I can't see the puck, so I'm looking for it when I feel something hit the outside of my right skate. What the heck? There is cheering and I pick up real quick that they've scored, and I'm truly baffled. What happened was the guy who took the original shot went behind after the puck and was going to my left side. I moved over and was looking for the puck expecting it to come out that side, but realizing I didn't know where it was, he reversed direction and wrapped it around in off my skate. Bloody hell! I just couldn't piece it together until after. Lesson learned: don't assume where the puck is!

So we end the first tied at 3. All signs still point to us coming back and winning. My team is just too good to lose this one. There is some back and forth to start the 2nd, and a glove save here, a redirect with my stick there, we're doing fine. One of their guys gets in around the outside of one of my d-men to my right. He's in pretty tight, so I butterfly and go for the poke check. Uh-oh, he goes around my stick right in front of the net. I figure I'd better get something over there, so I stick my glove out behind me. He deposits the puck right into it. HA HA! Everyone told me he had his arms in the air and was skating away, but I held up my glove with the puck inside. My wife said after the game, that was the game saving save. And right now is when I regret not asking her to record that game on video!

Still plenty of time left to go, and both teams are pressing for the go ahead goal. I stop a redirect off my defender's stick, and stop a slapper from the point. We have numerous chances in their end. They break in again to my right. The shot is taken and I butterfly, but the puck never gets to, and either was passed or deflected to an open guy on my left. He's staring at pretty much an open net and I know I'm screwed. I see him shoot, but there is a lack of cheering and I hear the puck bang off the boards behind me. OMG! After the game, my wife said it went between my head and the far post, with about an inch on either side of the puck. Ya gotta be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good. That was ALL luck on that one.

Shortly after, they come in again on my left and they lob one in at me. I drop and it bounces off me, but no one is around, so I get back up and I clear it to the corner. My d-man gets to it, fires it up the boards to the winger, who does a deflection pass to the centre and he and the right winger take off on a 2 on 1. The centre draws the defender over, then tosses a perfect pass over the winger who taps it in for the 4-3 lead. SWEET!

They eventually pull their goalie, but only got one shot through, which I stopped and covered. Which, in immediate hindsight I should have let my d-man who was right there play since there was only 7 seconds left. The other team won the face-off, but couldn't get another shot and we iced the puck to finish off the time. It was interesting, but a win's a win!

We're now sitting in 2nd place in our division of 6 teams. The team in 1st just got moved up to our division, and we beat them 9-3 previously (in my first game with this team), so we're in good shape. Next week we play the team in 3rd place, so I'll need my "A" game. :)