First game in almost a decade

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject: First game in almost a decade

So, tonight I was asked to "play between the pipes" for another goalie in the area who apparently injured his finger on his blocker hand...weird...makes me think of Zannalee. Anyways, this will be my first game in almost a decade as the title of the thread implies. I'm nervous, excited, anxious and simultaneously afraid because I've no idea where the rink is and I don't want to get lost and miss the game Embarassed

. I'm so stoked that I get to play in a real game because it's been nothing but drop ins for me ever since I started playing goal. Since I guess this is my "season" all wrapped into one game, I'll post and let you guys know how terrible/amazing I do tonight. I'm really just hoping I don't look like a complete a**hat and let in like 15 goals.

Cal28 · Squirt Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 2

Good luck tonight AB. A few weeks ago I played my 1st game ever too. Looking forward to hearing how it turns out for you.

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks! I'll be sure to post about it as soon as I drag my more than likely tired a** home.

texasgoalie08 · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject:

Arty, you will be fine. Just go out there and have fun and play your game. The one thing you do not want to do is go out there and over think it. Communicate with your defense and make sure that they communicate with you. Cool

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:17 pm Post subject:

It's just crazy because it'll be like all the things I practice (or try to) at drop ins but this time it has meaning. Like most of you know I've got new equipment coming to replace my sub-par and injury causing set and my girlfriend told me to take it easy tonight and not hurt myself like I do at drop in and I laughed at her...this is for keeps! Laughing

Silly women. She just laughed at me, but I'm just hoping I can keep myself calm and collected, when I start thinking is when I start really sucking.

puckstopper135 · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

I'm sure you'll do fine, just don't overthink it Smile

And google maps works wonders for me finding my way around Wink

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:50 am Post subject:

So, I just got back from a miserable failure of my take on Goaltending for Retards. Seriously, if there was video tonight, it'd be about how NOT to stop pucks. I played so slow and so off that I thought the team would kill me but they didn't (thankfully). I don't know what it is, but it was slo puck which absolutely drove me nutts. It's like watching 5 guys trying to figure out which end of the stick they're supposed to have on the ice, then accidentally roofing the puck. 6-1 loss. Every single goal was just pathetic on my part. First goal, breakaway and I'm expecting the guy to deke or at least make some kind of play, and he just roofs one blocker side. Whatever...it happens. Game is 1-1 after the first. Second period, this kid comes skating in with one D on him and the puck a good 6 feet in front, I go to poke it, roll my stick and it goes right back on his blade...awesome. Kid skates around me looking like a dumbass and puts it into the net at all of 2 MPH. Then the goals came through a floodgate. 4-1 after 2. I did make a miraculous save in the 2nd to keep it somewhat close. This kid shoots one low and I give an 8 foot rebound to the right circle and this kid is standing right there, he shoots it as I reach back and knock it out of mid-air with my paddle. My team went nutts and the period ended like 5 minutes later. Third period, I let in one stupid goal on a breakaway where I expected the kid to shoot, he doesn't, skates around to my left and puts it between my legs as I'm sliding across...gd 34" pads...number 6 was the worst of all in my mind because this kid comes in, makes an obvious attempt at a deke and when I went to challenge I slip and butterfly as he puts it in to my right. F**k me running what a s**tty showing on my part. I did have another great save though in the third where the kid did the same thing, right to left and I fly'd to stop him, he keeps going and I dove to my left and the puck hits me square between the eyes on my cage.

Nobody kept tally on shots but my team said it was between 28-32 because the goalie who I was playing for on the bench was counting. If I'm right that means I was somewhere between .793 and .812 SV% with 6 GA obviously. Pretty sad considering I've robbed some amazing players and I couldn't even keep up with these slo puckers.

On the up side, I got to play at BGSU Ice Arena...the same ice as Ken Morrow and Rob Blake, so that was kinda cool. I guess on the plus side too, the other goalie didn't get the loss.

Returning2MyNet · Minors Joined: 09 Mar 2009 Posts: 379

ah BGSU and slo puck, what a treat. I have always despised slo puck, its point les. Tuesday night...you might be surprised at who you might have been playing against this time of the year, but not living there any more, I wont venture to guess.
Hey you got out there thats a start.[/list]
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Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:20 pm Post subject:

Played against as in they were good once? Because half these guys either have never skated before or haven't played in well over 5 decades it seemed. Both teams had one good skater...the only problem was the one good skater was their forward and our forward and their goalie played amazing. Depressing as hell when you see 10 good scoring chances and not a single puck go in. I guess on the plus side, I didn't get scored on anything other than break-aways.

And yes, I now realize slo-puck is pointless. It was brutal...I think I actually played worse than any other time I've ever played...or at least it felt like it...and the score reflected it.

Returning2MyNet · Minors Joined: 09 Mar 2009 Posts: 379

yea its changed, used be a a group of what you saw and some current HS players, and college players. Guess they all stick with spring league now.
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Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject:

Maybe, because we had about 3 good skaters total and I already said who they were...and they weren't even close to some of the skaters I see at drop in...It was still super cool playing in BGSU's home...I always wanted to play for them since I started skating.

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 1:06 am Post subject:

So, this was just supposed to be one league type game but I got invited to play in the Alumni tournament so of course I did...I had no clue my team was so freaking terrible. We lost...13-1 and I'm pretty sure some of the goals weren't recorded. My team literally had 5 shots on 5 breakaways with no possession time in their zone so I was easily peppered with 50 shots...not all skate in and rip them but 2nd, 3rd, 4th shots...I can only stop so man and rebound control is a joke with my current gear. I made some pretty miraculous saves again...but for what point...I pretty much broke down after the 4th goal because 2, 3 and 4 were all no-goals but our ref was a dumba**. Second goal the puck gets thrown on goal and I kick a rebound out as this guy skates up the slot he tries to slide it past me about 2" off the ice and I gloved it in this diving save that puts my glove outside the left post...ref calls it a goal. 3rd goal the guy rockets one from the point that pings the post loud as hell leaving a big puck mark on the freshly painted goal and coming out where I scooped it in and covered it...ref called it a goal. 4th goal the guy rockets one, misses wide and it comes out in front where it gets shot at me 2 more times before finally getting through short side to hit the post, it bounces off the post, hits me in the calf, rolls back and I dive back and swat it into my leg before it crossed the goal line...you guessed it...ref called it a goal. I almost got suspended for throwing the puck with my blocker hand at the refs head. After that I didn't really care and pretty much stood on my head for no reason. 2 more games though, one tomorrow at the a**crack of dawn and another in the afternoon sometime.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

itechwarrior · Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject:

rebound control is more about the goalie than the gear. i've been learning this at goalie clinics every week.

Arthriticbutterflystyle · Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject:

Yeah thanks, I didn't know. But when your glove closes at a retarded angle and the shot cripples your hand because it sucks a$$, it's a little hard to control rebounds.

Slinky · Minors Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 471 Location: Canton, GA

I love those games Arth, I dont know what your deal is. I feel like i've got some sort of corner on the puck stopping market. I can't stand it when I have the better team and the other goalie gets more shots than me... then again... maybe I'm a greedy, self-interested, glutton.
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Because it hurts so good.