At 2:30pm this arvo we took on the third placed Shufflers for the right to play the Rockers in the Grand Final later on. Although we'd have been the favourites, we've had nothing but close physical games against this team, and only managed a tie on the last occasion. They perhaps missed the aggression of the Rockers, but had a certain seriousness of intent which always makes a team a threat. And I know that several of them are noticeably improving their skills from week to week.
It was a bonus for me that Jess gave me a lift to Gawler (no car this weekend, would otherwise have had to catch a bus and a train - an hour and a half each way at best) and then stayed around to record the game. I haven't organised yet to get the film uploaded, when I do I'll separately notify, and add it in here. It will be interesting to see how my memories compare with the 'objective record.' Thanks Jess!
The game began with us scoring an early goal, and them replying off a fluke bad bounce off our goalie's stick as he gently swatted at a slowly traveling puck that had been cleared from the opposition's defensive zone. At half time it was still one all.
The second half started as a close fought affair, perhaps with us having an edge in the skating department and turning this into capital by preventing them exerting their shooting ability on the scoreboard. Our first line combined to put one in the net about half way through the period. The tilt was on. Brendan whacked another in two minutes later.
Finally, with a little over two minutes to go, I managed to capitalise on a slightly panicked goalie as he tried to swat the puck behind his net. I retrieved it ahead of the expected opponent sweeping around the net from the other side, dragged it back to the front corner of the goal net against someone else's stick blade trying to chop it back out. Push the puck (and, behind it, the goalie's leg) around the corner's apex. Can hear more bodies approaching behind. Notice a gap of a few inches between goalie's skates and the goal post. Puck awkwardly at my feet as I stand in the crease facing the back corner.
Which is when I did the thing that made this a special (milestone) goal for me - I didn't immediately/instinctively swat at the puck in the hope of a goal, but rather 'sensed' what was around me, deliberated, did a very small controling deke to settle the puck on my backhand, and then pushed it through the gap with a controlled snap of the wrists and up into the net. For a moment it was as though time stopped with me paused and still, puck on the end of my stick. Finally, a genuine 'garbage goal.' Justine would be proud (Justine has been the Knights' coach (ice hockey). Sweet!
*Little punch in the air with right hand holding stick at midpoint*
The Shufflers as always were an enjoyable team to play. Our games always seem to end in smiles all round and friendly conversations later. It was enjoyable to be able to point out to one of my fellow trainees that three times I'd seen him go over exactly the same way, and be able to show him exactly what he was doing, or a younger lass who seemed to genuinely think I was a remarkably fast skater (I'm not, despite what she and a few others think, but I have got better acceleration than I had a few months ago - the first three steps are indeed the most important). Tough opponents on the rink, friends off of it.
This game was probably the best that the Wheelers have played since I joined them. We resolved amongst ourselves to keep the defence covered, attack the slot, cover the spaces. And that is pretty well what we did. It also helped that we had some temporary strangers acting as our coaches, directing traffic for us. Our newly discovered system, however, was breaking down during the last five minutes. We got sloppy and started making fewer and poorer decisions. This coincided with a couple of long shifts. I was glad to score a goal because it put the game almost in our laps.
The 'lesson' I put into play today was the defensive skill of always keeping both the play and one's opponent in sight. It entails fairly continual feet movement, which is a bonus. (I had a list of hockey aphorisms I picked up from the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) online development manual (link missing).
Of note, we had 58 shots on goal. They had 30. I think I had about 1, but felt I did contribute with more than my garbage goal. Sadly, I was also on when they got their lucky goal.
Then it was outside to see Jess back to her car (she had to get home in time for the footy) and, for me, a four hour wait before the Grand Final.
GP 7 G 4 A 1 Pt 5 4-2-1-1 +3
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