Shooting under lights on my new wheels

This evening I had opportunity to get home a few minutes early and be skating out the front gate at about the time I'd normally be walking in through it.  So I put on my rewheeled Bauers, noticing that they are beginning to carry scars like my ice skates and gathered my gear and headed off.  I noticed the increase in speed from the new wheels.  Part of it would have been due simply to the larger diameters of the wheels, perhaps the fact the rear wheels were harder than previously also counted, part of it would be that there was less noise coming from my wheel assemblies (bearings and wheels) than there'd been in the old set.

Getting to the school, I did a few figure eights and transitions to get myself organised, thought that I was much more uncertain in my movements on these wheels than previously, lined up my pucks, and got into four sets of 25 dynamic shots.  All were taken on the forehand at 15' or greater, gliding in towards the goal.  The first two sets were curling in from either side to pick up puck at start of glide to the 15' line while gazing at the target.  On the third set I picked up the puck on the way out from the goal, looped around in a simple turn while carrying the puck, glided in.  On the final set I picked up puck on way out from goal, and then free formed with dekes, backhand turns, figure eights as I looped back and glided in for the shot.

Results were reasonable:10-2-0, 9-3-0, 9-2-0, 9-1-0.  That's a shooting percent of 37%, 45% including rebounds.  Never quite hit the zone.  Did the last set under an amazing sunset.

Was getting dark when I did 100 static shots from 15'. 25 each of Snap, Wrist, Facing and Backhand.  Worked within the structure of the five elements breath, stance, weight, point (wrist snap), power.  Did the last set basically with no light beyond that of the floodlights.  Was fine unless my shadow was in the way (ie doing backhands with the floodlight directly behind one).  Results: 8-5-11-6 (30%).

Satisfied, I did a few quick turns, backwards eights etc as I cooled down from my shooting session and prepared myself for the skate up the hill to home.  I noticed that I had quite a bit of power and control on the new wheels now.  Presumably my fine-tuning of basic skills has adjusted itself as I concentrated on shooting.  In other words, seemed quite fine (although still a little disarticulated).  On the skate up the hill I noticed that my stride was more fluid and the the 'glide' part of each stride was losing less momentum than had been the case on the worn and smoother wheels.  It only took 73 strides up the hill.

Nice wheels.