We played a tight game with the Rockers on a hot night in Gawler last night, resulting in a 3-2 loss. Due the heat, the Vikings' 'Heat Policy' came into effect for the third week in a row and the game was therefore divided into three 12 minute periods, with intermissions of 2 minutes. There were fans blowing in the corners and the humidity level wasn't extreme and we were all another week more used to the heat so it wasn't too bad this time.
The first period saw them open the scoring from a mid slot shot from a nice pass at 6:50. We answered this a minute later when Merrilyn passed back from the corner to me approaching at mid slot just off the left side, followed by a nice hard shot hitting the back of the net. With only a minute on the clock, Craig got a one person rush on and managed to shoot it into the top corner. They'd had ten shots to 2 and went into the break 2-1 up.
They again had more shots on goal in the second period than we did (10-6), with Paul knocking in a puck that was loose alongside a splayed Jai (our goaltender for the second week running) right in front of me. This was the only score of the period.
In the third period we managed to shoot more than they did (11-9) with Rick putting in a goal after getting loose in the neutral zone and receiving a nice pass from Brendon on the boards. We certainly looked more dangerous this period but it wasn't enough. Especially with a delay of game penalty given them with only ten seconds left on the clock, we ran out of time and that was it for another week.
I played a pretty tight defensive game. To do so I put into play the mindset and some of the techniques I've learned with the Knights (at times to the consternation of our opponents), but considering we were facing the dangerous line of Mal, Paul and Craig at times, with quite competent players on the bench, it seemed fair enough. Afterall, those three each create a sense of intimidation in some of our players so someone had to do it. Might as well be me :)
The saddest moment of my game was watching from close range Paul push the puck past Jai's outstretched foot for their second goal. I could have got my stick there (I was in position to do so) had I thought of it in time - in retrospect, my brain was a bit disengaged. The weakest aspect of my game was a tendency to dump the puck out of defence and thus surrender possession almost as soon as I'd got it. Perhaps the easiest thing to improve will be my present tendency to skate casually out of defence and thus give them time to set themselves by the time we engage in their zone.
Most memorable moments of the game for me were me and Merrilyn combining for our goal in the first, a failed but conscious attempt at a loop around their goalie from behind the net (the audience loved it though I wasn't quite crisp enough on my feet to pull off the maneuver in time), tying Paul up a couple times on the boards (to the point he almost complained), keeping Craig away from our net most of the time by an active stick and being fast on my feet to counter his chip and skate tactics, applying the close gap/body check against Mal to keep him away from our net, hearing Jai chirp our defence instructions, the growing intensity of our game and the tape to tape passing.
Jai played the best in goal that I've seen him do.
Next week we'll probably end up forfeiting a game due the Pfeiffers and Rick all being off and about doing things. This will result in us playing the final game of regular season against the Bumpers who are locked in fourth regardless. Assuming we forfeit next week, the Rockers will tie up the vital second spot with a win against the Bumpers next week. This would give them the second chance in the playoffs. Will be interesting.
Inline 8
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