I got on the ice last night for the first time in months. The occasion that brought me out was a training session organised by Justine. It was a mixture of 12 assorted rookies, Knights, Bombers and Blackhawks who were present, together with Tom the Goalie.
We started with a game of 'Baseball'. Setup: Two teams (white and dark) one gathered in a corner, goalie in goal nearby, second scattered around the ice. Aim, score more goals than the other team. Player A1 in corner hits puck out amongst the scattered players from Team B. A1 then has to skate around the rink along the boards and get back to the red line before Team B scores a goal. To score, Team B must collect the puck and then make at least three passes before having a shot (which the goalie of course tries to prevent). The play is over either when A1 crosses the line or Team B scores, whichever happens first. The exercise is repeated for each of Team A's skaters, one at a time until all have had a go. Roles are then reversed, with Team A scattered on the ice and Team B sending out skaters from the corner one at a time to race against the attacking team who pass and shoot. The team that scores the most goals, wins.
We then played a series of tug'o'war battles, pairing up with players of approximately similar strength/stature. The pairs of skaters faced each other across the blue lines, at stick distance. We then held up our sticks so that the other player could grasp it with their free hand. The idea was to then try and pull the other player across the blue line, while preventing them from pulling you across. When one player pulled the other across, start another play. Do this for a defined period of time (5 minutes?). I paired up with Cam. He won our two bouts before saying we should stop due his back. I didn't disagree and we spent the remaining time of the drill passing tape to tape to each other. I joked to him afterwards that I'd never used my 'pension card' before (Cam is also an older player, though younger than me).
Next was D's in Centre, with defenders gathered in centre with the pucks, two groups of forwards facing each other from two diagonally opposed corners. Two of the defenders would simultaneously pass a puck in an opposite direction to each other, to one of the forwards in the group in front of them. The forwards would then set off, aiming to carry the puck from their corner, down the ice, and shoot a goal at the opposite end. The two defenders would meanwhile loop around the centre circle the 'difficult' way (ie, behind the circle) and then try and prevent the forward to whom the other defender had initially passed their puck to from scoring. By skating behind the circle the defender gives the forward enough time to get at least to the half way line with a head of speed. I found that I was letting the better forwards into centre ice more than not, swapped with Christian to play a forward role. As a defender I was effectively stripping their sticks at the moment of shooting (efficient if not pretty) and seizing it from the rookies. My failing was letting better forwards into the slot. As an attacker, I am protecting the puck better than I used to, and getting shots off more often than not (though didn't score). Afterwards, Christian told me of the trick of keeping my shoulder lined up with the oncoming forwards, up close, so that I could better keep them on the outside. Good advice.
Next, the 'Army Crawl'. Again, pair up with player of similar stature. One pair at a time, starting in opposite corners on the red line, goalie in goal at far end, puck in the middle of the first blue line in front of the pair. On the whistle, drop flat to the ice and then crawl to the puck. Must keep stomach on ice the whole way. Very difficult! First player to crawl to the puck gets to their feet and races to goal for a shot. The second crawling player gets to their feet and tries to defend against a score. I was beaten to the puck by a few centimetres, swung my stick and disrupted his collection of it as he got to his feet. Still lying flat on the ice I disrupted his second attempt to collect the puck, starting dragging it towards me as I began to get to my feet. He kicked it forwards and clear, but I was already chasing, a step behind as he set off. I got the inside track on him as he crossed into the zone and he had no shot left on goal. For the second night in a row I got a stick tapping applause (at my second lunge at the puck from my sprawled position) from some of my colleagues (those who had done the drill already, clustering on the sideboards).
We then split into three groups of four, one group in each zone, to play 'Piggy in the Middle'. One of the group went into the middle. Their goal was to get the puck. The others had to keep it off them by making successful passes to each other within the zone. Rotate through the role of 'piggy'. Then, step it up and play two-on-two battles for possession. Mad scramble!
Then, a few shootout rounds. I tried both backhand and forehand swoops. The backhand missed, the forehand was stopped by a glove save. Partway through this exercise, Tommy got cramp and had to leave the ice, leaving us goalieless.
With ten minutes to go, we shifted into a 3 on 3 shinny, with goals at each end facing the back boards.
It was a good hour. I had more technique than I thought I would after all this time off the ice, but lack strength in the upper legs and core. Will have to work on this. Was aching about a couple hours after the session. By this afternoon, felt very physically tired. I will have to put some work into my conditioning.
Great fun to be back on the ice. Five Knights turned up, was great to be back.
Ice 24
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