Three nights after our first game we were back on the ice for a late Sunday game against the Storm. They are essentially last year's runners up Redwings team against whom we'd had no success. Our team was unchanged from our win against the Kings, the only exception being that Justine wasn't there to coach so Christian filled in for her and managed the bench. We ran the same lines.
The score was 2-2 at the first break, 3-2 at the second. We got out to a 4-2 lead midway through the last period, but they chopped that back to 4-4 on the siren. We went to a shoot out, in which Baden popped the first shot in and the goalies cleaned up the rest to give us the win.
I was on for two of our goals and three of theirs. The goals they scored on 'me' were all from very close in. Two of them were strong and we were just outplayed by their guns. The third was a bit lucky as their third forward tottered in while everyone else was on the ice and scrambling and just tapped it across beyond my reaching stick. I felt less to blame for their goals than I had on the ones against the Kings.
I used my feet at least four times in this game, generally in keeping the puck in their zone but on at least one occasion playing soccer in front of our net to drive the puck out of the danger zone.
I felt like I played better, particularly making smoother changes with my D partners and getting to the point when we were on the attack. It took me a little while to figure out how I could shut off their star forwards but by the third period I had their defensive measure.
The last play of the night, a D Zone faceoff with about 20 seconds on the clock and the Storm in the ascendancy after tying up the score not long before, was probably my most significant. I was guarding the slot against a straying centre, the puck went back into my corner, I could see their gun winger steaming in for it (faster and stronger than me) as I moved towards it. I realised that he'd get their first if I didn't hammer it. I put my fatigue aside and managed to get a fast three steps in to tie it up, force him around behind the net as I fell back to the post. He tried to sneak back and forced him down. He was on his belly at the side of the net and I was on my knees at the post when the siren went off. We both knew it had been a close run thing. In past seasons I think he would have beat me.
This was a hard game and a good win. I was reaching my limit physically by the end of the third period but kept formation a bit better than many of our team (we often had one forward getting deep and no-one to pass to). Perhaps I need to move into puck support / potential forecheck positioning more rapidly in the fatigued moments?
I had one minor injury which I only discovered after the game. There was a small cut/graze on the outwards side of my left forearm, right between where glove and elbow pad almost meet. I assume a stray puck or stick got me there at some time. No drama.
GP 2 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 -3 1/0/1
Ice 39
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