On Sunday the Knights played in our first Summer Season post season game, an elimination final against the Storm. The winner continues into the semi final playoffs against top of table Blades. The losers hang up their skates till next season. We had won both regular season encounters, the first in a shootout and the second 3-1. They had been close games. For this game we had ten skaters and Tommy in goal. Justine ran our bench with Nick assisting. They had three staff, thirteen skaters and Peterson between the pipes.
Only one goal was scored the whole game, theirs in the later part of the second period. For the rest of the game it seemed a see-saw battle, with them working their way into the combat zone in front of our net with sustained pressure, and us with our lightening strikes and quick waves of attack. I didn't see their goal, having just left the ice before the play which it resulted from, but gather it was a coast to coast skate by their lanky forward, with Tommy being left to fend for himself. If so, Tsk Tsk Tsk to us, for this is the kind of play that should not happen at this end of the season. In a strange way, it's only fair that our season ended as a result.
Tommy was brilliant in goals and kept us in the game to the final siren. He couldn't have done anything more. He made some brilliant saves, sometimes ending up sprawled on the ice over the puck to kill a scrum that had gone crazy, sometimes making himself huge as he advanced towards a rushing forward, sometimes swatting the puck surely away from the kill zone. Brave man, hats off.
I very nearly was the cause of the scoreline blowing out on at least two occasions. Once in the first period when I failed to clear it from a scrum, ultimately leading to me being at one of the posts with Tommy flat across the line and a pile of bodies in front of him, the puck standing tantalisingly on its edge for a what seemed like several seconds in the few inches behind his back and out of my reach also (the ref blew his whistle to end the play, having lost sight of the puck).
The second near-screwup occurred in the second period and began as a one on one that I felt quite comfortable with, despite the high speed. I was skating backwards and controlling the gap as I tracked the forward to the point where I would arrest him properly when one of my skates bit into the ice and I went arse down backwards. I swung my stick towards the puck as soon as I felt what was happening, allowed the momentum of my swung stick to carry me around to end up outstretched and face down towards my own goal. The forward got by me, but I tangled him just sufficiently to enable our furiously backchecking centre to apply further pressure from behind and ultimately frustrate the shot. Scary moment!
To counter these scary moments, there were a number of memorable plays with which I was involved. As has been the case for recent game reports, I'll rehash them below in impressionist form.
In the first period I had my best shot at goal. It began with me holding the blue line during one of our counterattacks after the siege of the first ten minutes. I pinched down slightly to secure possession of the puck on the half board before firing it back in. I did this twice on the play. The third time I had to race for the puck, arriving at it at the same time as my opponent. Our sticks combined to knock it into clean ice. By the time we took the necessary paces to its location (still on the blue line) other players were arriving. I managed to swipe my stick first, keeping the puck in the zone and bouncing it high off of someone elses blade. No one is sure where the puck is for a split second, I spin around on the spot looking. Sight it as it drops down onto the ice a few feet away. Swing the stick, connecting with the puck as it touches the ice. Whip it in to goal. Hard and powerful and unexpected shot. Goalie's glove save spoils it and silences the crowd. Great shot though!
The second period was a more even affair, more controlled in our defence and a bit more sustained pressure up forward. I think we hit the pipes once. We also started taking penalties, but they weren't too good at holding it in the zone if we could push towards the blue (they were strong down low, though) so we killed them all off mainly by icing the puck with a moderately strong forecheck (it's fun to be patrolling the blue on the penalty kill). Several times during the period I gathered the loose puck in our zone and skated it behind our net before passing it up the boards.
As you'd expect, the third period started out quite ferociously as we tried to claw back their one goal lead. It didn't ease up until the final siren, though by then exhaustion and fatigue were taking their toll on tired legs and decision making faculties alike. Early in the piece I had engaged with a forward around the halfboard, drawing a cluster of players into our vicinity. The puck vanished amongst us all briefly. Their forwards outnumbered us and were almost frantic in their intensity, so I just started swinging my stick in wide sweeping motions around the puck, clearing the ice of the sticks of both friend and foe until our centre could grab it and take it out of harms way.
Perhaps the other memorable moments of the third entailed tying up forwards in front of or behind our net. In front, I 'boxed them out' if they were close in, tied up sticks or bodies if they were higher up. I chased to the corners as required, sometimes gaining the puck clean and only once allowing a shot that I didn't manage to then block with skate or shoulder. The hairiest few seconds involved arriving late in the corner against a rampaging wide skating winger, chasing him back and keeping the inside position even though always behind, pursuing him behind goal and forcing him wide as he tried to wrap around, repeating the whole thing immediately the other way, and a final third time before we were both taken out by another player.
I still felt like I was going strong, and my decisions were good and quick, but many of the other skaters were beginning to cluster, hesitate and excessively stickhandle. It was a bit frustrating but also a simple fact. Their extra line of forwards certainly paid off in those final minutes! Disappointing after the final siren, but pride in Tommy and the team for having put up a good game. the handshakes were genuine and smiles were warm.
The referees took the unusual step of congratulating the teams for playing an intense and heavy game, but all in a very good spirit. One can't ask for more than that in a final.
Except for a win!!!
Ice 5
Fridge
Showing posts with label Ice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ice. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
Sunday, 31 January 2016
Pre Playoff Review
The Knights play against the Storm in the Elimination Final this evening. The winner goes through to a Semi Final series of upto three games against the Blades (the other Semi Final is already set to be between the Flyers and Rangers). We have entered the serious end of the season. As such, now is a good opportunity to review the regular season just concluded, from both an individual and a team perspective.
My Season - GP 16 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +4 10/4/1/1 PIMs 14
I played my second entire season in defence, didn't miss a game and had no serious injury events. More than half of the season we have played with only three on defence. I have generally been on the first pairing and had more time on ice than my partners. My game has become much more physical, primarily crease clearing in the early season, graduating to board battles in the corners as time passed. A perhaps necessary consequence of developing my physical game has been an accumulation of penalties. I have also developed a tendency to join the rush and have skated coast to coast on a number of occasions. Apart from games where my health was suffering I have finished games skating stronger than at the start.
My decision making has improved through the season, particularly when without the puck. Examples include taking my man, covering the rush, controlling the gap and keeping them on the outside, maintaining coverage in front of the net, setting up on the blue line and general weak side play and have all been reasonable to good.
I have not been so consistent with the puck on my stick, still having a tendency to find the opposition D on the blue when trying to clear up the boards from our zone or to ice the puck when there isn't enough pressure to warrant this. More head-up play is probably my best tactic to adopt to counter these failings this late in the season.
The increased physical performance has come about due a much more coherent pre-season training schedule than last year, training through the mid-season break and intelligent dietary choices (especially on game day). My improved technique and reading of the play has come about through a combination of accumulating experience and making the majority of team training sessions. Personal and team training combined have led to improved confidence, smarter play and a good foundation to rely upon as we enter the playoffs.
The Knights - 4th on the ladder G 54 (3rd) PIMs 108 (2nd)* SA 245 (1st) GA 37 (4th)
*if Stewy's ridiculous game suspension for momentarily removing his helmet prior the handshake at the end of a game is discounted (it triggered a major shakeup amongst officials with the responsible referee losing his position as head ref), we come in at between 4th and 6th in the penalty rankings.
It has been a good season for the Knights, especially considering that our roster was depleted of Bacon and then Matt before the xmas break. We have a total of only eleven on the roster (plus Tommy the goalie) as we enter the playoffs, but are a fairly tight unit and usually field at least nine or ten skaters. By comparison, the Storm generally fields thirteen skaters (occasionally twelve) while the Blades and Flyers generally only have eight or nine.
The primary stat of significance to me as a defender is that we have allowed less shots on goal than any other team. We will need to continue to do this.
All in all, we have a competitive team who can push any of the other playoff teams and, puck gods smiling, beat them. Certainly the Blades aren't invulnerable should we make our way past the Storm this afternoon. IF we can keep healthy through the playoffs, we'll give them a shake.
Perhaps equally important, if we can keep the bulk of this team together for next season (and there are many signs that most if not all intend to return) and recruit a couple more useful rookies in the interim, then we will truly be a force to be reckoned with!
Let's go Knights!
My Season - GP 16 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +4 10/4/1/1 PIMs 14
I played my second entire season in defence, didn't miss a game and had no serious injury events. More than half of the season we have played with only three on defence. I have generally been on the first pairing and had more time on ice than my partners. My game has become much more physical, primarily crease clearing in the early season, graduating to board battles in the corners as time passed. A perhaps necessary consequence of developing my physical game has been an accumulation of penalties. I have also developed a tendency to join the rush and have skated coast to coast on a number of occasions. Apart from games where my health was suffering I have finished games skating stronger than at the start.
My decision making has improved through the season, particularly when without the puck. Examples include taking my man, covering the rush, controlling the gap and keeping them on the outside, maintaining coverage in front of the net, setting up on the blue line and general weak side play and have all been reasonable to good.
I have not been so consistent with the puck on my stick, still having a tendency to find the opposition D on the blue when trying to clear up the boards from our zone or to ice the puck when there isn't enough pressure to warrant this. More head-up play is probably my best tactic to adopt to counter these failings this late in the season.
The increased physical performance has come about due a much more coherent pre-season training schedule than last year, training through the mid-season break and intelligent dietary choices (especially on game day). My improved technique and reading of the play has come about through a combination of accumulating experience and making the majority of team training sessions. Personal and team training combined have led to improved confidence, smarter play and a good foundation to rely upon as we enter the playoffs.
The Knights - 4th on the ladder G 54 (3rd) PIMs 108 (2nd)* SA 245 (1st) GA 37 (4th)
*if Stewy's ridiculous game suspension for momentarily removing his helmet prior the handshake at the end of a game is discounted (it triggered a major shakeup amongst officials with the responsible referee losing his position as head ref), we come in at between 4th and 6th in the penalty rankings.
It has been a good season for the Knights, especially considering that our roster was depleted of Bacon and then Matt before the xmas break. We have a total of only eleven on the roster (plus Tommy the goalie) as we enter the playoffs, but are a fairly tight unit and usually field at least nine or ten skaters. By comparison, the Storm generally fields thirteen skaters (occasionally twelve) while the Blades and Flyers generally only have eight or nine.
The primary stat of significance to me as a defender is that we have allowed less shots on goal than any other team. We will need to continue to do this.
All in all, we have a competitive team who can push any of the other playoff teams and, puck gods smiling, beat them. Certainly the Blades aren't invulnerable should we make our way past the Storm this afternoon. IF we can keep healthy through the playoffs, we'll give them a shake.
Perhaps equally important, if we can keep the bulk of this team together for next season (and there are many signs that most if not all intend to return) and recruit a couple more useful rookies in the interim, then we will truly be a force to be reckoned with!
Let's go Knights!
Friday, 29 January 2016
Game Day - Rangers (5) d Knights (2)
After competing in two morning games of inline hockey at Gawler as part of the Vikings Cup tournament I made my way back to the Ice Arena to play in the Knights' final game of the regular season. We were taking on our old enemies, the Rangers, and the game would determine who had to play the elimination game against the Storm the following week before the playoffs proper commence.
We had ten skaters and Tommy in goal. This is almost as good as it gets for us, still being a player down from when Bacon and then Matt were taken from us. The Rangers iced twelve skaters plus their goalie. We had Justine managing the bench. She was assisted by Nick on the gate. The Rangers had three coaching staff.
I should have written this up shortly after the game as life has been busy since (will be a common 'problem' in coming weeks, alas) and the details blur very quickly. Therefore, as has become my practice on this blog, I will be more impressionistic than narrative in my style in what follows.
The Rangers scored against us pretty early, in my first shift. It was one on one as their forward crossed the blue near the boards, I was coming back from a more central position and should have had him covered but I lacked the urgency a D needs in moments like this and he got clear beneath me and took his shot. I put the goal down to my failure to engage properly, and the fact that I did so due the fact that my body hadn't yet awoken to the fact that I was playing my third hockey game of the day.
I'm not sure of the details of the play that led to their second goal, but do know that I was battling in front of our crease to keep our goalie clear. I think I achieved this aim, but took a couple stick blows to the helmet while doing it. My only real surprise was that, while the ref's saw the goal clear, they didn't see me getting hit around the head twice. Sigh.
We scored shortly after I hopped off the ice late in the first period.
I was on for their third goal, relatively early in the second period. Again, the shot came in from the outside and again I was holding up my man from crowding the crease. I was doing what I needed to do and didn't feel too guilty about it afterwards (same as the second goal).
About midway through the second period our young centre got deliberately boarded at full speed pretty well right in front of our bench. It was a mean and dirty hit and quite upsetting to see. Our centre played out the rest of the period on the wing and then didn't return to the game due back pain. The opposition guy copped a minor penalty for the hit. Unsurprisingly, the game acquired an edge from this moment on.
We'd been playing with four D and two lines prior to Baden's injury. From towards the end of the second period (when it became obvious he couldn't continue to play at all) we started playing with 3D. They scored two more goals before the end of the game, we scored one. I was on the ice for our goal (though uninvolved in any real fashion) but not theirs.
In the last period I played probably my best hockey, keeping the puck in their zone on a number of occasions by multiple interceptions, soccer skills, etc, clearing it from ours, taking them on along the boards and tying them up to the point of uselessness in front of goal. I also managed to pick up a two minute penalty for hooking with about twenty seconds to go (a nice way to end the season, in the penalty box!).
Perhaps the strongest memories were three different forwards of theirs getting upset at me for totally being concentrated on them when they were in the slot and not even caring where the puck was or what the play was doing. I've never before had any forward take exception to the fact that I do this, let alone voice it to me. All three took a moment out from our struggle to tell me where the play was, or where the puck was, and asked/told me to direct my attention there.
Two of the three I didn't even deign to reply except to give them a bit of a shove. My favorite personal memory was having the forward who'd put the illegal hit on our player look me in my eyes as I stood right up against and staring at him ask me, "What are you looking at?"
"You. You're special."
"The puck's over there," using his eyes to glance over my shoulder.
No reply. Shove.
"The play's over there!" Frustrated.
Shove. Stick lift.
The play moved on and we cleared it from our zone. The forward used this as his opportunity to back away from me and skate off.
"We'll be keeping a special eye out for you in future!" I skated off for the end of my shift. Indeed.
The other two gave me a big grin and congratulated me on an 'excellent game' during the handshake. The dirty player, on the other hand, didn't meet my eyes for the remainder of the game after our goalfront encounter (including when I was controlling the gap on him resulting in a successful poke check) and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there by the time I shook his hand (I wonder what others of the Knights had said to him by that point, I said nothing and was deadpan in expression).
GP 16 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 10/4/1/1 PIMs 14
Ice 4
We had ten skaters and Tommy in goal. This is almost as good as it gets for us, still being a player down from when Bacon and then Matt were taken from us. The Rangers iced twelve skaters plus their goalie. We had Justine managing the bench. She was assisted by Nick on the gate. The Rangers had three coaching staff.
I should have written this up shortly after the game as life has been busy since (will be a common 'problem' in coming weeks, alas) and the details blur very quickly. Therefore, as has become my practice on this blog, I will be more impressionistic than narrative in my style in what follows.
The Rangers scored against us pretty early, in my first shift. It was one on one as their forward crossed the blue near the boards, I was coming back from a more central position and should have had him covered but I lacked the urgency a D needs in moments like this and he got clear beneath me and took his shot. I put the goal down to my failure to engage properly, and the fact that I did so due the fact that my body hadn't yet awoken to the fact that I was playing my third hockey game of the day.
I'm not sure of the details of the play that led to their second goal, but do know that I was battling in front of our crease to keep our goalie clear. I think I achieved this aim, but took a couple stick blows to the helmet while doing it. My only real surprise was that, while the ref's saw the goal clear, they didn't see me getting hit around the head twice. Sigh.
We scored shortly after I hopped off the ice late in the first period.
I was on for their third goal, relatively early in the second period. Again, the shot came in from the outside and again I was holding up my man from crowding the crease. I was doing what I needed to do and didn't feel too guilty about it afterwards (same as the second goal).
About midway through the second period our young centre got deliberately boarded at full speed pretty well right in front of our bench. It was a mean and dirty hit and quite upsetting to see. Our centre played out the rest of the period on the wing and then didn't return to the game due back pain. The opposition guy copped a minor penalty for the hit. Unsurprisingly, the game acquired an edge from this moment on.
We'd been playing with four D and two lines prior to Baden's injury. From towards the end of the second period (when it became obvious he couldn't continue to play at all) we started playing with 3D. They scored two more goals before the end of the game, we scored one. I was on the ice for our goal (though uninvolved in any real fashion) but not theirs.
In the last period I played probably my best hockey, keeping the puck in their zone on a number of occasions by multiple interceptions, soccer skills, etc, clearing it from ours, taking them on along the boards and tying them up to the point of uselessness in front of goal. I also managed to pick up a two minute penalty for hooking with about twenty seconds to go (a nice way to end the season, in the penalty box!).
Perhaps the strongest memories were three different forwards of theirs getting upset at me for totally being concentrated on them when they were in the slot and not even caring where the puck was or what the play was doing. I've never before had any forward take exception to the fact that I do this, let alone voice it to me. All three took a moment out from our struggle to tell me where the play was, or where the puck was, and asked/told me to direct my attention there.
Two of the three I didn't even deign to reply except to give them a bit of a shove. My favorite personal memory was having the forward who'd put the illegal hit on our player look me in my eyes as I stood right up against and staring at him ask me, "What are you looking at?"
"You. You're special."
"The puck's over there," using his eyes to glance over my shoulder.
No reply. Shove.
"The play's over there!" Frustrated.
Shove. Stick lift.
The play moved on and we cleared it from our zone. The forward used this as his opportunity to back away from me and skate off.
"We'll be keeping a special eye out for you in future!" I skated off for the end of my shift. Indeed.
The other two gave me a big grin and congratulated me on an 'excellent game' during the handshake. The dirty player, on the other hand, didn't meet my eyes for the remainder of the game after our goalfront encounter (including when I was controlling the gap on him resulting in a successful poke check) and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there by the time I shook his hand (I wonder what others of the Knights had said to him by that point, I said nothing and was deadpan in expression).
GP 16 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 10/4/1/1 PIMs 14
Ice 4
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Game Day - Knights (2) d Flyers (1)
On Sunday night we played the Flyers for the second time this season. The Flyers are defending a premiership. We haven't beaten them in three seasons. They'd beaten us by five goals when we met before xmas. They had lost a couple of games recently and, for the first time since round two, been knocked out of first spot on the ladder (by the Blades, after their victory over us the night before). Therefore, we knew they'd be keener even than usual for a win.
Against this, we knew that if we are to avoid a playoff elimination game we had to win this one. Anything less would leave our playoff chances subject to the results of other games. So we also had a pretty good 'meta-reason' to win the game. The fact that we had ten skaters against their seven wasn't going to be as decisive as it ordinarily would have been as we were playing within twenty four hours of our shootout defeat to the Blades. Both teams are known as fairly aggressive. It was going to be a tough game.
We ran with four defencemen for the first two periods, switcing it up in the final period to only three on the rotation. I was on the ice for their goal, and for both of ours had only literally just stepped off the ice at the end of a shift as they went in.
From memory, they had us under severe attack in the first period, outshooting us about 10 to 2. In a sense we were lucky to be tied at 1-1, and owed the game at this stage to Tommy the Goalie (do teams owe every game they win to their goalie?). He was definitely on fire, stopping everything they could throw at him except a hard shot from the inside of the offensive dot which deflected just enough of the shaft of my stick go over the top of Tommy's glove and into the back of the net. I felt slightly responsible but those are the risks of getting in the way.
We went up by a goal in the second period, which was much more even in terms of shots than the first had been. The game was being fought out significantly in the neutral zone and I was getting an edge on their lesser players around our goalfront, especially as some of their fancier skaters realised that I didn't need to be as good a skater as they were to screw up their plans. Similarly, their larger more bullish players were beginning to understand that I was still willing to take them on and was willing to work hard to put myself into a position of advantage to do so.
Probably the most heart stopping moment I had on the bench was when one of their larger wingers found himself on a breakaway 1 on 0 against our goalie, and blew the shot. Go Tommy! Ealier in the period the same winger had started tapping my stick to irritate me, but I had tapped him back and we had just got to the point where a ref was skating over in case he had to get between us when I skated off with a small moral victory under my belt. I'm not great fan of bullyish intimidation, so I enjoyed this fellow fluffing his shot later.
Both teams were physically tiring by the end of the second period, though you could guarantee we'd all come out strong after a couple minutes rest and it would boil down to a battle of wills in the final few minutes. Which is the way it turned out to be.
The game's pace picked up again in the third period, with strong forays being made by both sides and good goal keeping at both ends. Penalties began to flow, but they tended to be matching and thus there was no outsized disparity such as the last period had seen (when we had killed off about at minute at 5 on 3, and then the remainder of the regular powerplay).
Entering the final minutes I was pretty convinced that, as tired as we all were, they would be battling the effects of fatigue on their decision making abilities as well as, in their less conditioned players at least, the effects of 'jelly legs' due having only seven skaters. Against this, they were a more well drilled unit, with back passing forwards, late trailing snipers, set plays at face offs and a history of winning, so we battened down the hatches and put in our hardest minutes of the game.
For me, this was perhaps typified best in the following three incidents. In the first, I blocked a shot by closing the space on the same forward who had deflected one into the net in the first period, in an almost identical situation (I'd also blocked a low shot in the second, with the front of my boot (which stung a little for awhile)).
The second incident occured as they came in on one of several forays on our right wing resulting in our centre battling with theirs on the boards. Their winger was waiting several feet away to take the plunder. I knew he was a slick skater and had a good snapshot, so proceeded to involve myself with him to the point that, as soon as the puck was in our reach, he was on the ice. He started to complain aloud to me, so I told him to 'stop your whining' as I skated off after the puck to clear it.
The third was on the opposite boards, when I was first to the puck and consequently became involved in a board tussle. I did my best just to hold the puck in, push it forward. He, on the other hand, was trying to strip it and concentrating more on me than the puck. As a consequence, the butt end of his stick ended up in my sternum with some force just as the whistle stopped play for a roughing penalty against my opponent.
I saw out the game on the ice, almost in a penalty killing role as they pulled their goalie with a half minute to go (we'd kept the puck in their end for at least a couple minutes before that).
It was a sweet victory indeed.
Our team game was more measured than it has been before, more deliberate passes finding their target, more holding onto the puck to make smarter decisions, a greater willingess to carry it if opportunity presented, less undisciplined play, smoother line changes, greater support, better breakouts (even I carried it behind our goal at least three times, on one of those occasions even doing a reverse of direction to shake the forechecking forward). I think our coach would be reasonably proud.
I was pretty happy with my game. I lost my edges a lost less than the night before, got several shots off (including a couple that ended in the goalie's glove), did some nice breakout passes, managed to contain their best forward and disarmed the others, stood protectively over our goalie on a number of plays. I was surprised to see at the end of the game that my average heart rate and VO2 were both significantly less than the night before, the effort had seemed just as intense.
There's a lesson in that, what with a heavy hockey weekend coming up (four short inline games at the Viking Cup, followed by the final game of regular season on the ice, when we play the Rangers in a game of importance to both teams as we head into playoffs).
GP 15 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 10/3/3/1 PIMs 12
Ice 3
Against this, we knew that if we are to avoid a playoff elimination game we had to win this one. Anything less would leave our playoff chances subject to the results of other games. So we also had a pretty good 'meta-reason' to win the game. The fact that we had ten skaters against their seven wasn't going to be as decisive as it ordinarily would have been as we were playing within twenty four hours of our shootout defeat to the Blades. Both teams are known as fairly aggressive. It was going to be a tough game.
We ran with four defencemen for the first two periods, switcing it up in the final period to only three on the rotation. I was on the ice for their goal, and for both of ours had only literally just stepped off the ice at the end of a shift as they went in.
From memory, they had us under severe attack in the first period, outshooting us about 10 to 2. In a sense we were lucky to be tied at 1-1, and owed the game at this stage to Tommy the Goalie (do teams owe every game they win to their goalie?). He was definitely on fire, stopping everything they could throw at him except a hard shot from the inside of the offensive dot which deflected just enough of the shaft of my stick go over the top of Tommy's glove and into the back of the net. I felt slightly responsible but those are the risks of getting in the way.
We went up by a goal in the second period, which was much more even in terms of shots than the first had been. The game was being fought out significantly in the neutral zone and I was getting an edge on their lesser players around our goalfront, especially as some of their fancier skaters realised that I didn't need to be as good a skater as they were to screw up their plans. Similarly, their larger more bullish players were beginning to understand that I was still willing to take them on and was willing to work hard to put myself into a position of advantage to do so.
Probably the most heart stopping moment I had on the bench was when one of their larger wingers found himself on a breakaway 1 on 0 against our goalie, and blew the shot. Go Tommy! Ealier in the period the same winger had started tapping my stick to irritate me, but I had tapped him back and we had just got to the point where a ref was skating over in case he had to get between us when I skated off with a small moral victory under my belt. I'm not great fan of bullyish intimidation, so I enjoyed this fellow fluffing his shot later.
Both teams were physically tiring by the end of the second period, though you could guarantee we'd all come out strong after a couple minutes rest and it would boil down to a battle of wills in the final few minutes. Which is the way it turned out to be.
The game's pace picked up again in the third period, with strong forays being made by both sides and good goal keeping at both ends. Penalties began to flow, but they tended to be matching and thus there was no outsized disparity such as the last period had seen (when we had killed off about at minute at 5 on 3, and then the remainder of the regular powerplay).
Entering the final minutes I was pretty convinced that, as tired as we all were, they would be battling the effects of fatigue on their decision making abilities as well as, in their less conditioned players at least, the effects of 'jelly legs' due having only seven skaters. Against this, they were a more well drilled unit, with back passing forwards, late trailing snipers, set plays at face offs and a history of winning, so we battened down the hatches and put in our hardest minutes of the game.
For me, this was perhaps typified best in the following three incidents. In the first, I blocked a shot by closing the space on the same forward who had deflected one into the net in the first period, in an almost identical situation (I'd also blocked a low shot in the second, with the front of my boot (which stung a little for awhile)).
The second incident occured as they came in on one of several forays on our right wing resulting in our centre battling with theirs on the boards. Their winger was waiting several feet away to take the plunder. I knew he was a slick skater and had a good snapshot, so proceeded to involve myself with him to the point that, as soon as the puck was in our reach, he was on the ice. He started to complain aloud to me, so I told him to 'stop your whining' as I skated off after the puck to clear it.
The third was on the opposite boards, when I was first to the puck and consequently became involved in a board tussle. I did my best just to hold the puck in, push it forward. He, on the other hand, was trying to strip it and concentrating more on me than the puck. As a consequence, the butt end of his stick ended up in my sternum with some force just as the whistle stopped play for a roughing penalty against my opponent.
I saw out the game on the ice, almost in a penalty killing role as they pulled their goalie with a half minute to go (we'd kept the puck in their end for at least a couple minutes before that).
It was a sweet victory indeed.
Our team game was more measured than it has been before, more deliberate passes finding their target, more holding onto the puck to make smarter decisions, a greater willingess to carry it if opportunity presented, less undisciplined play, smoother line changes, greater support, better breakouts (even I carried it behind our goal at least three times, on one of those occasions even doing a reverse of direction to shake the forechecking forward). I think our coach would be reasonably proud.
I was pretty happy with my game. I lost my edges a lost less than the night before, got several shots off (including a couple that ended in the goalie's glove), did some nice breakout passes, managed to contain their best forward and disarmed the others, stood protectively over our goalie on a number of plays. I was surprised to see at the end of the game that my average heart rate and VO2 were both significantly less than the night before, the effort had seemed just as intense.
There's a lesson in that, what with a heavy hockey weekend coming up (four short inline games at the Viking Cup, followed by the final game of regular season on the ice, when we play the Rangers in a game of importance to both teams as we head into playoffs).
GP 15 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 10/3/3/1 PIMs 12
Ice 3
Sunday, 17 January 2016
Game Day - Blades (5) d Knights (4) SO
We lost last night's game in a shootout, having first surrendered a first period lead of 2-0 and then, in the third, struggling to score an equaliser to even get to a shootout. In that sense, it was a disappointing outing. Part of the disappointment arises from the fact that I was involved with three of their goals, albeit being on the ice for all of ours also. On the other hand, I/we can play better than we did and as a result I am pretty certain that we can beat this team should we meet them in the playoffs.
We had nine skaters again, same as the Blades.
My takeaway lessons from the game mainly centre around the goals that we allowed when I was on the ice. For the first, I was backing in and keeping their guy on the outside. I could maybe have closed the gap on him a little but was playing conservative. I'd only picked him up late (as he entered the zone) due fact my partner further up had been caught flat footed and I was picking up the pieces. The shot went in from above the hashmarks, probably just above the dot. I don't think that any real blame attaches to me for this one.
The second goal was one where I had inside position between winger and goal, had kept him from screening our goalie, had my stick under his as the pass came in from the corner, and yet still totally failed to disrupt the subsequent shot. A sticklift or a good shove would have been all it took to neutralise the eventual scorer.
The third was one that was fairly regretable. I'd pulled up at our post as our centre carried the puck behind the goal. Somehow he lost his footing and went down, to be pounced on by a pursuing forward. I dropped back and was shouting at our guy to 'get up', trying to step over him to get back in front of the net as the forward steamed off. I was still emerging from behind the net when the pass came in to the open winger in front of the open goal (Tommy was covering the shot). It was especially painful to watch from my position because I knew exactly where I would have been if not snarled up behind the net.
Lest it seem like it was all doom and gloom, it wasn't. I blocked a couple shots solidly, helped kill off their one power play, tied up a forward in front of our net several times, carried and reset several times, played ping pong on the blue line at least once, took several shots of which two ended up in the mitt and, most gratifyingly, seemed to get a lot of passes onto a friendly stick (generally board passes, though not always). I iced it once on a long pass that sailed past a dreaming forward who wasn't watching the play (frustrating).
Conditioning held up again; peak HR of 195 (avg 170), EPOC of 109 ml/kg, VO2 of 38 ml/kg/min. What will be really interesting is whether I can replicate this again tomorrow, and at the same time play smarter deep in our own zone, in what is arguably the most important game of our season.
GP 14 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +7 9/3/1/1 PIMs 12
Ice - 2
We had nine skaters again, same as the Blades.
My takeaway lessons from the game mainly centre around the goals that we allowed when I was on the ice. For the first, I was backing in and keeping their guy on the outside. I could maybe have closed the gap on him a little but was playing conservative. I'd only picked him up late (as he entered the zone) due fact my partner further up had been caught flat footed and I was picking up the pieces. The shot went in from above the hashmarks, probably just above the dot. I don't think that any real blame attaches to me for this one.
The second goal was one where I had inside position between winger and goal, had kept him from screening our goalie, had my stick under his as the pass came in from the corner, and yet still totally failed to disrupt the subsequent shot. A sticklift or a good shove would have been all it took to neutralise the eventual scorer.
The third was one that was fairly regretable. I'd pulled up at our post as our centre carried the puck behind the goal. Somehow he lost his footing and went down, to be pounced on by a pursuing forward. I dropped back and was shouting at our guy to 'get up', trying to step over him to get back in front of the net as the forward steamed off. I was still emerging from behind the net when the pass came in to the open winger in front of the open goal (Tommy was covering the shot). It was especially painful to watch from my position because I knew exactly where I would have been if not snarled up behind the net.
Lest it seem like it was all doom and gloom, it wasn't. I blocked a couple shots solidly, helped kill off their one power play, tied up a forward in front of our net several times, carried and reset several times, played ping pong on the blue line at least once, took several shots of which two ended up in the mitt and, most gratifyingly, seemed to get a lot of passes onto a friendly stick (generally board passes, though not always). I iced it once on a long pass that sailed past a dreaming forward who wasn't watching the play (frustrating).
Conditioning held up again; peak HR of 195 (avg 170), EPOC of 109 ml/kg, VO2 of 38 ml/kg/min. What will be really interesting is whether I can replicate this again tomorrow, and at the same time play smarter deep in our own zone, in what is arguably the most important game of our season.
GP 14 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +7 9/3/1/1 PIMs 12
Ice - 2
Saturday, 16 January 2016
Game Day - Knights (3) d Predators (2)
A good win to the Knights on our return to the ice from mid-season xmas break. Also, to break in our brand new jerseys, complete with names on the backs of them (this is a sought after milestone in its own right to me, having my own named jersey). We had nine skaters. This was a couple more than I'd expected and very welcome as the Pred's had eleven. We had Tommy in goal.
I played my usual role in defence though, being the only regular defender present had to play a more conservative game than perhaps I normally would have. Even so, I was directly tied up in the (non) plays which resulted in both of their goals early in the second period. On the first, I was backing up from their carrying forward and as I crossed the blue line I dropped my guard on him due the fact that my rookie partner made a play onto him and I therefore started looking for another assignment so that we weren't both tied up on the one player. The attacker utilised the momentary confusion created to put on the breaks, creating more space to take an unexpected shot that sailed through.
Their second goal was put through not long afterwards. Again, confusion between me and the rookie. This time, I was on the bench and watching the play deep in our zone when the D who was coming off came in exhausted from the forward lines, totally outside my field of vision, and several valuable seconds were therefore wasted before I was able to skate into our zone and the action. By the time I got there they'd released a shot and scored again.
We put in our first goal late in the second period. I wasn't closely watching the play, having just passed it up ice to get us into our zone. I had just stepped off the ice to the bench when our score went in. We went in at the second intermission 2-1 down, but fairly confident due the fact that we had put more shots on goal than they had and seemed to be skating stronger (despite having fewer skaters).
The third period was hard hockey. We scored early in the period to tie it up at 2-2 and then it was a game of punch and counter punch until we put another in with about two minutes to go. Almost immediately afterwards Stewey took a boarding penalty and we had to play out the entirety of the closing minutes in our own zone a man down against six skaters (they'd pulled their goalie). There were about six faceoffs in that small amount of time and it was a blessed relief when the final siren went.
I took a hooking penalty early in the third, playing catch up to one of their fast skaters who almost had a breakaway. I managed to impede him by grabbing his stick with mine and keeping it elevated as we raced for the puck and had no complaints about the penalty when the whistle went. Importantly for me, they didn't score on the powerplay. Mine was only one of three which we took in the final period. Not something we wish to repeat in the next few games against more disciplined forward units.
The Preds didn't feature a strong forecheck and thus on occasion allowed me time to hold the puck for a stretch pass to the forward blue line or carry it up past the centreline before passing it on.
The defence game
Early in the first period I had a crunching collision with one of their rushing wingers shortly after he'd crossed the blue. Not quite sure now how it came about but I do recall being faced with a choice and choosing not to surrender the ice as I saw him barreling into the same ice I was heading to. So, we both landed heavily on the ice (I was up and off pretty quickly, I gathered that he felt he'd been blitzed and was hence a bit delayed).
Later in the period I spent an entire shift holding the blue line, sprinting to cover both sides and the centre, finding time to pinch forward and take one of our team's only two shots for the period (they got off seven) and, on the one occasion I let the puck cross back into the neutral zone, I still managed to collect it and hold it until everyone was back on side before passing it forward again. Quite a shift.
I was described as 'tenacious' as I returned to the bench at the end of a shift late in the second period. I had spent the whole shift covering the D zone, alternating between racing to the corners and holding station in front of the creaset, blocking shooting lanes from the point, directing traffic as last man back while holding up the tide by controlling the gap. I thought being a 'Tenacious D' is a great thing and did my best to keep it going for the rest of the game. We outshot them10-7 this period, which perhaps gave rise to a certain confidence even though we were down 2-1 at the end of it.
The final period was great fun, especially once the game had been tied and the pressure increased with every minute. Their senior players pushed forward, exerting their size and strength. I had one such try to dominate the netfront while his comrade fought for, and eventually won, possession of the puck in the corner. I quickly assessed my opponent as not being easily susceptable to simply being shoved out of the danger zone, saved my ferocity until it came time to prevent him screening our goalie or otherwise interfering with our defence. I totally tied him up for the important five or so seconds, leaving him unexpectedly impotent after he'd thought he'd have it all over me.
The other key play I recall in the third (besides blocking a shot with my armoured thigh) involved losing my footing in the slot during the final desperate half minute, pulling the puck in with my stick as I got to my knees, sensing three opponents swooping on me from different directions while my team mates scambled back towards me and, while still on my knees, protecting the puck, deking it (!) around an opponent's questing blade, and then tapping it with a deft backhand slowly into the corner to use up a few more valuable seconds.
We outshot them 10-6 in the the third period, 22-20 for the game. Considering we were down two of our regular defenders for the evening, everyone rose to the occasion. We will have to step it up another notch in the coming weeks, the teams we face play a harder game than that which we've faced recently.
I played my most consistent game to date on the ice, keeping up a high energy level for the entire game. My increased general level of fitness, specifically combined with my training program over the previous two weeks, allowed for a much improved return to the ice than last year's effort coming out of the mid season break. Perhaps most hearteningly, I wasn't the only one who showed signs of having made some effort towards play off fitness.
GP 13 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 9/3/1 12 PIMs
Ice 1
I played my usual role in defence though, being the only regular defender present had to play a more conservative game than perhaps I normally would have. Even so, I was directly tied up in the (non) plays which resulted in both of their goals early in the second period. On the first, I was backing up from their carrying forward and as I crossed the blue line I dropped my guard on him due the fact that my rookie partner made a play onto him and I therefore started looking for another assignment so that we weren't both tied up on the one player. The attacker utilised the momentary confusion created to put on the breaks, creating more space to take an unexpected shot that sailed through.
Their second goal was put through not long afterwards. Again, confusion between me and the rookie. This time, I was on the bench and watching the play deep in our zone when the D who was coming off came in exhausted from the forward lines, totally outside my field of vision, and several valuable seconds were therefore wasted before I was able to skate into our zone and the action. By the time I got there they'd released a shot and scored again.
We put in our first goal late in the second period. I wasn't closely watching the play, having just passed it up ice to get us into our zone. I had just stepped off the ice to the bench when our score went in. We went in at the second intermission 2-1 down, but fairly confident due the fact that we had put more shots on goal than they had and seemed to be skating stronger (despite having fewer skaters).
The third period was hard hockey. We scored early in the period to tie it up at 2-2 and then it was a game of punch and counter punch until we put another in with about two minutes to go. Almost immediately afterwards Stewey took a boarding penalty and we had to play out the entirety of the closing minutes in our own zone a man down against six skaters (they'd pulled their goalie). There were about six faceoffs in that small amount of time and it was a blessed relief when the final siren went.
I took a hooking penalty early in the third, playing catch up to one of their fast skaters who almost had a breakaway. I managed to impede him by grabbing his stick with mine and keeping it elevated as we raced for the puck and had no complaints about the penalty when the whistle went. Importantly for me, they didn't score on the powerplay. Mine was only one of three which we took in the final period. Not something we wish to repeat in the next few games against more disciplined forward units.
The Preds didn't feature a strong forecheck and thus on occasion allowed me time to hold the puck for a stretch pass to the forward blue line or carry it up past the centreline before passing it on.
The defence game
Early in the first period I had a crunching collision with one of their rushing wingers shortly after he'd crossed the blue. Not quite sure now how it came about but I do recall being faced with a choice and choosing not to surrender the ice as I saw him barreling into the same ice I was heading to. So, we both landed heavily on the ice (I was up and off pretty quickly, I gathered that he felt he'd been blitzed and was hence a bit delayed).
Later in the period I spent an entire shift holding the blue line, sprinting to cover both sides and the centre, finding time to pinch forward and take one of our team's only two shots for the period (they got off seven) and, on the one occasion I let the puck cross back into the neutral zone, I still managed to collect it and hold it until everyone was back on side before passing it forward again. Quite a shift.
I was described as 'tenacious' as I returned to the bench at the end of a shift late in the second period. I had spent the whole shift covering the D zone, alternating between racing to the corners and holding station in front of the creaset, blocking shooting lanes from the point, directing traffic as last man back while holding up the tide by controlling the gap. I thought being a 'Tenacious D' is a great thing and did my best to keep it going for the rest of the game. We outshot them10-7 this period, which perhaps gave rise to a certain confidence even though we were down 2-1 at the end of it.
The final period was great fun, especially once the game had been tied and the pressure increased with every minute. Their senior players pushed forward, exerting their size and strength. I had one such try to dominate the netfront while his comrade fought for, and eventually won, possession of the puck in the corner. I quickly assessed my opponent as not being easily susceptable to simply being shoved out of the danger zone, saved my ferocity until it came time to prevent him screening our goalie or otherwise interfering with our defence. I totally tied him up for the important five or so seconds, leaving him unexpectedly impotent after he'd thought he'd have it all over me.
The other key play I recall in the third (besides blocking a shot with my armoured thigh) involved losing my footing in the slot during the final desperate half minute, pulling the puck in with my stick as I got to my knees, sensing three opponents swooping on me from different directions while my team mates scambled back towards me and, while still on my knees, protecting the puck, deking it (!) around an opponent's questing blade, and then tapping it with a deft backhand slowly into the corner to use up a few more valuable seconds.
We outshot them 10-6 in the the third period, 22-20 for the game. Considering we were down two of our regular defenders for the evening, everyone rose to the occasion. We will have to step it up another notch in the coming weeks, the teams we face play a harder game than that which we've faced recently.
I played my most consistent game to date on the ice, keeping up a high energy level for the entire game. My increased general level of fitness, specifically combined with my training program over the previous two weeks, allowed for a much improved return to the ice than last year's effort coming out of the mid season break. Perhaps most hearteningly, I wasn't the only one who showed signs of having made some effort towards play off fitness.
GP 13 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 9/3/1 12 PIMs
Ice 1
Monday, 4 January 2016
2016 - Welcome!
It's a month and a half since I last posted, the first lengthy break I've had from posting on this blog since it began. It's funny how being slack with one game day review leads to a procrastinating guilty failure to blog the next, and the training session, and the milestones, and before you know it months can go by and then, no doubt, you can think 'why bother?' and that becomes the end of it all. So, to avoid the last terminal step, I've posted this up in an effort to catch up with where my journey's taken me, and kick start the blogging process into the new year of skating, hockey and general all-round fitness and fun!
Ice Hockey Games Summary
Five games since last posting:
Rangers (2) d Knights (1) 4 PIMs
Knights (5) d Kings (3) +2
Knights (3) d Storm (1)
Knights (9) d Generals (4) +2 0-2-2 2 PIMs
Knights (3) d Sharks (1) +1
GP 12 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 8/3/1 10 PIMS
The Knights are a game clear in 3rd position on the ladder. Starting on January 10th we play four games over three weeks to finish off the regular season. We haven't quite clinched a playoff spot but are getting close. I've continued to play defence, generally on the first pairing (when we have pairs and are not just rotating between three of us).
Roller Hockey Game Summary
Three games since last posting:
Mavericks (11) d Shufflers (0) +6 4-1-5 2 PIMS
Snipers (5) d Mavericks (4) 2-0-2
Mavericks (5) d Shufflers (4) +2 3-1-4
GP 6 G 16 A 9 Pts 25 +19 5/1/0 6 PIMS
The Mavericks are on top of the ladder due a superior goal tally and difference, though tied on points with the Snipers. We have four games left in regular season, starting in February, followed by an elimination game and (hopefully) a grand final. I am leading the Division in points, goals and assists. For the first time since I played, all four teams have a degree of parity at the moment and it is a really good competition.
On-rink training Summary
4 inline training sessions at Gawler, the most recent being on 2 December.
8 ice training sessions, the most recent being 15 December.
2 public ice skating sessions, the most recent being 30 December.
I'll deal with my off-rink training, fitness data, and general thoughts in a later post. For now, I'll leave it all by saying that I was on the ice 74 times over 2015 and in my inline skates 65 times. It was a pretty good year!
Ice 74
Inline 65
Ice Hockey Games Summary
Five games since last posting:
Rangers (2) d Knights (1) 4 PIMs
Knights (5) d Kings (3) +2
Knights (3) d Storm (1)
Knights (9) d Generals (4) +2 0-2-2 2 PIMs
Knights (3) d Sharks (1) +1
GP 12 G 2 A 3 Pts 5 +6 8/3/1 10 PIMS
The Knights are a game clear in 3rd position on the ladder. Starting on January 10th we play four games over three weeks to finish off the regular season. We haven't quite clinched a playoff spot but are getting close. I've continued to play defence, generally on the first pairing (when we have pairs and are not just rotating between three of us).
Roller Hockey Game Summary
Three games since last posting:
Mavericks (11) d Shufflers (0) +6 4-1-5 2 PIMS
Snipers (5) d Mavericks (4) 2-0-2
Mavericks (5) d Shufflers (4) +2 3-1-4
GP 6 G 16 A 9 Pts 25 +19 5/1/0 6 PIMS
The Mavericks are on top of the ladder due a superior goal tally and difference, though tied on points with the Snipers. We have four games left in regular season, starting in February, followed by an elimination game and (hopefully) a grand final. I am leading the Division in points, goals and assists. For the first time since I played, all four teams have a degree of parity at the moment and it is a really good competition.
On-rink training Summary
4 inline training sessions at Gawler, the most recent being on 2 December.
8 ice training sessions, the most recent being 15 December.
2 public ice skating sessions, the most recent being 30 December.
I'll deal with my off-rink training, fitness data, and general thoughts in a later post. For now, I'll leave it all by saying that I was on the ice 74 times over 2015 and in my inline skates 65 times. It was a pretty good year!
Ice 74
Inline 65
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Game Day - Flyers (7) d Knights (2)
The Knights got trounced in our most recent Sunday night game against the Flyers. We had nine skaters, they had ten. We had Tommy in goal and they had Matt. Justine managed our bench. The Flyers seized second spot on the ladder from us as mid season approaches, we dropped down to fourth.
The first box score event in the game was an interference penalty against myself. This was the second game in a row I've been penalised. Hopefully I won't make a habit of it, as this one resulted in their first goal on the subsequent power play. I had taken Justine's edict to 'keep our house clean' quite literally had been quite savage in my netfront push and shove. Sadly, I also 'tended the garden' (was pushing a player out of the high slot away from the play) and my opponent ended up on his arse after losing his balance. Fair call. And this player didn't try and crowd our goalie for the rest of the night when I was on the ice, so who knows if it was worth the goal?
In any event, I think I stirred up the guy I'd been pushing around because he got pinged for tripping on the very next shift after their goal. My impression at the time was that he was trying to do to one of our guys what I'd been doing to him earlier (using body press to ease him out of the way) and somehow lost control of his stick. Gave me a nice warm feeling!
Be that as it may, they scored on the resultant power play and we were behind 1-0. We responded with a goal fairly shortly afterwards on a play after we had managed to keep it in the zone after a bit of a battle in centre ice. The Flyers closed out the period with a further goal and went into the break 2-1 up.
The second period was a bit of a disaster for us, with them scoring two goals in the first minute. The first came from a play that started at the centre face off and into our zone in my corner. I was too slow getting to it with a weak stick as one of their guns stormed in and proceeded to carry it around towards the back of our net. I was in pursuit, sorting trajectories in my mind and thus missed my opportunity to cut him off (which I probably could have done if I hadn't hesitated). Thus he emerged around the other end with my close behind. He spread a bit wider as I drew up covering the post. End result, he had a passing lane open up to open player in slot who in turn had an open goal as Tommy scrambled back from covering the wrap around attempt. Their fourth goal came less than a minute later, this time from a defensive zone faceoff in which their centre seized the puck and stormed the goal with a simple tap in to take them to 4-1.
Justine called a time out and told us to get into gear and inject a bit of passion into our play. As speeches go it was pretty good and you could see the difference on the next faceoff, with our guys now looking like we wanted to win the race and get the puck. Sadly, our renewed effort didn't prevent them scoring twice more in the period (albeit, we scored once on a coast to coast soire by Cam who somehow turned their whole team into pylons and their goalie into a straw man). There were also a couple of penalties.
I was on ice for both of their goals, though didn't then and don't now think I could or should have done anything different myself. On the first, I was covering my man as the puck crossed the blue line along the opposite boards. Their forward put in a long range softish shot onto net (hoping for rebounds etc) and I watched it fly into the net from a distance as I applied the brakes to my own player. It was a catch Tommy would ordinarily have made.
Their fourth goal of the quarter was one where again I was pressing back against my own player as I applied the brakes weakside, saw out of the corner of my eye the puck carrier on opposite side sidle around Mike and drop it in with a soft poke.
I was on for our power play, involved a sequence where I was on point and retreived the puck six times in one shift, once passing it deep to the corner, once to the boards behind the net, and four times into the scrum on the catcher's mit. I pinched only the once, but did have to scramble once to keep it on the line as I got to my feet after a struggle on the board's, found time and space for the shot though!
We got called for a penalty just before the siren, went into the break shorthanded and 6-2 down. In the few seconds of power play that they had, I managed to get on the back of a breakaway and just clip the shooters stick as he swung. He was cursing under his breath at the shot went high and the siren went. I don't think he realised I was his undoing.
The third period was a little less dramatic in terms of the scoreboard (they scored once more with five minutes to go) but I worked my arse off. Highlights for myself included being on the penalty kill and mangling their powerplay effectively, getting involved in a scrap on the boards which resulted in me and my opponent on the ice but the puck leaving the zone, a couple of blocked shots and a nice play beginning with winning the race to seize the puck off the backboards, skating through a light stick, deking around the defender on the point and sprinting up the ice on my own to the halfboards at their end. By which time I realised that I was truly on my own out there with four opponents coming in from all directions, so I put a shot on net and into the goalie's glove. The siren went not long afterwards, we went down 7-2.
If you can't gather from the general tone of this post, I was pretty happy with my game despite going -3 for the night and the team being soundly beaten. I created no great disasters, learned from the failed race to and around the boards at the start of the second period (didn't lose any such battles in future, and tied up that particular forward from then on), created a few chances and made some good plays.
Fitness wise, I was not 100% as was still getting the aftereffects of the previous game, hayfever, etc but still put in a tough game without any real performance drop off in the third period.
Next game, November 12 against the Rangers.
GP 7 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +1 4/2/1 PIMS 4
Ice 47
The first box score event in the game was an interference penalty against myself. This was the second game in a row I've been penalised. Hopefully I won't make a habit of it, as this one resulted in their first goal on the subsequent power play. I had taken Justine's edict to 'keep our house clean' quite literally had been quite savage in my netfront push and shove. Sadly, I also 'tended the garden' (was pushing a player out of the high slot away from the play) and my opponent ended up on his arse after losing his balance. Fair call. And this player didn't try and crowd our goalie for the rest of the night when I was on the ice, so who knows if it was worth the goal?
In any event, I think I stirred up the guy I'd been pushing around because he got pinged for tripping on the very next shift after their goal. My impression at the time was that he was trying to do to one of our guys what I'd been doing to him earlier (using body press to ease him out of the way) and somehow lost control of his stick. Gave me a nice warm feeling!
Be that as it may, they scored on the resultant power play and we were behind 1-0. We responded with a goal fairly shortly afterwards on a play after we had managed to keep it in the zone after a bit of a battle in centre ice. The Flyers closed out the period with a further goal and went into the break 2-1 up.
The second period was a bit of a disaster for us, with them scoring two goals in the first minute. The first came from a play that started at the centre face off and into our zone in my corner. I was too slow getting to it with a weak stick as one of their guns stormed in and proceeded to carry it around towards the back of our net. I was in pursuit, sorting trajectories in my mind and thus missed my opportunity to cut him off (which I probably could have done if I hadn't hesitated). Thus he emerged around the other end with my close behind. He spread a bit wider as I drew up covering the post. End result, he had a passing lane open up to open player in slot who in turn had an open goal as Tommy scrambled back from covering the wrap around attempt. Their fourth goal came less than a minute later, this time from a defensive zone faceoff in which their centre seized the puck and stormed the goal with a simple tap in to take them to 4-1.
Justine called a time out and told us to get into gear and inject a bit of passion into our play. As speeches go it was pretty good and you could see the difference on the next faceoff, with our guys now looking like we wanted to win the race and get the puck. Sadly, our renewed effort didn't prevent them scoring twice more in the period (albeit, we scored once on a coast to coast soire by Cam who somehow turned their whole team into pylons and their goalie into a straw man). There were also a couple of penalties.
I was on ice for both of their goals, though didn't then and don't now think I could or should have done anything different myself. On the first, I was covering my man as the puck crossed the blue line along the opposite boards. Their forward put in a long range softish shot onto net (hoping for rebounds etc) and I watched it fly into the net from a distance as I applied the brakes to my own player. It was a catch Tommy would ordinarily have made.
Their fourth goal of the quarter was one where again I was pressing back against my own player as I applied the brakes weakside, saw out of the corner of my eye the puck carrier on opposite side sidle around Mike and drop it in with a soft poke.
I was on for our power play, involved a sequence where I was on point and retreived the puck six times in one shift, once passing it deep to the corner, once to the boards behind the net, and four times into the scrum on the catcher's mit. I pinched only the once, but did have to scramble once to keep it on the line as I got to my feet after a struggle on the board's, found time and space for the shot though!
We got called for a penalty just before the siren, went into the break shorthanded and 6-2 down. In the few seconds of power play that they had, I managed to get on the back of a breakaway and just clip the shooters stick as he swung. He was cursing under his breath at the shot went high and the siren went. I don't think he realised I was his undoing.
The third period was a little less dramatic in terms of the scoreboard (they scored once more with five minutes to go) but I worked my arse off. Highlights for myself included being on the penalty kill and mangling their powerplay effectively, getting involved in a scrap on the boards which resulted in me and my opponent on the ice but the puck leaving the zone, a couple of blocked shots and a nice play beginning with winning the race to seize the puck off the backboards, skating through a light stick, deking around the defender on the point and sprinting up the ice on my own to the halfboards at their end. By which time I realised that I was truly on my own out there with four opponents coming in from all directions, so I put a shot on net and into the goalie's glove. The siren went not long afterwards, we went down 7-2.
If you can't gather from the general tone of this post, I was pretty happy with my game despite going -3 for the night and the team being soundly beaten. I created no great disasters, learned from the failed race to and around the boards at the start of the second period (didn't lose any such battles in future, and tied up that particular forward from then on), created a few chances and made some good plays.
Fitness wise, I was not 100% as was still getting the aftereffects of the previous game, hayfever, etc but still put in a tough game without any real performance drop off in the third period.
Next game, November 12 against the Rangers.
GP 7 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +1 4/2/1 PIMS 4
Ice 47
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Game Day - Blades (3) d Knights (2)
We suffered our first loss of the season last night at the Ice Arena in a top of table clash with one of the new teams, the Blades. We were down a number of players but managed to field nine skaters and Tommy in goal. I think that they had ten skaters, so no major disparity there.
Our main problem was on the blue line. We'd lost Bacon to the Kings, Mike was not available to play, Cam was there but still suffering the aftereffects of the illness that stopped him playing on Saturday and I was only functioning at about 80% (at best). Shifting Jonesy back to join Cam and I on the D was the best we could do, which let us run two lines up front. We ran with this until the back end of the third period when Stewart moved back for a couple shifts on D when Cam couldn't go out any more and I was badly suffering.
They scored early in the First Period, with a virtually unassisted goal to their fast skating, deking hard shooting star from the inside of the upper right circle. At the time it went in I was busy closing the gap to his double, coming in from the other side, coming to a defensive stop just above the crease and moving into his stick as the shot went through. They backed this up early in the Second Period to go to a 2-0 lead. We struck back, closing the game to one goal, before they slotted another shortly before the siren. 3-1 in the last break. The last period was a cracker. We again closed to within a goal early in the period and then it got down to trench warfare. They somehow held us out as our game broke down from the strain. The final siren saw them victorious 3-2.
This was the toughest assignment we've yet had. Our bench was probably the weakest it's been this season, the competition the strongest, but we all put in our absolute best and created a cracking game as a result. The game was played at high intensity and had a degree of ferociousness absent from previous contests. After the game we had nothing left, we'd left it all on the ice. You can't ask for more from a hockey team!
Our worst preventable failings came from our line changes and confusion on the bench. These were most evident in the third period when there were several occasions when we only had four on the ice when we were entitled to have five. There were other times when we were totally out of position at a face off. These failings flowed through to on-ice positioning, with several occasions when both wings were down low in the same defensive corner but the puck was over in the other and a breakout was potentially stalled before it had begun. We also gave away too many penalties (three) to comfortably manage with our short bench.
My own game was a strange hybrid of good and bad. Early, their gun skater was able to get around me on the backcheck, a failing I subsequently remedied by transitioning earlier on his approach thus enabling me to keep the inside track on him to our red line. He started treating me with a little more respect once I had this worked out.
Generally I managed to keep the slot clear of danger, either by shoving them out of position or by lifting their stick at awkward moments. On the blue line I managed to use my feet effectively both on the boards and in the centre. I was more willing to engage along the boards in our corners, prevented any clean take aways or unobstructed passes through the slot. My own passes were still more to position than to a player, and I still found myself clearing it through centre-ice (ironically, picking up our own centre and setting up a play that resulted in our first goal).
My major plus AND minus came about through conditioning and health respectively. I drove myself harder than in previous games, was able to pick up the slack created by Cam's illness through the first two periods as a result. Again, it was a game where I seemed to be 'everywhere', covering forwards on the breakout, my D partner, assiting in the rush, protecting the blue line and the crease. All on top of a short bench, so I was running at the outer end of my ability.
Alas, I was pushing it too hard. By the end of the second period, was feeling tightness in my breathing. After a brutal first shift in the third, this only got worse. I was considering benching myself, but riding the line and was able to get out for a strong second shift in our zone. This culminated in a physical battle which resulted in me being hooked and then myself being called for roughing on the same play (my first ever genuine penalty on the ice!).
During my penalty time, I vacated the bench to get some ventolin in to me, was able to skate out the game at reduced intensity. Not exactly an exercise induced asthma attack like the inline game in May this year, but a bit of a scare never the less. Cause: combination of not enough sleep, wrong diet, sudden and dramatic weather change and resultant very high pollen count, long periods of maximal effort during the first two periods. Solution: better preparation, better management of aerobic resources when at risk.
I was on the ice for one of ours and one of their goals. I incurred my first minor penalty on the ice. At the end of the game, quite a few lessons to learn. And an affirmation of the potential strength of this team, we all stepped up to the mark and played out of our skins to equal them with shots on, blocked shots, took hits, skated until we were totally exhausted at game end, still came out smiling, had the opposition's respect (I got the feeling that they were worried that we would take it despite our chaos and exhaustion, you could see it in their eyes). Our next clash will be an interesting affair.
GP 6 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +4 4/1/1 PIMS 2
Ice 46
Our main problem was on the blue line. We'd lost Bacon to the Kings, Mike was not available to play, Cam was there but still suffering the aftereffects of the illness that stopped him playing on Saturday and I was only functioning at about 80% (at best). Shifting Jonesy back to join Cam and I on the D was the best we could do, which let us run two lines up front. We ran with this until the back end of the third period when Stewart moved back for a couple shifts on D when Cam couldn't go out any more and I was badly suffering.
They scored early in the First Period, with a virtually unassisted goal to their fast skating, deking hard shooting star from the inside of the upper right circle. At the time it went in I was busy closing the gap to his double, coming in from the other side, coming to a defensive stop just above the crease and moving into his stick as the shot went through. They backed this up early in the Second Period to go to a 2-0 lead. We struck back, closing the game to one goal, before they slotted another shortly before the siren. 3-1 in the last break. The last period was a cracker. We again closed to within a goal early in the period and then it got down to trench warfare. They somehow held us out as our game broke down from the strain. The final siren saw them victorious 3-2.
This was the toughest assignment we've yet had. Our bench was probably the weakest it's been this season, the competition the strongest, but we all put in our absolute best and created a cracking game as a result. The game was played at high intensity and had a degree of ferociousness absent from previous contests. After the game we had nothing left, we'd left it all on the ice. You can't ask for more from a hockey team!
Our worst preventable failings came from our line changes and confusion on the bench. These were most evident in the third period when there were several occasions when we only had four on the ice when we were entitled to have five. There were other times when we were totally out of position at a face off. These failings flowed through to on-ice positioning, with several occasions when both wings were down low in the same defensive corner but the puck was over in the other and a breakout was potentially stalled before it had begun. We also gave away too many penalties (three) to comfortably manage with our short bench.
My own game was a strange hybrid of good and bad. Early, their gun skater was able to get around me on the backcheck, a failing I subsequently remedied by transitioning earlier on his approach thus enabling me to keep the inside track on him to our red line. He started treating me with a little more respect once I had this worked out.
Generally I managed to keep the slot clear of danger, either by shoving them out of position or by lifting their stick at awkward moments. On the blue line I managed to use my feet effectively both on the boards and in the centre. I was more willing to engage along the boards in our corners, prevented any clean take aways or unobstructed passes through the slot. My own passes were still more to position than to a player, and I still found myself clearing it through centre-ice (ironically, picking up our own centre and setting up a play that resulted in our first goal).
My major plus AND minus came about through conditioning and health respectively. I drove myself harder than in previous games, was able to pick up the slack created by Cam's illness through the first two periods as a result. Again, it was a game where I seemed to be 'everywhere', covering forwards on the breakout, my D partner, assiting in the rush, protecting the blue line and the crease. All on top of a short bench, so I was running at the outer end of my ability.
Alas, I was pushing it too hard. By the end of the second period, was feeling tightness in my breathing. After a brutal first shift in the third, this only got worse. I was considering benching myself, but riding the line and was able to get out for a strong second shift in our zone. This culminated in a physical battle which resulted in me being hooked and then myself being called for roughing on the same play (my first ever genuine penalty on the ice!).
During my penalty time, I vacated the bench to get some ventolin in to me, was able to skate out the game at reduced intensity. Not exactly an exercise induced asthma attack like the inline game in May this year, but a bit of a scare never the less. Cause: combination of not enough sleep, wrong diet, sudden and dramatic weather change and resultant very high pollen count, long periods of maximal effort during the first two periods. Solution: better preparation, better management of aerobic resources when at risk.
I was on the ice for one of ours and one of their goals. I incurred my first minor penalty on the ice. At the end of the game, quite a few lessons to learn. And an affirmation of the potential strength of this team, we all stepped up to the mark and played out of our skins to equal them with shots on, blocked shots, took hits, skated until we were totally exhausted at game end, still came out smiling, had the opposition's respect (I got the feeling that they were worried that we would take it despite our chaos and exhaustion, you could see it in their eyes). Our next clash will be an interesting affair.
GP 6 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +4 4/1/1 PIMS 2
Ice 46
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Game Day - Knights (3) d Predators (1)
It was always gonna be a tough Saturday afternoon at the Ice Arena as we were up against the Predators. It got tougher with scratchings of Ash, Kerri and Cam. And a couple of those who did skate were not feeling too well but forced themselves along. Cam and Ash helped on the bench, which was great. Tommy was his usual solid self in goal. The Predators had ten skaters, have quite a solid core of big forwards with powerful shots. It was always gonna be a tough game.
First Period was tough. They opened the scoring with a rush down the left board and a shot from the inside of the circle. At the time I was backing towards the crease from the other side, covering a winger who'd joined the rush directly from the bench. At the time of the goal I was looking my man in the eye from about two feet. I played an indirect role in our equaliser shortly afterwards, keeping the puck in the zone with a sort-of-shot from the centre of the blue that got tangled with a body in front of net. While I returned to cover my board the puck went on a pinball path to eventually be slotted by Jonesy(?). 1-1 at the first break.
Second Period was tougher. Both teams played heavy in the neutral zone, penalties started to accumulate (we took one for the night - too many men on the ice, they had two by period end, roughing and butt ending). I started to find my game however, chasing to the backboards and cutting off the centring pass, covering my winger if he dropped too low, finding an outlet pass a couple times, losing my feet at least twice (and taking down at least one Predator each time I did so, except the time that I used my backward sliding feet to intercept the cross ice pass and deflect it into the corner instead of finding the pinching swooping centre in the slot). Generally though, our positioning fell away a bit his period. Neither team had scored again by the second buzzer, still 1-1.
Third Period was equally tough, but by this stage our conditioning was beginning to come up trumps. Only their best and brightest were keeping their speed up (they were always the ones who were a real threat), the rest of their team was fading. Our guys just kept going and concentrated on keeping it fairly tight. It was good to see.
I put in the game winning goal from the point on my second shift. It was one of my usual 'shots', a wrister along the ice with no set up except stepping into the shot. It went through under the goalie's pad right in the corner. It was about my fourth similar style shot from the blue line on the evening and not the strongest of them. Sweet! We backed up with another goal from our forwards and then battened down defensively for the final onslaught over the last five minutes. Somehow we kept them out.
Good win, 3-1.
The Predators had almost as many shots on goal as we did, though they blocked a few more than us. I pinched and got beat once early in the first, played more responsibly after that. I joined the rush on the PP once in the second, apart from that I stayed high in the O zone and tried my best to cover the blue. Generally I was successful. I tried to play stronger on my stick (wider grip) and, when I remembered, it allowed me to keep the puck against opposition a couple of times, take it away from them twice.
I got outskated for speed a couple of times but managed to drive them behind the goal line before they got away from me. I failed to release my lower hand when racing for the puck, will add a couple of paces when I can more consistently do this.
Keeping my eye on the body as I backed up meant that I generally was able to prevent them deking around, when combined with proper gap control. Managed several poke checks, made good use of the boards, put a couple of good passes up to my wingers, still need to work on our breakouts. Managed to surprise one of their guys when he'd taken the puck onto his blade and I proceeded to pass the puck anyway, forcing his stick with mine to get it where I wanted it to go. Good little trick, that!
I was on for all three of our goals as well as theirs. Apparently I was 'everywhere' according to more than one observer. Will have to watch this, ensure that wherever I might be on the ice, I'm where I need to be at the right moment!
GP 5 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +4 4/0/1
Ice 45
Videos to come when I edit can find the time to post them up!
First Period was tough. They opened the scoring with a rush down the left board and a shot from the inside of the circle. At the time I was backing towards the crease from the other side, covering a winger who'd joined the rush directly from the bench. At the time of the goal I was looking my man in the eye from about two feet. I played an indirect role in our equaliser shortly afterwards, keeping the puck in the zone with a sort-of-shot from the centre of the blue that got tangled with a body in front of net. While I returned to cover my board the puck went on a pinball path to eventually be slotted by Jonesy(?). 1-1 at the first break.
Second Period was tougher. Both teams played heavy in the neutral zone, penalties started to accumulate (we took one for the night - too many men on the ice, they had two by period end, roughing and butt ending). I started to find my game however, chasing to the backboards and cutting off the centring pass, covering my winger if he dropped too low, finding an outlet pass a couple times, losing my feet at least twice (and taking down at least one Predator each time I did so, except the time that I used my backward sliding feet to intercept the cross ice pass and deflect it into the corner instead of finding the pinching swooping centre in the slot). Generally though, our positioning fell away a bit his period. Neither team had scored again by the second buzzer, still 1-1.
Third Period was equally tough, but by this stage our conditioning was beginning to come up trumps. Only their best and brightest were keeping their speed up (they were always the ones who were a real threat), the rest of their team was fading. Our guys just kept going and concentrated on keeping it fairly tight. It was good to see.
I put in the game winning goal from the point on my second shift. It was one of my usual 'shots', a wrister along the ice with no set up except stepping into the shot. It went through under the goalie's pad right in the corner. It was about my fourth similar style shot from the blue line on the evening and not the strongest of them. Sweet! We backed up with another goal from our forwards and then battened down defensively for the final onslaught over the last five minutes. Somehow we kept them out.
Good win, 3-1.
The Predators had almost as many shots on goal as we did, though they blocked a few more than us. I pinched and got beat once early in the first, played more responsibly after that. I joined the rush on the PP once in the second, apart from that I stayed high in the O zone and tried my best to cover the blue. Generally I was successful. I tried to play stronger on my stick (wider grip) and, when I remembered, it allowed me to keep the puck against opposition a couple of times, take it away from them twice.
I got outskated for speed a couple of times but managed to drive them behind the goal line before they got away from me. I failed to release my lower hand when racing for the puck, will add a couple of paces when I can more consistently do this.
Keeping my eye on the body as I backed up meant that I generally was able to prevent them deking around, when combined with proper gap control. Managed several poke checks, made good use of the boards, put a couple of good passes up to my wingers, still need to work on our breakouts. Managed to surprise one of their guys when he'd taken the puck onto his blade and I proceeded to pass the puck anyway, forcing his stick with mine to get it where I wanted it to go. Good little trick, that!
I was on for all three of our goals as well as theirs. Apparently I was 'everywhere' according to more than one observer. Will have to watch this, ensure that wherever I might be on the ice, I'm where I need to be at the right moment!
GP 5 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 +4 4/0/1
Ice 45
Videos to come when I edit can find the time to post them up!
Friday, 16 October 2015
Knights Training
Yesterday evening we had a combined Knights/Bombers (and a few friends) training session at the Ice Arena. Neil ran the show in Justine's absence. About twenty skaters and one goalie turned up (including six Knights) making it a pretty busy session for the small ice.
Concentrated on two main drills, performed each side of the ice, and a brief four on four shinny. The first drill involved a pass, receiving it on the breakout, tip and go into the zone, shot. The second drill involved a pair entering the zone, one following the boards wide and deep with the other creating the passing lane into the slot, and a shot. Between the drills was a brief interlude of moving the puck by feet alone.
Passing technique (elbow up, hands forward of hips, puck towards heel of stick, roll and point on release), chin up, use the feet, swift, decisive movements. Stance, grip, width of. Control of the game as the default priority. Creativity.
Again, an offensively oriented session.
The Good - holding my feet, jamming the puck through the pokechecking goalie's five hole, making the pass if I gave myself enough time, co-ordinating with a Bomber on the 2 on 0 to score both times.
The Bad - holding the stick not widely enough, rushing the pass, not always being smooth at speed while carrying the puck.
Ice 44
Concentrated on two main drills, performed each side of the ice, and a brief four on four shinny. The first drill involved a pass, receiving it on the breakout, tip and go into the zone, shot. The second drill involved a pair entering the zone, one following the boards wide and deep with the other creating the passing lane into the slot, and a shot. Between the drills was a brief interlude of moving the puck by feet alone.
Passing technique (elbow up, hands forward of hips, puck towards heel of stick, roll and point on release), chin up, use the feet, swift, decisive movements. Stance, grip, width of. Control of the game as the default priority. Creativity.
Again, an offensively oriented session.
The Good - holding my feet, jamming the puck through the pokechecking goalie's five hole, making the pass if I gave myself enough time, co-ordinating with a Bomber on the 2 on 0 to score both times.
The Bad - holding the stick not widely enough, rushing the pass, not always being smooth at speed while carrying the puck.
Ice 44
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Game Day - Knights (4) d Sharks (0) - and I finally score!
On Sunday afternoon the Knights played their second game in four days, taking on the Sharks at the Adelaide Ice Arena. Both teams had eleven skaters. We had Tommy in goal. Neil coached from the bench for the first period before Justine arrived and took over.
We scored 2 goals in the first period and 2 more in the third. We outshot them in the first two periods, were equal in the third (I souvenired the game sheet). There was one penalty each way. No power play or shorthanded goals were scored. No complaints about the refereeing.
We ran with three D for the first two periods (Bacon, Mike and me) during which time Jonesy and Cam were 1C and 2C and we had three rotating pairs of wingers. It sounds complex but seemed to work reasonably well as it allowed Centres to change independently from the wingers as needs (and conditioning) dictated. As we haven't settled on fixed lines yet there was no real loss of cohesion, and by rotating pairs of wingers we still allowed these players (mainly rookies) to start establishing linemate chemistry never the less. Smart coaching, turning the absence of Baden into some sort advantage (as it allowed each pair to play with both centres).
In the third period Cam moved back to the defence and we ran with four D (giving all four of us a bit of a break in terms of the physical demands of playing either Centre or with only three D). Richard took the 2C job with Steward on one wing and the rotating pair of Griff and Ash on the other. Foxy and Kerri stayed with Jonesy on the first line. These changes took advantage of Cam's experience in return for giving him a 'rest' and allowed Richard a period at Centre. All good, it almost looks like a team structure is forming out of apparent chaos.
My Game
As always, my recollections are a mixture of impressions and lessons.
Lessons first; a need to keep my shifts shorter (especially early in the game) might come down to trusting my team mate's ability to come back out sooner rather than later; keeping my right hand lower on the stick for more stability, strength and better posture; taking the puck behind the net rather than effectively passing up possession out of the corner by sending it to where a winger should be but isn't; work out technique better for trying to move a giant off the puck; a quicker advance into the forecheck and, finally; more reactive defence of 'my' corner off of the crease.
I did reasonably well at keeping attacking puck carriers on the outside. On the three occasions they managed to get past, twice were behind the red line and the other almost so. On three occasions I can recall I took the second forward as they entered the zone, closing the gap and (perhaps) helping to force the offside by causing them to look at me instead of the puck carrier. Needless to say, continued improvement in both these disciplines can only help.
In the crease I managed my space fairly good, picking up loose defenders or late comers, kicking the puck out on one occasion, swatting it to the corner on another, tying up sticks generally.
The battle to keep the puck in the zone was one I generally won more than lost, though will have to get my mind to more quickly react and decide whether to pinch or not. Generally I seem to be able to get away with it, though once in the second when my edge caught as I tried to transition backwards led to a 3 on 1 against until I managed to get up and back. My first period highlight was a shot/pass in after defending the blue, which Kerri picked up and shot in. This was my first official point in ice hockey.
The third period was fairly tough. I took a shot from the corner on my knee armour early on, it really stung despite the kevlar. No bruise, however, and was mobile again within seconds. Their frustrations were beginning to show, resulting in their giant and one of our larger players starting to exchange words and bump chests. Jonesy separated them before it got worse (the irony) and I acted as shotgun and shooed away their only supporting player as the event dissipated. Never gotten close to getting 'involved' before, not sure what to make of it in retrospect.
Finally, my goal. We were comfortably up 3-0 with a few minutes to go when they called a time out. We took advantage of that to get our breath and remind ourselves to batten down defensively and try and get the shutout. We had been good for this as we entered the final minute. I was on our backboard, spotted a pass to a player about half way up the boards in the zone, followed the pass to offer support and cut out the centre from the play (really keen to keep it a shutout). Somehow I got the puck on my stick and pushed it up past their defender on the point, sprinted after it aware that I was now higher than all of our other players, just wanting to get it away from the zone.
The puck was now rolling at high speed down the rink near the boards. I set off in hot pursuit, the only real thought in mind was to prevent an icing and the puck returning to our end for a potential goal in the dying moments of the game.
I looked up as I passed the blue, could see no one in front (not even a goalie). Kept moving, gained control of the puck, took a moment to compose myself (don't fall over, don't miss the puck, don't miss the net) swooped around and tapped it in from about twenty feet. I didn't watch it cross the line, was already looking up and around to make sure I didn't collide with anyone. Grin, raise both hands and one leg in the air as I circle back to my team mates. They are rapt. How cool!
Was told later by a friendly shark that from their bench it had seemed like at one moment the puck was up the far end, then I was skating down the boards 'like the wind' with no-one close to me but several in pursuit. Nice. Got the puck to prove it :).
It only took 31 games.
Well, that about wraps a big game. I was on for three of our goals.
GP 4 G 1 A 1 Pts 2 +2 3/0/1
Ice 43
We scored 2 goals in the first period and 2 more in the third. We outshot them in the first two periods, were equal in the third (I souvenired the game sheet). There was one penalty each way. No power play or shorthanded goals were scored. No complaints about the refereeing.
We ran with three D for the first two periods (Bacon, Mike and me) during which time Jonesy and Cam were 1C and 2C and we had three rotating pairs of wingers. It sounds complex but seemed to work reasonably well as it allowed Centres to change independently from the wingers as needs (and conditioning) dictated. As we haven't settled on fixed lines yet there was no real loss of cohesion, and by rotating pairs of wingers we still allowed these players (mainly rookies) to start establishing linemate chemistry never the less. Smart coaching, turning the absence of Baden into some sort advantage (as it allowed each pair to play with both centres).
In the third period Cam moved back to the defence and we ran with four D (giving all four of us a bit of a break in terms of the physical demands of playing either Centre or with only three D). Richard took the 2C job with Steward on one wing and the rotating pair of Griff and Ash on the other. Foxy and Kerri stayed with Jonesy on the first line. These changes took advantage of Cam's experience in return for giving him a 'rest' and allowed Richard a period at Centre. All good, it almost looks like a team structure is forming out of apparent chaos.
My Game
As always, my recollections are a mixture of impressions and lessons.
Lessons first; a need to keep my shifts shorter (especially early in the game) might come down to trusting my team mate's ability to come back out sooner rather than later; keeping my right hand lower on the stick for more stability, strength and better posture; taking the puck behind the net rather than effectively passing up possession out of the corner by sending it to where a winger should be but isn't; work out technique better for trying to move a giant off the puck; a quicker advance into the forecheck and, finally; more reactive defence of 'my' corner off of the crease.
I did reasonably well at keeping attacking puck carriers on the outside. On the three occasions they managed to get past, twice were behind the red line and the other almost so. On three occasions I can recall I took the second forward as they entered the zone, closing the gap and (perhaps) helping to force the offside by causing them to look at me instead of the puck carrier. Needless to say, continued improvement in both these disciplines can only help.
In the crease I managed my space fairly good, picking up loose defenders or late comers, kicking the puck out on one occasion, swatting it to the corner on another, tying up sticks generally.
The battle to keep the puck in the zone was one I generally won more than lost, though will have to get my mind to more quickly react and decide whether to pinch or not. Generally I seem to be able to get away with it, though once in the second when my edge caught as I tried to transition backwards led to a 3 on 1 against until I managed to get up and back. My first period highlight was a shot/pass in after defending the blue, which Kerri picked up and shot in. This was my first official point in ice hockey.
The third period was fairly tough. I took a shot from the corner on my knee armour early on, it really stung despite the kevlar. No bruise, however, and was mobile again within seconds. Their frustrations were beginning to show, resulting in their giant and one of our larger players starting to exchange words and bump chests. Jonesy separated them before it got worse (the irony) and I acted as shotgun and shooed away their only supporting player as the event dissipated. Never gotten close to getting 'involved' before, not sure what to make of it in retrospect.
Finally, my goal. We were comfortably up 3-0 with a few minutes to go when they called a time out. We took advantage of that to get our breath and remind ourselves to batten down defensively and try and get the shutout. We had been good for this as we entered the final minute. I was on our backboard, spotted a pass to a player about half way up the boards in the zone, followed the pass to offer support and cut out the centre from the play (really keen to keep it a shutout). Somehow I got the puck on my stick and pushed it up past their defender on the point, sprinted after it aware that I was now higher than all of our other players, just wanting to get it away from the zone.
The puck was now rolling at high speed down the rink near the boards. I set off in hot pursuit, the only real thought in mind was to prevent an icing and the puck returning to our end for a potential goal in the dying moments of the game.
I looked up as I passed the blue, could see no one in front (not even a goalie). Kept moving, gained control of the puck, took a moment to compose myself (don't fall over, don't miss the puck, don't miss the net) swooped around and tapped it in from about twenty feet. I didn't watch it cross the line, was already looking up and around to make sure I didn't collide with anyone. Grin, raise both hands and one leg in the air as I circle back to my team mates. They are rapt. How cool!
Was told later by a friendly shark that from their bench it had seemed like at one moment the puck was up the far end, then I was skating down the boards 'like the wind' with no-one close to me but several in pursuit. Nice. Got the puck to prove it :).
It only took 31 games.
Well, that about wraps a big game. I was on for three of our goals.
GP 4 G 1 A 1 Pts 2 +2 3/0/1
Ice 43
Monday, 12 October 2015
Game Day - Knights (4) d Generals (0)
On Thursday we played the late game at the Ice Arena, this time against one of the Division's new teams, the Generals. We had eleven skaters, down one from our first two games, and had Tommy between the pipes. We changed the structuring of our team by switching Jonesy and Cam back onto the D with Mitch and I, and running two offensive lines, one have rotating wings. Baden was our 1C, Richard led the second line. Justine was back and kept us honest.
It is the case with hockey that, if one doesn't record it immediately afterwards, the narrative of the game will be gone by the next day. What is left is impressions so that is what I'll try and capture later in this blog. First, though, a brief outline.
The first period was even on the scoreboard, 0-0. On the ice, however, it was a different story with the Knights massively outshooting the black team. I don't have a scorecard but we had about three shots on net in the first shift alone, I think they totalled one maybe two for the period. Second period was much the same in terms of shot differential, with the (major) exceptions being that they go NIL shots on net and we put in two goals. In the third period we cleaned up with two more scoring shots giving Tommy his first shut out for the season and continuing the horror which is the Generals first four games.
In terms of impressions - a fun game. With four D on our team it was a bit easier than the first two games. I will deal with the fitness metrics in a separate post that also draws data from other games. I was up to most of the conditioning related tasks (eg. push and shove, hold position, stick lifting, ability to sprint) and what I lacked in terms of ability or skill (eg speed and quickness against their first line) I made up for with positioning and reaction speed. The couple of times I got badly caught out my D partner or centre was on the case.
One of these episodes was entirely my fault. I occurred late in the first period when they iced the puck back into our zone. I was last man back and chased the puck until it hit the back board. I was still above our goal and gliding towards the skittering puck that was by now behind our goal when I realised that, firstly, the referee hadn't blown the whistle, and secondly, their fastest skater was powering around outside me and would get there first. I set off in pursuit but was too late to do anything more than drive him towards the other back corner and tie him up there while my D partner covered the net front against the cross pass. A scary moment.
I carried the puck from deep in our zone right through to the goal line late in the second period. I haven't done this before. I found clear ice by barging my way through a confused winger/D combination on our blue line. I got a bit too excited and the puck sort of leaked off my stick as I got close to goal. I ended up on the boards behind their net and had to race back to the point to defend the blue.
My main role was defending the blue lines (as it should be for a defender). I am able to say this as we didn't have to much defend our net or goalie too much, though they had a couple of deep penetrations these were the exceptions. Our team's play in the neutral zone and forechecking generally was really strong.
The one real battle royale in front of net was in the third, involved kicking the puck, clearing sticks, pushing out the opposition, manipulating my stick while falling to not bring anyone else down but still retain it, shielding the puck with body and feet, hammering the puck out of the danger zone and following through to prevent time for a shot. Great fun!
My youngest sister was over from Melbourne for the Masters Games which were on in Adelaide (she is a figure skater) and she was in the stands for the first two periods. It was great to be able to show her where I have gotten to in my development as a skater. After the game she said that I was one of the best three skaters on our team and don't have to worry about that front. She also said that I need to work on my stickhandling and puck work. I can't disagree with these observations!
I was on ice for 2 of our goals though played no direct role in either.
After the game had a dip in the pool (closest thing I have to an ice bath) as this apparently improves muscle recovery rates. I did this to start getting ready for the inline game I was to play on Saturday.
GP 3 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 -1 2/0/1/0
Ice 42
It is the case with hockey that, if one doesn't record it immediately afterwards, the narrative of the game will be gone by the next day. What is left is impressions so that is what I'll try and capture later in this blog. First, though, a brief outline.
The first period was even on the scoreboard, 0-0. On the ice, however, it was a different story with the Knights massively outshooting the black team. I don't have a scorecard but we had about three shots on net in the first shift alone, I think they totalled one maybe two for the period. Second period was much the same in terms of shot differential, with the (major) exceptions being that they go NIL shots on net and we put in two goals. In the third period we cleaned up with two more scoring shots giving Tommy his first shut out for the season and continuing the horror which is the Generals first four games.
In terms of impressions - a fun game. With four D on our team it was a bit easier than the first two games. I will deal with the fitness metrics in a separate post that also draws data from other games. I was up to most of the conditioning related tasks (eg. push and shove, hold position, stick lifting, ability to sprint) and what I lacked in terms of ability or skill (eg speed and quickness against their first line) I made up for with positioning and reaction speed. The couple of times I got badly caught out my D partner or centre was on the case.
One of these episodes was entirely my fault. I occurred late in the first period when they iced the puck back into our zone. I was last man back and chased the puck until it hit the back board. I was still above our goal and gliding towards the skittering puck that was by now behind our goal when I realised that, firstly, the referee hadn't blown the whistle, and secondly, their fastest skater was powering around outside me and would get there first. I set off in pursuit but was too late to do anything more than drive him towards the other back corner and tie him up there while my D partner covered the net front against the cross pass. A scary moment.
I carried the puck from deep in our zone right through to the goal line late in the second period. I haven't done this before. I found clear ice by barging my way through a confused winger/D combination on our blue line. I got a bit too excited and the puck sort of leaked off my stick as I got close to goal. I ended up on the boards behind their net and had to race back to the point to defend the blue.
My main role was defending the blue lines (as it should be for a defender). I am able to say this as we didn't have to much defend our net or goalie too much, though they had a couple of deep penetrations these were the exceptions. Our team's play in the neutral zone and forechecking generally was really strong.
The one real battle royale in front of net was in the third, involved kicking the puck, clearing sticks, pushing out the opposition, manipulating my stick while falling to not bring anyone else down but still retain it, shielding the puck with body and feet, hammering the puck out of the danger zone and following through to prevent time for a shot. Great fun!
My youngest sister was over from Melbourne for the Masters Games which were on in Adelaide (she is a figure skater) and she was in the stands for the first two periods. It was great to be able to show her where I have gotten to in my development as a skater. After the game she said that I was one of the best three skaters on our team and don't have to worry about that front. She also said that I need to work on my stickhandling and puck work. I can't disagree with these observations!
I was on ice for 2 of our goals though played no direct role in either.
After the game had a dip in the pool (closest thing I have to an ice bath) as this apparently improves muscle recovery rates. I did this to start getting ready for the inline game I was to play on Saturday.
GP 3 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 -1 2/0/1/0
Ice 42
Thursday, 8 October 2015
Knights Trainings with Neil
Last Thursday Neil held the Knights training session due Justine's absence. Seven knights plus our goalie turned up, plus a handful of select others to make up the numbers. A reasonable amount of the time was spent on whiteboard, explaining some basic concepts that needed coverage. Also time spent on faceoffs, shooting technique, the passing game. I found most interesting the demonstrations on separating the puck from opposition players along the boards in our non checking league. Confirmed a few thoughts I have had, particularly about leading with the body in such situations and not the stick. The session was not high intensity, though there was a good ten minute shinny at the end which used up any excess energy.
Also interesting to me was that, after the session, I had one player tell me how it was an 'okay' session but too much talking and whiteboard, and not ten seconds later another player tell me that it was a 'great' session and it was really good to have a few things explained. To me, seems that different people benefit at different rates from different types of instruction. Thus Neil's didactic approach was attractive to some, Justines Kinesthetic approach to others. I like either.
On Sunday I and another Knight were one of several C graders who turned up at Neil's session for Justine's Div I team. This time it was we who were helping make up the numbers. The session was quite different to Thursdays (as one would expect). This session seemed more 'active', and certainly was more aimed at offensive tactics and skills. Mainly shooting, assistive passing, relative positioning in the offensive zone. Neil pointed out to me that my otherwise reasonable shooting would benefit from me aiming my body towards the goal more accurately as I take the shot.
I finally managed to get my HR monitor working properly for an ice session. As it again was not run specifically as a High Intensity session the readings don't quite reach the figures I believe I would have made with either Justine or at Inline but peak HR was still at 180 during the shinny at the end, averaged 135 through the whole hour.
Ice 40 & 41
Also interesting to me was that, after the session, I had one player tell me how it was an 'okay' session but too much talking and whiteboard, and not ten seconds later another player tell me that it was a 'great' session and it was really good to have a few things explained. To me, seems that different people benefit at different rates from different types of instruction. Thus Neil's didactic approach was attractive to some, Justines Kinesthetic approach to others. I like either.
On Sunday I and another Knight were one of several C graders who turned up at Neil's session for Justine's Div I team. This time it was we who were helping make up the numbers. The session was quite different to Thursdays (as one would expect). This session seemed more 'active', and certainly was more aimed at offensive tactics and skills. Mainly shooting, assistive passing, relative positioning in the offensive zone. Neil pointed out to me that my otherwise reasonable shooting would benefit from me aiming my body towards the goal more accurately as I take the shot.
I finally managed to get my HR monitor working properly for an ice session. As it again was not run specifically as a High Intensity session the readings don't quite reach the figures I believe I would have made with either Justine or at Inline but peak HR was still at 180 during the shinny at the end, averaged 135 through the whole hour.
Ice 40 & 41
Saturday, 3 October 2015
Game Day - Knights (5) d Storm (4) SO
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
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
Game Day - Knights (3) d Kings (2)
We had 12 skaters (of whom 5 were rookies in their first game), Tommy was in the goals and Justine was calling shots. We started with 3 Defencemen and 3 forward lines, with Cam and Foxy taking on centre roles.
Jonesy - Bayden - Richard
Stewart - Cam - Griff
Kerri - Foxy - Ashley
Mike / Bacon / Me
Tommy
These warning signs were proven founded when the Kings scored off an early D zone face off caused by an icing I'd made in clearing the zone. The shot was from their outside wing, who was my man. Even if I'd been moving quicker, however, the shot would have been set up and off before I got there. What didn't help also was that one of our players managed to get a slight deflection on the puck as it went past him. This was probably sufficient to send the puck through the narrow gap I could see between Tommy's pads (I watched it good into the back of the net). Such is life.
We equalised not much later and went into the first break 1-1.
The second period was tight. We picked up two goals to be leading 3-1.
Third period and the pressure stayed on. They pulled back a late goal but we were able to see the game out with a cheer as we recorded our first win of the year.
It was really good to be back on the ice as a Knight. I held up much better than I thought I would to the demands of being one of only three defencemen. I pulled at least my time on ice, including on the Power Play, making for about 40 minutes. Those are huge minutes in anyone's book, but I felt my body held up well. There were a few positional things I had to get hold of, but Bacon guided me through the worst of them.
I managed a couple shots from the blue line, and a third that could be classified as a shot if you didn't know I was just hammering it in there. I was generally able to keep the puck in the O zone, didn't panic when I had it, was able to compete on the boards most of the time. I used my feet on something like four occasions, all productive. Once when I went over I used my prone body to shield the puck from my opponent so my centre could pick it up and continue the attack. The only time I went deep into the offensive zone was on the Power Play (ie. when I should have). I even did something that in past I have not been good at, use my stick to tap an airborne puck down to the ice so that I could release it on a controlled pass towards the net.
I was on for both of their goals and none of ours, but aren't too worried about that. On the first I was in a useless position as it turned out on the D Zone faceoff, not a decision of mine. On the second, I was last line defence and had a couple chances to clear the puck on its journey in. My skills weren't up to it but at least I was in the right position.
Finally, my sister and her family (husband and four boys) were down for the week from Melbourne and had come along for the game. Added to my grandkids from Adelaide, wife and daughter in law I had a quite a cheersquad. Especially in the later part of the game when they started chanting my name. Everyone should have the feeling of having a cheersquad rooting them on, it's fantastic!
GP 1 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 -2 1/0/0
Ice 38
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Endings - Wheelers and Pre-Season
The winter inline season and my Pre (ice hockey) season ended within a few days of each other. The summer inline season starts with training on the 7th of October and the first game on the 10th. That's all within sixteen days. Events have already got away from me as I post this (2 unblogged Knights games) so the reader will have to forgive me if this review of what has been is not as in-depth a post as it ideally should be.
Endings I - Wheelers Winter Season
We lost in the Grand Final against our Divisional foes, the Bumpers. This was not only the end of the season but also the end of the current team formations. This is because this Summer we are being encouraged to form our own teams, choose our own names, select our own jerseys (more on that later). The organisers are of the belief that the Division has matured enough to allow for self formed teams (rather than centralised drafting for need). As such, it seems appropriate to look back.
In the season just passed we fielded six skaters more often than not. This was a major change from the past. Our lines stabilised by the playoffs, albeit not entirely due on rink performance (a consequence of having two family groups, each with their own internal issues to juggle). In this regard, the stats of Josh and Crystal look very good offensively but that was to at least some extent a result of putting our best defence with them (Merrilyn). In goal, after a bit of chaos initially we settled in with Nicole between the pipes. I think she was finding her game by season end.
In the longer term, I have played 48 games with the Wheelers across four seasons during which I went to four grand finals, won gold once and received an MVP. My regular season stats have steadily improved over time but my post season stats remain woeful.
Regular Season Post Season
GP G A Pt PPG
13/14 Summer C Grade Wheelers 5 3 1 4 0.8 (3/1/0/1 0.33) Silver
14 Winter DivII Wheelers 10 8 7 15 1.5 (2/0/0/0 0.00) Gold MVP
14/15 Summer Div II Wheelers 12 12 8 20 1.67 (2/1/0/1 0.50) Silver
15 Winter Div II Wheelers 12 11 14 25 2.08 (2/0/1/1 0.50) Silver
Endings II - Ice Hockey Pre-Season
After a false start I began an off-season strength and conditioning program on July 1st. I kept to my schedule pretty well for the first month, and then maintained an acceptable level of commitment through to the start of the season. I had noticeable gains in leg, core and upper body strength, aerobic capacity and anaerobic performance, quickness and agility. As the program wore through its second and into the third month I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my commitment itself, the activities themselves and the almost daily challenges such a program poses.
At the end of eleven weeks I was regularly going for a run, interval training, using a HR monitor (thanks Jess for the loan!) and pushing weights (again, thanks Jess!). To a limited extent I'll be bringing all of these activities forward into the season proper, for both their game specific values AND the intrinsic pleasure I derive from them in themselves. Who would have guessed it?
As to the value of the program, it was well worth it! I had a small amount of weight gain (a primary goal of mine for years) and increased performance on many health related indicators. Perhaps more importantly, the value has already shown itself in my inline games and the first two games of the ice hockey season. They show themselves particularly in the following ways...
Increased ability to skate a shift and a game out
Better decision making through a game (due being less fatigued)
Decreased recovery time between both shifts and games
Greater strength along the board and in the crease
Quicker and faster
Increased confidence.
Greater knowledge about my own and other's bodies and physical capacity
All in all, a great advance in both my hockey and life potential.
Endings I - Wheelers Winter Season
We lost in the Grand Final against our Divisional foes, the Bumpers. This was not only the end of the season but also the end of the current team formations. This is because this Summer we are being encouraged to form our own teams, choose our own names, select our own jerseys (more on that later). The organisers are of the belief that the Division has matured enough to allow for self formed teams (rather than centralised drafting for need). As such, it seems appropriate to look back.
In the season just passed we fielded six skaters more often than not. This was a major change from the past. Our lines stabilised by the playoffs, albeit not entirely due on rink performance (a consequence of having two family groups, each with their own internal issues to juggle). In this regard, the stats of Josh and Crystal look very good offensively but that was to at least some extent a result of putting our best defence with them (Merrilyn). In goal, after a bit of chaos initially we settled in with Nicole between the pipes. I think she was finding her game by season end.
In the longer term, I have played 48 games with the Wheelers across four seasons during which I went to four grand finals, won gold once and received an MVP. My regular season stats have steadily improved over time but my post season stats remain woeful.
Regular Season Post Season
GP G A Pt PPG
13/14 Summer C Grade Wheelers 5 3 1 4 0.8 (3/1/0/1 0.33) Silver
14 Winter DivII Wheelers 10 8 7 15 1.5 (2/0/0/0 0.00) Gold MVP
14/15 Summer Div II Wheelers 12 12 8 20 1.67 (2/1/0/1 0.50) Silver
15 Winter Div II Wheelers 12 11 14 25 2.08 (2/0/1/1 0.50) Silver
Endings II - Ice Hockey Pre-Season
After a false start I began an off-season strength and conditioning program on July 1st. I kept to my schedule pretty well for the first month, and then maintained an acceptable level of commitment through to the start of the season. I had noticeable gains in leg, core and upper body strength, aerobic capacity and anaerobic performance, quickness and agility. As the program wore through its second and into the third month I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my commitment itself, the activities themselves and the almost daily challenges such a program poses.
At the end of eleven weeks I was regularly going for a run, interval training, using a HR monitor (thanks Jess for the loan!) and pushing weights (again, thanks Jess!). To a limited extent I'll be bringing all of these activities forward into the season proper, for both their game specific values AND the intrinsic pleasure I derive from them in themselves. Who would have guessed it?
As to the value of the program, it was well worth it! I had a small amount of weight gain (a primary goal of mine for years) and increased performance on many health related indicators. Perhaps more importantly, the value has already shown itself in my inline games and the first two games of the ice hockey season. They show themselves particularly in the following ways...
Increased ability to skate a shift and a game out
Better decision making through a game (due being less fatigued)
Decreased recovery time between both shifts and games
Greater strength along the board and in the crease
Quicker and faster
Increased confidence.
Greater knowledge about my own and other's bodies and physical capacity
All in all, a great advance in both my hockey and life potential.
Monday, 28 September 2015
Skating to the Smooth Sounds
On Wednesday night last week I went for a skate during public hours, seeing as A Grade hockey is over for the season and Wednesdays therefore return to being public scouting with Steve the DJ and his classic rock repertoire. There were about a half dozen youthful figure skaters doing their thing prior some competition and maybe a dozen or so other skaters who were there for (most) of the time I was.
It will get busier as people get used to Wednesday nights being open again so it was nice to take advantage of the relatively clear ice. I'd been a bit slack on my training in the final week of pre-season (ie. none) so I wanted to use the time as well I could to help me be ready as the first game of the season was the following night. As my most recent skating experience had been at the Inline Final four days earlier I thought some practice with my edges and basic skating techniques (as well as an implied Cardio Respiratory workout) was probably the best I could achieve.
So that's what I did for ninety minutes, concentrating particularly on recovery periods, pivots, stride technique and tight turns.
Was nice to be back on a Wednesday night again.
Ice 37
It will get busier as people get used to Wednesday nights being open again so it was nice to take advantage of the relatively clear ice. I'd been a bit slack on my training in the final week of pre-season (ie. none) so I wanted to use the time as well I could to help me be ready as the first game of the season was the following night. As my most recent skating experience had been at the Inline Final four days earlier I thought some practice with my edges and basic skating techniques (as well as an implied Cardio Respiratory workout) was probably the best I could achieve.
So that's what I did for ninety minutes, concentrating particularly on recovery periods, pivots, stride technique and tight turns.
Was nice to be back on a Wednesday night again.
Ice 37
Saturday, 12 September 2015
Off Season Day 74 - Week 10
Sep 6 Rest
Sep 7 Stickhandling
Sep 8 Stickhandling, Ice (sprints)
Sep 9 Arms, Legs, Stickhandling
Sep 10 Rest
Sep 11 Ice (Sprints)
Sep 12 Stickhandling, Arms, Run
On September 6 I had another rest day. The previous two days had wiped me out. This almost continued through September 7, saved only by 15 minutes of stickhandling late in the evening after another busy day. Of hockey interest amongst the day's business was the fact that I came into possession of a heart rate monitor for use in training and attended registration/orientation for the upcoming C Grade season.
In the morning of September 8 I had another 15 minute stickhandling session, then went down the Ice Arena in the afternoon. I was down there for an hour and a half, but spent much of the time chatting with Rick (a fellow Viking who will be playing with the Blades in C Grade) as he got some new skates. I again drilled myself based upon Corey's class from the week before. I conducted four line sprints up the ice with two minute intervals between each thirty second sprint. I wore the HR monitor at the Arena. My peak HR was 167. Getting to know the equipment.
On September 9 I did strength circuits for arms and legs and fifteen minutes of stickhandling. Peak HR for arms circuit was 148, peak for legs was 137. Both were completed within 30 minutes.
September 10 was a rest day.
On September 11 I went to the Arena for a concentrated 40 minute session. Only had half the ice to work with as the other half was in use for hockey training (Ice Factor schools program). For my sprints I went from Red to Blue lines and vica versa. Six lengths were under 30 seconds, so I did seven (between 35s and 40s). I did five of these sprint circuits, two minute recovery periods. Spent approximately equal time for the remainder of the period on leg recovery and extensions during stride (forwards and backwards), transitions, pivots, stops, tight turns, cross unders and backwards first steps. Peak HR was 173, avg was 133, 39% of time was spent in 'zone 3' of HR and 11% was above. Despite the higher intensity and density of the session I felt less exhausted afterwards than I have previously, so I guess it is having a conditioning effect.
On 12 September I started the day early with 15 minutes of stickhandling, shortly afterwards followed by a short (10 minutes) arms session. For the weights my heartrate averaged 111, maxed at 134, 1m30s in Zone 2. In the dusk I ran my old run - 25 minutes, 50% in Zone 3 or above (5%), average HR of 135, maxed at 161. Easing back into it as it's been 2 weeks since I last went running. Ran it easy, with four walks. During each walk I waited till breathing had returned to close to normal before setting off again (HR was between 116 and 123 when I felt comfortable with the breathing).
Week 10 summary: a yellow rating for this week, managed to pull it together due to my visits to the Ice Arena (with interval training) and run this afternoon. I didn't, sadly, get in any agility training, downgrading what would otherwise have been a green rating. The two big things that have happened were the confirmation that I am a Knight on Registration night and coming into possession of a heart rate monitor loaned me by Jess.
The Knights have a bye in the first week of the season, playing our first game on September 24. Which is almost two more weeks of preparation than I'd most recently thought would be the case. Have added two weeks to the sidebar off season schedule.
Ice 34 & 35
Sep 7 Stickhandling
Sep 8 Stickhandling, Ice (sprints)
Sep 9 Arms, Legs, Stickhandling
Sep 10 Rest
Sep 11 Ice (Sprints)
Sep 12 Stickhandling, Arms, Run
On September 6 I had another rest day. The previous two days had wiped me out. This almost continued through September 7, saved only by 15 minutes of stickhandling late in the evening after another busy day. Of hockey interest amongst the day's business was the fact that I came into possession of a heart rate monitor for use in training and attended registration/orientation for the upcoming C Grade season.
In the morning of September 8 I had another 15 minute stickhandling session, then went down the Ice Arena in the afternoon. I was down there for an hour and a half, but spent much of the time chatting with Rick (a fellow Viking who will be playing with the Blades in C Grade) as he got some new skates. I again drilled myself based upon Corey's class from the week before. I conducted four line sprints up the ice with two minute intervals between each thirty second sprint. I wore the HR monitor at the Arena. My peak HR was 167. Getting to know the equipment.
On September 9 I did strength circuits for arms and legs and fifteen minutes of stickhandling. Peak HR for arms circuit was 148, peak for legs was 137. Both were completed within 30 minutes.
September 10 was a rest day.
On September 11 I went to the Arena for a concentrated 40 minute session. Only had half the ice to work with as the other half was in use for hockey training (Ice Factor schools program). For my sprints I went from Red to Blue lines and vica versa. Six lengths were under 30 seconds, so I did seven (between 35s and 40s). I did five of these sprint circuits, two minute recovery periods. Spent approximately equal time for the remainder of the period on leg recovery and extensions during stride (forwards and backwards), transitions, pivots, stops, tight turns, cross unders and backwards first steps. Peak HR was 173, avg was 133, 39% of time was spent in 'zone 3' of HR and 11% was above. Despite the higher intensity and density of the session I felt less exhausted afterwards than I have previously, so I guess it is having a conditioning effect.
On 12 September I started the day early with 15 minutes of stickhandling, shortly afterwards followed by a short (10 minutes) arms session. For the weights my heartrate averaged 111, maxed at 134, 1m30s in Zone 2. In the dusk I ran my old run - 25 minutes, 50% in Zone 3 or above (5%), average HR of 135, maxed at 161. Easing back into it as it's been 2 weeks since I last went running. Ran it easy, with four walks. During each walk I waited till breathing had returned to close to normal before setting off again (HR was between 116 and 123 when I felt comfortable with the breathing).
Week 10 summary: a yellow rating for this week, managed to pull it together due to my visits to the Ice Arena (with interval training) and run this afternoon. I didn't, sadly, get in any agility training, downgrading what would otherwise have been a green rating. The two big things that have happened were the confirmation that I am a Knight on Registration night and coming into possession of a heart rate monitor loaned me by Jess.
The Knights have a bye in the first week of the season, playing our first game on September 24. Which is almost two more weeks of preparation than I'd most recently thought would be the case. Have added two weeks to the sidebar off season schedule.
Ice 34 & 35
Monday, 7 September 2015
Off Season Day 67 - Week 9
Sep 3 Stickhandling, Arms, Knights Training
Sep 4 Rest
Sep 5 Rest
In the morning of 3 September I backed up my efforts from the day before with a rapid fire strength session. I kept recovery times to a minute or less between sets as the emphasis shifts from muscle building to endurance, and increasing the tempo of the actual lifts themselves (particularly adding an explosive push to full extension, rather than the more usual deceleration, as hockey is a game of explosive acceleration). Good session.
Followed this up with a fifteen minute stickhandling session. Still keeping it simple, concentrating on cupping the golfball as I move it either way through loops and figure eights, and where on the blade (ie toe or heel) it is held when I tap it away from or closer to my body. Again, persistence is paying off and am gaining a lot more control at moderate speed.
Finally, I went to a good Knights training session in the evening. Close to twenty people turned up, including two goalies. Was still skating strong at the end of the evening. Could really feel the positive impact of my training in a number of ways (eg. anaerobic energy recovery, strength in moving people off the puck). I'd also had my skates sharpened as one of them was blunt as shit, this made a huge difference and I am now able to keep within defence range of all but the most skilled opposition.
One of the goalies commented to me after the session that I was doing good at clearing the shooters away, if not the puck itself. Most hearteningly, I was connecting a lot more with simple poke checks and stick sweeps when in the D role. The pieces seem to be fitting together. Finally! Let's hope this translates into match play.
I then had two rest days on 4 and 5 September. This was not necessarily by choice. Rather, due the fact that I was flat chat busy on both days with kids and had neither time nor energy left over for hockey pursuits.
In summary, week 9 started strong but finished quietly and with an orange rating due failure to train on three days in total. Never the less, I kept up a significant effort for anaerobic and stickhandling/skill based work, which is where I should be at this point of pre-season.
Ice 33
Sep 4 Rest
Sep 5 Rest
In the morning of 3 September I backed up my efforts from the day before with a rapid fire strength session. I kept recovery times to a minute or less between sets as the emphasis shifts from muscle building to endurance, and increasing the tempo of the actual lifts themselves (particularly adding an explosive push to full extension, rather than the more usual deceleration, as hockey is a game of explosive acceleration). Good session.
Followed this up with a fifteen minute stickhandling session. Still keeping it simple, concentrating on cupping the golfball as I move it either way through loops and figure eights, and where on the blade (ie toe or heel) it is held when I tap it away from or closer to my body. Again, persistence is paying off and am gaining a lot more control at moderate speed.
Finally, I went to a good Knights training session in the evening. Close to twenty people turned up, including two goalies. Was still skating strong at the end of the evening. Could really feel the positive impact of my training in a number of ways (eg. anaerobic energy recovery, strength in moving people off the puck). I'd also had my skates sharpened as one of them was blunt as shit, this made a huge difference and I am now able to keep within defence range of all but the most skilled opposition.
One of the goalies commented to me after the session that I was doing good at clearing the shooters away, if not the puck itself. Most hearteningly, I was connecting a lot more with simple poke checks and stick sweeps when in the D role. The pieces seem to be fitting together. Finally! Let's hope this translates into match play.
I then had two rest days on 4 and 5 September. This was not necessarily by choice. Rather, due the fact that I was flat chat busy on both days with kids and had neither time nor energy left over for hockey pursuits.
In summary, week 9 started strong but finished quietly and with an orange rating due failure to train on three days in total. Never the less, I kept up a significant effort for anaerobic and stickhandling/skill based work, which is where I should be at this point of pre-season.
Ice 33
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