The quest of the Spengler Cup, and a nice surprise!

Unsurprisingly, ice hockey goes into a xmas recess.  The higher the standard being played, the shorter the break, but it seems that even the NHL enjoys a few days off.  Which is a bugger for those of us who finally get a bit of free time over the xmas holiday from the daily grind - no ice arena to skate on, no team to train with, no games to get psyched up over, and now no televised games from the Northern Hemisphere.

Hence the importance of the Spengler Cup - a short form tournament from the Swiss town of Davos that takes place over the break.  Last year we discovered it by accident on Foxtel.  I'd been looking forward to a few days of late nights watching the teams from Switzerland, Russia, Serbia and the Czech Republic fight it out.  Unfortunately, this year Foxtel isn't showing it.

Not to be deterred I went online to see what I could find in terms of results, gossip or even match replays or highlights.  I found something better...

Online TV!  In particular, this site, with its streaming content of all types of sports from all over the world.  Go to the Sports Tab, click on Ice Hockey, see what your next viewing opportunity will be.  Only, read the warnings first, because there's some nasty little bugs in some of the software needed to open some of the content!  So far, I have watched parts of games from Switzerland, Russia, England, Canada and Finland.

Afterthought - when I told Wayne about this treasure trove of tv he rightly asked the question, isn't this 'piracy' and isn't it 'wrong' to watch it?  I've thought about it a fair bit since then, and decided that my conscience is clean.  My logic is simple, if the games were on regular or pay TV (ala AIHL), I'd watch them there (like I do for AIHL).  If the games were available on a pay site for streaming (ala NHL) I'd pay and watch them there (like I do for NHL).  But they're not, so I can't.

So sue me.

Bauer 160s on a Sunday Afternoon

As predicted, Santa brought me a pair of Bauer Supreme 160 skates.  Pretty exciting, and lots of ooh's and aaah's at the bright tiger yellow waxed laces that one of his elfs had put on them.  Saddest thing was, Xmas being on a Thursday and the Ice Arena being closed then and boxing day and we being out for a late xmas lunch on Saturday and commitments on Saturday night, it was only on Sunday that we'd be able to begin the painful process of breaking them in.

So I picked up B shortly after lunch and we met up with Jess and Craig at the Arena.  It was pretty quiet for a Sunday in terms of numbers.  Which was nice because it let us adults concentrate on the new(ish) skates we each had, and let B get on with doing the ten year old thing with school and hockey friends he bumped into.

Craig and Jess have also put wax laces onto their skates.  Jess seems to have slotted into her new Bauers with little or no pain, and is quite proud of her neon pink laces.  Craig is a bit dubious of his deep red laces and their length, having to retie them every ten or twenty minutes.  He's also suffering a bit from foot pain in his new skates.  I'm not sure if that's a sign that the fit isn't right, or is akin to the pain I felt when wearing my new skates on ice for the first time.  He has a oddly shaped foot but his Vapour skates are relatively rigid compared to a true beginner skate so the jury is still out about the source of discomfort.  As for me and my new Bauers, I'd forgotten how much it hurts to break in a new pair of skates!  And how debilitating it is to one's apparent skills.  At least I know there's a good reason for it and have the incentive to skate my way through the pain for a few hours.

Me and B stayed until stumps for the session, although there were several moments when I was tempted to get off early and relieve my feet from the all round constricting pain that my tightly bound bauers were causing.  However, there were also moments when I could feel the support of the boot while doing simple maneuvers and the 'solidity' of the blade's contact with the ice, so I hung onto these portents of a happy future and kept on going.  It was really nice at the end when I took off the boots and the immediate relief flooded over my feet - with no lasting pains of any description once the boots were off (in this way they're even better than my Vapor inlines, where I have a couple minutes of 'outstep' pain once I remove them).

Only about four more hours of this breaking in process to go.  Hopefully will have it done before season training recommences after new year.

Saturday Skate - early xmas...

I had hoped to go to work on Saturday to do a few things that need doing (unlike many others, xmas season in my trade is a busy one for those of us unfortunate enough to not be on holidays), but was having too nice a day so put it off till Sunday.  Which meant I could accept Jess and Craig's invitation to go skating with them.  So I did.

Probably the quietest Saturday session I've been to in a long time, a couple dozen skaters on the big ice and maybe that on the small.  Good to see Jana and Greg there, had a bit of a yarn with them about the current season while we did laps (they're in the Sharks), also Ben (Rangers) and Mick (Redwings) as I was leaving.  Jess and Craig think I'm part of the 'scene' there, I'm sure, except that all the above are 'outsiders' like me.  I guess we form our own clique in a way, but not in the classic 'rinkie' fashion.

I skated easy, didn't have the knee strapped and didn't wish to take any risks.  Limited myself to a few crossovers each way, a few stops and a lot of transitions both ways.  No pain and only a slight tiredness afterwards.

Craig tried on and picked up his new set of skates, Vapour XR 40s (Bauer).  I think he is only now taking seriously the warnings I gave him regarding the prospective pain that he'll experience as he breaks them in.  Both he and Jess scored some waxed laces for their own skates.

I also spent a bit of time in the Prosports store, trying on a couple sets of skates.  Being happy with my Bauer Supreme One.4s I was keen to try a higher grade in the Supreme line of skates.  Got fitted at the exact midpoint of 8D and 8EE, went for the EE sizing.  My old Bauers are 8R, so the sizing is not entirely consistent between the different models.  Also tried a top line Nexus skate as a control/comparison to the Supreme.

Ended up purchasing a pair of Supreme 160 skates.  A bit pricier than I had originally expected but that's because I'm a model up from the one I'd been thinking about.  No drama, this set has a couple nice features (eg removeable blades, tougher quarter panels to protect the ankles, stiched felt tounge to allow a tighter wrap around the lower shins) that I will appreciate over time.  They took my foot better than the Nexus equivalent (too much loose space in that one), and didn't have the pressure points that I've come to expect from my Vapor inlines.

I only picked them up after they'd had their initial sharpening after the public session had finished, so didn't get a chance to try them out.  Am unlikely to until after xmas, so I'll be wrapping them and putting them under the tree.

Which gives me one or two sessions to enjoy my old veteran skates, complete with their stitching that is coming out and the inner liner that is deteriorating away, and that extreme sense of trusting comfort a person develops with their ice skates over time.

I wonder where they'll end up once I retire them?

Wednesday Skate

Amidst the craziness of my work at this time of year it becomes all the more important to get a bit of ice time in.  I failed to get to training on Tuesday (ended up walking home from town along the Torrens river, a few kilometres of pleasant stroll, didn't leave enough energy considering I am still getting over the viral bug) so made sure I got there on Wednesday.

Went with B, now that he's on school holidays I can keep him out a bit later.  He enjoyed the fact that it was night time, good music, generally better skaters around him.

I just took it pretty easy (as seems to be my wont these days), chatting with other skaters more than anything.  Quite a few hockey players from different teams with whom I was able to swap observations and experiences.  Perhaps most significant was a goalie from our division who'd watched our game on Monday.  Unprompted, she complimented me on playing a good game in D on the night.  She'd noticed quite a bit of the push and shove, and that I'd kept their A Skater to one garbage goal for which there wasn't anything much I could have done. 

Always nice when someone notices.

Game Day - Knights (3) d Rangers (2) in Shootout

It was a late Monday Night game tonight, our only one for the season and the last before the xmas break.  We won in a shootout, with them getting no shots in and us not having to therefore even take our third shot to secure the two points.  This will keep the Rangers at the bottom of the table, and leave us well in the running for a playoff spot.  We now have a five week break, returning against the Kings on January 18.

We had ten skaters and Tommy in goal.  This was good as it allowed us to run two complete lines and four defencemen (handy, as we have two recovering from strained abductors and I am only now coming out of the direct consequences of a hyperextended knee).

I think Tommy was one of our stars again.  It was pretty hardcore in front of our net at times and he took quite a beating as a consequence.  At the other end of the ice, our forwards functioned pretty well.  Andy scored both regular time goals, Lachy got his first point (an assist), Tom got the only minor penalty in the game.  Jo made a welcome return to our bench, managing the defence side of things.

We scored first, they equalised, second period was tough going for all, and then we went one up again in the early third with them equalising with only a few minutes to go.  They held us out despite our press in the offensive zone for the final couple minutes to force the game to a shootout.

I was on the ice for both of their goals and neither of ours.  I can't recall the first of their goals though I do remember that it was 'abstract' (in that I didn't feel that I had done the wrong thing in the play that led to it).  Their second goal is much more vivid, as it eventuated on the last of a sequence of very tough physical plays in all three zones and in which we had iced the puck twice in succession before we could change lines.  The play itself was one where at least three of their players were around the front of the net at one point.  While Tom and I cleared one each, their sharp skater came in and jammed the puck under our goalie's legs to trickle over the line.  In retrospect, probably nothing we could have done better in front of the goal - EXCEPT maybe have identified the real threat and neutralise him first.  Anyway, it was exhausting, disappointing, and strangely satisfying at the same time.

My game had increased in its physicality.  Several clashes on the board in races to the pucks (won more than I lost), being boarded and hipchecking in return at the next board clash, a game of cat and mouse with their skating forward, keeping him from playing his favourite north-south game with inside position, stick checking and physicality in our races for puck possession.

My immediate post game impression was that I should pass less to a position, and more to the player.  This implies keeping my head up even more than I now am when doing so.  I might feel all self righteous when I pass it to where I should be able to pass it and there's no one there, but that won't stop it going for an icing or otherwise into the opposition's possession as a result.  And in ice hockey, results count far more than intentions.

My skating was pretty good, only going down when knocked down, knee held up the entire game, even my recent viral suffering of the lungs didn't seem to restrict me too much.  My new stick acquainted well for itself.

An enjoyable Monday evening.

GP 9 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 -2 5/3/1

Skating with the Kids from Albury

Wednesday night at the Ice Arena was pretty busy.  It was the annual visit of the three busloads of teenagers from Albury High (from New South Wales).  Lots of these youngsters had never skated before, but they're country kids and keen to try and they had that lust for life that massed teenagers have so they had a hoot.

It was a buzz for me also because I used to work in Albury, and spent my own teen years in a smaller town not far from Albury, so I can relate to them in a direct way.  Indeed, some of them come from towns that I used to play footy against, or compete against in inter-school competitions such as athletics and running.  Sweet memories.

So, me and Jess and Craig joined the other regulars of the arena and spent a couple hours dodging around between the teens and just enjoying their energy.  And when the buses collected their charges and they all left, it was good to give the thumbs up to the late leavers and get down to about a final half hour with the old hands of the rink, in a more playful mood than we usually are at that point.  It's fair to say that everyone who was left was at least a competent skater.

I did a bit of edge work and stopping, quite a lot of time backwards, and concentrated mainly on deepening my knee bend (for the stability more than for the power).

Knights Training

On Tuesday night we had the final in-season training for the year.  Again, a pretty decent turn out.  Tommy, Lachy, Mike, Christian, Henry, Andy, Foxy, Baden, Cam and me.  And almost as many from the Bombers, together with two or three senior grade players to act as coach assistants with Justine calling the shots.  A good solid hour.

Started with the traditional horseshoe, but with the additional factor of both corners departing their stations simultaneously, so there were often four skaters going in different directions on the ice at the same time.

Next, a point to point to point drill, with five players in formation passing to each other, skating to the point one had passed it to, skating in for for a goal.

Next, all D's in the centre, forwards in opposing corners, a goalie at each end.  D would pass to the F in front of them who then skated out down their wing and in for a goal.  Meanwhile, another D would be similarly passing to the F in the opposing corner.  While the F's skated down their wings, the D's would swing around behind the centre and try and defend against the opposite F as they skated in.  Hard to do if that was a quick skater.

Then we concentrated on a breakout drill.  This was the core of the session and went for quite a long time.  This was fine because it incorporated a number of aspects of our game into it and gave a lot of battle situations to keep everyone happy.  Essentially, one 'side' had a full lineup of five skaters, the other had two Defenders.  The goal was for the fiver skater team to start with their D passing to a wing on the boards, to centre, to the other wing, into the offensive zone and get a goal.  Their forwards would play low, their D's holding the blue line and looking for a point shot.  As a D, I got a lot of ice time as we had only one extra skater on the rotation and even then they didn't always come out for their shift.  By the end of the drill I was certainly pushing myself.

We concluded the hour with a shootout drill.

I used my new stick for the first time.  Got a couple nice goals with it, including on my first shot (!).  It's lightness certainly an advantage, and it seemed to be a bit more 'zippy'.  The continuous D rehersal in the breakout drill was good for me, put into play many of the skills and tactics have been trying to learn.  Am finding it easier to decide when to chase the puck and when to clear the slot.

My New Hockey Stick - Easton Stealth RS

After the game on Sunday I popped into the skate shop to get myself a new hockey stick.  I'd actually called in before the game, but there was no one there so I had left it till later and headed off to the change rooms. 

This had all followed a visit to the shop earlier that day with A, and together the two of us checking out the sticks and various other equipments within the store.  I had been looking for a stick with a lighter flex, and not as long as my Vapor had been.  I couldn't find anything that was 'just right' at a reasonable price.  I had been about to leave the racks of sticks and go away and think about it a bit more when A, bless him, seemed to randomly pick one stick that I imagine to him looked just like the dozen or more sticks stacked on either side of it, and say 'what about this one, grandpa?'  So I had a look at it.  It was an Easton Stealth RS with a flex rating of 65.  It was relatively short already, meaning I wouldn't need to cut much off and that therefore the flex wouldn't be pushed too high (a consequence of shortening a stick is that it becomes more rigid).  And it was on special.  It's like the kid knew!

So I went and bought the stick after my game.  It weighs a lot less than my Bauer Vapor, and has a lot more give in it.  Hopefully this will help me a bit in my game, I got the feeling that my Vapor stick is designed for a much bigger and heavier person than me.  And I had had to take inches off of it.

I'll use the RS on the ice, the Vapor for inline, my wooden Easton for street hockey.  The general sturdiness of the Vapor is quite handy in inline, it's taken (and probably given) quite a lot of damage over this year.  The ice is for slickness, and its almost frictionless surface is best suited to the supposedly slightly fragile RS.

Pretty cool.

Game Day - Predators (2) d Knights (0)

We got shut out in our game against the Predators, the same score as in our first game against them a few weeks ago.  We had nine skaters, they had eleven.  We ran three D and two lines.  Our first line had Foxy and Andy on the wings with Baden in Centre.  Our second line was Dan and Lachy winging for Christian.  Me, Michael and Tom were in D, Tom carrying a bit of an injury and a little more restrained than usual.  Tommy put in a solid game in goals.

Their two goals both happened in the second period.  I was on the ice for both of them, and not too far from the goal.  I think I was stranded in the corner as their sharp skater cut through and around about three of us.  I was struggling to get to her when the shot was unleashed on an undefended goalie and it was 0-1.  For the second goal, I feel as though I was there on my own with three of their players way too close to our goal.  I snarled one up, the shot drifted under our goalie, I was paralysed with indecision about what to do, and one of them reached in and tapped the puck over the line.  I don't hold myself responsible for either goal, but I could have done better both times.

Another bad luck aspect of my game was three times in the final period when I was trying to defend the offensive blue line, keeping my stick on the ice to stop the puck ripping along or near the boards, and three times it bouncing over my attempt to stop it and giving them a chance for a breakout.  That's a bit of bad luck, and not putting my arse on the boards.

Positives were evident also.  I was more active in harassing and shifting them out from the goal front, and even from the central slot zone.  Banked clearances that didn't quite get iced (twice).  Stick checking in the neutral zone.  Pinching once into offence to gain the puck ahead of their breaking centre and launch it into the scrum before goal.  Passes in congested zones that cleared the offensive zone and found either clear ice or a team mate.  And my favourite, defending one of their star skaters as she burst down the wing, chipping and sticking and interfering just enough to force her behind the goals instead of into the slot.  She actually came to me after the game and thanked me for a good game.

Ya gotta love hockey.

GP 8 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 +/-0 4/3/1

Sunday Skate - a growing clan

On Sunday I was again invited to join the growing skating clan down at the Ice Arena.  A, B, J, Jess, Craig, me.  That's half a C grade team in the making!  A was great, at his young age he just needs to see things and it seems he can do them, or at least try.  Amazing.  He grinned for about two hours, and apparently that continued after he went home.

I couldn't skate too hard nor stay too long as I had to get home and get ready for my Knight's game at 5pm.  I did stay for a little while after Jess picked up and put on her new Bauer skates.  Very cool.  Her, me B and A all in our own skates.  Craig is still waiting for his to arrive, apparently something to do with his narrow foot.  Be that as it may, we're a clan with style!