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My rink are finally on the home straight! Base ice has been built, and the paint is starting to go down. We're meant to be skating on it this weekend :)

Drop-in/New Gear Report: 'twas looking like another low-turnout skate this morning. I thought if nothing else, I can just try out my gear. I didn't bother to get the goals out; if worse comes to worse, I can just work on my slides with no net. Needless to say I summoned a bloke who was coming in to dress that the nets needed to get out. We got nine people- just enough for three-on-three. Ugh. I like 3-on-3, and I don't. I like it 'cos it's fast; I hate it 'cos it's tiring. Now to the pads- those are MONEY! I can't imagine what the G2 or G3 are like. Bloody f***ing' hell- they slide like nobody's business. No Sno Seal necessary... They actually made me better! No pains with strapping- everything was easy to dial in. I tried carpet flies with my skates, breezers, and knee guards on. On ice- there were no surprises. F*** me- they were like they had my name on them. Good thing they were easy to dial in, as I have already removed the knee cradle and cut the flaps to hold the knee strap onto the pad ? The only thing I may do is get softer padding or Maltese Gel to put into the knee stack. One feature of these is what Pete Smith did with his last solo pad incarnations- you can add or subtract material in the knee stack easily. I stoned McDangles several times. He still scored a few on me. I had one bloke's number and shut him out. 2-on-0 plays I still don't save well. My break away defense is getting better; it had better, as that's what you do in pick up all the time it seems. The ability to read the play is getting better. I even got some comments alluding to me getting a ***bit*** better. A funny note was that I had no moorings for the net! There was the occasion where I would unintentionally dislodge the net. Overall, I am feeling nearly good enough to play in a league. A few more months should get me there.

Well, the streak had to come to an end I guess. Last night was the first game in 6 that I allowed more than 2 goals. I was 4-1 in the previous 5, with a 1.39 gaa. The only loss was a 2-1 final score. One of the wins was a 3-2 final that went to a 5 round shootout that I didn't allow any goals. I think I'm playing the best i ever have right now, and still feel like I'm getting better as I play more. I used to have to struggle to keep my gaa under 4. So this has been a pretty impressive stretch by my standards. I got a very good compliment from the team that I was moved to playing D instead of goal. When I said that it was good that we got him because he's better than me, two guys said "no way. You have improved every game, and have been phenominal lately." That felt good. Even last night, which ended 5-3, I played very well. I was scored on by a turnover in the faceoff dot when my defenseman hit the ref in the skates. And their guy put it top corner short side. It was a pretty sweet shot. Second was a deflection off my defenseman's leg because there was too much gap. Ended up going from probably wide to my right, to inside the left post. Third was a giveaway by that same defenseman to a player in the slot at the hash marks. I actually made a spectacular save when he faked a shot and then deked, but the puck ended up rolling out from under me and they put in an open rebound, a la JT's goal against Luongo. Apparently the ref even had his whistle about to blow when the puck came into sight. 4th was a screen by guess who that left too much gap and backed in. I never saw the shot that went bar down and in. 5th goal was another when wonder boy left too much gap and backed in, then moved slightly out of the way at the very last second because he tried to "get out of the way". That shot also went bar down and in. The same player scored goals 2, 4, & 5 on unpressured wrist shots against the same defender. The good thing is that this was for the team that wanted me to try out. So I was interested to see how they would handle a loss where I allowed 5 goals. It couldn't have been better. All they talked about was how well I played and how much worse it would have been with another goalie. They all apologized for the crappy defenseman, and the captain told me after everyone left that they will find something to do with him, but he wouldn't be playing D anymore.

There's certainly something to be said for the adrenaline high. (and the part where I get to socialize with people who are not a) co-workers or b) under the age of 6.) Luckily, the mailing list (a sort of internet goalie 911) is always full of people pleading for a goalie for their pickup or to sub in for a league game. I had 5 emails just this morning. (of course, all for games tonight).

I know someone had mentioned that the savoy shaft was boxy, are any of your shaft options less boxy?

I know when the local rink is closed for "maintenance" or the others are booked for camps, I'm ganning for a skate. I go through withdrawal. I hope you find a skate to tide you over. I believe hockey is an addiction. Playing goal is even more addictive.

We could probably do that if someone wanted to place an order with a custom Perron pattern, but the reason we don't have that pattern in our database yet is that no one has made such an order. There is the possibility that BASE could get a new Perron mould in order to offer a "stock" Perron/Kovalev curve without anyone custom ordering it, but that would be based on demand, which would have to outweigh the cost of the new mould. That's why I want to get as much feedback as possible on curves (and other products or features) that you guys would like to see!

Monday Drop-In Report: Nothing but break aways and guys winding up their clappers. Nobody even waits until the last shooter gets out of the way and the goalie has time to set up. Ugh. Did work on my poke check. It's getting better. Penalty shot after penalty shot after penalty shot is taxing, to say the least. Ugh. New pads are delivered Wednesday. I guess I am clamping them down to encourage a nice S-shape after working on my strapping. Since I am trying them at drop-in, nothing to lose. Not going to try them at my favourite drop in until they feel great. I don't exactly know when my new Wilcox blocker will get to me as it is coming from the Great White North. Hopefully, I like this a LOT better than my Vaughn, which whilst protective (no stingers yet), my hand swims in it. The new blocker on my instagram @bunnydevildude

After two and a half months of my state's only full size rink being closed, we finally have new refrigeration pipes down, with the coolant system being turned on today, and the new ice starting to be made... Let's hope they don't screw it up, and our new season can begin soon...

The pictures didn't link correctly, sorry!