magnets

Been a while since I've posted, but I've moved up a couple divisions this year to Senior A (only 2 levels below the national competition here). It's been a very tough season. I've dropped down to a 0.809SV% with a terrible 5.43GAA. I'm not playing terribly, but I've lacked some rebound control (most goals on third+ rebounds) and faced way too many odd man rushes. Our club is fairly new too, so the other clubs are stacking teams from higher levels to avoid being the ones beaten by us. Last four games we've been outshot 114 - 51, making it very tough to win. While I know my team mates need to take a lot of the blame on these, I'm not one to pass the buck. A score on me is a score on me. Technically, I'm the best goalie I've ever been, but I need to draw more on the big desperation saves to feel like I'm making an impact. On the positive, I keep thinking the day I don't take getting scored on personally is the day I need to hang up the pads. It's hurting my confidence a lot, and I need to work on clearing my mind and resetting after a goal against. Sorry, not much content here, just needed to vent to some people that I'm sure know what I'm feeling right now.

Been a while since I was here, but thought I'd post about my season. We had a short Summer season (I'm in Australia) of 8 games and post season. While not my most spectacular figures early, finished off with a SV% of 0.891 with a 1.89GAA. Went through the season undefeated (2 games went to shootout) in top place, earning ourselves a direct entry to the championship series of three games. Game 1 we took easily, winning 3-0. Game 2, I let in one goal - was a shot from the point that rebounded off me, deflected off a defender and left an easy open net. Lost the game 1-0. Game 3, had a shot from the blue line through a screen that I leant to see around the screen at exactly the wrong moment and wasn't set. Just missed a toe save. Then had a 3 on 0, that I read the pass, over-slid a little and the windmill came up empty. Lost the game 2-0, and the series. I'll take some consolation that I only let in a total of three goals in a three game series. Just a shame that our only two losses for the season were in games that really mattered. Now, on to the Winter season.

With Summer season starting on this side of the world, its back to c grade for me. Went out to the new player tryout session to help out and try to return some of the kindness I had when I started in net, and coached three guys new in the pipes. It was a rewarding night, and was great to be on the other side.

Last night played our season ending game against a team we beat in a shootout last time round. My whole team played much more aggressively at the puck than ever before, and added one extra win to finish the season up 2-15-1. Not the best effort, but still one of the most fun (yet frustrating) seasons I've played so far. I love these guys. Back to C Grade I go for the Summer.

After a long bye week, we had a game against the reigning champions on the weekend, and let's just say it didn't go well. After a few standard saves, had a shot from the point that I had covered, where my defenceman thought it would be a good idea to tip the puck over my shoulder and in. What came for the rest of the game will be tough to move past. My defenders decided they were going to be everywhere except where they should. Cutting a long story short, we lost 12-3, at least eight of the goals came from passes behind the goal line to the unmarked centre right in the slot, but I saved more of those shots than I let in. I felt like I was working hard and moving well, but they just kept scoring. It wasn't until after the game when I could see the stats sheet that I could see why it was such a tough game. 56 shots on goal to 17. While it was a long way from my best game, that stat showed I was working on my own for a lot of it. We play again Thursday night against the first team we beat, so I need to clear my head and get back in the game.

Had a game last night against the only team left in the league I haven't played against (but have played two games for). Felt good getting on the ice and taking my normal warm up shots, and had a couple players saying I looked sharp and switched on :) First ten minutes, my team were on fire, getting a quick two goals including one of the best bottle flipping top shelf shots I've seen in a long time. It was 17 minutes into the first period that I let one in through a particularly leaky five hole, then two minutes later, a freak shot that got tipped just in front of me and flipped high up and over me, resulting in a weird twisting, arms behind the back save attempt that didn't quite work. Into the second period 2-2 Let one in through the leaky five hole again in the second on a breakaway, where I realised that I'm screwing up while going paddle down, leaving the five hole open too long, and decided I'm keeping the gloves high and stick upright for the rest of the game, which seemed to work, as they kept going five hole after the early shots going in, but kept it clean after that. Some frustration on the ice from the other team led to a 5 on 3 power play for us with three minutes left, and the equaliser. End of regulation tied 3-3, and it was my time to shine as we went to the shootout. The first three rounds and the scoresheet was clean. The other goalie let in one on round four, but then so did I. Easy save for him round five, and I pulled out a ridiculous toe stretch that just kept it out the net. Sixth round, our captain completely undressed their goalie, leaving him way out of position for an easy backhand to an open net. Next shot my way sailed wide to the left of the net, and we took the win :) Felt good after being so close for so many games to get it over the edge!

Just to make it clear, I love my team, and nobody has ever blamed me for letting in a goal. And I love this game.

Thanks Badger & Bunny, it is something I need to remember. I take my role in net a little too seriously sometimes. I've done everything I can to avoid being "that guy who's too intense in a recreational league", but I will always take goals against personally. I have never blamed anyone else for a goal against, even if I'm completely let down by my d. I started hockey late in life (as did most others on this thread), and I know I won't have a long career here, nor will I ever be close to the show, but I'm doing everything I can to get as far as I can in the short time I have - luckily for me, the community is small enough that I've been able to advance as far as I have. I feel grateful that when I fill in for other teams, the players are happy to see that it's me in net for them, and I want it to stay that way :)

Had a decent game last night - kept it clean until half way through the second where I had a second rebound tapped in. My team got the equaliser early in the third. There was a breakaway coming toward me, with my defender chasing hard. They tangled up in the slot and both went down, sliding to the net. And I choked. I was worried about two players sliding toward my knees and froze. The puck slid past me and in. I will relive this ridiculous goal for way too long as the one that I choked. Final score, 2-1 against :(

Had another game last night, and it didn't go well. 3 on 0 first, took two saves before the third one went in. Then another immediately off a faceoff in my zone - had about five bodies between me and the shot, and I didn't see it until it was much too late. Third one came in after the most blatant goaltender interference you'll ever see that wasn't called. Just as one of their D man wound up from the point, I had an opponent skate from behind me in the crease, through my right elbow, taking me out of the crease, and turning me to my left, then the puck immediately flies by my right. Ref had no idea what happened, and after talking to him later, admitted he wasn't watching. Completely lost my focus, and screwed the rest of my game. Lost in the end 7-3. If it wasn't for my team mates, I was heading to a misconduct as I started losing it at the ref. Need to take a couple days to reset.

While it's not the same, remember you helped get them there. Better to recover right and be back for future hockey.

Should I turn my avatar upside down :) My first team wore Flyers jerseys, so I got gear to match.

Goalie coaching is very few and far between in my part of the world. Most coaching here involves facing dekes from every player for an hour. I played a season before anyone who had a clue about tending watched me and helped, so most of my work has been on my own with YouTube assistance. Maria Mountain's stretching seemed to be most useful.

I do still struggle with a few things as the hip doesn't rotate as well as it should, but keeping moving, and pushing a little beyond comfortable (but not painful) when stretching seems to be helping. My butterfly pushes to the left are much better than my pushes to the right, but it's amazing what your body can adapt to if you're determined.

My arthritis (diagnosed at 28) in my left hip has actually gotten better since I started playing hockey. I'm doing things now I couldn't do 10 years ago :)

Finally, my new club in it's ninth game finally picked up our first win! Even better, I got my first B Grade shutout (thanks to an amazing block from a D man when a pass I made from behind the net went straight to the other team! 25 shots on goal, 25 saves, 3-0 win :)

After one of the A Grade goalies here went down with a dislocated shoulder, finishing his season, our regular goalie got the call up, so looks like I have earned a permanent B Grade spot :) Had a game last night against the reigning champions, a team that regularly blows out their competition. Coming up against our winless side would have been written in as a win before the game for them, but we held up pretty well, going down 4-2 in the end. First goal I was screened by two of them, one of mine, heard the shot and just went down getting as large as I could. Felt it bounce off my toe, but by the time I located the puck it had been rebounded in. Second shot on a 2 on 0 cross crease pass, I got down and accross with the puck just hitting the outside roll of the pads, rebounding up to the crossbar and in. Third goal in the third period was a shocker. They had a breakaway wide and right, and I didn't see the other player come in behind me, so when I saw the shot going very wide, I lazily followed it and had no hope with the one timer :( Fourth goal was another 2 on 0 breakaway with a late cross crease pass, got the save on the one timer, rebound went straight to another player, second save, but the third shot got me. My team is improving dramatically, and despite another loss, this was probably our strongest game yet, especially if you consider the strength and ability of our opposition. The first win for our club is still to come, but team morale is still high. Despite the glaring holes in the defence, I'm happy to be part of this team.

My team has a fairly regular warm up routine. They'll skate a couple laps while I scuff my crease, then I get one shooter who gets about 10 shots on me from in front just to help get the eye in. Then it's a drill from the right corner, a group of three go out, to the blue line - first one skates across the blue line curls back and shoots, after the save, I have enough time to quickly recover for a shot from number two who skated along the blue line to the centre, curls back for a shot, then recover for number three who hit the blue line, skated to the left side and takes a shot. Gives me three shots in fairly quick succession that I have to move and track with. Repeated from the left after the whole team go through, saving the last couple to give a couple dangles to get me moving laterally (which if they come earlier I just ignore). When we recruited for our team, we somehow managed to avoid the douches that like to slap shot the net with the goalies back turned.

Had an odd weekend. The club I helped create actually has another goalie, who is the starting goalie (my decision, he's better than I am, with more experience, and would be better for the club) with an aim for him to move to A Grade when our club has an A grade team next season, while I take the spot in B Grade. However, apparently I got noticed in the first few games I played for them, and I was approached by another club to fill in for their unavailable goalie. I thought I needed the experience, so why not. Had a great game on Saturday, eventually winning in a shootout. It went so well, that they asked me back for their game on Sunday... Against my club... After some arguments for and against inside my own head, I contacted the other leaders in my club and asked what I should do... The overall view was that I should do it for the experience, as well as being able to offer some insight to our guys as to what the other goalie is seeing, and use it as an opportunity for them to learn something too. I told them I wasn't going to go easy, and planned to play the best game I could. The club coaches response was that he wouldn't want me as part of the team if I was planning on anything else (got to respect that). Well, the team I was playing for won 4-2 - One goal against was the third shot in a flurry, and the second one was a great shot that pulled me out of position just enough to open a long side snipe in the last 20 seconds of the game. Came back with some advice for the forwards as well as the defence for my club, but felt terrible beating them. I'm playing again for my club next weekend, so hoping we can get our first win on the board.

Oh No! All the best with the recovery.

Had a painful game 3 last night... So bad I'm too embarrassed to even put the score up here, but I know the vast majority of goals against were not my fault. Several goals got in on fourth shots with no defence in sight. One breakaway even included a 4 on 0. On the positive, my club finally put a few goals on the board, so that monkey is finally off our back.

Our coach played for the Jokerit as a junior, and still has a strong connection there, so we were always going with it (permission was granted by them). Our league refused to let us use any blue/red/yellow options, as it's the state colours, and the red/yellow option was out as there's one club already wearing red, and another with yellow... Left us with the white, green or purple options, and the green won the vote. Our league isn't big enough to warrant alternate jerseys, so this one covers all the bases for us, and it grows on you really quickly.

Second game with my club last night, still not where we want to be, but improving. Lost 3 (31 SOG) to 0 (16 SOG). The other team's coach came to our room after the game to let me know that they were talking about some of my better saves - including a stop on a 2 on 0 late cross crease pass, that I stopped off the one timer. Mood within the group is still great, and we're all feeling the improvement every period. Our first goal isn't far away! I just hope it happens before the regular goalie comes back...

After a year of work behind the scenes to make it happen, on Sunday night, the first new club in my state in fifty years had our first game on the ice. We're playing at B Grade (in Australia, that's still a fair way off North American standards), and our opponents obviously were worried about being the first team to play us, so stacked their team with 5 players that had been playing at A Grade level for the past 5+ years. Not a fantastic result for us, going down 7-0, but I'm only disappointed about two of them. 40 shots on goal to 14 tells me we had other issues in our game, but there was a consistent improvement from one period to the next. Since it's the first time we've played together as a team, against an experienced opponent, we're happy to move forward. Honestly, just standing in my crease just before the opening puck drop, looking forward at five other players wearing our jersey, I couldn't have been prouder of the work we've done to get to that point. On our opponent's bench was one of the founding members of our state's hockey league (just hit 50 years) in tears that he was there to witness the birth of another club.

Slumps happen, and the more you focus on the fact you need to break a slump, the less likely it is to happen. Get your head back into the right place. Forget what's come before and start watching what's coming. You've improved dramatically over the short time you've been playing. Make yourself feel better by watching one of your first videos, then watch a recent one. You'll see how far you've come.