magnets

On another note, myself and three other guys (two long term players here, and a Finnish ex national junior player who now coaches here) finished a long project of planning, and had the board of our association unanimously approve us as a new club playing at A and B Grade in our state league. We will be the first new club in this state in 50 years. Now to see if I actually get to play for them (there is no guarantee) :)

That's Ice Hockey in South Australia. I think the rink was built in the early 80s, and the ends of the rink butt up almost against the exterior walls. We have a stand on one side above the benches, and a smaller sheet of ice on the other. When they play National league games here, they move portable bleachers on to the smaller ice to expand capacity, but it's still not much. Unfortunately though, it's the only rink in this state big enough to play hockey.

Unfortunately, our rink wasn't really designed for hockey viewing and has non-transparent boards behind the goals, so that's not an option.

Love the videos Optimus... I asked my league if I could put a GoPro up on the boards behind the goal like you do, even if it was behind the netting that if it touched the puck would be dead, and they refused. I've tried helmet cam and net cam in Shinny before, but helmet cam either looks too far down the ice, or too low so you don't see the shots coming, and net cam gets plenty of shots of my butt and not much else. I'll keep trying to get them to let me mount behind like you do, your angle is great to actually see play develop, as well as your movements and reactions.

After a very hot day here (41°C = about 106°F), played two games back to back, both filling in for other teams. Game one was one of the worst in my career, letting in five goals from just 15 shots (0.666). Back in to play the second game, turned it around for a 6-1 win, jumping the SV% back up to a 0.941 making me feel a lot better. Only one that got through, the opposing Centre screened me perfectly, and annoyed me just enough to push the catcher into his back exactly as the shot went off. If I didn't let him distract me, I may have shut the five hole in time, as my positioning was spot on. Took a couple glove saves that the same guy screening me turned around and said "how the &$%^& did you see that???" because even in front of me, he couldn't track the puck from the slap shot, yet I effortlessly took it. Tried to get back into his head by down-playing it - always act like you've been there before :)

Two games in C2 tonight. My normal team got a 3-1 win, and I filled in for last place to help them to a 3-2 shootout win. They're a great group of guys and girls, they deserve more in the W column.

I'm living the dream. The Monday-Friday job is behind a desk in my own home, so as sedentary as you could possibly imagine.

We have an issue - 9 teams in the league, 6 goalies. 1 was unavailable, another injured, and four games on. Doubling up on games is fairly regular, but not normally three.

What a big day of hockey! Played three games back to back (just an ice surfacing between games). First one was my team, won 7-3, first goal against was a great top blocker corner snipe. Other two came from rebounds after two saves. Second game was filling in for the bottom team in the league. Finished off 2-1, getting their first regulation win of the season. The only one getting in was a rebound that got through a gap with about half an inch to spare after my flailing kick. Third game was tough. 7 total skaters on my team, the other team had 6 on the bench. My team were outskated, but they needed to be - they were playing incredibly intelligent hockey, but they only had so much energy to give. After 36 shots on me to 16 on them, lost 5-3 (including an empty netter in the last minute). Had a highlight reel to heartbreak moment in this game, with a shot from just left of the point, dropped down and saved, where it popped out to my right with a wide open net to the centre. They took the shot and I dived at it, pushing the stick as far forward as I could and saved it again, the puck dribbling behind the goal line to the right. As I landed, lost my grip on my stick, where they played the puck to push it back in front, it hit the blade of my stick on the ice, followed the stick around, and deflected into the goal. I just wasn't meant to get that one. Felt great all the way through, but the moment I sat down after game three, my legs and feet decided they'd had enough. It's now Monday morning here, and I can barely move! Got until Thursday to recover for my next game.

Not my best weekend here. Played C1, lost 8-4 yesterday, then today filled in at C2 for another team, went down 5-2, the finally picked up a W playing for my C2 team, going 7 rounds in a shootout to win 3-2.

I figure that the day I stop taking goals against personally is the day I hang up the pads, but I try not to dwell. Usually a frustrated noise, rethink what happened, a thought on how I could do it better, and move on. Holding onto that bad goal for too long won't change its result, but dwelling on it might affect the next.

My local league has A, B and C Grade hockey. C Grade was initially the development/beer league level - it's where you start at senior level hockey. A couple of years back, the numbers got high enough that they split C Grade into C1 and C2, C2 is for the newbies and beer league level, C1 is for players on the top end here, looking to get drafted to the A/B Grade clubs. A severe lack of goalies here (South Australia), means the few of us get plenty of ice time. I have a regular C2 team, and have been a regular fill in for a C1 team until the new guy arrives in about a week, so wasn't looking forward to losing my regular C1 games, but after another goalie was injured pretty badly in a mountain biking accident (impaled his leg on a branch, tearing a muscle literally in two), turns out I was specifically requested to take his place in the top team in the league. First game - against the new guy taking my spot on the old team... Could be interesting :)

Played two games last night. First one lost 2-1 in a 7 round shootout- the one that got me in game hit the top corner stick side and went in. Game two, shutout, but only 6 shots on net, so that's not really on me.

We lost in a shootout 4-3 last night. Came into the third period 3-0 up, my team started playing stupid and drew penalty after penalty. One squeaked through my five hole, second was hit from a face off, deflected off my centre, off my D man and in, third was a two on none breakaway with 40 seconds left on the clock. Second shot on the shootout hit top corner blocker side, and we couldn't score.

I really enjoy these videos Optimus. Like you, I take every goal personally too :)

I picked up my first shutout for the season tonight in a 4-0 win. Other team started gooning it up in the third, our team just took the puck and ran :)

Wow, that's quicker than the week or two I predicted :)

I wouldn't worry too much. If it's anything like it is here, they'll be begging to have you back in a week or two when they can't find anyone that actually shows up predictably.

I had my season opener last night, lost 3-1. Only one goal I'm ok with missing (d do some weird things sometimes - skated directly in front of my net and basically handed the puck to an opponent in the slot). Backed it up filling in for the next game, with a team who had never played together losing 4-2 after 44 shots on goal to 19.

Congratulations on the season :)Where I am, the development (rookie) league is C grade, and play in Summer as the A, B and national league need the ice in the Winter (Southern Hemisphere, so opposite to most of you). Last year, it had grown so much (without the clubs at higher level expanding) that it split to C1 for more experienced players, and C2 for the less experienced. Here in My part of Australia, that means 4 teams in C1 and 9 teams in C2. We start next week, and I've been told I'm playing in one team in each division :)

It's a fine line of not being the first to bite, and not biting too late. When I started, I jumped at any indication of a shot, committing myself to the save way before I should have, and leaving a very wide open net when they hadn't. How was he beating you? Getting a shot off before you're set, or waiting for the bite and going around?

Nice work Optimus! I'm still looking forward to my first point...

im lucky if I retape.... Ever.

Blocker save that was probably going over the net

Had my first on ice session for three weeks last night. Wow, was I rusty! Amazing how quick you seem to lose all ability you had!