bunnyman666

I need to get out further to cut off some sightlines for the shooter. I guess I play like some Euro goalies, lol. This is where *dunh dunh dunh!* a video camera would probably convince me that my angles suck. Thanks for the tip. I only need 10,000 more to get better.

Drop-in Report: Does the group you play with make a difference? Hell's yeah!!!! The first shot against me in goal was a softy (and really embarassing), but other than that and maybe a couple of others, I didn't do too badly. I still get beat on a 2-0. I did my best OptimusReim impersonation a few times on break aways with a poke cheque; sometimes they worked, sometimes I was Father Christmas and gave up a goal. Once I was beat on my poke cheque, but the shooter's angle was so bad that the puck went 3" wide of the post. I am feeling more confident and am able to recover better from poor angles. My stick shaft saves more goals that should have gone in, and it has many dents to prove that point. Can't wait to get my Wilcox blocker as that silly Vaughn is so wallowy, especially after I get amply warm.

I am so, so, so lucky that the longest I am without ice is three weeks at the most around here within reasonable driving distance. It's a laugh when I see what "improvements" were done to my home rink for three weeks in July. My new favourite drop in spot is closed for 2 months or so in the summer. I don't know how long my home away from home rink is closed for the summer, but my third choice rink is open 24/7/365, with few drop-in opportunities.

@OptimusReim i am sorry, but seisures are NO excuse for being a dick head, PERIOD. I don't like when my main rival (Mr. Kneediver) is out due to a medical issue, either; but his goony play is on him. On another note: what the hell company thinks they are *ENTITLED* to your leisure time? What a bunch of tossers.

@OptimusReim Watched the video- those dead deer are wankers, plain and simple. They play very dangerously. I did like your super-aggressive save attempt (and it worked!), especially with how they trip your teammates. My only criticism- if they are going to try and fish the puck from your glove that aggressively, you need to get in touch with your inner Billy Smith ? You are impressive in goal, sir.

I was still playing forward on those occasions.

@OptimusReim Hitting in beer league unprovoked is uncalled for; that being said, I have only hit four times in my modern day play: 1) and 2) I stood my ground on a guy looking down coming in like a freight train, which I admit was a bit douchey on my part. We're still friends after that. He now plays with his head up ? 3) In the league I used to sub in, I drove someone into the boards who was head-locking my teammates (and myself) when he couldn't take the puck fair and square. He had the nerve to complain when the biggest bloke on my team went after him, even after he had "Paul Bunyan'd" half of us. Even his own teammates were pounding the sh** out of him for being such a douche in the bench clearing brawl that ensued. He was asked to NEVER RETURN. 4) Two of us went into the corners hard on a puck. This mofo tried to put all 250# into my knees when dropping and gave me the "I got you muthaf*ckah" look whilst doing it. The next shift, I took four hard strides and put him into the boards as he wound up for a (weak) clapper. He had it in for me since we started playing together with such stupid shit like grabbing me around my head, so it was time to stand up to that bully. Times 1 and 2 were not cool. Times 3 and 4 were to stand up for myself and/or teammates. I would have rather not done any of those times in retrospect. I will watch the video and make a judgment. Knowing the history between your team and the Dead Deer, I hope you and your team exact revenge. Jawing makes me nuts; why not exhibit good sportsmanship?

Drop in report: Returned to the home rink. I actually was doing well today. My ear got pinched from a shot to the side of my head. No blood, no foul. I did let in a few clunkers, but more goals were from motionless pylons around the crease who were standing five feet away that would not even try and cheque the back door plays. Many I let in were tic-tac-toe plays that were poorly defended. That group even noticed my improved play, though I also had puck luck today. I felt okay about my play. Guess I have to go to that other pickup on occasion ;) They improved my game by a fair bit.

It takes YEARS to not make those blunders frequently.

For someone who hasn't played goal for all that long, you're looking cracking in net.

I just hope that you turn the corner soon and have a few months WITHOUT a cold ;)

I hope you take no offense by what I say. My wife has a rare immunity disorder that requires monthly treatment. Call me your concerned internet friend.

It seems you are perpetually ill. What keeps you ill?

Got a ways to go before THAT type of swagger. Great video, thanks for sharing.

I haven't made full reports in awhile, but here is a chronicle of yesterday's drop-in: I have happened upon a highly organised and skilled group who plays on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If this rink were closer, it would be my go to group. I deal with non-stop breakaways and a singular dangler in my home rink, and a mixed bag who may or may not play defense on any given day at my home away from home rink (which I go to on Mondays). None the less, it is a downright pleasure to play with this group. Sure, there are a few breakaways and wrap arounds, but defense is actually played here with great passing and players who take short shifts. This would be a fun skate to do if I were skating out, had I not lost the skills as a result of a twenty five year absence. I let in a few soft goals five hole (more than I would like to count), incidentally kicked one in (grrrrr!), and still get beat top shelf often. But there were a few times I showed some progress, and even stole a couple by flashing the leather. I can even get a shooter to rush their shot by smacking my stick on the ice; sometimes it results in a poor shot, sometimes it results in a goal against. Am I going to steal games at this point? No. Am I getting a bit more confidence and swagger in net? Yes. I gotta get myself into the butterfly more often, I gotta learn better angles, and I need to be in better aerobic shape. I am going to be quitting my current band in May, so some time will open up for me to work on things.

@Thinkingjack That sucks. I hope your rehab goes quickly and you're right as rain in no time. When someone jumps on your knee, it is scary stuff- ESPECIALLY when they are HEAVY. Glad to hear nothing major happened. I think the fat hero deserves a knee-capping with your goal stick the next time you play against him.

Deflection from my CA.

I can boast that I got dinged in the chin. Yeeeeouch! No stitches or anything, but I have a robin's egg on my chin. I think I am going to get a better dangler.

Poor sportsmanship just makes me angry. And so many learn it from such an early age. I have skated out of the net in stick and puck the next time a young cocky player shows a bit of cheek after scoring the fifth time. I have seen a few goalies have enough of a cocky little show off and put their shoulder down and lift the stick up when a twerp skates through the crease and gives a snow shower. That usually calms them down for the rest of the game. @tedpenguins I don't mind winning 5-0 if it was a hard-fought 5-0 and the other team just had poor puck luck. But damn! When it just becomes a snoozefest and play is 85% on the other end, it is BORING! But then you have a real bone of contention on playing goal the second half of the season, ted. I am assuming that forwards are charged more than goalies.

Sure it does. The guys who are playing Game 7 of the Sh*t Show Cup care a WHOLE LOT when they think their team will be skunked because of what they think is sub par goal tending. I have fun with it, as well. "Bloody well give me a chance and I will try my damndest to stop shots!!!!" That sometimes gets the message across, or not.

Your choice. I see your point. If it is a good guy, I WILL challenge him in a one on zero breakaway, unless it becomes a habit. With most Mc Danglers, they know the score and I have NEVER had to explain; in fact, most comment "guess your D is boycotting you, eh?".

When I get ZERO defense, I skate out of the net when there is a breakaway. Or I just let in shots when fifty rebounds that could have been cleared don't. Infact, when I want to make certain that I want my D to work, I purposely let in soft goals. Nothing makes a defense work harder than when they think you're a bloody pylon ?

I can't remember how much stuff is in a Brian's leg channel. Is there a lot in there?

Good onya! Now having done this stuff for nearly a year, I can relate to where you are now. I still call myself a neophyte in net, and will for quite some time. But it sounds like you have a few basics down already. You probably won't fit that liner from those other pads in, right? I'm telling you that a fair few experienced goalies like the uncluttered leg channels of senior pads.

There is much debate about whether or not the differences in pro vs. senior, senior vs. bottom-end, smu, special runs exclusive to certain stores, etc., etc. is labour (North American vs. Asian) or the just quality of materials or both. I think the X24 is the top-line senior, so my guess is that the padding is not that much different from a top end pad from a few years back. Brian's claims their top end senior pad has 85% of the same materials found in their top end pro offering. Knowing what I know about manufacturing, foam is the cheapest part of a pad. Of course when you are trying to meet a certain price point, everything gets dumbed down. The Jenpro-like material will be thinner, high end specialty foams will not be included (especially if it has a name that must be advertised, therefore paying the manufacturer to use the name in addition to the product), straps will be flimsier, etc., etc. I don't think you have anything to worry about with your pads, as I am wearing used senior Vaughn pads (7470 V5) and they feel pretty much like a new set. I haven't felt shots in mine, and I've played in these 1-3 times per week since November in intense shinny (scrimmages, in reality). It's not like you have Bauer Reactor 2000, which are DEFINITELY a low-end pad (I have a set). Many goalies I know wish for the simpler leg channels of senior pads when they buy pro and often strip them down to what a senior pad looks like in the leg channel! You may figure out how much you love the senior style leg channel! Now, the only pad I would play in roller would be a low-end senior pad, as they are light weight AND relatively painless to drag across concrete (to a degree). I will be putting slick tape on my Reactor 2000 pads and try some roller hockey. I would only use them on ice in an emergency basis, as just getting my moves down in these broke them down quickly, as well as degrading the toe trims, though I hear this is a common problem with the Jenpro-like material used as toe trims on the Reactor line (save for the pro line).