bunnyman666

You looked like you were in pain, Opti. Good onya for staying in.

Heh heh- being 50% English and 50% American, I see both sides of Thanksgiving. How can I be 100% behind a holiday thanking G'd that they got away from Ol' Blighty? But I loves me a good roast dinner. My mum embraced the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing okay. After all- I am a U.S. citizen. Black Friday is the only adult drop in this next week. Bummer!!!!

Did drop in yesterday. It ended up being 4-on-4, one goalie (me) and shooter tutor. Got scored on with my back turned (drinking water). Yeah- that took skill. Dealt with Donnie McDangles. With the team I had playing against him (roller guys who played ice the first time and a couple were on rental skates), McDangles scored 8/10x against me. Oh, well. When three guys left, it became 3-on-3 half ice. I didn't do too terribly, but nobody in the NHL has to worry about their jobs for certain. People who haven't seen my "Screw U" sweater (pic on Instagram @bunnydevildude #sillyhockeysweaters ) got a giggle. I let in a couple of weird ones that I probably should have had. But I haven't started playing goal until this past year and have had zero coaching. I don't beat myself up as that is pointless.

^^^ Good onya!!!!!

I have found that I am more vocal as a goalie than as a skater. Usually, I am shouting positive reinforcement, such as "Good Defense!" or "Great play!". I haven't found myself needing to tell the people I have been playing with lately to clear my vision or anything like that; but I will yell "coming in hot" or "feet!" Especially in pick up, there is no place for screaming at people, but as I have said before- there are always those guys who think that there is an off chance that a scout is in the stands and also thinks that he's gonna get laid by a hot rink bunny who is otherwise invisible at the rink. Weirdly enough, I have been enjoying playing goal a LOT more than trying to learn D (I was a third/fourth line winger who tried to draw penalties back in the day) and trying to play like I did 25+ years ago. Digging pucks off of the boards was fun enough, but having Paul Bunyan trying to chop me down or some smelly, ring worm infested, Mersa-carrying jerk pawing me like his prison lover on the boards kinda got old. I haven't been run into the net (yet), but feel amply protected against that possibility. The best thing I have learnt, however, is that goalie is a VERY difficult position to learn and play. Now I also understand why the goalies let in seemingly "soft" goals.

G'd knows- maybe he is realises how poorly he plays and needs to take a break. Sure- he is going to publicly blame EVERYBODY but himself, but inside he knows that he is getting worse and worse. I know that I would rather play against a shooter tutor than a whiner.

Let him not come back. Games will be a LOT more enjoyable without him.

Remember this, badger_14 : Some people treat pick up like it's game 7. That attitude has made me want to paint a 5 gallon paint bucket gold, and award it once per week to those types.

Yesterday was a pressure test. First of all, I was to face a rival for the first time since last December. Second of all, since it was Veteran's Day, varsity high school and a few college and former college players were off of work/school and were chomping at the bit to play a little pick up. Defense was better than normal at pick up considering the level of players I was playing with. However, many had let the hockey sense get a case of Alzheimer's when it came to defense, as several 1 on 0, 2 on 0 and 3 on 1 breakaways would develop. I made some interesting saves, but so many times I would let out a juicy rebound or the D would not pick up the three forwards around the net. The worst part was that play hammered on and on so I could never grab a sip of water. It's better than some of the snore fests that happen with slow, lumbering players. I had to leave early and that was a bummer. The best part? The fact that nobody would pass to my rival and my D would not let him get a quality shot off when he would get the puck. While I will always say that I suck so badly in goal that Dyson has offered to build a signature vacuum sweeper to emulate how much I suck in goal, I have made some improvements and have learnt how to better anticipate some plays. But I still over commit and get burnt on occasion, but sometimes a lucky bounce happens and the puck doesn't cross the line.

You have learnt a lot. Charm them with your Russian. I charm (or repel) them with my English accent and sayings. Just have fun and take the piss, matey!!!!!

Today was 2-on-2 shinny, half ice. I was the only goalie. Since I have been watching the puck better, I have figured out how to make saves. In fact- I made some downright IMPOSSIBLE saves and let in some SERIOUSLY STUPID ones!!!! I even did a few '80s style, near the hash marks type of saves by challenging the shooter near the circles. Would I say I did well? I did okay, but the rudimentary saves were the ones I should have had. I just had LOTS AND LOTS of LUCK today.

Did a little 2-on-2 that ended as a 3-on-3 half ice yesterday. Made a few cage saves, let in a few dumb ones, even robbed a couple of people with a couple of poke cheques, skate saves and stick saves. Overall not terrible, but nobody in the NHL has to worry about their jobs for certain.

I write "WARNING: The user of this bottle has Hepatitis C. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK". Sure, it made people scoot down from me on the bench, but NOBODY uses my bottle.Seriously, though- my wife has a condition where she has a limited immune system (not AIDS), so me bringing someone's lurgee home could be very, very bad.

Well done, Opti! You look good in goal. Your hard work is paying off. Seeing how you "click" your heels, I probably do the same thing. I have tried to drive my knees, but this set of pads I have aren't rotating worth a toss. I see that we do the same thing for low shots through the five hole. The front of my pads end up flat on the ice half of the time. But they feel better, feel more durable and safer than what I started with. I am saving for a set of Factory Mad pads. When I did find myself immoble, probably my feet were too close together. As soon as I am cleared for regular exercise and skating, I'm joining you on the Mountain Butterfly programme. I saw the hint of a Hasek roll in this video. Again- you are progressing well. I have seen Crawford and Bishop let in the same types of shots that you had let in. Hand position is something all of us newbies need to work on. Your D was definitely better this time. Don't be afraid to give a gentle nudge if a winger gets in your grille. Not a whack, not even a shove, but a gentle nudge with your trap. After all, he's trying to make certain that you don't see the puck and to tie you up for the empty net. This was something I was infamous as a winger for doing when I was playing competitive hockey 10,000 years ago.

Then get to the rink as early as possible, get on the ice, then practise. You could improve your game by leaps and bounds. You have great positioning and instincts.

I practise mine at open skates. Of course since I have switched pads, my butterfly slides BLOW and I have sucked wind ever since. In preparation for my surgery, I haven't had as much time to work with this stuff, and it shows. Once I am healed from surgery, I will get back to work on that stuff. Practising getting around net, whether it be slides, T-pushes, or shuffles. You can at least practise T-pushes and shuffles with no pads.

You weren't nearly as bad as you say you were. Your D-men need to wear orange- there was a fair bit of standing around and allowing breakaways. Sure their first names weren't "Traffic" and last names "Pylon"? You weren't napping, you looked square to the puck at all times. You had so crazy and weird bounces, none were helped by nobody taking the guy or guys in front of the net. That game could have been a lot uglier. You kept it from being a lot higher scoring, and the weird bounces should have been negated by your pylons, er, um D men. Don't be so hard on yourself, that's how it goes from being fun to being torture.

umm hmmm

Unless there is a coach, warm up will just be blokes winding up at the blue line or penalty shot dekes. I have had the pleasure of playing stick and puck with a coach who would shoot blocker side, then glove, then five hole and down low either side. 9/10 times, everybody loves to hear how hard their shot hits the plexiglass. If two wind up at the same time, I leave the net. If the same bloke keeps trying to deke in warm ups, I ignore him/her. They need us more than we need them.Until a veteran told me to not do the whole deke thing, I thought that was what is expected of me. It also drives me nuts that people start shooting the second I get to the crease, in which I need a second to rough my crease, do my shuffle warm ups, and then my slides. I take off my masque so I can do those things.

Not only is goalie a thankless position, but I feel like we are the Rodney Dangerfields on the ice, especially when we become a shooting gallery. Warming a goalie up? What's that? Two guys shooting at the same time? Clappers from the hashmarks? Argh. But I'm thoroughly addicted to the position, none the less.

Back in the old days of the clear Tuuks, a LOT of holders would be broken. I actually am in the habit of purchasing extra holders for player skates because of that. Also, it seems that when you like a particular holder, it becomes discontinued. In the case of replaceable runners, I never have fewer than three pair. I am doing that with my goal skates, as well. I call the holder and the cowling a cowling interchangeably as these days, the cowling and holder are one. I am actually old enough to remember when the cowling was riveted onto the boot underneath the blade. Just hope your broken holder is just a one-time phenomenon.

The Brian's Smart Toe Straps are AWESOME. Yes, I have had issues with mine coming loose, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with tape. I can't recommend them enough. The newer cowlings are thinner, but more optimised for butterfly. It's brilliant that the entire skate is being replaced. Nothing is like the older ICM cowlings, but those were from when goalies got the cross-cut and didn't need sharpenings as often. and butterfly wasn't half the game (or more). Moulding some fibreglass around your cowlings wouldn't be a terrible idea if you play stand up (one must allow for the boot strap and toe straps through, making holes for each), but you probably had a freak accident with yours. I have built a LOT of fibreglass onto my skates as a defenceman. I am playing my last time before surgery next wednesday on my heels. I was starting to get a teeny bit better, only having an 8.5 GAA LOL!!!!

@badger_14 Nice pads! Nothing feels better than something you get to make dirty. Those are nice pads! @beedee What a haul you have made!!!

" Dominik Hasek on a drunken bender" Priceless.

wags- AWESOME first post. Your wisdom is something that needs to be here to boost some confidence. I am back and posting in this thread because at nearly 43 years young, I am a beginning goalie. First off, I will not even pretend that I am going to be any good. If I end up with a 5.00 GAA by the time I have done this for a few years, I will be quite chuffed! I decided to start goal because I like the cool gear. Actually, it is because I have finally amassed the funds to buy the gear. In shinny, we will NEVER have good D-men. Even the good D-men have decided they want to try and do their best T.J. Oshie and treat shinny like a shoot out! Marty McDangles always tries to dangle everyone and the hapless, lesser-skilled players end up as the D-men (if they even know how to skate backwards). Furthermore, everybody pinches in too far in the zone and the one bloke who can skate cherry picks the break away. Gets mighty frustrating as a goalie... I will always give this advice as a beginning goalie to other beginner goalies: remember that DESPITE the fact you are letting in what you call a "soft goal", you have the TESTICULAR FORTITUDE to play goal. The D-men that should be wearing orange to signify their pylonitude DON'T HAVE THE BALLS to be goalies, let alone block shots or stand their ground at the blue line. Stand proud, and as wags sez: COUNT YOUR SAVES!!!! bunnyman out.