Starting in Goal as an Adult

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

Got to play for the first time in a few weeks last night, wearing my new Passau. It's YUUUUUGGGE compared to my old one; it took some getting used to but I'm very happy with the mobility out of the box and the protection. Played ok for the first 26 minutes, then let in two quick goals - one on a rebound and one just under my left landing gear. I also got beat with a great shot on the shootout. Overall, I felt pretty good considering two weeks of rust. 

 

I decided to join the summer developmental league as a goalie . . . the scouting / drafting skate is on April 13. I would rate myself the #2 or #3 goalie out of the guys who I know are playing. Hopefully I don't get put on a weak team to "even things out" after seeing the frustrations people have with playing in novice league. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I hear you. That's why I'm now skating out in rookie league. Can't handle it as a goalie. Even as a skater the complete lack of structure and positioning means a ton of turns and stops and starts from broken plays. D-men have full control of the puck in the defensive zone? Forget about getting open for a pass... Better to just get all the way back because they're sure to cough it up. It's TIRING, even when it's a level or two below where you normally play. 

[bunnyman666 445]

21 hours ago, GreatestAmericanBeardo said:

 

you want to see swagger, watch this guy.  i love the air guitar at 1:15

 

 

 

 

 

Got a ways to go before THAT type of swagger.

 

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[badger_14 601]

On the one hand, I think I let in like 20 goals.

 

On the other, we played for three hours and I have a bad virus and kept hazing out when I stood up. 

 

So it evens out. 

 

 

[bunnyman666 445]

On April 3, 2016 at 7:49 PM, badger_14 said:

On the one hand, I think I let in like 20 goals.

 

On the other, we played for three hours and I have a bad virus and kept hazing out when I stood up. 

 

So it evens out. 

 

 

 

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

[badger_14 601]

I'm not sick all the time.  But it's my first winter working on an ambulance and I think I've just been picking up a lot of crap in spite of my best efforts.

[beedee 227]

Got the shutout Friday night, 3-0! This team beat us the last two times we played them, so it's a good feel!

In my opinion we should have worked them since they only had two subs and we had nearly three full lines! And of course they had a golden opportunity with under 10 seconds left....nail biter!

[bunnyman666 445]

9 hours ago, badger_14 said:

I'm not sick all the time.  But it's my first winter working on an ambulance and I think I've just been picking up a lot of crap in spite of my best efforts.

 

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.

[badger_14 601]

3 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

 

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.

 

No offense taken at all.  I appreciate the concern, and it has been a frustrating Fall/Winter.  I was having trouble with my asthma as far back as last August, and I've had a cold on roughly a monthly basis since October, so it's starting to worry me.  My bloodwork has all been good though.

 

Does make it harder to play hockey, for sure.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Brutal game. Bailed out by my teammates. Let in two completely garbage goals and one that I should have had. 

 

First goal was a knuckleball that bounced off the ice over my pad. Second goal was an inability to catch a puck with my new glove. Third goal was a soft trickler that I tried to sweep over for my D-man to pick up and ended up missing it completely. I should have stopped it with the paddle before pushing it over to him. 

 

I'm definitely going back to my old glove until my Passau arrives. 

 

On the bright side, we're now 6-0 on the season and I'm leading the league in every goalie category (GAA, SV%, Shutouts, Wins). 

 

 

[bunnyman666 445]

10 hours ago, badger_14 said:

 

No offense taken at all.  I appreciate the concern, and it has been a frustrating Fall/Winter.  I was having trouble with my asthma as far back as last August, and I've had a cold on roughly a monthly basis since October, so it's starting to worry me.  My bloodwork has all been good though.

 

Does make it harder to play hockey, for sure.

 

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

[bunnyman666 445]

10 hours ago, OptimusReim said:

Brutal game. Bailed out by my teammates. Let in two completely garbage goals and one that I should have had. 

 

First goal was a knuckleball that bounced off the ice over my pad. Second goal was an inability to catch a puck with my new glove. Third goal was a soft trickler that I tried to sweep over for my D-man to pick up and ended up missing it completely. I should have stopped it with the paddle before pushing it over to him. 

 

I'm definitely going back to my old glove until my Passau arrives. 

 

On the bright side, we're now 6-0 on the season and I'm leading the league in every goalie category (GAA, SV%, Shutouts, Wins). 

 

 

 

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

[IPv6Freely 2092]

33 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

 

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

Except for the ridiculous blunders, you mean. LOL!

[Hills 712]

Why did you get a new glove?

[bunnyman666 445]

2 hours ago, OptimusReim said:

Except for the ridiculous blunders, you mean. LOL!

 

It takes YEARS to not make those blunders frequently.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

1 hour ago, Hills said:

Why did you get a new glove?

Got tired of stingers, Passau glove not expected for a while, guy was selling a Brian's Sub6.0 glove barely used for $125 shipped. Turns out, I shouldn't have used it until I broke it in more. I can't seem to catch anything with it.

 

I'm just going to sell it I think and go back to my old glove, even if it's lacking padding. It feels like a baseball mitt (both in fappability and in palm thickness...) and I'm comfortable with it. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

12 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

 

It takes YEARS to not make those blunders frequently.

Just have to make smarter decisions with the puck. If I don't hear a teammate tell me to move it, I'll cover it. Even on the PP. They seemed surprised both times I pushed it off to them and it almost cost us both times. On slow pucks to the net with nobody in chase, I need to stop it before pushing it off. 

 

[Hills 712]

1 minute ago, OptimusReim said:

Got tired of stingers, Passau glove not expected for a while, guy was selling a Brian's Sub6.0 glove barely used for $125 shipped. Turns out, I shouldn't have used it until I broke it in more. I can't seem to catch anything with it.

 

I'm just going to sell it I think and go back to my old glove, even if it's lacking padding. It feels like a baseball mitt (both in fappability and in palm thickness...) and I'm comfortable with it. 

 

Makes sense. I guess that is the downside to custom orders... having to wait for them.

[psulion22 402]

What is it about low league that creates so much drama with goalies?

 

So as I mentioned before, I lost my starting job on the team i was playing for.  We started shaky (partly my fault, partly not), and once I moved to D and had a different goalie, we pretty much only lost one or two games.  That was deceiving because we had me skating out and added another solid dman friend of mine, so I don't think the goaltending was the difference.  We would have won all the games we won with me in net too.  I had spoken to the captain about this season, and they said they knew I wanted to play net.  Well, I'm now playing D full time.  I don't mind, I like the team and the league and just want to play.  But It means I'm not playing goal full time again.

 

The first game of this season, our goalie had an emergency, so i had to fill in last minute.  We won 3-2 in a 5 round shootout.  Neither goal in regulation really could have been stopped.  One was a rebound off my pad that I put to the corner and my defenseman put it into the open net behind me for some reason.  The second was a PP goal that my defense let a guy come in alone to my right and when I shifted to play him, he passed it back door to a guy streaking in alone for a tap in.  It would have been a pretty spectacular play to even have a chance at it.  The game went into a 5 round shootout, where I didn't allow any.  That included a highlight reel save on the first shot after I got complete deked to the right and made a diving sprawl back to my glove side.  The guy thought he had an empty net and put it right into my glove along the ice.  It also included a pretty sweet windmill on the very last shot (I actually didn't have to move my glove.  He deked, I stayed with him, he shot it right in, and I windmilled after) to preserve the win and shootout shutout.

 

Luckily, a team at a different rink needed a goalie.  I got an email from the captain after the director gave him my info.  But this guy is making me jump through hoops like I'm trying out for the Panthers.  He said he got a list of goalies from the director and wanted to vet all of them and have an evaluation.  I know most of the list, I'm better than all but like 2, by a lot.  He wanted to know the highest level I've played, how old I was, how well I moved.  They felt their goaltending was below average in the past, and were looking for an upgrade because their goalie was leaving.  I checked.  This team went 8-4.  Their goalie had a sub-2.5 GAA, and was tied for league lead in wins and GAA.  One of their losses was in a shootout.  I'm not really sure what kind of uprgrade they are looking for.  The captain said they lost those games because of the goalie and he allowed a lot of bad goals.  But how many can it be?  He allowed 30 goals total in 12 games and had 2 shutouts.  He did lose 2 games in OT after allowing 5+ goals, and another loss was 5+ goals also.  So it may seem like they lost because he allowed a lot of goals.  But still.  They won 8 of 12 games.  I feel like they want to blame to goalie for their problems unreasonably.  And I feel they will do the same to me.  The captain had asked a few other people he knew about recommending a goalie for him.  My name came back from both of those people.  So the captain said he would go with me.  But they are still stressing over having me skate before the season starts.  And it's becoming frustrating and worrysome. 

[Hills 712]

I had a team tell me they wanted me to try out for them. I laughed at them and said have fun with someone else. My team beat them regularly after that. You should do the same.

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

18 minutes ago, psulion22 said:

What is it about low league that creates so much drama with goalies?

 

So as I mentioned before, I lost my starting job on the team i was playing for.  We started shaky (partly my fault, partly not), and once I moved to D and had a different goalie, we pretty much only lost one or two games.  That was deceiving because we had me skating out and added another solid dman friend of mine, so I don't think the goaltending was the difference.  We would have won all the games we won with me in net too.  I had spoken to the captain about this season, and they said they knew I wanted to play net.  Well, I'm now playing D full time.  I don't mind, I like the team and the league and just want to play.  But It means I'm not playing goal full time again.

 

The first game of this season, our goalie had an emergency, so i had to fill in last minute.  We won 3-2 in a 5 round shootout.  Neither goal in regulation really could have been stopped.  One was a rebound off my pad that I put to the corner and my defenseman put it into the open net behind me for some reason.  The second was a PP goal that my defense let a guy come in alone to my right and when I shifted to play him, he passed it back door to a guy streaking in alone for a tap in.  It would have been a pretty spectacular play to even have a chance at it.  The game went into a 5 round shootout, where I didn't allow any.  That included a highlight reel save on the first shot after I got complete deked to the right and made a diving sprawl back to my glove side.  The guy thought he had an empty net and put it right into my glove along the ice.  It also included a pretty sweet windmill on the very last shot (I actually didn't have to move my glove.  He deked, I stayed with him, he shot it right in, and I windmilled after) to preserve the win and shootout shutout.

 

Luckily, a team at a different rink needed a goalie.  I got an email from the captain after the director gave him my info.  But this guy is making me jump through hoops like I'm trying out for the Panthers.  He said he got a list of goalies from the director and wanted to vet all of them and have an evaluation.  I know most of the list, I'm better than all but like 2, by a lot.  He wanted to know the highest level I've played, how old I was, how well I moved.  They felt their goaltending was below average in the past, and were looking for an upgrade because their goalie was leaving.  I checked.  This team went 8-4.  Their goalie had a sub-2.5 GAA, and was tied for league lead in wins and GAA.  One of their losses was in a shootout.  I'm not really sure what kind of uprgrade they are looking for.  The captain said they lost those games because of the goalie and he allowed a lot of bad goals.  But how many can it be?  He allowed 30 goals total in 12 games and had 2 shutouts.  He did lose 2 games in OT after allowing 5+ goals, and another loss was 5+ goals also.  So it may seem like they lost because he allowed a lot of goals.  But still.  They won 8 of 12 games.  I feel like they want to blame to goalie for their problems unreasonably.  And I feel they will do the same to me.  The captain had asked a few other people he knew about recommending a goalie for him.  My name came back from both of those people.  So the captain said he would go with me.  But they are still stressing over having me skate before the season starts.  And it's becoming frustrating and worrysome. 

 

 

this IS beer league your talking about, right?         ...and. your. in. Florida.  (not discrediting the level of play, just thinking FL may not be the same hot bed of hockey as say MN.   and who does this capt think he is? )  

 

what level are you "trying out for" and of how many levels?   where i play there one at 4 levels A thru D and another 1 - 10 ish    i'm playing in D and 10 for the fun of it.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2016 by GreatestAmericanBeardo

[psulion22 402]

11 minutes ago, GreatestAmericanBeardo said:

 

 

this IS beer league your talking about, right?         ...and. your. in. Florida.  (not discrediting the level of play, just thinking FL may not be the same hot bed of hockey as say MN.   and who does this capt think he is? )  

 

what level are you "trying out for" and of how many levels?   where i play there one at 4 levels A thru D and another 1 - 10 ish    i'm playing in D and 10 for the fun of it.

 

 

 

That's the messed up thing, yep beer league.  We have A/B1, B2, C1, and C2 at that rink.  There is a large separation of skill level between them.  I would be above average in C1.  One of the guys who recommended me to this captain was putting a team into B2, where I was going to be the goalie, but that fell through.  This team is in C2.  I'm well above the skill level.  But this league would work out best for me because I have friends on other teams, and it doesn't conflict with other nights i already play.  It's all too much for C2 beer league.

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

5 minutes ago, psulion22 said:

That's the messed up thing, yep beer league.  We have A/B1, B2, C1, and C2 at that rink.  There is a large separation of skill level between them.  I would be above average in C1.  One of the guys who recommended me to this captain was putting a team into B2, where I was going to be the goalie, but that fell through.  This team is in C2.  I'm well above the skill level.  But this league would work out best for me because I have friends on other teams, and it doesn't conflict with other nights i already play.  It's all too much for C2 beer league.

 

sounds like it WOULD be a good fit for your schedule, but to do you want this Capt pinning their (his) losses on you?    I heard a dad the other day (who coaches HS wrestling) say.  "Since wrestling is a 'one on one' sport theres no one to blame but yourself for losing. The kids who quit my team are the kid who need to find someone to blame, but can't because its on them"  this guy sounds like that type of kid.  i don't know i want to play for a guy like that no matter how cherry the scheg is.   

 

good luck tho, i hope it works out for you!

GAB

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'm not sure if this is worth the effort every week, but I thought I'd try it. Introducing: Game GIFs!

 

http://imgur.com/a/8prcD

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

15 minutes ago, OptimusReim said:

I'm not sure if this is worth the effort every week, but I thought I'd try it. Introducing: Game GIFs!

 

http://imgur.com/a/8prcD

 

this is better then me having to click back (or use the back arrow key) to see the play a second, or third time.  but could lead to seizures if watched for too long  :D 

 

overall, i like watching your videos, and the players attacking, it gives me something to measure my level of play against.  and your saves are cool too...