Starting in Goal as an Adult

[IPv6Freely 2084]

I hated it too at first. I literally had to practice doing it. Eventually got used to it.

But if it doesn't correct your vision (how?) then I guess never mind.

Guy in our league wears glasses with big plastic frames to play in.

[badger_14 601]

My understanding from my eye doctor(s) was that the discrepancy between the eyes so severe that if I wore contacts I'd just be dizzy and off-balance all the time. If the goggles fit well and are cheaper and will last longer ... I'll just roll with the goggles. I can adjust to the discrepancy but I'd like to give goggles a try.

[magnets 98]

Well we played game two last night. Let in a shocker in the first period that I obviously left one side wide open.

Clean for the rest of the game though, until I was pulled in the last minute, where they scored an empty netter. Lost 2-0, so back for the game three decider today.

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

Today's drop-in was frustrating, to say the least. My technical abilities have been getting better and better every week. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter when your defensemen insist on standing right in front of you while simultaneously leaving a backdoor pass open. I let in about four today that I really want to have back. Of those, three were in the first ten minutes, and I wasn't even close to warm, so I didn't want to drop. Otherwise, it was all the usual odd man rush / backdoor tap-ins. The icing on the cake was a travel team that decided to come watch and heckle for the last half hour.

In better news, my Passau chest / arm is in production.

[magnets 98]

Game three of the semis last night, with a win 7-2 getting us into our second consecutive championship series.

The two that went in - first was a cross crease drag, dropped through my five hole - clearly a weakness of mine and I need to work on keeping the stick down as I slide right to left apparently.

Second was a flurry of shots inside my crease, fourth shot went in.

Games one and two next weekend for an attempt to take back to back championships :)

[beedee 224]

Well this past weekend I partook in the 6th Annual Ducks Throwback Classic Presidents Day Tournament. The games started on Friday, and end later today. There were 8 divisions, with 8 being the lowest, and the one I was playing in.

Our schedule and win/loss:

Friday, 7:45pm, 7-0 win

Saturday, 7:00am, 8-1, loss (I didn't play)

Sunday, 2:05pm, 7-3, win

Monday, 7:00am, 5-3, loss (I didn't play)

Our first game was a snoozer, I think I literally saw no more than 7 SOG the entire game, the other team was very green, and was made up of all women. The highlight is when I was hollering for a D on our team to cover the wide open girl in the slot. Here is what she said to me, "STFU, You guys are up 7-0, and I have never scored a goal in my life!!!".....at first I thought she was joking, but she wasn't. As she skated away, she flipped me off! I was dying and just put my arms in the air in a shrug motion, it was amazing!

Second game, wife had to work so I couldn't make it. But the team we played I guess had played together a bunch and probably should have been in a higher division....then again, I think our team should have been too.

Third game, again another team comprised of all women and one dude. This was also a snooze fest for the most part, but it was fun because many of the opposite team play at Lakewood in Rookie and Copper, and some guys wives and girlfriends were on that team. Not much action for me, however late in the third my shutout was cracked on a nice backhander, spinner from the dude on the team. Kind of a scramble int he low slot, I went butterfly and paddle down but it squeaked through and in, just inside the far post. The next goal was the WORST GOAL I have ever given up. A medium powered shot along the ice from my stick side face off circle, the top of it. Instead of dropping and redirecting it into the corner (like I always do) I decided to just stay standing, and square the puck up with my blade....oops. It hit my blade, bounced up and over in slow motion, through my legs. I actually had time to turn around and try to snatch it before crossing the goal line but failed to do so. My wife happened to catch this on camera, it is pretty funny! See the pic below. The third goal was another slow-mo back door play that I read well, but almost over committed in my butterfly push and it went in-between my arm and torso and I slid over to make the save.

All in all it was a good time. I wish I could have played this morning but like many others on our team, I had to work.

Here are a few pictures my wife snapped.

Ohnoooo, the worst goal ever!

Just sitting here, bored.

Some Reverse VH.

And our team photo after our first game/win.

Our regular league game was cancelled because they tried to reschedule it from last weeks cancellation, but so many people from both teams were playing in this tournament that neither team had enough people that would be able to play....so it was rescheduled again.

Edited February 15, 2016 by beedee

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Holy crap SO MANY PLAYERS

[bunnyman666 445]

As posted on a female hockey forum: "...Last Friday, I was like in this Ducks throwback tournament. We were like down 7-0 and this goalie had the nerve to be like yelling at his D to like cover me. I'm like 'STFU, you guys are like up 7-0 and I have like NEVER scored a goal in my life!!!' Uh my G'd!!! What a jerk!!!!..."

[beedee 224]

Holy crap SO MANY PLAYERS

Best part about that, it kept the registration fee down to $100. :)

That included:

3 games plus the potential for 2 playoff games, we got 1 playoff game.

Gatorades/Beers/TigerMilk bars/Tape in the lockers before/after each game

1 Flex Fit tournament hat

1 Tournament hoodie (from Violent Gentlemen)

1 Ticket to a Ducks game (I'm a Kings fan, but who cares, it is free and I chose the game against Washington, so I will see J. Williams and Mike Richards play)

1 admission to the Tournament Kickoff Party at Honda Center with an open bar.

So, not too shabby in my opinion.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Video from last night's pickup. Again pretty happy in general but it's becoming more and more obvious that I haven't been working out lately. I'm completely exhausted half way through.

I did some pretty significant editing with my second camera. For the most part I didn't show shots from the mask camera unless it was a cool view. I was also wearing the mask cam on the chin of my mask instead of the forehead. Much better angle.

[Zylos45 118]

OR

You should get into the porn game. With all those camera angles.... you would make a fortune. Tramp Stamp cam anyone?

Honestly though,

You should try to sell your services to other goalies... I bet some would jump at the chance to see what they did on certain situations

[bunnyman666 445]

Drop in report:

5-on-5, three subs on each bench and two goalies.

20 minute shut out was possible to to the opposing team playing good, solid Defense. Furthermore, the deluge only started with Donny McDangles arriving. I stopped him four times today. He then lit me up later, especially after fatigue. The goals piled up after I started getting tired.

In all, I made a few really good stops being more aggressive with my stick. There was a time where shots would go on every blocking surface but in the openings. I am getting better at reading plays, but I have a long way to go before I would feel comfortable playing in a league. But I am going to get there ;)

In all, a decent skate today.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Bunnyman you need a gopro, sir!

[bunnyman666 445]

I do, mainly so I can learn my angles. But bloody hell- I am skint from buying new gear :(***

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Hey if any of you guys are sporting plain color masks and looking to spruce things up a bit, I came across these guys. These kits are REALLY nice for $30.

http://www.custom-cages.com/#!decal-kits/c1s7r

[magnets 98]

Had the championship series on the weekend (best of three)

Game one, went in feeling fantastic.  Haven't felt that comfortable in the crease all year.  Our opponents best player, has a favourite shot, deep toward the corner, my left side, curls in and almost always pulls the puck across the crease, then back behind the goalie who bites.  Less than five minutes into the game, I saw him coming in deep on the breakaway, so pulled out a poke check he didn't see coming, defender finally got to the puck, took it to the other end for a goal.  Every time he crossed the blue line after that, you could see it in his eyes that he had no idea where to go :)

Let one in the third period, that came off a teammates deflection, just grazed my shoulder and in.  Won the first game 4-1.

 

Game two, feeling a little less comfortable, but my team were aggressive and attacking.  34 shots on goal to 17 on me, another win 4-1, and we take back to back championships :)

[badger_14 601]

Due to an influx of players (now regularly 12 - 14 skaters, 14 being the cap), the Saturday games have kicked up a notch or two in pace.  The other goalie remarked on it as well.  We got rained on this past Saturday, but ended up tying at 10-10.  It was an intense game, hardly any chance to catch a breath nevermind a drink, but I felt I played pretty well.  It did feel like 9:45 by 9:30, though. 

Word on the street is that the Big Guy With Big Shot from last week played varsity in high school, but hasn't played at all in about 10 years.  The other goalie is concerned his skills will quickly return to par and that we're going to be absolutely hosed when his accuracy improves.  (not in terms of being scored on, but in terms of 'this is going to hurt even with appropriate padding')

Tuesday is (at last) a chance to get to stick practice, roll around on the ice, practice movement, all that good stuff.  Still trying to get the time of day from the coaching outfit down the street, I expect they're busy with all the kids doing pre-tryout and pre-playoff stuff. 

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Just won our D5 championship 6-4! First season playing up in D5. Team gave me the 'player of the game' belt, too! 

[magnets 98]

That trophy is amazing!  Not to mention the insane belt!

My team uses a plastic viking helmet for MVP.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Here's the video. The game started out really rough for me, as did the second period. And then I let my emotion out after they tied the game late, which I'm not super proud of either but it is what it is.

 

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

Got totally blown up on Friday afternoon, decided I needed a mental reset and skated out Saturday night for the first time in a month and the 4th or 5th time since I started playing again. Scored four goals! I felt light as a feather without goal pads on. It helped I was playing with people from the beginner skills camp I normally goalie for. Good times. 

[beedee 224]

Saturday night was out last regular season game. We won 4-1, I had a shutty going until about half way into the third. The guy sniped me top blocker corner, it did glance off my shoulder though, but it was a great shot, no denying that! Our team dominated the play overall and I'm surprised we didn't have more goals than 4. A handful of easy tap ins were missed, but whatever. I stopped 18 of 19 according to the scoresheet, seemed about right. There were a few breakaways that I stuffed too. The team we played had some people on it from my Throwback Classic team, including the guy to the left of me in the pic that i posted a few days ago (african american dude). He is really fast, and has a great shot, he is the one that beat me for the goal. Early in the second he had a somewhat breakaway but I remembered he liked to shoot high, so I was ready for it, and sure enough, high snapshot to the glove side, boom, save!

The "oh sh!t" moment came midway through the second where a hard shot came from just inside the top of the left side circle. It caught me in the chin (see pic below) and ended up blowing out a screw on the opposite side of the mask! Talk about energy transfer!!! Luckily I was able to find the screw and nylon spacer/washer and upon further examination, the female portion of the screw actually broke. I played the remainder of the game with only 3 of the 4 screws holding my cage in place.

Playoffs start this coming Saturday, we finished in a solid 2nd place, going 10-4-1.

Here is a pic of my mask, you can see where the puck nailed me in the chin.

[badger_14 601]

Optimus, if you don't mind my saying so, it's really apparently how much weight you've lost since starting goal. 

Beedee - jeebus.  All of your marbles still intact after that? 

I finally have the day off today (ahh no obligations) and went down the street for stick and puck.  I tested out the Bauer kneeguards.  They were strange at first, but did not feel too bulky at all, and there was only a bit of slippage near the end, which can be fixed by adjusting the straps.  They are quite stiff, in particular down in butterfly they dig a little bit into the outside of my thigh.  This is probably also because I am sort of fat.  But they were overall comfortable.  I don't want to test them in a game yet, I'll skate a few more times in a controlled environment with them to break them in and find the right adjustment.

Meanwhile, a ten year old caught me in the collarbone with a close, high shot and now I have a bruise.  But, the rink manager insisted my ice time was "on the house" (it's usually $5 for goalies) because I've always helped with nets and equipment when coaching, and am always helpful and encouraging to the kids even when not technically coaching.  So that was nice.  (I wanted to pay, I tried.) 

[IPv6Freely 2084]

6 minutes ago, badger_14 said:

Optimus, if you don't mind my saying so, it's really apparently how much weight you've lost since starting goal. 

Beedee - jeebus.  All of your marbles still intact after that? 

I finally have the day off today (ahh no obligations) and went down the street for stick and puck.  I tested out the Bauer kneeguards.  They were strange at first, but did not feel too bulky at all, and there was only a bit of slippage near the end, which can be fixed by adjusting the straps.  They are quite stiff, in particular down in butterfly they dig a little bit into the outside of my thigh.  This is probably also because I am sort of fat.  But they were overall comfortable.  I don't want to test them in a game yet, I'll skate a few more times in a controlled environment with them to break them in and find the right adjustment.

Meanwhile, a ten year old caught me in the collarbone with a close, high shot and now I have a bruise.  But, the rink manager insisted my ice time was "on the house" (it's usually $5 for goalies) because I've always helped with nets and equipment when coaching, and am always helpful and encouraging to the kids even when not technically coaching.  So that was nice.  (I wanted to pay, I tried.) 

I actually haven't lost anything in a long time. And my 'tending has gotten worse because of it. I have a difficult time making it through my tuesday night pickup sessions because I'm so out of shape again. At least when I was seeing my trainer twice a week for a while there I had plenty of energy and stamina!

Ouch on the collarbone... you should look into a Maltese neck guard!

[badger_14 601]

9 minutes ago, OptimusReim said:

I actually haven't lost anything in a long time. And my 'tending has gotten worse because of it. I have a difficult time making it through my tuesday night pickup sessions because I'm so out of shape again. At least when I was seeing my trainer twice a week for a while there I had plenty of energy and stamina!

Ouch on the collarbone... you should look into a Maltese neck guard!

Well, you do look more svelte than the initial pictures I saw of you.  Good angle?  *shrug*  Any way you can sneak in some more active time?  (other than hockey.) 

I've contemplated a neck guard.  Not for the 10 year olds, but more for the 50 year old ex-junior players who could probably break my stick with a shot, nevermind my softer parts.