Starting in Goal as an Adult

[bunnyman666 445]

Monday Stick and Puck Report:

 

Knee is getting better, can butterfly on both knees. Play was unremarkable.

 

The most remarkable part today? I was warmed up by none other than the San Jose Sharks' Tommy Wingels. Nice bloke, he was.

Edited July 26, 2016 by bunnyman666

[badger_14 601]

On 7/25/2016 at 7:00 AM, magnets said:

Had a decent game last night - kept it clean until half way through the second where I had a second rebound tapped in. My team got the equaliser early in the third. 

 

There was a breakaway coming toward me, with my defender chasing hard. They tangled up in the slot and both went down, sliding to the net. And I choked. I was worried about two players sliding toward my knees and froze. The puck slid past me and in. I will relive this ridiculous goal for way too long as the one that I choked. 

 

Final score, 2-1 against :(

 

I don't think it's really unreasonable to be more worried about two players vs. two knees than the puck itself. 

[bunnyman666 445]

21 hours ago, badger_14 said:

 

I don't think it's really unreasonable to be more worried about two players vs. two knees than the puck itself. 

 

Couldn't have said it better, myself.

 

Letting in that goal is not going to render you homeless, nor are you going to get shipped to a town 150 miles away from a major airport. Your health and well-being is MUCH more important than a goal.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by bunnyman666
silly rambling needed gone

[magnets 98]

Thanks Badger & Bunny, it is something I need to remember.

 

I take my role in net a little too seriously sometimes.  I've done everything I can to avoid being "that guy who's too intense in a recreational league", but I will always take goals against personally.  I have never blamed anyone else for a goal against, even if I'm completely let down by my d.

 

I started hockey late in life (as did most others on this thread), and I know I won't have a long career here, nor will I ever be close to the show, but I'm doing everything I can to get as far as I can in the short time I have - luckily for me, the community is small enough that I've been able to advance as far as I have.  I feel grateful that when I fill in for other teams, the players are happy to see that it's me in net for them, and I want it to stay that way :)

[bunnyman666 445]

@magnets It is very easy to get caught up in it, especially when you're competitive. I backstop people who take pick up WAAAAAAAAAY too seriously. If I took every goal too seriously, I would have burnt my equipment in a fire. My first few sessions I WAS taking it too seriously and was miserable. Then I remembered that I have the heart of a lion and balls of iron as I am standing in front of a bunch of wannabee MacInnises and Shea Webbers. Not everybody has the steel to stand in front of these shots and HOPE we get a piece of them, not matter how much they hurt. I have one particular thorn in my side that glares at me with every shot I let in. I just give him the "go back to the bench and cry" look 'cos I have the BALLS to try to stop the shot; he needs to strap on the pads, but he won't 'cos he's a whiny wimp, despite being 6'2" and over 100 kilograms.

 

Always remember at the end of the day that it is just a game. 

Edited July 28, 2016 by bunnyman666
cleaned up language

[magnets 98]

Just to make it clear, I love my team, and nobody has ever blamed me for letting in a goal. 

 

And I love this game. 

[bunnyman666 445]

@magnets No doubt you love your team and the game. I'm just saying how easy it is to get caught up in the competitive aspect. Sometimes, the competitive aspect can KILL the enjoyment of the game is all I'm saying.

Edited July 28, 2016 by bunnyman666

[IPv6Freely 2087]

I'm so close I can feel it... 

Hoping to try skating next weekend. Just a public skate, since I'm still not allowed to play hockey because of the blood thinners no matter how good my ankle feels. But just a couple laps would make me SO happy right about now.

 

Also I got a message from Passau saying my new pads should be on their way late this week or early next week. Woooo!!!

[badger_14 601]

On 7/27/2016 at 9:50 PM, magnets said:

Thanks Badger & Bunny, it is something I need to remember.

 

I take my role in net a little too seriously sometimes.  I've done everything I can to avoid being "that guy who's too intense in a recreational league", but I will always take goals against personally.  I have never blamed anyone else for a goal against, even if I'm completely let down by my d.

 

I totally understand.  It's hard not to feel like every goal is a personal insult.  I think there's a difference, too, between "intense" and "tearing your teammates a new one every time they make a mistake".  It's okay (and varying degrees of good) to be intense, it's not so much good to be the village lunatic.  I am sure the puck sliding by while trying to take on a tangled mess of fallen player felt like the dumbest goal ever (well, maybe the dumbest goal that game), because let's face it, it is a pretty ludicrous situation and feels embarrassing.

You seem to be doing alright, and it does sound like the skaters are happy to have you and not just as a warm body between the pipes either.  :) 

[badger_14 601]

Tournament news - it appears they've decided to go with a 5 team format, meaning there is a goalie space for me.  Hooray.  Again: it is appears this way from the missives sent out to everyone from the tournament organizer.  The downside is that they were unable to form enough teams separate competitive and recreational divisions, meaning that it's five teams of mixed players.  The guys that play for Boston I know are very good (*cough*sandbaggers*cough*) as are the Albany and Toronto players (at least, last time I played them, but that was a while ago).  So that could mean goalies getting shelled and less-skilled players being miserable and possible jerks wanting to shorten the bench on them, or it could mean a friendly mix and - er - goalies still getting shelled.

The Russian Embassy returns tomorrow.

[bunnyman666 445]

@badger_14 Keep your pecker up. You know that in most pick up situations, we get shelled, right? This is still better a scenario than the one you had first imagined, right?

Edited July 30, 2016 by bunnyman666

[badger_14 601]

Of course, consider that with tongue in cheek.  :)

I would like to win a game (to break my tournament track record of losing EVERY SINGLE GAME) but I will be happy to play.

[bunnyman666 445]

@badger_14 That's the spirit! Put your boot in it and you'll be fine!!!!!

[badger_14 601]

I felt so much better today even than last time (two weeks ago, just after the cortisone shot).  Hooray for physical therapy.  Still uncomfortable in some ways, but a far cry from being in such untenable pain every time I played.  I did let in more goals than I wanted, but I think so did the opposite goalie (whose leg - he is recovering from a broken ankle - is also f*cked!  So we're even, except he's much better than I am to start with).  A lot of them were simply not being fast enough to keep up with some very skilled players.

This opposite goalie hadn't seen my CSKA/Tretiak jersey, and had nice things to say about it.  Always good.  Sometimes I worry I am not doing the number justice.  But I try.  He noted that at one point he'd had a Soviet (CCCP) Tretiak jersey and every game his opponents would just whale the puck at the letters as hard as they could.  I said that's why I got the CSKA jersey rather than the Soviet national one - I don't want to have some butthead who thinks it's still 1978 take me out.  (for some reason, no one - besides the Russians, of course - seems to immediately recognize the CSKA jerseys as Russian or even non-Anglophone.  CCCP, though, everybody knows that and you'll take your life in your own hands.) 

[bunnyman666 445]

@badger_14 Glad you're feeling better! Keep up the good work!

Yes, #20 is a very, very unique goalie number, as is #33. As far as doing the number and name justice, none of us who are posting in this thread (for the most part) can do that. I have an England national jersey on order, with #27 (Hextall) and the last name "Collander" (yes, a statement on my goal tending prowess). Since there isn't a known English national hockey goalie, some schmuck is going to think that Collander plays for England. And compared to the rest of the world hockey scene, Collander would be an accurate last name for their goaler. Of course someone asked I knew any other Dovers once (as I have that on a jersey). "Yeah, if my first name was Ben".

It's funny what opposing shooters get motivated to shoot towards. When I used to wear my "Screw U" jersey, most people would laugh when they saw it. Of course I would snap my stick on the ice and point at my "crest" for one particular player (one whom I have had a few confrontations with when I skated out) and he would whiff the shot, then swear like a sailor ('cos he's just *that* good, lol). I always would figure that if they are purposely shooting at the body, then I am more than likely going to save the goal. I also have "Supwit U" and am debuting "Forget U" today. 

I guess I am crazy enough to wear a Tretiak olympic national sweater, complete with "CCCP" livery. I do have a red shell for my breezers, after all...

Edited July 31, 2016 by bunnyman666

[badger_14 601]

I like to think that as long as I am working hard and trying my best, not giving up, I am doing the number enough justice that Mr. Tretiak would be okay with it.  (I mean, I suppose I could write him a letter and ask...but my Russian isn't really that good yet.)  I specifically told Lutch not to put the name on, just the number.  That way I only have to burden myself with a couple of digits, rather than putting on airs with a name.  (hey, we're goalies, we all have weird obscure rituals and reasons.)

I like Collander over Sieve, as Collander (or Colander) is an actual name.  (hockeydb has no one actually named Collander/Colander, which is a damn shame.  My university had a goalie named Hatch, poor bastard!)  Tricky.

Boston may be unusually (compared to other parts of the US) um - ... angry.  About hockey.  (actually sports in general.  Let us not speak of the Red Sox/Yankees thing.  Ever.)  But I have seen actual physical violence erupt at North Station during Habs/Bruins games (not even in the arena yet!)  and players deliberately go after folks wearing a wrong jersey on the ice, so I'd rather err on the side of caution. 

On the other hand if they're just going to furiously shoot at the logo all day that could be to my advantage. 

But do you have an STFU jersey, that's the question.  ;) 

[bunnyman666 445]

@badger_14

Yes- Boston tends to be quite angry from every visit I have ever had! Still a charming city, nonetheless...

 

STFU will be the next sweater; thanks for the idea!!!!!

[IPv6Freely 2087]

I've had a red CCCP tretiak jersey in my bookmarks for ages. I need to just say screw it and buy it. And heck, I'm Canadian yet I'd STILL wear it. 

[bunnyman666 445]

The wonderful management did not notify anyone who called about stick and puck yesterday that it was cancelled in favour of a rental. I drove 40 minutes to find that out. I was not amused.

Edited August 1, 2016 by bunnyman666
got rid of foul, Bristolian language.

[badger_14 601]

8 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

@badger_14

Yes- Boston tends to be quite angry from every visit I have ever had! Still a charming city, nonetheless...

 

It's truer than I want it to be. 

[magnets 98]

Had a game last night against the only team left in the league I haven't played against (but have played two games for).  Felt good getting on the ice and taking my normal warm up shots, and had a couple players saying I looked sharp and switched on :)

First ten minutes, my team were on fire, getting a quick two goals including one of the best bottle flipping top shelf shots I've seen in a long time.  It was 17 minutes into the first period that I let one in through a particularly leaky five hole, then two minutes later, a freak shot that got tipped just in front of me and flipped high up and over me, resulting in a weird twisting, arms behind the back save attempt that didn't quite work.  Into the second period 2-2

Let one in through the leaky five hole again in the second on a breakaway, where I realised that I'm screwing up while going paddle down, leaving the five hole open too long, and decided I'm keeping the gloves high and stick upright for the rest of the game, which seemed to work, as they kept going five hole after the early shots going in, but kept it clean after that.  Some frustration on the ice from the other team led to a 5 on 3 power play for us with three minutes left, and the equaliser.  End of regulation tied 3-3, and it was my time to shine as we went to the shootout.

The first three rounds and the scoresheet was clean.  The other goalie let in one on round four, but then so did I.  Easy save for him round five, and I pulled out a ridiculous toe stretch that just kept it out the net.  Sixth round, our captain completely undressed their goalie, leaving him way out of position for an easy backhand to an open net.  Next shot my way sailed wide to the left of the net, and we took the win :)

Felt good after being so close for so many games to get it over the edge!

[bunnyman666 445]

Today is a very short stick and puck (one hour long!). I am taking what I can get right now, as the opportunities are limited for the week.

Speaking of which- I may have to try out for a league team pretty soon, as it looks like my prayers might be answered: a new job, therefore a totally different schedule may be curtailing my daytime hockey. This isn't a terrible thing, as my current occupation is not doing my body (or mind) very good. I will still be doing it on the side on weekend days until I can transition completely out of it (i.e. make enough money to quit completely). My wife came home with the opportunity. It isn't a certain thing by any means, but what I have is an "in", so to speak. This last month with my current job did my head in, and whilst giving me ample time to play hockey- hockey doesn't pay the bills. At least playing goal at drop in is free. So I guess I had better get cracking on finding a league to play in.

[bunnyman666 445]

Stick and Puck Report:

After seeing Troy Brower, Tommy Wingels, a Senator, a Wild, and a few others wearing pro logo'd breezers with club sweaters playing 3-on-3 half ice with Ben Bishop in goal, the shit show began at Stick and Puck!

I was deplorable today. I wasn't warmed up by pro, this time! Of course everybody had to show off their crappy deke moves to the point that I wanted to scream. Could not track the puck. Tried my Mage; FACKIN HATE IT!!!! It just moves down too much (as it is chin heavy) and oddly enough limits movement with my CA. Maybe I would like a real masque better, or maybe I need to invent a new style of head protection. 

It sounds like this new job could be more than just a pipe dream; wish me luck and throw your good thoughts and/or prayers my way. Thanks in advance.

Edited August 4, 2016 by bunnyman666

[tedpenguins 93]

Alright, so I finally changed the camera angle so that I can actually see what I'm doing instead of just my viewpoint. It's not the greatest view but it's definitely better than what I had before. Really helps me notice different things that I should work on (this one in particular shows breakaways and angles). It's been about 7 months since I started in net and I'm extremely proud with how far I've come since I'm 100% self taught and have really only had game time and maybe 3-4 practices within that time. I have a ways to go yet but since the majority of the guys in this video (with the exception of about 4) have played college and/or won a regional title in high school I feel like I held my own decent enough.  Any pointers that any one has would be extremely helpful. 

 

 

[IPv6Freely 2087]

18 minutes ago, tedpenguins said:

Alright, so I finally changed the camera angle so that I can actually see what I'm doing instead of just my viewpoint. It's not the greatest view but it's definitely better than what I had before. Really helps me notice different things that I should work on (this one in particular shows breakaways and angles). It's been about 7 months since I started in net and I'm extremely proud with how far I've come since I'm 100% self taught and have really only had game time and maybe 3-4 practices within that time. I have a ways to go yet but since the majority of the guys in this video (with the exception of about 4) have played college and/or won a regional title in high school I feel like I held my own decent enough.  Any pointers that any one has would be extremely helpful. 

 

 

10:42 - PING! haha :)

This is great, you look fantastic out there. Your depth is pretty good, and your angles (as much as I can tell) is good as well. 

11:33 - Down early, you really bit hard on his cut in. Patience, patience, patience!

You also over-commit a bit to getting tight to the posts but you recovered quickly across the net on more than one occasion. Nice pushes! 

Awesome to have another beginner goalies GoPro videos to watch, though! You should consider the suction mount on the glass behind the net so you can see a lot more of whats going on. I normally wouldn't complain about just looking at a girls butt for 30 minutes but in this case I'd rather see your angles and positioning ;)

Keep on going, you're doing awesome for only 7 months! A lot further along than I was by that point, FOR SURE.