Tales from the beer league part 2

[LetTigerIn]

We had an exciting game last night, which we unfortunately ended up losing 3-2. We gave up two goals early, came back to tie it in the third, but gave up the GWG shortly after. I scored our first goal while I was screening the goaltender. One of our defencemen floated in a slow knuckler that was dipping for my legs. I got a piece of it to ensure it went through my legs, but I was upset, because I thought I got too much and killed it dead at my feet, so I never knew it went in. I was trying to figure out why the whistle went, because I turned around, and the puck was sitting in the crease, right where I thought it would be.

I will add that at this level, I'm not too upset by the ringers, unless they are freezing people out and trying to dominate the game way too much. Without them, the flow of the game would be even more disastrous than it already is. Plus, I think I learn a lot more quickly by being required to keep pace, and it feels good to force one of the better players have to change gears.

 

[jammer06]

Theres a difference between a guy dropping down a level and trying to hard, a guy at the wrong level just trying to make his teammates better and some douchbag out to score 20 goals all by himself

 

[LetTigerIn]

Theres a difference between a guy dropping down a level and trying to hard, a guy at the wrong level just trying to make his teammates better and some douchbag out to score 20 goals all by himself

Concur.

 

[Luc SkyBomba]

how can i nicely get my teammates to STOP changing up when our team goes back on the defensive?

 

[jammer06]

how can i nicely get my teammates to STOP changing up when our team goes back on the defensive?

Pull the old Keenan Kovalev trick, just wave them back out there every time they only want to come off. Hey they might get it eventually right?

 

[Luc SkyBomba]

Pull the old Keenan Kovalev trick, just wave them back out there every time they only want to come off. Hey they might get it eventually right?

my cousin (also teammate) is actually trying to convince me that it's strategic!!! wtf...

"when i come off a fresher guy comes on to play defense"

 

[jammer06]

my cousin (also teammate) is actually trying to convince me that it's strategic!!! wtf...

"when i come off a fresher guy comes on to play defense"

Well in most of the bottom beer leagues getting a guy to come off before a 2 minute shift is usually the biggest issue. It can be a problem higher but it usually gets straightened out pretty quick

 

[pepperdine]

how can i nicely get my teammates to STOP changing up when our team goes back on the defensive?

Depends, there are times where it's actually beneficial - especially in the 2nd period. If you spend some solid time in the offensive zone, a turnover should usually lead to a quick swap as you can gain 30 feet by switching up on the transition back to the defensive zone

Of course, if he's that player that will take long shifts and never come off on an offensive transition - then f him

 

[Peggy_GKG]

Bummer about the ringer business beedee. Happens all the time though.

Had the weirdest first period last night. Other team started the gsme with no goalie, one of our players showed up late, missing his gloves. Then he and another player had to leave the game and get shoulder pads, they had to stop the game mid play because the league got a call from another players wife that she was in labor and finally their goalie showed up. All that happened in i think the first 7 minutes of gametime. Game was pretty good after that, 1-1 tie but a lot of flow and good passing combined with good sticks. Led to lots of neutral zone transition.

A real hockey wife would have delivered in the stands!!

 

[jammer06]

Ok so small venting issue. Got on the ice after a few weeks off due to groin pull. We have a tight close game but for whatever reason the refs are randomly calling the icing. So we're bitching about it and then the ref tells our center he's calling hybrid icing...in the third period. Ok fine so now we know the ref's not calling the house rules, we pull the goalie down 3-2 with the faceoff down in their end and they win the draw and chuck it down the ice. So I haul ass back get to the puck and there's no ****ing whistle. Of course the rest of the team hasn't done squat, my only option is a desperation wrap on the boards which gets picked off and they get the EN goal. So I yap at the refs an the one ref actually conferences with the other and they decide the puck was tipped. We're like by who? just terrible when there's an actual good game going on. The other team didn't deserve to win or anything, the refs didn't "cost us the game" but they certainly took the focus off what was a good tilt.

 

[mudfisher]

Ok so small venting issue. Got on the ice after a few weeks off due to groin pull. We have a tight close game but for whatever reason the refs are randomly calling the icing. So we're bitching about it and then the ref tells our center he's calling hybrid icing...in the third period. Ok fine so now we know the ref's not calling the house rules, we pull the goalie down 3-2 with the faceoff down in their end and they win the draw and chuck it down the ice. So I haul ass back get to the puck and there's no ****ing whistle. Of course the rest of the team hasn't done squat, my only option is a desperation wrap on the boards which gets picked off and they get the EN goal. So I yap at the refs an the one ref actually conferences with the other and they decide the puck was tipped. We're like by who? just terrible when there's an actual good game going on. The other team didn't deserve to win or anything, the refs didn't "cost us the game" but they certainly took the focus off what was a good tilt.

Do like my teammate did the next game something like this happened. He iced the puck at the ref rather hardly. But be warned he got ejected for a game or 2.

 

[beedee]

Had a double-header last night...kinda.

In a classic Lakewood fashion, our captain checks in for what is suppose to be a "clinic" in place of this weeks game and gets notification that there are no coaches present and then we basically have open ice. I had planned on NOT attending the clinic because the suck for goalies and the last 2 or three i have gone to, I wasn't utilized until 30 minutes in. So cappy texts everyone and explains the situation, so I decide to go show up and play. Here is the kicker, we were suppose to share the ice with another team in our league, and only TWO people from their team showed up. If that doesn't tell you how lame the "clinic" is viewed by players, nothing will! Ironically, most of our team showed up. We dicked around for the first 20 minutes or so and then did a scrimmage, it was cool and nice warm up for my Copper league game that immediately followed our session...on the same rink.

On to my Copper game. We had heard about this team we were playing, and heard they were really good. And they were! All female team composed of former/current college level hockey teams, LMU, USC, etc... These gals could really move the puck and it was obvious they should not be in our league. I'm talking set plays, ability to string 3 and 4 passes together (totally unheard of in beer league) and just a very well rounded team. They out skated us and outplayed us. We lost 4-2 and I gave up 2 in the first, 2 in the second and none in the 3rd. First goal was a shot from near the boards, middle of the circle, I dropped and made the save off my chest, rebound came down in front of me and was swatted immediately to the slot, then banged in. Second goal I couldn't see squat, lower left side, I literally didn't move, was screened by two of my team mates. Third goal was a nice backdoor cross ice pass, nothing I could do as I tried to get over in a butterfly push but the gal just had to tap in the puck from the pass. Not sure where the D was, or why the pass wasn't broken up. Fourth goal was a backhand going from my left to right and it hit off my mask and then went in...ugh! The scoresheet said I only faced 27 shots, but it really felt closer to 40. I must have faced at least 15-18 in the first period alone! Our team was making horrible passes right to the sticks of the other team, the play was in our end most of the game. I was so tired that I showered and fell asleep within 10 minutes of getting out of the shower when I got home.

 

[jammer06]

Had a double-header last night...kinda.

In a classic Lakewood fashion, our captain checks in for what is suppose to be a "clinic" in place of this weeks game and gets notification that there are no coaches present and then we basically have open ice. I had planned on NOT attending the clinic because the suck for goalies and the last 2 or three i have gone to, I wasn't utilized until 30 minutes in. So cappy texts everyone and explains the situation, so I decide to go show up and play. Here is the kicker, we were suppose to share the ice with another team in our league, and only TWO people from their team showed up. If that doesn't tell you how lame the "clinic" is viewed by players, nothing will! Ironically, most of our team showed up. We dicked around for the first 20 minutes or so and then did a scrimmage, it was cool and nice warm up for my Copper league game that immediately followed our session...on the same rink.

On to my Copper game. We had heard about this team we were playing, and heard they were really good. And they were! All female team composed of former/current college level hockey teams, LMU, USC, etc... These gals could really move the puck and it was obvious they should not be in our league. I'm talking set plays, ability to string 3 and 4 passes together (totally unheard of in beer league) and just a very well rounded team. They out skated us and outplayed us. We lost 4-2 and I gave up 2 in the first, 2 in the second and none in the 3rd. First goal was a shot from near the boards, middle of the circle, I dropped and made the save off my chest, rebound came down in front of me and was swatted immediately to the slot, then banged in. Second goal I couldn't see squat, lower left side, I literally didn't move, was screened by two of my team mates. Third goal was a nice backdoor cross ice pass, nothing I could do as I tried to get over in a butterfly push but the gal just had to tap in the puck from the pass. Not sure where the D was, or why the pass wasn't broken up. Fourth goal was a backhand going from my left to right and it hit off my mask and then went in...ugh! The scoresheet said I only faced 27 shots, but it really felt closer to 40. I must have faced at least 15-18 in the first period alone! Our team was making horrible passes right to the sticks of the other team, the play was in our end most of the game. I was so tired that I showered and fell asleep within 10 minutes of getting out of the shower when I got home.

Them former college chicks are the best spanking I've ever gotten on the ice too

 

[mudfisher]

Lesson Time.



How not to defend the rush as a Defensemen when One on One with a Forward.

1) Body Position

2) Poke check form
A) D-Man should only poke out far enough that he does not have to lean forward. The stick and the Poke checks should be subtle and should be unpredictable. (ie: poke check half-way to three quarters of your maximum poke check length while standing up. If you expose your full length of the poke check at first the attacker knows how far you can reach and will make adjustments on his attack

3) Stick placement
A) The stick work should be made to keep the attacking player on the outside.

4) Supporting player
A) stop the cross ice pass provide support to block the attacker from taking the center of the ice.

---

Watch the video and see how these 3 failures in positioning and fundamentals results in a goal against.

A) J. Bouwmeester leaves his great position on the ice(he moves a couple feet to the right)
B) He then leans forward and pokes way out and misses the puck with causes him to lose backward momentum. He is now on the tip of his skates which dig into the ice and causes him to become flat footed to the attacking player as he regains balance.
C) J. Bouwmeester missed poke check provides a space for Zuccarello to cut inside and into prime scoring position.
D) Blues supporting player is puck watching(coasting) and not taking the center of the ice away when J. Bouwmeester misses on his poke check. Zuccarello has easy path to net. (Supporting player fault.

If J. Bouwmeester would have just denied the center of the ice using proper stick placement and body position(which was correct) before the poke he would have had a better opertunity to deny Zuccarello the scoring chance. Supporting player still puck watching and thats another story.

If this is annoying let me know so I can do more.

 

[beedee]

Last night our Copper game was at 10:40pm, ugh. To make things worse, we were playing on Rink B but had to suit up in locker room 1, which is on the other side of Rink A. So we had a nice lengthy walk to Rink B....which sucks in goalie gear.

On to the game. We were playing the first place team (whom only had 1 loss, we had two). Our team pretty much dominated the play all game long. I swear there was one shift where we were in their zone for over 2 minutes straight!

I felt great all game and made some big saves. I was or practicing my back and forth butterfly pushes a lot when play was at the other end. They are coming along nicely, it feels really good to finally be able to do them quickly in precession. It was a goal of mine when I started, so I'm stoked!

Ok back to the game, I lost my shut out on a breakaway with 3:25 left in the game!!! Ugh! I stopped 22 of 23 and we won 4-1. I believe we are tied for first place now. I am 3-1 with this team. I joined them the second game of the season.

Tomorrow is another "clinic@ for my rookie team and I highly doubt I will be going.

 

[jammer06]

If this is annoying let me know so I can do more.

I want you to do more, so yes it's annoying?

 

[jammer06]

Back on the ice for a B2B post turkey weekend...and it was brutal. Game one we lost 7-2 I think, I was even on the game as one of 2 d pairs but I wasn't contributing much either. They just had one guy who would show speed and our goalie was frustrated by him. Let in a couple bad goals from the outside and was blaming our D for letting him get the shot off...which we just knew he was having a bad game so what can you do.

Game 2 was even more pronounced, I think it was 8-1 and again the other d pair was on for 6 of the goals, both times i was out we were on the PK (one 5-3). The other team could really move the puck and it was actually a really good skating game. Lots of up and down the ice and not so much just getting pinned. Strange how that can happen sometimes where on the scoreboard you're getting killed but on the ice it's competitive.

Strange story of the night was in game 2. Early on I pushed up to the blue line to force the forward to dump the puck and he did. I stood my ground and let him run into me. A nothing collision but somehow he got me just right to knock the wind out of me. Hadn't had that happen in about 20 years so I probably had a good panic face going on. He looks at me and asks if I'm allright, at which point I did that inhale squeek thing which confused him, finally got my breath back and told him "plexus" he was confused but skated off cuz the game was still going. At the intermission I caught up to him and we had a laugh about it. He apologized for breaking out his bruce lee moves on me. Anyway it was a good exchange.

Btw mud, I definitely was guilty of leaning way forward during both games on poke checks. It's how I know I'm getting really tired out there and I need to really concentrate on getting off the ice on shifts instead of whatever else it is I'm doing out there. Usually after a few shorties I can get my confidence back up to make some plays.

 

[beedee]

Cliff notes version of this weekends games.

Lost both games over the weekend, 5-3 in Copper and 4-0 in Rookie.


Pic from last night:

 

[Luc SkyBomba]

i'm feelin you on the rookie team (well it's beginner for me)

There's just one jackass that's ruining every game for me. I let the commish know so we'll see if they can find me another team next season.

 

[jammer06]

Yeah, good locker rooms are worth finding. If you can't then its worth poking around. That goes for drop ins and other places as well. Sometimes theres just a bad fit.

Haven't been on the ice in forever it seems. January is going to be rough.