Muse back!
June 30, 2004 / Wednesday
Insane Puck Posse Game 9: Red Inferno
Okay, I think we've achieved some sort of balance. After some goalie swapping and line shuffling in an attempt to keep people happy, we wound up with a spirited contest and another tie. We didn't lose, so cool. It wasn't quite what I had in mind (win win win win win!), but given our shuffledness and the badassness of the opposing goalie tonight, I think we did all right.
Final score: 3-3. Really I felt it should have been a 4-3 win. We had an unfrozen puck whistle, half a second before Doris knocked the loose puck into the net. Oh well, what can you do? 'Tis the nature of the game.
This happened toward the end of the game, however, and by then I was so riled up that I uncharacteristically yelled at no one in particular, "THE PUCK WAS NOT FROZEN!!!" Several times, in fact, and at the top of my lungs. I generally don't complain at the refs. They're doing their best, and I know that.
Marci had a nice game. She got two assists, skating D! Most excellent!
I had two goals, and was trying hard for a hat trick. I was trying a little too hard, perhaps. In my 3rd period riled up-ness I got the puck, skated it around the back of our net, fought and ditched a forechecker, skated it out of our zone, and decided to take it all the way in. I saw Doris at our blue line, and I saw Julie skating through the neutral zone in front of me, but for some reason I had it in my head that I was going to take it all the way, and it just looked like everyone on the ice was moving at half speed and I had all the time in the world to skate around them. So I did, or tried, at least. One of their D put up a good fight at their blue line, but I kicked the puck loose, and headed for the goalie. And then, well, I have a sucky backhand shot. I should have faked left and gone right. Oops.
I felt like a puck hog after the play. Sure, if it'd gone in, then great, but it didn't, and it left me wondering whether I should have passed it. To Doris? I don't think she had momentum. To Julie? The thought definitely crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure how to pass to someone directly ahead of me. I don't know why I thought it would be easier to carry the puck past the defender along the boards than to bounce the puck past her for a pass to Julie. I just did.
Oh well, next time. That was my only puck hog moment of the night, I think. If I can keep those down to one per game, I'll take it, as long as my linemates don't tell me to quit hogging.
On the flip side, I spent most of the night chasing down pucks in the corner and sending them back out to my linemates. It's amazing how many pucks go into that corner. The best part? I think I got to all of them first. Yeah!
Gotta document the two goals. Goal one was off a pass form Doris in the corner. I got the puck, shot it, had it deflected, dove for it, knocked it a little to the right to get it away from the goalie, and knocked it in from there. Yes, I made a falling deke move. On purpose, no less! One of the other team's skaters even gave me props for it! Have I mentioned how much I love this league?
Goal two was off a cross-ice boards pass from Marci. The puck bounced out into the offensive zone's left faceoff circle. Skate skate skate, need more speed, must get to it first! Got the puck, curled right, managed to do all that without losing any speed, sent it at the net... five hole!
Huh, how did I do that? If I were skating that fast at public skate I'd be afraid I'd kill myself.
Only one penalty today. No goals scored on us during the ensuing penalty kill. There, that's better!
June 30, 2004 12:02 AM | Insane Puck Posse