Stick and Puck at Bensenville

I wasn't really prepared for a skate. I stayed up late the night before, didn't get a lot of rest, was hungry, but it was just a stick and puck. As I was getting dressed I thought about what I wanted to work on for me, and I wanted to work on my slap shot. I took probably 20 of them, and they were disappointing. I left huge holes in the ice, the puck went slow, and didn't lift off the ice. I know you're supposed to be hitting behind the puck, but I don't see the benefit in my shot. I understand the theory, but it doesn't translate well for me. My crappy snap shot is way harder, more accurate, and a faster release than my slap shot. Perhaps it is why I never take a slap shot. I then worked on just basic skating with the puck and stick handling for a few minutes. I focused on keeping the puck closer to the shaft of my stick rather than the toe, which is what I used to do.

My goalie came out, and I worked on aiming for specific  points from about 40 feet out. I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but I just didn't have the energy I should have. Shame on me. I did one quick lap at full speed without the puck, focusing on bending my knees, and called it a day, then went home.

Stick and Puck - 2012-10-20

I hit the ice and for the first ten minutes I felt like garbage. It felt like no matter what I'd do, I'd just stop. I couldn't move well or turn at all. I tried to do a tight turn and then my skate just dug in and I fell. I had a feeling it was going to be a bad day on the ice. I went to another skater and asked if he wanted me to feed him some passes. That felt really good. I feel every pass I made was exactly where it needed to be. The last batch, I worked on a saucer pass.

From there I worked on just carrying the puck and making tight turns while carrying the puck. Keeping my knees bent, staying low, and keeping the stick away from my body so that I can actually handle the puck instead of just slap it around.

The goalie I work with was with was then ready to take some shots. I felt that the first 10 shots were very quick for me. I got into a good rhythm shooting, so much that he had to slow me down. I kept moving back, and from about 30 feet, I feel I'm fairly accurate. Forty feet is a different story. I felt that I did get better with accuracy as the session went on. The shots that were accurate weren't as hard, but accuracy is important to me.

My arms got tired, and then we split up, and I went back to working on my skating and stick handling. I fell down again later, but this time it was because there was a puck under my skate.

This was my last session on the ice before the season starts. This is the first season/session that I really have no nerves at all. I don't feel a big pressure on me to play well because I'm holding back the team, or concerns about just fitting in with the rest of the team. I suspect that the success of the Piranhas season last winter is the cause of it. It doesn't mean I can relax. The other teams are younger and getting better. I feel I'm already better than I was last year by how I worked this summer. I focused more on precision and intensity than endurance, and it shows. I've made changes to my skating, I've made changes to my positioning, and mindset. I feel more of a two way player than last year  where I felt more like a hack.

When I got home, I got a haircut, a clean shave (I considered starting a beard last week) put in a new visor, and packed up the Piranha jerseys for tomorrow night.  I caught a nap, and I'll get a great night of rest tonight. I know I'll play well tomorrow. I'm very excited.

Chicago Bruins Adult Hockey Class 2010-12-06

I went into this week fully prepared and ready to improve on the last performance. I switched back to my old stick during warm ups after having a difficult time with my stick last week as well. As the pucks were dumped out, I went there, and just tried to get used to the stick again. I forgot how big of a difference a light stick makes. I fumbled the pucks pretty quickly but I kept improving. It is a drill I'd like to keep doing, but rarely do I have a pile of +25 pucks just sitting to my left.

Interesting that I focused on that during warm ups because we focused on stick handling this week. It's strange to think that a year ago, I had a hard time carrying the puck all the way around the rink. Last night, during the scrimmage, I felt like I had the puck on a string, and went through two or three defenders.

The teacher gave a great tip in that, no one is ever going to pass to your back. As a winger, you think I'd apply that when getting the puck out of our own zone, but I rarely do it. We focused on transitions a lot. Skating towards the defensemen, transition to going backwards, receive the pass, turn and go. So I have to remember to not have my back to the play. Just going blindly up the boards never works. You're going to drop the puck anyway.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the night was a result of lack of goalies. They brought out a shooter tutor, with some of the smallest targets I've seen. I picked up a puck, skated in to about twenty feet, and fired top right corner, off the post and into the net. A beautiful sound. Picked up another, and did the same thing, without hitting the post. Third time, I went top left, and it went in off the post. It felt nice to be accurate again. I think by shortening my stick, I kept bringing up my bottom hand up on the shaft. Lowering it has given me more control. The fourth, I went five hole, but missed by a few inches. I started to work on my slap shot a little. I'm starting to feel I could take one in a game and have it be beneficial.

In the 4 on 4 scrimmage, I played with three members of the Flames. The Flames are the team I'd be joining if I went to this league, more on that later. I definitely feel our team was stronger than the opponents' squad. I had made a few really solid passes, and at one point I went through three of the opponents. Eventually, I gave the puck up to the fourth opponent - but only because I thought he was on my team. Stupid jersey colors. I demonstrated a lot of speed and confidence in the scrimmage. I got to a lot of loose pucks, and made some outstanding passes.

A solid night of transitions, and skating backwards practice. I gained a lot of confidence tonight. I want to play. Need to build up endurance.

Accuracy Sucks

Last night during practice, I noticed something. I miss the net – a lot. And that really drives me nuts. I feel like they’re wasted shots. I rather put it in the goalies chest than miss the net.

I don’t understand. I used to be so accurate in inline. I wonder if it is partly I’m still getting used to ice. But it has been a year now. My accuracy should have improved. I also believe part of my problem is strength. I’m not able to lift the puck as quickly as I should. I also believe I’m not rolling my wrists. I attribute that partly to playing golf. When I roll my wrists in golf, my shots go all over. They’re two different games, yes. But they have similar motions, and I have a problem in I do the same motions in both games. I went back to an older, shorter stick (about an inch and half different) and it definitely helped.

I also must follow through on my shots. That should help get some of the speed back into my shots.