Biohazard and Piranha Weekend

I started off playing defense for Biohazard. We had 7 skaters for the game. I played really well. I figured I was going to play the whole game because of the few players, and conditioning our players, but I was probably on the bench more than most. That’s fine because I got to go all out when I was out there.

I made a few good passes, but a lot of what I was doing was getting the puck out of the zone. I’ve really started to like using behind the net. I would pick up the puck, take a quick look, and launch it into the opposite corner. As the game went on, I gained some more confidence, and really started pushing it. I would jump up on the rush and help out. Other times I would stay back and be a bit more conservative. I did better as the game went on. I would read plays in the offensive zone, and pick off passes. It was just natural to me. I would pick up the puck off the boards regularly, and just make a subtle move from side to side and shake an attacker. It was weird being able to dance through players.

In the second, I would intercept a pass at the blue line. I took a second to look on who to pass to. The corner? Covered. Across? It would get picked off for a rush. In the slot? Too much traffic. I took a small step in and saw a big hole for the goalie. I leaned into it and shot top left corner. The traffic in front distracted the goalie and I saw the net jump and knew it was in. Felt awesome. It gave us a 2-1 lead, and in the third, we mostly clogged the neutral zone and just kept it out of our zone. It ended up in no goals against, and we’d win 3-1.

Sunday night 9 skaters against a team we can beat, but we had only one of our regular defensemen. I jumped back and pulled back someone who I’ve played with D before as well, hoping to reignite some chemistry there. In the first period we were probably outplayed. But we outlasted them. We just needed some time in their zone, and fast because our blue line was getting tired. We had a guy show up late and it helped a ton. That’s when we started really getting moving.

I made some silly moves to start the second, such as changing on a 3 on 1 against. But then I calmed down. I had one great shot from the blue line off the face off that was just a couple of inches off the ice, hoping that someone could get there for the rebound, but it went between the goalies leg pads and just bounced a little bit for an easy cover for him.

I started jumping up on the rush to get 2 on 1s, I carried the puck end to end, looking for passes, and it worked because of our short bench and our centers would stay back. After the game, one of them said to me they were happy to do it because they were exhausted. Playing defense with one other full pairing is actually a less intense night than any night I’ve had with the Piranhas or Biohazard this season. Or maybe I’m just in better condition than I’ve been all year.

All night, I knew who was coming at me, and their strengths. It is an advantage of playing the same teams and players every year. I know their tendencies and what is coming next, so I like to use that to my advantage.

In the second period, I would jump up on the power play, get in real tight, and see no options to pass or shoot. I saw a winger joining me getting close. I put a low shot on, hoping for a rebound, and sure enough the rebound went right to the winger, and he didn’t get all of the puck, but just enough for it to gently slide across the line and in. I was thrilled for the guy to get his first goal in a while.

We’d go to overtime. 40 seconds into overtime, I stood up a player carrying the puck. I just stopped and he ran into me. I got called for interference. I’m still not sure why. I took my time getting to the box, hoping to run out some of the penalty because it was running clock, but the time keeper wasn’t running it. It is one of those gamesmanship things you do. If you can make the actual play time of being shorthanded less, then you do it.

We killed the penalty, I jumped on the bench, and then our goal scorer would assist on the game winning goal to another player who hasn’t scored much lately. I was thrilled for both of them. I was happy for the whole team since we won last week too, and it has been a while since the Piranhas have won back to back games.

Piranhas vs. Arsenal

I didn't get anything resembling a warm up. It was my own fault. I spent a lot of time at home stretching before coming to the rink.

The first few shifts of the game, my line did really well. We got the puck deep, and kept possession. I was playing with two players I normally never get to play with, and one was usually a d-man. I had a really good jump to my game early on. Our team would dump the puck in for a change, and their defense man would slowly go back to get it. I'd bet him to the puck and gain possession, but before I could get a handle, I'd stumble  and not much would happen. This continued, and it forced the goalie to make some bad decisions that lead to scoring chances. Early on, I noticed I was able to control a few faceoffs. In a draw in our own end, I was able to have my wingers line up in the slot, and I shot right as the puck was dropped.  The goalie was beatable.

At the end of the first we were down 4-1. In the second we really started to click. There was a good 90 seconds where our team was able to cycle the puck, and get scoring chances. It was exhausting for both sides. We were able to get a goal after I won a faceoff to the winger in the middle. He shot, I tapped at it to put it in but it got deflected somehow and went in from the rebound from my shot. The official gave me credit for the goal, but I think it was the winger. That same shift, he and I had a 2 on 2. I acted like I was going to pass to him, but used the defense man as a screen, and silently slid the puck through his legs, and the goalie barely saw it and it went in. Two goals in one shift. I'm really liking that play where I have the option to pass and I do the no look shot.

I had a battle in the corner in the offensive zone, where as I was falling to the ice, I saw a forward in blue right in front of the goalie. I made a very lucky pass and got it to him, but he fanned on the shot. I also had a couple of good passes to my defense man in the offensive zone, but not many solid outlet passes. Defensively, I didn't do much, but I didn't make mistakes. Overall, one of the better games I've played this season. The team played very well, but we lost 5-3. We didn't get enough quality shots in my opinion.

Summer 2015 Playoffs Review

It’s ova’! The summer is done, playoffs are over and it is time to start preparing for winter. The winter season is just a few short weeks away.
“But Squirrel! What happened in the summer playoffs?”

Settle down there, and I’ll tell you. The Piranhas (2nd seed) would play the Shooters (3rd) to get to the championship. The Piranha line up is out on the ice, taking warm ups, and there’s only two Shooters on the ice. The fish start hearing that they have no goalie.

The referee came up with these rules on the fly that neither side fully understood, allowing the Shooters to put one of their 8 skaters into the net and cover the puck. Oh, and the Shooters are missing their top center.

It was brutal. The Piranhas played down, and the Shooters played desperate. It made it into a difficult game. I could not get anything going. I would try to use my wingers to help break out of the zone, but I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the endurance to skate the puck down, I didn’t have the patience to look. The Shooters played outstanding, and it threw me off. My frustration grew and grew. I would put one into the net, and it would go around the bottom so fast, that the official would not see it go in and out, and not count it. Even Shooter players admitted it went in, but obviously aren’t going to admit it. Piranhas win ugly, 6-5.

The very next night, the Moose would play the Force for the championship. I would jump onto the wing for the first time with that team, playing with an old team mate from the Coyotes. I kept making mistakes in the first period. I wouldn’t play my “safe” hockey. I would stumble, drop the puck, make bad passes, pretty much anything I could do poorly in the first two periods. Going into the third we were down by a couple of goals, and I knew I had to play better. I had to carry the puck, and dig quite a bit deeper. The entire team had to carry the puck – especially me. I would eventually pick it up and try to take it end to end. I did a lot of work below the goal line, and stayed strong on my skates. I would kick a backhand pass out to the slot, allowing my center to put one home. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough and the Moose lost.

I wasn’t frustrated or angry after the Moose lost. I spent more time focusing on the next steps. The winter moose, the Piranhas next game, and that was about it. I wasn’t playing well, and there’s little you can do to play better in the short term. Just mentally prepare.

The Piranhas would have a full bench against the Mastodons (1st). I would pop the goalie’s water bottle in warm ups, something I had never done before. I had my time to get my skates right – which is nice because they had felt off for a month or two. We shook up the lines a little bit, and gave me a little bit stronger of a winger as my line had been struggling a lot lately. Dividends would immediately pay off. My line’s first shift, I would poke check the puck away from the puck carrier in the neutral zone, and my new winger would cut across, pick up the puck and score on a break away. It set the tone. Each shift from every line was hard. The Piranhas didn’t give up anything easy, and that helped me out and play my best. It is easier to dig deeper when you’re surrounded by guys who are digging deep as well. A couple of penalty kills, a few solid defensive plays, and the Piranhas would win the championship.

I finished the summer on a down note performance wise. When I was rolling fairly well, I hit a dry patch. I now know why. I stopped working to get better, and as a result, I got worse. My conditioning didn’t improve, I lost battles, and I lost confidence. I’m fortunate to have had the team to pick up slack. Now it is just time to get ready for the winter.

Summer 2015 Regular Season Review

When I look back at the summer season, there wasn’t that much growth for me. I had a lot of problems off the ice, and I still haven’t regained my focus from that. It never ceases to amaze me how mentally prepared for the game I need to be to perform at my best.

At the start of the season, I questioned if I would be able to handle a second team in addition to the Piranhas. I joined the Moose with the knowledge that I have already played with a few of those players. If I had to take time away for a bit, I knew they would understand. I also knew I needed to be on the ice a lot this summer to have something to look forward to.

I started off the season thinking, “Man, this is going to continue how I left off last season…” playing well. The moose to me looked completely dominant, and the Piranhas were solid.  I scored an important and pretty goal for the Piranhas against the Aces that would draw some attention from quite a few players on both sides. By flipping it gently over the goalies leg pad and having it come down in the goal but without hitting the back of the net.

I would then miss a long string of Moose games because of injuries, personal problems, and one even because of the weather. I stopped my training, my diet was poor, and I generally just stopped taking care of myself.  I would make it worse two days before with the Piranhas, and then not be ready for The Moose. It was not a good pattern. I hit that skid, and just did my best to not be a liability on the ice. Normally in a scenario such as this, I would force myself to be disciplined and get back on the right track, but instead, I gave myself a break.

My typical fire and jump in my step would come and go for about a month, then would come back. I rejoined the Moose. I had a two goal game against the Shooters, where one I was skating full speed, batted the puck out of the air and into the goal, without hitting the back of the net, and another no look, fast shot along the ice that the goalie never saw coming because I used his own defensemen as a screen. I’d have another goal against the Shooters where I walk from the corner, through three of their skaters, across the slot, and then score that I will never forget. I was feeling really positive about my play, despite not being in my best physical condition. I started playing with confidence – carrying the puck into the slot, successfully performing moves that that I had only tried in practices. But I hit a small slump the last few games, playing with hands of stone, and still not being conditioned as well as I’d like.

Aside from a few highlight worthy goals, this summer regular season didn’t do much for me. The Moose would finish first in their division, and the Piranhas would finish second in their division.  Both teams have an excellent shot at their championships. But for the playoffs, I’m going to focus more on mental preparation than physical. I don’t think the conditioning will improve enough to make a difference, but if I have my focus, I can be a difference maker.

Piranhas vs. Mastodons 2015-06-23

During warm ups, I felt like I was moving better than ever. I was low, quick, going left and right well. I couldn’t handle the puck at all, but that’s nothing new. My mind was so focused on the game, and I was so well prepared, I knew I would have a solid effort. I was going to be the third line out. The first two lines were dominated on the ice. It made me a little concerned that the two stronger lines were not controlling the play better. I jump out onto the ice, receive a great breakout pass from my winger. I bring it in, and end up going into the corner with the puck. I had the puck on the wall for a good 10 seconds. Going left, look up, I have nothing. Back to the right, and I look, another opponent. Can I go backwards and into the slot? That crosscheck from behind tells me nope. 

The game went on a lot more like that. I played extremely well on the wall. I was very strong on my stick and played the body well along the wall. The Mastodons are a big team who play a more physical style of hockey, so they’re prepared for that sort of play. That though drains you a lot faster. It definitely impacted me in the second and third periods. In the defensive zone, I found it harder to go into the corners and put pressure on the puck carrier. I had a few shots on goal. One was on a power play where I carried it through the middle, used the defense men as a screen, kept going as fast as I could, got around the defense men, picked up my rebound and shot again.  I would up with four shots I think, but only one that was really solid.

I liked my game. Conditioning needs to come back, but it will quickly.  I only made maybe one or two mistakes, such as a softer pass to enter the zone that got picked off, or miscommunication with my line mates. 

The Piranhas would win 4-3 in overtime.

Summer 2015 Teams

This summer I will play on two teams, the Piranhas and the Moose. I prefer playing on two teams, but haven’t done it as much as I’d like in the recent years. Playing on two teams helps keep me building my endurance. When I’m on one team, it doesn’t happen as fast. And there is no substitute for competitive games.

There was never question about playing with the Piranhas this summer. I expect another fun season, with a handful of new players. We had a few players drop out at the last minute, but the majority of the team is returning, and that makes me happy. I’ve played with the Piranhas since January 2011, and 70% of the team is the same since then.

The Moose is a new team being formed by a few former Piranhas, and is targeted for a lower division. There is a lot that goes into forming a team, and placed in the right division. I was shaky about joining them because on paper, it isn’t exactly what I wanted in a second team. My reason for joining this team are the players I know on it already. There’s quite a few good guys in the locker room, and we’re anticipating a fun time as well without a lot of stress.

Squirrel's 2013-2014 Season Review

The 2013-2014 season for me was a disaster. Every year, I set a handful of goals for the year and I usually achieve about half of them. Last year, I hit each of them except one. This year, I didn’t hit any. These goals are not outrageous, but they do push me. Most are statistic based and I keep them to myself during the season. For example, this year a few of my goals were:

• Don't get hurt - Play in a minimum of 17 regular season games for both the Piranhas and Coyotes. It isn't a full 20 because of the overlapping schedules.
• Reduce Penalty minutes - I wanted to have less than 22 penalty minutes this year. While I did have less than 22, it is because I missed a lot of games.
• 8 points on the Piranhas, 20 points on the Coyotes. I really felt that I needed to step up on the Coyotes this year in the point producing department. I also realize that the Piranhas would be in a tough spot this year because of their new division.
• 3rd place overall for the Coyotes - It would be very difficult to take 2nd place in the division, but possible. I left it at 3rd because I knew that we'd have games where we were short handed, and we hadn't played in the summer. I expected to finish hot. The Coyotes finished second to last.

I had a total of one goal all year, and I did have quite a few assists. I didn't score my one goal until the last game of the Piranha season, but it was a beauty:

So why didn't the season go so well? As with anything, there is never just one reason. I do believe a lot of the reasons I struggled were because of off ice reasons. For example, I had family issues which created a big distraction for me. Normally, the game is my number one focus, but I can honestly say that I didn't have one game where I was fully focused. This year, I also took a leadership role with the Coyotes. That didn't go the way I wanted. I tried to believe that the reason the Coyotes were in the situation they were in was because they didn't have the leadership or opportunity to do the things they needed to. When I gave them the opportunity, or tried to inspire change, it didn't work. This created another distraction for me.

But there were distractions at the rink for me as well. One thing I tried to get the Coyotes to do was to be a little bit more self-organizing. I needed them to not have their hand held every step of the way, even if it meant growing pains. When problems would arise, I would often shortchange myself so that an individual would be happier. Probably not the smartest thing for me to do. I also feel the team didn't get to be self organizing the way I wanted them to be after 20 games.

The biggest barrier to my success though was my hip. I had a nagging hip injury that started early in October. I tried to play through it, but after a rough game in December, I needed time off. I saw a couple of doctors who gave me advice on what to do, and even though I followed their instructions, the hip is still not fully recovered. It impacted my mobility, my confidence, and my strength.

I tried to let it recover. Give it a month of no stress, I tried to skate less frequently later in the season. But this just lead to me never being in my peak condition.

I took on bigger roles on both teams this year. I'm happy about that, but the success wasn't there. The stress snowballed and it cause me to start doubting myself. I missed many easy chances on the Piranhas, including missing an empty net for a goal from five feet which I continue to get heat for.

This was by far the most difficult, and least successful season of hockey for me since I started playing. At the same time, my expectations were high as well. When I first started playing, my goal may have been to just get one shot on goal in a game in a level that is similar to what the Piranhas are in. Now I'm expecting to average a point per game from the blue line in a much lower level. 

Squirrel's Personal Season Preview 2013-2014

I look back at my last season, and I almost hit every goal I had for myself. I became a point per game player on the Piranhas, won a championship with the team. I developed my speed, and confidence with the puck. I created something that resembles a scoring touch (I can say that because I've scored a goal that wasn't on a rebound!). Perhaps most importantly, I developed my stability on my skates. I no longer fall when someone brushes against me. I kept my attendance up all year, didn't hit any big ruts, stayed healthy and made it to Toronto. The only goal I didn't hit was the Coyotes in Toronto. I know I pulled my weight when it was on the line for that one. What I didn't anticipate is a divisional shake up that made it significantly more difficult to get there. Therefore I call last winter a success.

This summer though, I didn't progress the way I wanted. Personal issues made it difficult to focus and prepare. I know that it I'm not out of the woods with it yet, ut I feel like I'm on the right path to regaining that focus. But this summer wasn't a total loss for me. I saw a ton of ice time with the Piranhas, and pickup skates. I additionally skated with the Grim Reapers, a team in a much higher division. Perhaps the best thing I did this summer was add strength and cardiovascular training to my week. I go hard when I do them, and I feel stronger and more confident than ever. I have this indescribable intensity and blood flow when I'm there and I know it has spilled over onto the ice.

I have an idea of what can happen this year. I believe that I will take on a bigger role on both the Piranhas and Coyotes. These will be more difficult years for both teams, it will be more difficult for me, and I think it is a good thing. When I hit all of my goals, I often wonder if I pushed myself enough. It won't be that way this year. I'm ready, I feel great, and I'm eagerly waiting the season to start.

Piranha Season Preview 2013-2014

Of the last 4 possible championships, The Piranhas have won 3 of them. Our winning percentage this summer was above 90%. The team has gone to Toronto, made it to the semi-finals and then was eliminated by a team from Chicago in a higher division, yet we did skate with them. It is hard to say that the Piranhas have been anything but successful lately.

This year the Piranhas have added 2 very experienced players, and a promising young defensemen. It is no surprise that we've moved up. Additionally, the league has combined divisions, so we'll be playing some very talented teams. I'm excited about it. However, some of the team is cautious entering the season. While no one expects us to win the same number of games as last year, most seem to be willing to give it a shot.

Already an established team, not too much has changed. We'll get our normal full time winter guys back, and the new guys are a welcomed addition. The challenges are bigger than they've ever been since I've been on the team. We're going to give it our best shot and see how it goes.

2012-2013 Season in Review

The season, the playoffs, the Toronto trip are over. It is all done for the 2013 season. No more late night games, no more circling dates on my calendar, or refusing plans because I have a game.

Who am I kidding? Hockey season is never over. I'm going to keep playing, staying up late and looking forward to my next ice time. I've made numerous friends while playing, and had even more fun times on the ice this year.

I started out the season with a handful of goals on both the Piranhas, and the Coyotes. Each of them were based on what I viewed my role is on the team, what I felt would challenge me, but is still obtainable. I reminded myself after every couple of games to make sure I was on track to complete these goals.

The Coyotes are a lower level team, and I play defense for them - a position that I wasn't fully comfortable with at the start of the year. I felt I was one of the more experienced and skilled players on the team, and as a result, I expected a lot from myself on the blue line. I wanted to be a good example of playing both ways because so many guys just want to score goals. I got paired up early on with another guy who has just as much experience as me, and is a very smart player. I really felt comfortable playing with him, and it was great having confidence in him, and him having confidence in me. He got hurt, and then I went into a span of a few games where I was average. I didn't do a good job of contributing in the zone, or keeping control of the puck. I got paired with a friend who I've played with for a while, and we really worked on verbal communication while playing. I also felt he wanted me to start being more aggressive in the offensive zone, and using my speed. It created a problem for a period or two, but we both felt comfortable enough with each other to help each other out. Toward the end of the season, I didn't like how I played this year, and I knew I was capable of much more. I turned up the aggression, and had finished the season on a string of really strong games.

From the second game forward, I had the chance to play with arguably the two most talented individuals on the roster. The logic was I had the speed to keep up with these two and my game would compliment their free wielding style. It worked out really well. Any time us three were on the ice together, there was a good chance we'd get a scoring opportunity. Once we were set up in our zone, a scoring chance was a sure thing. Typically, I was staying in front of the net, creating traffic and room for those two to do their thing. I lost count how many times I was covered by a defense men (or two if they collapsed really low) causing a screen, which would help out in a goal. It doesn't mean I got a point on the play but I know I helped out. We also had a really good cycle going of keeping the puck away from the opponent because we all battled harder than our opponents. I played one game on defense, and two in the center position and felt I did fair in all of those games. In fact, I had very few poor games this year with the Piranhas.

I wanted to win a championship with both teams, but was only able to do with the Piranhas. I know that my expectation was to win it with the Coyotes based on the teams in our division, but two other skilled teams were added to our division, and we were not able to overcome them in the playoffs. I wanted to make sure I had a positive +/- with the Coyotes, and with the exception of a game or two, I never had a minus rating in a game. On the Piranhas, I did become a point per game player, and really felt like I solidified my position on the team. I'm really pleased with how both seasons went, despite the Coyotes not winning the championship.

I believe the great success I've had can be tied to many different things. I didn't stay up late watching pro hockey games because of the lockout. I worked in the off season with the Phantoms on small ice. I did many stick and pucks early on weekends. I did a few sessions at Puck Pros to grasp the mechanics of skating better, and I eliminated a lot of unnecessary stress  from my life at various points of the season. Most of these remind me that preparation is key. I also cannot discount the fact that I felt much more comfortable around my teams as the season went on. Having them gain confidence in me was a big boost. 

Piranhas vs. Chaos

All night, I had an issue with my skating. I was very cold, and uncomfortable on my skates. It showed. I couldn't make a tight turn without falling or losing stability. I lead to a couple of dropped pucks falls face first into the wall. 

This game was rough. The two teams are not very fond of each other. I feel I skate better in those scenarios because my head is up and I'm in a more intense state mentally. 

On the PK, I could recognize that the opposing d-men were quite lazy. I'm not sure if they were tired, or just had a long shift. A d-man dumped the puck into their zone, and the goalie came out and played it. I had momementum, so I went in full blast, knowing that the other forward on the PK could handle it if I got burned. The goalie made a crappy pass to the defensemen who was lazy picking it up. I was able to knock it away from him, scramble and gain possession. As soon as I gained possession, I saw my center going in. I blindly backhanded it towards the net and then went back to play defense, and let him take care of the forecheck. But he was able to get my rebound and put it in. Our hard work and their laziness lead to that goal.

I was covering for the defenseman who pinched when the puck came out and went right through my legs. A Chaos player picked it up and was on a break away. I skated as hard as I could, but I had no power in my right leg. I kept trying to tap his stick to throw him off but it didn't work. I would dive out to take away as many options as I could, thinking if I looked for a trailer, I wouldn't be able to properly pick him up. I tapped the puck away, taking away the initial chance. He turned, and tried to pass it into the slot but it hit my stick. I tried to handle the puck with my shaft, but he was able to get it past me, and to the other forward and a goal was scored. I feel I did all I could without just sitting at home playing conservative.

At somepoint, I was paired with a different winger. While cycling, I saw him in the left corner, while I was  in the left circle. I passed him the puck and skated across to the slot. He made an amazing pass, and the goalie was lost. I had all of the net and as able to bury it. Too bad the game was already over at that point.

I had a few good scoring chances, a couple of scrambles and lots of effort. Positionally I liked my game. statistically I loved it. Realistically, I didn't skate well. But I'm happy with the results.

Piranhas vs. Mastodons

The Piranhas were short on defense. Knowing our position in the standings, and the need for help back there, I wanted to jump back and get some experience with them. There may be a day down the road when it is needed. My freshly sharpened skates felt absolutely amazing, and I could tell I had wheels that night.

As the puck dropped, I felt really strong. I had made a point to have good communication with everyone on the ice at all times.  I felt it was working. I was able to move quickly up and down the ice without the puck, making myself a good option. I had enough speed to get back at times when I was burned. Unfortunately, I am still very green in my own zone. There was a pass from the corner to the guy in the high slot that I could have picked up but did not, and ended up screening the goalie. There was another play in the second where I had a 2 on 2, and did not pick up my man, and as a result, he received a pass and had half of the net.

It wasn't all bad though. My speed and recognition for the game came into play. I saw an official's arm go up in their zone signaling a penalty. I made sure I was as aggressive as I could be. I jumped in, and picked up a loose puck. I walked around one guy to get a clear shot of the net. As that was happening, I saw a speedy forward on my left side coming up. I passed around another defense men  putting it on the tape of that winger who was able to put it top shelf. Not surprising, I play with that winger regularly. It was a beautiful play by both of us.

I did take a hooking penalty but I felt it was a little grey. I of course didn't argue, but had I known I was going to get a penalty for it, I would have made sure I earned it and hauled the skater down to disrupt the odd man rush. The Mastodons scored on the power play.

One play that I still can't get my head around is as I was trying to keep the puck in the zone, I saw it basically slide into my stick and go out of the zone. However - it must have been just inches off the ice because it made NO contact with my stick. The goalie came out to play it, and I told him to leave it, but he hesitated. He left it, but little to my knowledge, there was a skater with more momentum than me on my tail.

I kept my game simple, made a few ok passes, and just put the puck on the wall. I should carry it more though. I'm really going to need to work on my confidence carrying the puck if I want to improve my effectiveness as a defense men at any level.

The Piranhas would lose 4-2. I believe the game was lost because we were out worked, and our defense just did not click. It'll happen when your defensive core cannot make it. I'm neutral on how I played. I think the mistakes I did make were capitalized on, making it seem worse than it really was. I think the areas I did well were a lot of the same skill set that you'd have as a winger, so that isn't too shocking.

Piranhas vs. Ice Bears

I've felt somewhat burned out by hockey in the past few weeks, which is why I have not written lately. Priorities have also just made it take a back seat.

I've taken a little bit bigger of a role in terms of leadership on the Piranhas lately. It has helped me develop a lot of confidence in myself, knowing that others have confidence in me as well. They may not have confidence in my game, or organization, or influence in the locker room, but I really haven't heard anyone complain about it - which means I'm doing at least one of those things right.

Tonight I got to act as captain. Kind of an interesting way about doing things. I've always noticed that my favorite leaders (including other things but hockey) have always just taken charge. They've said "We're going to do X," and go with it. I actively tried to do this. The clearest case was during a penalty kill, when the lines were out of order because of odd numbers, and then we temporarily lost a player to replace their contact lens. I set up the next line (which included me). I then specifically assigned the task to a forward not going out to set up the line for the shift after. My thought process is that some of those guys may be more tired than the others, the player may return, etc.  It worked well. We didn't have any scramblings on the bench, missed shifts, or too many men penalties - which is a success in my book.

Onto the game. We were playing the Ice Bears. The Coyotes played them last week, and lost in overtime. I took it hard as I felt it was my fault that we lost. I made four big bone head plays that resulted in goals against, and I didn't contribute at all on offense. This set me up to be extra motivated this game.I know the Piranhas were much more talented than their team, but I still feel the need to play hard.

My first shift was ok.  We spent the entire shift in their zone. All three forwards worked well to keep possession of the puck and keep it away from the opponents. We moved the puck. We took good shots. We were moving in the right areas - it is a good thing. We came off the ice, and I was tired. Second shift was more of the same, but we were setting up in a better triangle, which meant more shots. I was set up in the slot, stick on the ice. The center whipped it towards me, but it got caught up in a defensemen's skates. I was able to pick it clean and get a shot off. I fell to my knees, and the rebound came right back about four feet from me. I was able to reach on my backhand from my knees and slid it through the goalie's legs as he was still on the ice. It wasn't ALL luck, as I knew his leg pads were open based on the angle of his leg on the ice. It gave us a 1-0 lead.

From there, I took a lot of beatings. At one point I was off balance, and caught a stick in my back, which got called as a cross check. I knew it was probably accidental, as I've never seen this team play dirty, but the way it felt was curious to me. I made sure I knew who did it, just to make a mental note. I played against him multiple times, and nothing happened as I would expect. I'm not the type of guy to go after someone.

Part of my beatings were me fighting to tie up their best player. A classic example was towards the middle of the third. Again, their best player was breaking out of their zone. I knew that there were defense men behind me who could handle him, but I elected to try and stop him myself. He embarrassed me the week before, and I'm not going to give him the chance to do that again. Any time he skated towards me, I would tie up his stick. He would skate near me, and I'd force him to make a move. If he got too close, I went in close to just try and tie him up. He knocked me over most times, but he also lost control of the puck. My favorite happened when I was covering for the d-man. He came in on me on a one on one, right down the middle. I kept my arms in, making him unaware of how far I can or cannot reach. He never made a move, so I just stopped and let him skate into me. I tried to start going forward, kept my stick on the ice on the side of his stick, and I was able to stop him. He did get a shot off, but our goalie saw it from a good distance, and it wasn't a good shot. The goalie was able to absorb it without any threat from him. I was very happy about it.

The Piranhas would win 9-1. I couldn't have been happier for the team. Our goalie played well, we moved the puck, everyone was laughing and having fun. I felt I played solid. I didn't get a lot of scoring chances, but I made some smart plays. I definitely worked hard in the corners and on the wall. I took bumps and bruises, and because of that, I can be pleased with my effort.

The Coyotes had a game the next day, but I decided to sit it out on the day of for personal reasons. I'm already exhausted and sore. I've got a flight tomorrow for a trip I still need to prepare for, and playing another game and tiring myself out doesn't seem like a smart idea. The next game I play in will be the Piranhas vs. The Coyotes. I'm really looking forward to it.

Piranhas (3-2) vs. Mastodons

I hit the ice, and I really liked how tight I could turn. I just got my skates sharpened and they felt really good. I went to do my full strides from red line to the goal line, and I felt slow as heck though. I guess it is a side effect of having skates that were so sharp.

The Mastodons are a team that come ready to play every game. It doesn't matter how much talent you have, if you don't play hard, you're not going to have a good game. What was strange though was that this was the worst I've seen them play. Nearly every chance they could, they dumped the puck. They had very little possession of the puck this game.

For me, this was one of those games where I felt that I did a lot right, and had my hand in lot of goals, despite not getting a point on the play. I would make a good play to pressure the puck carrier, keep a puck in our zone, or screen the goalie.

I did have one goal on the rebound of a rush. The center shot from the left side, and pulled the goalie way over to him. The rebound came to me, and I just had to tap it in. There was no pressure, and very little could go wrong. Very rarely do I miss an empty net from three feet out. I also had an assist at some point during the night for a two point night, but I don't remember how I got it.

In the offensive zone, I did a very good job in terms of cycling the puck, and keeping possession.  A lot of times, I didn't even look for a shot, or the other forward. I would just look to keep it deep in the zone, and go to the next position to make myself open for a pass. I also made adjustments in game, which takes me a while to do. The most obvious case was when I was entering the zone carrying the puck. I hear the center say he's got the drop pass for me, but I ignore it and shoot anyway. We gave away possession. The next period, the same play was happening. Only this time, I was able to drop the pass for him. I crashed the net, and the third forward was able to hammer home the rebound.

There was also one pass I made at the end of the third that was outstanding. I was trailing the puck carrier, just like he did to me in my previous example. I picked it up, and took my time. I could get a shot off that may get to the net, skate it in, or give it to the 3rd forward  who was breaking in with his stick on the ice. I hit the third forward with a great pass on his tape. He fired it and had a great scoring chance. He later said he didn't expect the pass.

The two things that didn't go well for me was my skating. Like I stated earlier, I was just slow. It felt like a month since my last game despite it being only five(ish) days. The other was my defense. Why would I chase a guy with my stick fully extended. I need to bring it back in, keep my balance, and keep moving my feet to keep up with him.

In the middle of the third, I also had one fore checking opportunity where I was all over the ice, raising hell for the opposition. I'd chase the puck,  and follow their pass, interrupt their defense man moving the puck, battle for it, and then just repeat multiple times. I got a little tired and sloppy after a few cycles of this though.

Overall I thought the game was above average for me, but not by much. Skating is a big part of my game, and it wasn't there.

The Piranhas would beat the Mastodons  7-3.

Piranhas (2-1) vs. Blast

I expected the Blast  to have a short bench based on their roster on the website and their record but they had a full bench. What was amazing is they had two guys that were giants. Their reach was outstanding. On a face off I lined up next to one of them, and I just felt like I didn't belong on the same rink as them based on size. It reminds me of being 12 years old playing basketball against guys who already hit puberty.

I had a hard time getting anything going. The Blast are in a higher division, but that shouldn't be an excuse. I just had no jump in my step.  They were also a lot faster, so when I was skating as fast as I could, I had a hard time even staying within a reasonable distance of their skaters on the back check.

Early on, I had a low quality shot from the wall. It is something I'm trying to do more because I feel I'm just giving up possession. I also had a good shot in the slot. The net was half open, but I didn't take my time and I shot a foot wide. Very frustrating.

There were a ton of penalties this game. Hooking, roughing, and so on. I had two penalties myself. My first penalty was iffy. I was back checking and I got my stick around his hands. It was a bad idea to do this, but where I caught the penalty was that I stopped skating. If I kept  moving my feet, it wouldn't have been a penalty. The second was during a penalty kill. One defense man went in, and I was racing back to cover the puck carrier. I hooked him fairly well, and got called for it. I wasn't too happy.

What I did do well is change. I didn't have one shift where my shift length was too long, or too short. Multiple times, I would pass off to the center, and then just go for the change - especially in the second period. It was important because when I was out there I was skating hard.

Sometime in the third, I got some time in the power play. I picked the puck up somewhere on the half wall, and got it down deep to the other winger who was in the corner. He had plenty of time, and I turned and went to the net hard. As he was about to get pressure though, he fed me the puck, I skated right across and just tapped it in.

Despite having a power play goal I felt my performance was average. I've been playing extremely well for the Piranhas, so I was due for an off game, but it is frustrating to me. I want to continue to play well. What is a big problem for me is I want to move into the Blast's division as an individual. Tonight, I had a tough time. I'm going to need to get a little better to get into that division and be an effective player.

The Fish would lose this one 4-9.

Piranhas (1-1) vs. Chaos

I got to the rink a few minutes later than I wanted, but I wasn't rushed at all. I've discovered when I can sit in the locker room for a few minutes before I take the ice, I feel calmer. Today, though, the high school game before us ran late. It was exciting to watch them play. There were some really solid contact, and some great skill out there. What really was neat was that there wasn't a seat anywhere to be found. We joked that everyone was here for our game.

By the time we took the ice, everyone was gone. I felt really good in warm ups. I got a good skate in, a few decent shots. I was more concerned with the Chaos. They had been undefeated to this point, and beat the Mastadons, who recently beat us. I couldn't see a whole lot of new skill on the team. I knew they were a very chippy team too, so I tried to pick out players I remember for such behavior.

From the first shift, my line was clicking. We spent probably the entire 75 seconds in their zone, cycling the puck, getting decent shots off, and battling in front of the net. What I like about my line mates is that they're both very confident players, and work very well together. They're also incredibly skilled and can turn up something from no where. This shift, I focused on taking my position in front of the net. Watching the two wingers skate on the outside as I stay in front with my stick on the ice. Sure enough I get two good shoves in my lower back. It was the goalie using his blocker on me. I know that when they're doing that to me, that I'm doing my job. I continued to do this all night, but eventually it was the defensemen who started to move me. It amazes me how much stick work they get away with regularly. Anyway, our first shift really set the tone for the rest of the Piranha team. all three forwards had shots and stuff attempts. I think we even scored on it, and I may have gotten an assist, but I'm not sure.

Very quickly the rest of the team started to remember who this team was and how they played. I think it resulted in a lot of heads up play, and looking for passes. Everyone was looking for passes, and trying to keep possession in the first. I would continue to try and set up my line mates, and keep with the mentality of keeping the puck. I caught a great pass from the other wall and brought the puck into the zone. I had no one defenseman in front of his goalie, but no pressure. I took the nicest snap shot I've ever had in a game, and I put it exactly where I wanted - right through the defenseman's legs, almost at the goalie's five hole. I was hoping to use the guy as a screen, but I hit the inside of the goalies pad, and he was able to freeze it.

At the end of the first I was real pleased with how I started off, and then I started to trail off a little bit. In one of my early second period shifts, I was on a 2 on 1 with my center. He made a move, forcing the goalie to dive for it, but instead it came over towards me. I have half of the net. All I have to do is put it in. The goalie dove back towards the post to make the save, and I pulled my shot. As a result, I put it right into his chest. He froze it and I was furious with myself. The entire team couldn't believe I missed that. I was furious myself, but wouldn't dwindle on it. I played a fairly flawless game so far for me. One of my next shifts, I had gotten the puck in the slot on a one on one with the defender and goalie. I was able to half way beat the defender so that he was just a random obstacle. I got a great shot off, got the rebound, shot again, and by the time I could get the rebound again, I was on the goal line. I saw a white jersey coming down the slot with some great speed, so I tried to just get it past the goalie who was just up and down in my direction. I got it past him, and into the slot. The center was able to put it home. The defensemen was pissed that he totally blew coverage of two players, and launched the puck down the ice. He instantly got a penalty for it. I did get an assist on this play.

I did a lot more grinding after this, and some penalty killing, and I did a fairly decent job in all areas of my game. We would score on that power play from before, and just outwork the Chaos. We had a 4-1 lead going into the third. Then our team just got a little lackadaisical  We weren't moving our feet. Despite telling everyone to keep working and digging hard, it just didn't sink into them. It was getting a bit chippy too. I tried to pick up my own intensity. I started hitting players every chance I could. I had two in one shift behind the net in their zone, and the Chaos didn't like it. I would later get another solid hit on a defenseman during the fore check. I didn't get away from him fast enough though, and he speared me in the back of the calf. Perhaps my favorite contact was during the race for a lose puck. There was a missed pass and the puck went into their zone deep. I was a stride or two away from the Chaos defenseman, and gaining on him. I started yelling to him, "I'm going to hit you! I'm going to hit you!" with no intention of hitting him. I was just trying to pressure him to make a bad pass. But he pulled up and turned into me. At that point, I had no choice but to make contact with him. He showed the patience, and kept the puck in close to his body, but he turned to make an outlet pass. I did feel bad about that one.

There was another play where I got a really bad cross check from behind into the corner. It should have been a penalty but was not called. I ignored it, but a few seconds later, going for the puck next to the boards, the same guy was coming at me and I hesitated. The guy scared me, and I hated that. I do not play well when I get intimidated.

I was on the ice for the last minute with one goal, and felt really good that I was out there. I moved my feet the whole time, and was careful not to get out of position, and just not give up chances. With about nine seconds left, the Chaos defenseman got the puck along the wall, right at the blue line. I tied him up so he couldn't move the puck. I tried to swat the puck just a few feet to my left, so it'd be out of the zone. I know i made contact with the puck, but I had no idea where it was. So I started to lean on that player to pin him along the boards. He leaned to reach for the puck and fell, and the puck went out of the zone. That is how the game ended.

The Piranhas earned a victory, but almost lost here. Not one player on our team didn't receive some sort of contact or bump or shove. It felt good to get that victory. It is a reminder that we have to play the full game, because when we stood around, we gave up easy goals. Myself, I played a really solid game. Aside from the missed half goal, and the part where I pulled up to not get hit, I was really pleased with my game. The Piranhas beat the Chaos 4-3, and I had an assist.

Piranhas (0-1) vs. Knights

I watched the ice being resurfaced and just sat in awe as I watched the awful ice and puddles being left behind this giant machine. I told the players to wait to hit the ice since we still had plenty of time until the puck dropped. This would let the ice freeze over and make it just a tiny bit better. It is amazing how much it helps. But instead of waiting our player just took the ice like normal.

The first few shifts, I felt it was about even for both teams. But then the Piranhas started to just sort of take control. We maintained possession and it showed. I did a ton of work right in front of the net. The defense was doing their best to move me from in front, so much so that both forwards had seemingly infinite space. With 20 seconds left on the ice, we took a face off in their zone. We lost it, and it was cleared. Our defense men rushed down, and cleared the puck. I came down, and picked up the puck at the blue line. I felt like the period was over but I kept moving. I saw the center breaking down the middle. I stopped and passed through a Knight player and put it just on the end of his stick so he could keep skating full speed. He caught it, and put it top shelf just as the buzzer sounded. I thought it was too late but the ref counted it. We went up 2-0 at the end of the first, first assist of the season.

The second period resulted in increased possession, and strong domination of the game. We made good passes and even better line changes. I continued battling in front of the  net and racing to lose pucks. I would pick up the puck along the wall, turn and take it into the circle and hit the post. It bounced right into the slot, through the crease and allow me to get a great rebound chance. I would put another shot on net and then the center would pick it up, and cycle it while I sat in front of the net. There would be a shot from a bad angle, and I found the rebound and put it in. First goal of the year.

I had a couple more shifts where I was able to battle in the corners, and make some solid passes to keep possession. On one shift, the face off was in our zone. The center won the draw back to the defense men in the corner. I decided to break towards the center of the ice. I saw that there were multiple passing lanes open from the back corner to me and that the puck carrier had seen me. I continued to skate on the red line and wait for that pass. He made it and it was tipped by the Knight defense men  I stopped, went and picked it up and turned on the jets for a break away. Unfortunately I was tripped. It should have been a penalty shot, but I drew the penalty. The power play was garbage and there was no conversion.

I would later on be covering a defense man on the point. I would pick up the puck, walk it into the slot, and flub a shot. The goalie never saw it, and it went in for my second goal of the game.

When the team was up, they moved me back to defense for the final three shifts of the game. I liked it, because it was a better team than what I'm used to playing against, but it was hard to get out of the mindset of being a forward.

I would later have another assist according to the score sheet  but I'll be honest, I don't remember it. It would equate to my second assist. So a four point game in a 12-5 game is still very good for me, as I rarely ever have two point games. I'll definitely take it.  I felt like my game was average when I came off the ice despite the point totals. But overall, I can't think of a whole lot I would or should have done differently.

Piranhas vs. Mastodons

First game of the season for the Piranhas, and I'm really not nervous about it. The Mastodons though were the worst possible opponent for us. I know they play hard at all times, and they practice regularly. There is no way that this team would not be in shape and prepared for the game.

The Piranhas would have as full of a bench as I'd have ever seen. Warm ups were a huge problem as it was difficult to find space to actually warm up. I tried doing some passing drills with another skater at the red line, but still no space.

My first shift was not a good one. One of the d-men pinched,, and I went to the other side to cover for him. Sure enough the puck comes to that side, and the winger has more speed than I do and I knew I wouldn't catch him. I'd try to put a shoulder into him and stop him, but instead I missed and grabbed him. I took the interference penalty. First shift of the game. We'd take a couple more penalties, and end up being down 4-0 just 12 minutes into the game.

Despite the full bench, I was fairly tired. It has been about two months since I had any sort of real scrimmage on a full sheet of ice, let alone a full game. I still had speed at some points. I did handle the puck well a few times, and looked for some great passes despite not connecting. I had physically beaten a much bigger player in the corner, which caused not only a solid scoring chance, but we maintained possession of the puck and eventually scored a goal. I wasn't aggressive as I would have liked, and as a result, I felt as if I was ineffective. I wasn't covering points, I wasn't helping the defense men out. I was doing a crappy job of taking away passing lanes.

I'm going to focus on being in better shape and having targeted aggression next game.

The Mastodons would beat the Piranhas 6-3.

Winter 2013 Season Preview

The Winter season is less than a week away, and I'm feeling more prepared for this season than I have in the past. A big part is that I am taking a load I know I can handle. I feel that in the past, I may have taken on a bit too much. Last year, I played for the Goaldiggers, Piranhas, and subbed on the Coyotes.  In December and February, I was really hurting. I was not letting myself get enough rest. This year I will be playing on two teams - the Piranhas and the Coyotes.
The decision to leave the Goaldiggers has been one that I spent over a year thinking about. I like the guys in the locker room, and they were my first team. I learned a lot playing with them but I ultimately did not belong in that league. I appreciate them taking a player on who had no experience playing ice hockey, but as the team has gotten better I have become frustrated with myself in my lack of contributions. Additionally, both the Piranhas and Coyotes are much lower in terms of skill. They both are part of HNA and as a result, scheduling conflicts are a lot less likely.

Coyotes

Last year, I believe I played in five games for the Coyotes. I have gone to many of their practices, and worked with their goalie a lot. The decision to play with the Coyotes full time allows me to play at a lower level of players, along with close friends. The team is relaxed, and ultimately fun to be on and around. There are only two other teams in the same division as the Coyotes, and I feel that those two teams are beatable every night. I will be playing defense for the Coyotes as well, giving me a bit more responsibility in the break out.  The Coyote season really excites me because I feel I've never had gotten to develop chemistry with any of the players on the team in game situations. I never learned players tendencies or preferences. I've spent some significant time in the past month or so on skills that benefit defense men directly. Things such as skating backwards with control, putting the puck on the glass high and hard, and transitions do not seem as shaky or even impossible anymore. The Coyotes have no reason to not be optimistic about having a good season, and going to Toronto this year.

Piranhas

Last season was mostly a positive one for the Piranhas. After we were correctly tiered, we went somewhere around 10-5.  We would make the playoffs, and then win the championship for the division.
It felt good to win a championship like that. It was my first championship anything - basketball, hockey, etc. I never did a lot of sports, but a few years playing inline hockey, and then when the Goaldiggers started, we lost our first 12 games or something.

The summer wasn't as friendly for the Piranhas. Attendance issues, merged tiers, and a few bad bounces would lead the team to be 3-7.There was very little turnover from last winter to this winter. We have a new goalie, and a new skater who is very talented but rusty. I will still be playing wing for the Piranhas, but perhaps some center at times as I took the middle of the ice quite a bit in the summer. I really enjoyed the position, but I do need to get more familiar with it. As a wing, I feel that I can be one of the stronger players. I don't score goals very often, but I do feel myself making an impact out there. Defensively I feel I'm one of the stronger wingers. I disrupt the opponents break outs, and kill penalties fairly well. I'm getting better at reading plays and picking off passes. I have enough speed to back check and get into the play as well.  For the Piranhas to be successful in this new tier, players will need to step up their game. I will need to improve my skating, stick handling and positioning. I will work on these things throughout the season, but I do believe that this team can compete in the higher division with the right attitude and commitment from the entire team.

Piranhas vs. Grizzlies 2012-07-02

The first game of the Piranhas' summer season. 10 regular season games with the same core that won the championship just a couple of months ago. I am really looking forward to it. Some guys are less reliable in the summer time, the ice is usually crappy, and it is less intense because there isn't a chance to go to Toronto. But staying in the parking lot after the game for a few hours is probably the best part of my summer.

I played center this game. I don't ever play center. I want to as I feel I should have the endurance to back check and I always try to play defense. These are all qualities of a good center in my opinion. Additionally, centers take the faceoff - something that just comes with time. In the past when I've played center, I've lost every draw, and I think tonight was no exception. The good thing though is that at the end of the night, they weren't winning the draw clean every time. I tried tying up the stick and just leaving the puck there for a center to come and take it. For smaller centers, I tried to just skate forward and push him away from the puck. Anyway, I need to learn how to take faceoffs, and I hope at tomorrow's Phantom Skate that I can get some advice.

I also didn't do as well as I would have liked in the defensive zone. I think I collapsed too low, acting as a third defense men. I should have stayed a little bit higher in the slot, covering that. When the opponent has the puck along the board, I need to take away passes. I didn't do that until near the end. Playing defense as a center is also different in that when the opponent skates into the slot, you never have the boards to help dictate where you want the puck carrier to go. Making him go left is bad, going right is bad. It is tougher to play physical as well because you don't have the boards there.

I did take away passing lanes though. I know this because I had about five pucks go off my chest, skate, stick, etc. And once I would get the puck, I tried to take my time and make the right play but twice I just lost it because I took too long. I think that may be part of the rust I had from not playing on a full sheet. Instead of looking for a pass, skate it. I have speed. I need to use it.

I did better as the night went on. And I think it is because of my positioning, and I wore myself out a little. The first 5 shifts, I didn't stop moving my feet at all. Even as I was stopping I felt like I was trying to move my feet to skate in the opposite direction. In the third period, I had a goal. With about 30 seconds left in the powerplay, the forwards dumped the puck in to the zone and went for a change. I got off fast, skated down into the zone, intercepted the pass at the blue line to keep it in. No one was around me, and I had a perfectly clear shot of the goalie who wasn't ready. I tried to lift it and just get it to the net. PING, left post, PING right post, and then it fell behind the goalie. It was an awesome shot and by far my prettiest goal. If I did not bend my knees more when I skated, I don't keep the puck in the zone. If I don't pull my lower hand up closer to my top hand, I don't have as hard of a shot.

The Piranhas lost 3-9 to the Grizzlies. I had one goal.