2013-10-20 Red Stars vs. Coyotes

This year my role on the Coyotes is a lot different than it was the year before. I have a bigger part in the team's success, and getting more from the players. I look at some of the other guys I've played with in my position, and I drew a little bit from each in terms of what I should do and what I shouldn't be doing.
One was be flexible, because there are always game time changes. While I was originally supposed to float through the lines, but instead, I had to take one of the left winger's spots. I wasn't anticipating something like this but I felt comfortable in doing it. I feel I could play any position on the Coyotes and be effective.

I started out really strong. In my first shift, I did things that I've only done in practice. Not only did I do them this time, I did them well. I got the defender moving, stopped, went the other way, stopped, and then went the other way, eventually getting around him - carrying  the puck into the zone and generating a scoring chance. I felt like I controlled the play at the time because I had the puck for so long. It felt good. But perhaps I liked it a bit too much. I was told that I had my head down a bit, and missed an open pass to the slot. Once I was told that though, I looked for it, and I hit the guy with great passes.

I did a really good job on the goal line extended, driving it to the net, getting the puck in high scoring areas. As a result, I had a handful of shots, and came away with two assists for the night. The first one I thought was my goal. I picked up the puck in the corner and drove to the top of the crease. I picked up my own rebound and put it home. Somehow the other winger got credit for it. The other assist was a pass from our blue line, into the neutral zone as the right winger was breaking up the side. He had so much speed that he didn't have to do anything to get past the defense and hammer it home.

I did make a few bonehead moves. I did an aggressive drop pass at the blue line that went no where, and created a chance going the other way. I also felt that I came down too low on defense a few too many times.

I was pleased with my performance. Two assists is a good night at any level. The Coyotes would win 4-2.

Coyotes (2-0) vs. Bulldogs

The Coyotes were in pretty high spirits before the game. I think it had to do with them getting their new jerseys. They are without a doubt - awesome. But there was a lot of banter and chatting between players between warm ups.

Right off the bat, I recognized that the Bulldogs had two skaters that I had not seen before. I was warned to watch for one of them. These two players were also cherry picking. I did my best to reduce their cherry picking, and be prepared for them. I did a fairly good job of it from what I can remember. Where I got burned was I pinched more than once that night. And sure enough, I'd be in the circle, and they'd get the puck outside of the zone. I sprinted to get back and help my defensive partner, but with that big of a head start, I'm not catching up to anything. Luckily he's good, so I'm not super concerned by it.  He also would pinch a lot, and I'd have a lot of two on ones.  I did a decent job of disrupting them.

There was one play where the skater had a break away. I got back and was able to disrupt him just at the top of the circle. The problem is that when you have two guys who can't skate well bumping into each other, they're going to fall. I took him down. No penalty. By the time I found the puck, my partner was back, and I from my knees, I was able to throw it behind the net just strong enough for him to get it and skate it out of the zone. The second time that I had to get back to break up a one on one, I wouldn't catch him. Instead, I'd have to dive, fully extend my arm and hope I would knock the puck off his stick. I dove, felt something hit my stick and then I just heard my goalie yelling. I looked up and the I could see the trail from where the puck slid into the corner. I had gotten it.

I did have a big problem though with one on one's. I couldn't figure out how to play a one on one. It seems so simple, but he'd just keep walking around me and getting a great shot in the slot. He burned me the exact same way three times, and it wasn't even a good move. I had another point where I couldn't decide if I should be aggressive or pull back in the neutral zone. I would pull back, but then I went back too far and gave the skater too much space. I'm having a difficult time judging speed and making decisions like that when one on one.  I'm going to really have to watch it.

Offensively though, I felt I played very well. Perhaps even a bit too aggressive, or even hoggish. After the game I tried counting my shots and I had at least 10. I had two when I brought the puck up on the rush. I had three in the span of 15 seconds. I had two right from the face off. None went in. It wasn't until the third that I really tried to start putting the puck in the net. For example, it was almost like there was a cycle going on. The puck would come up the boards, and I would pick it up. I'd walk past the forward(s) and get a shot in the slot, I'd circle back to the point quickly. I turn and look, the puck is coming back up the boards again to me. I did it again, and again.  They were good shots two. The third, I was more concerned about speed, and did a snap shot to change it up because the first two shots didn't go in. The goalie had a clear view of it though on all of those.

In the second, I made an awesome break out pass to the winger in the neutral zone. It was a nice saucer pass that was about 40 feet long. He had no one in front of him, and I put it over two bull dog sticks, and put it right on his tape. I loved it because I had been working on the saucer pass here and there. But it would roll off his stick because there was too much sauce on it, and it was his back hand. So close!

On my second to last shift, I put on a show at our own blue line. I had two bull dog players trying to enter the zone. But they had no speed. So I stepped up and stopped them. It was in our feet in this small area 7-10 feet from the boards. While battling, one player who had been throwing elbows all game hit me in the face with an elbow. I did not appreciate this. Despite wearing a full cage, you still get a lot of the force on your chin. In the next stab for the puck, I would also place my shoulder into that player, putting him on his butt. The stab would then knock the puck to the wall. I wouldn't get their first but I was strong on my stick, lift his and used my momentum to take that puck away from him and break into their zone.  It was nice because on the break, I had two options for passes. I didn't want to shoot because I felt I had hogged the puck the last few shifts. I passed to the guy in the middle, and he got a shot off but it would not go in.

Defensively I played a sub-par game. I wasn't happy about being burned the way I was three different times. I wasn't pleased that I had put myself in a position to get burned the way I did. Offensively, I love that I got the chances I did, but I think I hogged the puck a bit too much. The Coyotes would go on to win 10-2. 

Piranhas vs. Mastodons

The combination of an early start time, and rink location made me get to the rink later than I would have liked. I rushed to get dressed and out onto the ice. I still got a full warm up though, but probably didn't need it as we only had six skaters.

Six skaters the entire game vs. a full bench. It is really tough to win when you're in that type of situation. The opposing team knows they have every advantage possible in the energy field. They should never lose a battle along the boards, and they rarely should lose a battle to a loose puck. It burns lots of energy, and when you're short on skaters, it is difficult to do.

Believe it or not, I controlled the first 30-40 seconds of the game. Our team won the face off, and I was able to get the puck into their zone, and get two shots on goal. If we can get that lead, it sets the tone for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, I did not score.

Shortly after that, I had a REALLY good race from the red line into their zone for a dumped puck. I felt we were going too fast for control, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt or hit, so I let up, and told him to take it and he's save. He gave me a good shove in the opposite direction once we got closer to the boards. I didn't appreciate that too much.

From there, the game just went down hill. I skated as hard as I could, but I burned a lot of energy against guys who have fresh legs. It got a little chippy and angry once the opposing team started to celebrate after their fifth goal while we were still at zero.

At some point, I was still going hard, but my team mates were low on the tank. You'd try to throw them a pass, and they wouldn't have the energy to catch the pass and skate with it. I was yelling for dumps, so I could race these fresh players, but it just didn't work.

I skated hard, played hard, and had a good hit. I won multiple board battles, and generated at least 1/3rd of our team's 19 shots. I have no complaints about my performance in this 0-9 loss to the Mastodons.

Goaldiggers vs. GoalBusters 2012-04-02

With the exception of my toes, this is the first time I've felt this good in at least six months. I knew conditioning was still poor from my last handful of games, but it is getting better. I was excited to get out there and play.

I think I did alright. I went into the game trying to tell myself to control the puck. Don't just give it up. Maintain possession, and if the opponents are going to get the puck, they're going to earn it. I think it showed. I had a couple of good showings on the break out, carrying the puck through the neutral zone. I had a couple of passes that were on the mark, and a few that weren't but I think they were all a little too hard.

My legs didn't feel good though, and it showed. This goes back to conditioning, and once that is there, I'll be fine. I'm not too worried about that. For the most part, everyone on the other team was a stronger skater than me. Having no advantage in any area makes it difficult to be productive.

I did have a couple of shots on goal, but they were weak. I didn't get a good shot off, and the goalie didn't give up a rebound.

I had one shot that I had half of the net, and yet I missed the net. It was even a decent shot. I guess if I don't take my time getting my shot off, my accuracy suffers. Patrick Roy once said something along the lines of, "I won't say sorry for letting in a goal because I did my best." Despite his issues, he's right about that one. Why apologize for something where you did your best? I'm trying to get to that mode.