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.

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.

Puck Pros Session with Christian - 2013-10-15

It had been four months since I was at Puck Pros. When I saw that, I was disappointed in myself. I wanted to get there more. I wanted to be there regularly this summer, but the summer had me on the ice a lot more. Anyway, the past few visits, some of the messages were the same - get stronger legs. I decided to do just that. I started going to the gym and working on it. I have felt a difference.

Today I worked with Christan. It was a lot more different than my past sessions. Not surprisingly, we worked mostly on skating. But we worked on the core parts of skating that are used when you handle the puck, when you shoot, when you turn, and so on. To me these are the foundation of the game, and if you can't do it, you're not going to progress.

The weight transfer is something that I'm still not doing right, that I need to get down right. I need to take a wider stance, bend my knees and get low, and when I push off I need to straighten my leg that I push off with.

Perhaps the biggest thing Christan did for me was all mental. He called me a very "mono" player. I do one thing right at a time, and when I focus on something different, I lose the first thing. Bending my knees? Not going to do the toe snap. Doing a Full extension - not going to be in the forward push. I need to focus on pulling it all together.

The other thing that really helped me was seeing the state Christian was in. He wasn't his normal energetic self. He was in a calm mellow state, but when he'd talk about the game, when he'd see me improve, he'd show an incredible amount of passion. Later he explained he too just started going to the gym. And it made me glad, because I'm in a similar state as him. He's a little fatigued, but when that love for the game kicks in, he was ready. And the longer I've been going to the gym, the less tired I feel, but the passion only increases.

Three things to take away:

• Weight transfer - Straighten my leg when pushing off, get low, wide stance, bend my knees.
• When turning, with my inside skate, be on the outside edge - and align my feet versus putting them next to each other. 
• Keep my head level when transferring my weight. It should go side to side. Not up and down.

Coyote Season Preview 2013-2014

Last season ended in a way that created a countless number of nightmares for myself and other Coyote players. We gave up the winning goal with just a second left in the third period. The ending could only have been more "storybook" if it was in overtime.

I think the impact of losing in that way is immeasurable. The body language after the game was as poor as I've ever seen it. The tone of voices in the locker room were depressing in itself. We should have celebrated though - we played incredibly well. We had never played that team so well.

Summer has come and gone for the Coyotes. Only four Coyotes said they'd play with the team in the summer. I was not one of them. The captain of the Coyotes would break his leg in the summer, and be out until February.

So there was a lot of unfortunate things that happened. This created a lot of uncertainty going into the season. Who will be captain? Who will our full time players be, who will be our subs, and will we add anyone new?

About a week ago, the decision was made to make me captain for game day activities - setting lines, running the locker room, etc. I accepted for a number of reasons - someone needed to do it,  I'm one of the guys with the most experience on the team, It'd be a good challenge for my people skills, and many other reasons.

Last year, there were times where I was almost bored on the blue line. I took a "hands off" attitude. I was quiet in terms of what we should be doing, and just let the team develop and work on what I wanted to work on for myself. Maybe that is selfish? I would help when asked in the past, but it won't be that way this year. I'll be responsible for helping get the most out of the team, and taking them to the next level. This is going to be my first time doing something like this, and I have prepared myself as best as I can for these challenges.

I think our biggest challenge will be our attendance since we don't have as many full time players as we'd like. We've also added a handful of players who we need to get integrated with the team. I want to get the team to the next level, and away from being just a beginner team.

There are lots of good and exciting challenges for the Coyotes.

HNA Finals - Piranhas - 2013

I drove into Toronto Thursday. I never left the US, so driving across the border myself was exciting for me, but it turned out to be really uneventful. I was the first Piranha in Toronto Thursday evening because of delayed flights. I stretched my legs, got a bite to eat and relaxed in bed until some others got in. A few of them wanted to go out right as they got in because they were hungry. I joined them, and got to bed at about 2:00. I had breakfast in the hotel, and a lunch at a Greek place. The first game was early Friday evening.

It was decided earlier in the day because of a lack of bodies, that someone would have to jump back to play defense. I was that guy. I was more nervous than anything because I had only a couple of games at this level playing defense, and these were the best teams of this level.  I was going to play with Jimmy, a good friend, and a player I've watched play defense regularly for a while now.

Game 1 - Toronto

I had started out very nervous but acted just as if I was playing on the Coyotes. I made sure to keep my shifts very short, and would do so all weekend. I think it worked out better because my forwards were more talented than the Coyote forwards. I could trust them a little bit more, and not have to worry about a turnover. At about the middle of the second period, I was playing very well, and said to myself that I was playing well, and I should capitalize on it. I tried carrying the puck more, pinched a few times, and it seemed to work out for the best. I was able to get the puck deep, get a scoring chance, and join the rush. I had to be aware because this team had their two best players hanging out at the red line for an easy break away. They got no one on one chances. There was one where I was caught flat footed, and he skated right past me at my blue line. I hooked him to the ice as hard as I could, hauled him to the ice, and got called for a penalty. I'll take it.

I was reading the play well as it is much more predictable than a Coyote game. It lead to multiple keep ins, and shots/passes from the point. One actually tipped off my center's stick, so I had an assist. We would win 6-5.

That night we went out for a team dinner, then I went right to bed. It sounded as if my roommate was amused with how fast I fall asleep once my head hits the pillow. I was up the next morning getting my normal walks in, went out and grabbed some things for the team and breakfast from some coffee place.

The second game was Saturday at 1:00. An hour before the game, I grabbed my stick to retape it. I inspected it and noticed a small crack in it. I put a little stress on it, and it snapped at the crack... And just a few days after the warranty was void! I played with my backup stick, and played defense again as the team really liked me back there. It was more of the same, but less chippy and cherry picking. I continued to keep the puck in their zone, and put pucks on net. I had two goals this game - all because of traffic in front of the net. I don't have a hard wrist shot, nor were they good shots. They just were quick, quiet, and in an area of traffic. I was reminded to watch the score as I was trying to get too aggressive with a multi-goal lead. We would win again, but I can't remember the score off the top of my head.

I bought a new stick that was very close to my old one (I hated my back up). I cut it down, got it ready and tried to get ready for game 3 at 7:00 Saturday night. I couldn't do it. There wasn't enough time to eat, sleep, get a new stick, and travel.

The third game I was just exhausted. Our opponents seemed fresher, they wanted it more, and knowing we were in for Sunday, I don't think we wanted the victory as much as they did. I tried to battle my hardest, and played mediocre. Jimmy and I had had multiple miscommunications, were conflicting with each other, and so forth. Mostly because I didn't have the energy to think. We would lose this game.

I got back to the hotel, ate something and went right to bed because game 4 was at 9:00 am Sunday. I didn't sleep well. I woke up angry, unrested, and just sluggish.  I felt better once the game got going. I felt this team was just as good as the Piranhas, minus one player. I tried to focus on him, but he was deceivingly good. I'd try to knock him off the puck, tie him up, or take away his pass and didn't do so successfully. We were saved by goal posts a lot, and we had a couple of ugly goals, to be up 2-0 after the first. Then we were up 3-0. Then I made a huge mistake. Their top player came down the middle of the ice. I went to take the puck from him, and tripped him. Our opponents would score on their resulting power play. They didn't let up after that, and I became more stupid with my aggression, and didn't have the success I needed to make a difference. I felt I still played above average for me, but the other team was just more skilled. We would lose, and be eliminated from the tournament, in the semi-finals.

The team went back to the hotel, cleaned up, and some of us went to lunch before I started my drive home. What was funny was I drove home, while others were going to fly. I still made it home before them - but they got to spend more time in Toronto than me.

The tournament was a blast, and I obviously left out a lot. I can't wait until next year. Pictures to be posted later.

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.