tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42412432429929235402024-03-05T09:23:05.870-06:00The Ancient NetminderI came back to hockey after 25 years.Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-6211561511832202612020-03-10T14:17:00.001-05:002020-03-10T14:17:32.233-05:00Damn I Miss ItI miss playing hockey.
In mid February I got tripped up and fell while skating out. I’ve fallen countless times in many ways over the years but never got seriously injured. I fell to the ice with my right arm extended and now I’ve got a torn tendon in my rotator cuff.
I was given a choice– surgery now or endure months of physical therapy with no guarantee which could still end with surgery. Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-25618489519157622592019-12-11T15:28:00.001-06:002019-12-11T15:35:51.123-06:00How Did I Get Here?In a few days I'll take the ice and stand in net for a playoff game with my Puck Hawgs as we face the top team in the 'A' division.
It's almost six years since I came to hockey after a twenty-five year hiatus and reading my post from 2013, I was excited and nervous about putting on goalie gear again and wondering if I could find a team. I was resurrecting my hockey life by joining an Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comIrving, TX, USA32.8140177 -96.948894532.6006157 -97.271617999999989 33.0274197 -96.626171tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-9721081057091403692019-07-26T15:10:00.001-05:002019-07-26T15:12:02.194-05:00Big OooofI can barely believe it's been four months since my last update and oh what an update it is!
The spring season ended without a championship for any of my teams but playoffs were fun and the summer season has already started.
I've been tracking my 2019 games and passed 100 in early July with just over half of those in net. The GAA and Save % stats are taking a beating but I'll save the summary Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-75169333775735084712019-03-22T09:24:00.000-05:002019-03-22T09:24:06.239-05:00Another Shot at Beer League GloryI've been lazy with updates so far in 2019 but today I'll jot down a few random thoughts that have been with me recently.
Once More Into The Fray
Tonight the Puck Hawgs are back into the playoff bracket with another chance at securing a championship. Since moving to a new rink 4 seasons ago, we've been in the running and lost 3 consecutive finals in what has become the toughest division we've Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-76545322850298517672018-12-21T10:12:00.001-06:002018-12-21T10:12:20.859-06:0011 months"Shut out" **&&**&!!$%@!@#!!
Any game that I get through a period or two without letting a puck past, these two simple words pop into my head followed by silent cursing for once again jinxing myself because inevitably, usually sooner than later, a goal gets scored that wipes away the chance for a shut out.
I titled this entry "11 months" but honestly it could be even longer since Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-33753324898001388822018-12-16T14:41:00.001-06:002018-12-16T14:41:11.654-06:00What's Wrong With You?Tonight is the last game of another fall season and my Puck Hawgs are again in the league championship and I'll be there between the pipes fighting for the win.
I woke up this morning feeling battered and bruised and every day of my 52 years. I'm currently favoring a twisted right knee, a bruised left kneecap, two sore fingers on my right hand, a shoulder that hurts when I lift my arm and a Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-62764898218871823832018-11-12T15:31:00.000-06:002018-11-12T15:31:25.632-06:00So Clutch
Another win in the books for the Puck Hawgs.
Six games in a row so far this season after dropping our first and this one wasn't easy. I came out that night feeling pretty confident about my game but just as quickly we were down 4-1 early in the second period after a lucky deflection, a partial screen, a break away and one other that I'm sure was my fault.
It didn't help things as I watched theRafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comEuless, TX, USA32.8370727 -97.08195409999996232.7303517 -97.24331559999996 32.9437937 -96.920592599999964tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-33662207923857648782018-08-30T14:58:00.000-05:002018-08-30T14:58:03.353-05:00Proving Something to the BoysI know it's been a while since I updated my blog. Life has been crazy this year. Vacations, moving, kids and work all get in the way of playing hockey and squeezing in time to write down a few thoughts.
My 'B' team has been rolling along at the new rink. We made it to the finals last season but lost in a crazy game that saw the opposing goalie break his ankle. We are now moving into the playoffsRafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-14831238778732863202018-05-14T10:31:00.000-05:002018-05-14T10:31:18.403-05:00Smile On My Face
I've been struggling in net since returning from an overseas vacation and even before, this season hasn't gone the way I expected.
Part of it is fatigue and lack of focus on my part– we rolled directly into a new season while still finishing off the previous one while the Puck Hawgs changed rinks. We also have a lot of new faces on the roster and it takes time to rebuild the chemistry our Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-87332990601217736802018-03-27T11:59:00.001-05:002018-03-27T11:59:01.630-05:00Two Sides to Every Break AwayOne of the most read entries of this blog was my post from September of 2013 titled, "The Break Away". In it I tried to describe the action and what goes on in my head as the play happens.
In a game last week I somehow managed to stop a break away and I was curious what the shooter was thinking while I'm in a state of panic and reaction. I reached out to the opposing player and he was nice Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-76998077007778136742018-03-10T11:21:00.001-06:002018-03-10T11:23:09.655-06:00The CeilingThe shot came from the right face-off circle. It was a low snap shot that I dropped down for as it clapped off my stick blade and straight up into the air. I spotted an enemy forward heading towards the spot the puck would be coming back down to earth so I decided to swing my stick into the air and knock it away. I made solid contact and propelled the puck back over my head and into the net. ThatRafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-68791366559923739412018-02-23T10:30:00.001-06:002018-02-23T10:30:08.721-06:00Beer League Imposters
That's my buddy Zach on the left, standing next to me after a recent 'B' division game. He filled in for a team that didn't have a goalie for the game– a common occurrence that keeps goalies on the ice up to 7 nights a week if you want.
If you asked him, he'd tell you he's a solid 'D' division goaltender with aspirations to play full-time in 'C'. He'd tell you he's no 'B' goalie and has no Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-22919245007197678452018-01-22T15:54:00.000-06:002018-01-22T16:09:44.950-06:00Falling Down a MountainListen up beer league players. I'm going to lay down some wisdom you are going to want to hear.
Warm-ups are under way and you are either sniping your own goalie when he isn't looking or blasting slappers off the side boards. Do yourself a favor. Take 10 seconds and watch the opposing goaltender while he warms up.
Is he:
A. Drunk
B. Fat
C. Old
Pick any two and and it he fits, then I am going Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-16436687574398151882017-12-19T13:08:00.000-06:002017-12-19T13:11:14.791-06:00Grateful for it AllAnother calender year has come to a close and I am grateful for hockey.
In a few weeks, I will have been back playing for four years and hockey has changed so many things about my life. Sure it's still just a diversion from the everyday struggles of work and family but the influence is long-reaching and has been nothing but positive – if you don't count the injuries, aches and pains. It's a goodRafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-61069172804208872472017-09-29T10:56:00.001-05:002017-09-29T10:56:04.347-05:00Funny GoaliesRecently I asked my goalie pals for some funny stories from the whacky world of beer league goaltending. Enjoy!
MM: Worst is definitely the time I went to catch a far ice dump-in on my stick and missed. Ahhh I-league.
ZW: When I was playing for the Stingers a player on the other team iced the puck on a penalty kill. I watched it hit the backboard and angle towards the crease. As it got there I Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-20691871319695769372017-08-28T14:09:00.000-05:002017-08-28T14:09:42.096-05:00Hanging on and enjoying the rideIts been three months since I updated this blog and a lot happened since my last.
Back in May I was feeling my game was eroding, my skills diminishing and maybe I was starting to let my teams down. It turned out to be a pretty good summer on the ice and maybe I'm settling in to the idea of enjoying the ride for as long as I can.
My Puck Hawgs finished the summer season 9-1 and won the league Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-68189562599580409052017-05-24T16:46:00.001-05:002017-05-24T16:53:39.677-05:00Maybe Its Time to StopThere it was. The thought that popped into my head mid-way through the second period. It wasn't following a bad goal. It didn't happen after taking a puck to the knee or head. I was watching my defenseman skate the puck out of our zone and it just entered my head. Maybe its time to stop.
We are four games into the Puck Hawgs summer season and we have been doing well. 3 wins and 1 loss. Just 3 Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-45782476911158520242017-05-15T12:34:00.001-05:002017-05-15T12:47:38.137-05:00Goalie Profile- Kolby BeamSince my Puck Hawgs moved up to the 'B' division of men's hockey, I've gone up against several goalies that I hadn't seen before. Starting last season I began to notice a goaltender named Kolby Beam and I wanted to learn more about him.
His movements are quick, his rebound control is terrific and I've watched him keep his team in games where they were outshot 2-1. He often sees 40 or more Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-21811065545350363372017-03-22T15:17:00.000-05:002017-03-22T15:17:00.680-05:00Another Dream Come TrueSince I was a little kid playing Pee Wee in rural Nova Scotia, I wanted my own custom painted mask. The first year I played in net was the last year my local hockey association used masks like this...
I can't tell you for sure this was the same model mask but I know that I took a shot off the top of my head and got knocked out in something similar. The following years before my first retirement Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-89856988436107320802017-03-20T12:40:00.002-05:002017-03-21T10:15:01.286-05:0010 SecondsThe Puck Hawgs were dominating the game.
At 6-0 after two periods, I hadn't faced many shots but I had remained sharp and stopped a few good scoring chances. I was feeling pretty good when suddenly, that word popped into my head. Shutout.
I'm not really superstitious but a long while ago I found out that thinking about a shutout inevitably leads to a goal. Or two. Or three. I quickly pushed theRafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-38956887864172670552017-02-09T14:34:00.002-06:002018-11-12T16:49:44.314-06:00All By MyselfI just marked my fifth year playing net after coming back to hockey after 25 years away but this isn't a retrospective entry. It's a reminder that no goalie stands alone on the ice.
Regular readers here know that my Puck Hawgs team ran through the Lower 'B' division like shit through a goose last season and won the championship. This season we haven't missed a beat since moving to Upper 'B'. Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-46512280106139977402016-12-27T14:30:00.003-06:002016-12-27T14:30:43.539-06:00Let Me Try That!This is my pal Brian. He isn't a goalie.
After the ordeal
Brian is a solid player. He skates well, scores goals and is a great teammate. He's fit too. In fact, in the world of beer league players he is likely in top 10%. Mind you the vast majority of us like drinking beer more than visiting a gym and some us have trouble getting out bed the day after a game. Brian is a fit, athletic and Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-90580963205774707502016-11-28T21:28:00.001-06:002016-11-28T21:36:01.640-06:00Love Letter To My DefensemanDear Defenseman,
I'm sitting on the sofa 24 hours after getting scalded for 10 goals. I'm glad I waited until now to write to you because yesterday I was really down on myself and truth be told I was a little unhappy with you about the way the game went. We were quite a sight last night. The perfect pair. You let shooters through the slot to pot rebounds, set up perfect screens and even watched Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-48885702038829210802016-11-17T12:14:00.000-06:002016-11-17T12:16:51.366-06:00Death of the Double HeaderWhy do I care how well I did or didn't play in the second game of a back-to-back in net? Half the guys on the team I'm subbing for don't know my name. The few who did probably forgot it before they got on the ice. Sure they appreciate having a goalie show up so they can actually play the game but there's really not much more to it than that.
But I care. I think that it's one of the things that Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241243242992923540.post-89325867149354270642016-09-30T17:14:00.001-05:002016-10-03T12:14:20.723-05:00Much More Than Hockey
As anyone who has read more than a few entries of this blog knows, I write as much about the community of hockey, a family of a kind, as anything else. When I came back to hockey I never considered that the greatest part of it was going to be the friendships I gained. I thought it was all about being back on the ice and how I might fare in net.
A few weeks ago I turned 50. My wife Amy demanded Rafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15133622058756274946noreply@blogger.comArlington, TX, USA32.735687 -97.10806559999997532.5218985 -97.43078909999997 32.9494755 -96.78534209999998