Dropout's 18/19 season

[Hockey School Dropout]

Well, I am back.  I realize I've been gone for a while, and here's the Coles notes.....

Losing a lot last year made me lost motivation to edit and post video.  I still have the footage, maybe I'll get on an editing kick and do it all and post.  However, I did something to my hip (priformis muscle was knotted into a ball) and ended up with a serious bout of sciatica.  I was okay to stand, but any bending shot pain down my left leg.  So I was pretty much off the ice from December until late April when I first resumed skating.  Didn't get back in goal until at least late May, and only played 4 times all summer.

Got back into the same league this season and had to miss the first game of the season due to the kids (which the team lost 6-1 but were missing 2 top players).  Finally played last Sunday, but completely forgot to charge the GoPro before the game, and not surprisingly, the battery was completely dead.  I've charged it and ready to go for this week. 

I got some new pants (Warrior ritual) and very pleased with them - though not sure why they didn't put a location to attach suspenders at the front.  No matter, the inner belt holds them up nicely.  I also removed my Toe Hooks and went with no toe ties.  WOW.  Best gear decision yet.  I can slide and move so much easier.  I feel free.

Last week's game went quite nicely, starting the  season with a 7-0 win.  Wish I had the GoPro on as I had some pretty nice (and lucky) stops.  Behind a solid team, that passes well and has some own zone awareness.  Go Jets!

Looking forward to posting more video again. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

So, with little fanfare, here is the video from my last game.  We missed a week because some tornadoes came through the city and knocked out power at the arena.  It was out too long and the ice had to be taken out and re-done.  So we will have a rescheduled game at some point.  

This game, not near as good as the first one, pretty much for all involved.  There was a lot of cycling by the other team and not much pressure at the other end, like we had 7 shots MAX.  

[Hockey School Dropout]

Subbed in for the group I'm usually a skater in.  Fun times.

[Imperative]

On 10/3/2018 at 6:53 PM, Hockey School Dropout said:

So, with little fanfare, here is the video from my last game.  We missed a week because some tornadoes came through the city and knocked out power at the arena.  It was out too long and the ice had to be taken out and re-done.  So we will have a rescheduled game at some point.  

This game, not near as good as the first one, pretty much for all involved.  There was a lot of cycling by the other team and not much pressure at the other end, like we had 7 shots MAX.  

Good to see you back posting! I gotta say it drives me nuts as a goalie when both teams are wearing similar colours(in this case darks). Like you said your team looked out of sorts in front of you. You had some good saves in there. Some tough bounces that ended up on the ring sticks. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

Well, that team is CRUSHING everyone, so likely after the 7 game "pre-season" there will be some balancing done (*crossing fingers*).

[Hockey School Dropout]

Game from Sunday.  It was a fun one. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

Video from last Sunday.   All in all a good game, but two mistakes = two goals against.  I should know better, but I'm just getting back into the groove.

[Lucky Pucker]

18 minutes ago, Hockey School Dropout said:

Video from last Sunday.   All in all a good game, but two mistakes = two goals against.  I should know better, but I'm just getting back into the groove.

I personally appreciate you and other guys putting up the videos. Cheers for that, @Hockey School Dropout!

I think you wrote somewhere that you’re in Ottawa - if that’s true (could be #memoryfail) which arena is this?

[Hockey School Dropout]

Yes I'm in Ottawa.  We play at Tom Brown Arena in Westboro.

[Math.]

Man do I love your style!  Absolutely dig it.

First goal wasn't so much of an error than a complete blindness to the incoming shot I think.  Second goal was a fluke, granted.

Quick question, how tall are you and what are you wearing nowadays as far as pads go?  I seem to remember you wearing more old school stuff.

[Hockey School Dropout]

On the first goal I had time to recover to my feet and reset but I didn't, and I think that cost me a good look at the shot.  Second one I was too relaxed and my stick wasn't between my feet.  Lack of focus and intensity. 

On a good day I'm 5"7'.    My pads are Bauer One80s, 32+1.  I've had them for about 5 years now.

[Hockey School Dropout]

Video from game yesterday.  Yeah, that fast!

Not a particularly busy game, as you can tell from the length of the video.  Once again, good run support from my team and solid D, except for the fantastic screen on the goal against at the end.

[Hockey School Dropout]

Once again, another pretty "easy" outing.  Pretty sure I didn't see a puck for over 10 minutes from the start of the game.  It's nice to play behind a decent team that understands defense.

An interesting affair though.  One massive open ice hit - in a non-checking "gentlemen's" league.  Our player thinks it was intentional.  I only saw the aftermath so will not comment any further.    After the big whooping hoopla after their second goal (which I still don't think fully crossed the line) I was very enthusiastic about our goal with 11 seconds left in the game.    Possibly because the biggest whooper was a guy I skate with on Friday nights.  

[Math.]

Real good outing, key saves in key moments made the difference. 

Good one.

Oh yeah, that puck never did fully cross the line.

[Imperative]

Many big Saves in there! Sometime when the ref isn’t in position the guys celebrate like it is a goal and ref calls it a goal. Glad you guys were able to score late for the win, it would’ve been pretty sour to have had a tied game on a play where the puck never went in. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

I could say a lot about this game, but I will say only this:  the last goal against me was total BS.  The play was offside, the refs yelled it was offside, then they let the play continue.  Each time I talked to them about it, their story changed.  Every once in a while, refs can be real @$$holes.

[Imperative]

Your teammates really struggled to protect the slot all game. You had a great sequence of saves around 1:50 where the same guy was all alone in the slot and you stopped him both times. That was a really strange play and lack of the ref blowing down the play offside as soon as the guy touched the puck. It was really bizarre that everyone of their guys left the zone on the delayed offside other than that guy. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

yeah that was a strange shift having the same guy open in the same spot twice.  The first one I got just enough of with the glove.  

yes, I pointed out that the other team left the zone to the one ref.  Oh my partner waved it off.  After the game his story changed to the puck didn't completely leave the zone.  For offside it doesn't have to, it only has to touch the white ice of the neutral zone.  And with about 4 guys around where the puck was and neither ref in a good position to see it they should have gone with the original call.  Plus you can hear the ref yell offside, and then nothing else.

[Hockey School Dropout]

The downward slide continues.  This was a s***show all around.  We had probably our 2nd best forward traded, and the new guy at least put one in at the other end.  The team we played however managed to not have any trades affect them.....even though their best player "missed" a bunch of the first 7 games.  Oh well, it is what it is.

[Imperative]

How does it work in your league that guys can get traded? It was a rough game your team was outmatched against your opposition, they had a ton of grade “A” chances. 

[Fullright]

Agree with Cam. Your team was just overmatched. However, you're playing so much better this time around. Your patience for the first shot and you're handling second shots so much better. Don't let it into your head, Gary. Just play. 

[Hockey School Dropout]

On 11/27/2018 at 11:32 PM, Imperative said:

How does it work in your league that guys can get traded? It was a rough game your team was outmatched against your opposition, they had a ton of grade “A” chances. 

There are 8 teams in the league.  After your team plays every other team (so 7 games) there is a "balancing" meeting among the team reps/league executive where they make any trades necessary to keep things "even".  But if one team sandbags, well, they get to keep their good players.  I find that frustrating.

Fullright, you are correct in that I shouldn't let it get in my head.  What is really in my head right now is the one ref.  My last game (video coming soon) he drops the puck while I'm taking a drink and don't have my blocker on.  The same one who screwed us on the offside play a couple games ago.  As soon as I see he's on the ice, I'm pissed off.  Just gotta push past it.

[Fullright]

I understand, HSD. Try and think of it this way: he's unaware, probably cant keep up with the play, and he's not shooting at you. 

[Imperative]

1 hour ago, Hockey School Dropout said:

There are 8 teams in the league.  After your team plays every other team (so 7 games) there is a "balancing" meeting among the team reps/league executive where they make any trades necessary to keep things "even".  But if one team sandbags, well, they get to keep their good players.  I find that frustrating.

Fullright, you are correct in that I shouldn't let it get in my head.  What is really in my head right now is the one ref.  My last game (video coming soon) he drops the puck while I'm taking a drink and don't have my blocker on.  The same one who screwed us on the offside play a couple games ago.  As soon as I see he's on the ice, I'm pissed off.  Just gotta push past it.

That doesn’t really make sense to “re balance” teams. Like you said good players don’t play in the early games and then shows up later. If you join a team you want to play with that team. Do they trade goalies too? 

[Hockey School Dropout]

I'm new to this league (spared 2 years ago, 1/2 season last year) but I'm not aware of goalies being traded.

I know some leagues will move teams early in the season, and sometimes mid-way and even right before playoffs to try and keep things equal.  Seeing as how this is an 8 team league, the only way is to move players.  However, I'd like to see another adjustment time, perhaps around xmas when we have a break and then see how things shake out.

Anyway, video as promised.  The team played better than the last time we played the Sharks, but though I could spell out 3-4 excuses as to why the game went as it did, the simple truth is I wasn't good enough to secure the win.