Fullright

Surprised that the 'Peg went like they did. Vegas is a good team but that was a stunner. Bowness lit his team up post game. One "technique" that is vexing me is this "overload" deal. I dont know whether guys are misapplying it to the situation but almost every game, I see a goaler with his leg outside the short side post leaving tons of room long side. @GoalieInTheDesertYT: what's wrong with Kane? He's won 3 Cups with the Men's Leagure Team Formerly Known as the Chicago Blackhawks. Devils look much stronger than I expected and the Rangers are starting to look like they did with Hank....we'll skate around and let the goalie win for us....what? the goalie cant score too?

Bad _ ss endurance, @FIFTY-SIX

I suppose I was harsh on him but not my intent. Just seems to me that when a guy gets the net, esp in the playoffs, it is his chance to make his name. I hope he gets better as the series moves ahead. @Wonder35: Only meant that with your gear and bucket, you fit right in with Palmateer and Harrision who were great in their time. Apologies, fellas, did not mean to step on anyone's toes; I am a fan of anyone in The Show.

Wth re the Leafs? Does anyone in that organ-ni-zation know how to chose a goalie? The last good one was Mike Palmateer as best as I can recall. Screw it....put Paul Harrison...err @Wonder35 in net. Seriously, how does this happen year after year? I mean, geez, Terry Sawchuk must be spinning in his grave.

@MTH; congrats! very well done! I'm up on 5/5/23 after 4.5 months off....already nervous.

Sure ....why not? :)

@coopaloop1234, sorry bud - didnt see this thread before putting mine up. feel free to delete mine....it's cool here.

So, here we go shortly. Who do we like? I thought The 'Lanche might have a shot at a repeat but with Landeskog out, I dont see them going all the way. Bruins kinda have to be odds on this early but Dallas and their "Otter" in net can end up causing lots of damage. Should be fun.

Whoops...if it is helpful, my pants are by CCM. Forgot to say that above.

This is really a matter of your risk tolerance and what you want. I'm a runt at 5'5" and 165 lbs. (60 yrs old and been playing since 1971). At my dimensions, I could never rely on filing net with my gear. I need to be able to move. So, for pants, I wear a junior XL goalie pant. The smallest size senior pant was just too big and bulky. I wear old school pads- size 31" D&R LG 55 (I dont know how to interpret the plus 1 or plus 2 business) with Warrior knee pads and the smallest senior pant always snagged the top of the pad. This was the case for me even in junior or college. This has led to bruises I would not otherwise get with bigger gear but I can move wearing the smaller pants. So that's the trade off for me but I've always been worried more about stinking the joint out instead of a few dents.

If you are looking for a swarm in your crease, try Spirit.

@beansbats: great job! 60 here and there's now way I could do what you did. My best is 2 xs a week 5 days apart and even that is a big lift. I am happy with once a week.

Hope everyone's knees are good too. Can we agree that, as old gas bags, we keep the discussion off things like prostates? Be mindful about the menisci. I agree with @MTH. I tore my right knee medial meniscus in juniors (back in the Middle Ages) and never had the surgery. Once you injure it though it never really heals. This led, for me, to chronic swelling requiring the ortho md to drain it every four months or so...kinda like flushing a radiator on a car. He predicts a replacement when I decide that's it but I am glad I never had it "fixed" surgically which seems to speed up the time for the joint being replaced. @tgfoo, I went through several braces and never really felt comfie with them. These days, I just use my Icy Hot Xtra Strength and a Copper fit knee sleeve and it seems to help. Also, welcome!

This has turned into a radioactive thread. @coopaloop1234: "I miss this"....lol. But I am still trying to figure out the naked yellow guy in the old man thread. Different strokes for different folks - all of us have our own way to get to the sweet spot mentioned by Hank. Hextall was great but also a thug....at least until Potvin busted open his eye. Binner seems, however, to be melting down some this year. I dont know whether he's honked at the team, himself, or what. But he's off his game as is the team in front of him. Maybe he just doesnt like playing on a defensively weak team; pretty easy to look great when the team is sound. He's pulled a Dan Cloutier frequently this season challenging benches. Kinda surprised no one has brought up Billy Smith. Smith was certifiable but he didnt do his thug routine to get into his sweet spot, He was all ways ready to play.

@coopaloop1234: you're being kind about chicago....probably more a men's league team than an ECHL team. And Petr blew another groin last game.

It will help; I am not a yoga-ist as such but the stretches and movements help. The Boss aka the Mrs is the yoga-ist and it is helped her tons with some low back issues.

Outstanding!

You're welcome. Despite trying to stay fit, I am at the point where after I loosen up at home and just before I get in the car to go to the rink, I roll it on to my shoulders, biceps, hips, and knees. It really does numb stuff up. Probably not the smartest thing to do but if I want to skate....

@Naz, you're a monster (meant in the best possible way) and dont let Colander lead you astray: he can play. @chile57, aspercreme works good but I've had great results with IcyHot Extra Strength - you cant feel a thing @Wonder35, I agree in that I have no idea what a butterfly pad means either; I thought we are supposed to use the stick blade to close the 5 hole. As if I dont really feel bad about myself already, one building wont let me skate with my full face mask and the kid at the sharpening station looked at me like I had 3 eyes when I asked whether he knew how to flat ground my skates. Like you gentlemen, I hope to keep going until I cant. You have my admiration. :)

Agreed. It was all clutch and grab. I dont know where the balance point is but now we have great skilled players but the physicality is gone. If I had to chose, I'd go with how it is now. Heresy coming from a goalie but...

Since I find the thread interesting, I'll chime in w my rituals for Hockey Life 1.0 and 2.0. They've changed over time depending where I was and am in the sport. 1971 - 1994: During this period, I took our job very seriously terrified that my play would show that I had no business being in net. In school or work, I didnt pay attention to anything or anybody trying to get my mind right, which made me oblivious or just mean depending on your point of view. I didnt talk to anybody or hear anything. Plenty of water and eat very light. Stretch before going to the rink. Stretch again after undergarments were on in the locker room. Right skate, left skate, right knee pad, left knee pad, right leg pad, left leg pad. 2010 - current: Still take it seriously (fear of being exposed as a bad goalie) and although focused on the night ahead, the responsibilities of real life and being done with aspirations, I actually interact with people. Try and get a few winks in during the late afternoon. Eat very light and hydrate all day long. Stretch before leaving for the rink and stretch again after undies on in the dressing room. Same deal now for the skate, knee pad, and leg pad.....just comfortable that way. In a weird, sociopathic way, I miss the "dark places" my mind went during Hockey Life 1.0. Probably not helpful to my emotional well being and my reputation in my non-hockey life but for me, it was necessary. I could never laugh, joke around or otherwise be a "normal person" on game day during those years.

This is an excellent topic. One of those things about which I've always wondered what other goalies did or didnt do. Thanks for sharing your approaches; hope there's more to come.

@WillyGrips13 & @MTH, I got you both beat. I pretty much suck at playing goal in all respects.

Little off topic. There's a clown newspaper columnist here, Rick Telander, who writes for the Chicago Sun-Times. When Probert was with the Blackhawks and had cleaned up his off ice act, Telander invites him to an interview at a bar. Then, in an effort to simply be an a-hole, orders a pitcher of beer to be brought to the table while the interview is underway. To his credit, Probert didnt take the bait and pound Telander into the street and didnt touch a drop. @MTH, that glare....I hope Probert gave Telander that look. What a _itch thing to do to a person trying to pull himself together!

wow!