Lucky Pucker

Yes - for me I want the Wings to get the last spot. Would help validate the Yzerplan for the impatient, and as @coopaloop1234 said, would provide a bit of a different look for the east.

Here’s hoping the Habs can gracefully stay the fuck out of the way, and give the Wings the much needed 2 points tonight.

5 hours ago, johncho said:

My kid ended up winning the season which was nice. But the biggest win was being able to teach all of the kids the lesson in both winning and losing well, and also staying the course when things aren't going well in the game. This year was the hardest on me due to so many factors, but also the one with the highest highlight in how my kid behaved on the ice and off.

My son had a challenging year in the first half not getting as much ice time as he wanted, but he really took a big step just after Christmas break and actively improved what he needed to work on. It's house league and I have no delusions, but I loved watching his normally bubbly happy-go-lucky self disappear when the game starts and see eyes get so focused. He upset the top two team each twice in the playoffs and never let in more than one goal, afterwards as he skates off the ice the first thing he asks me is "Can we now talk about what I could have done to stop the one that got in?". I had to tell him to enjoy the win for at least a moment.

Every time I lost the fun this year, my kid found it for me and helped me see the bigger picture without realizing. Absolutely adore this guy.

So happy to read this is how the season ended for you guys! There’s so much that us so-called adults can learn from the very kids we’re trying to teach. 

1 hour ago, chile57 said:

LHS = L(ocal) H(ockey) S(hop)

Pretty sure at least.

 

Ha - yes, you got it. Apologies for using such an ambiguous initialism. 
 

@RichMan - will let you know if there are any notes on the arms, but given what I’m coming out of, I can’t see it being anything but a net improvement (get it? NET improvement! )

8 minutes ago, Chenner29 said:

it seems to me you've become a really solid dude with a genuine intent to share good information and help people along. 
Don't lose sight of that, it will get you far in life.

 

A great post by @Chenner29, but I wanted to emphasize the part above, as I absolutely agree. You’re a real one, @ThatCarGuy - and you are appreciated here, brother!

Not me, and not a goalie… but my buddy does photography as a hobby, and he came out to my kid’s last playoff game. Got a really cool one of him shooting (he missed the net - lol!)

Buddy of mine told me about a 30% off goalie gear sale at a LHS. Finally got a new chestie - and in a proper size. When I started, 5-6 years ago, the Warrior chestie I got at PIAS was the one used piece I never replaced. However, it was a small, when I should be in a medium (at least) I did like the Warrior, but I was starting to feel shots. 

Also picket up a new Warrior mask. My old Bauer C2 would have been “illegal” in the states, based in the sticker. 

I’ve used the chestie, and really liked it. Maybe a bit hot, but nothing too crazy. Haven’t used the mask yet though. In a bit of a lull after my winter season ended.

Found this picture. Seems there is a “top” piece, sorta like the crown of a helmet or something. Maybe it was something a trainer Macgyvered from him after an injury.

I’m reading a book on Zeppelin that my kids bought for me. It’s fantastic!

1 hour ago, RichMan said:

Had a big thirst couple weeks ago and so I Squatched it with this

It wasn't bad.

Nice! I don’t know that one!

I’m enjoying one from your side of the river: Lotus Noir by Brasserie du Bas Canada - les maitres de l’art brassicole!

@Wonder35 - as I think I’ve said here before (and as others have more or less said), when (if?) I grow up, I wanna be like Wonder! 
I really hope you keep contributing, as the value of your posts goes way beyond what you were doing on the ice in a contemporary sense. Also thrilled to hear you have a granddaughter playing between the pipes; seeing my dad enjoy watching my son play has given me a bit of insight into how special that is for a grandparent.

You’re a beauty, Steve! 

30 minutes ago, Fullright said:

Blues? I like Jordan "Do I look nervous?" Bennington and Glen Hall is a demi god. However, I wore a mask like Liut's so I got to go with Mike.

We are really going to get in the weeds if @RichMan starts a discussion on goalies from the WHA. Probably only a handful of us here even know what it was.

When I think WHA, I immediately think of one of my favourite masks of all time. And then I Google it and realize they were NHL

On 3/1/2024 at 4:55 PM, TheGoalNet said:

Canadiens... Impossible

Vezina

Plante

Dryden

Roy

Price

 

 

I’d be tempted to add Gumper and maybe Hainsworth to that list. 

On 3/5/2024 at 9:49 AM, chile57 said:

I know he had cups of coffee with a couple other teams (same can be said for Ozzie) - but being from the mitten and an unofficial Red Wing "historian" - Terry Sawchuk has to be the go to for Detroit. Hands down. I mean if you are synonymous with the position of goalie - period - then you kind of have to be the default of the team where you made your name. 

I know it was mentioned that it wasn't about stats but c'mon - 447 wins (not counting playoffs which put him over 500) which held for decades and before the watered down effects of expansion - 103 which were by shutout (tack on another 12 in the playoffs). A shutout every 4.3 games. Unreal. 

When I saw this thread, my mind went straight to Sawchuk as well (just didn’t have time to write it out). So thank you @chile57 for writing this up, couldn’t agree more! I’m very much into the history of the game as well, especially the Original 6 era. He’s such a tragic figure - from losing the older brother he worshipped, to getting seriously sick, the reputed surliness, and the fight that led to his death. And what he did in spite of it all… incredible.

For St. Louis, Liut is a solid choice - but surely CuJo should be right there…? Especially for fans of our age, @MTH

42 minutes ago, ZeroGravitas said:

Need to get a set that matches these colors...

Those really are nice threads… would be awesome to match those with some new gear!

3 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I barely have time to skim through my LiveBarn footage. I couldn't imagine even toying with the idea to do that for house league. 

Does the coach have all the kids sit and watch game footage for strategies? How effective is any of this really? 

I dunno man… we haven’t exactly socialized with them. In fact, one of those ass clowns pushed past FIVE of my staff at our bench during the pre-game warm up without saying a word, to go stick his GoPro up, then back past all of us again. Not a “good luck” or “good game” or “hey!” Or “I’d just like to put this camera up here, it helps with our players’ development “

The consensus with my bench was “fuck ‘em and their cameras”

1 minute ago, coopaloop1234 said:

That's hilarious. I feel like travel AAA teams aren't even this awful. 

Right? We even asked around with parents of Dubs and Trips - none of them are doing FOUR cameras.

I mean, how do they even have the time to go through all that footage??

I’ll tell ya though, if the GoPro they stuck next to our bench had audio, they heard some choice observations… lol!

On 1/31/2024 at 6:34 PM, creasecollector said:

Congrats!

Thanks buddy! It was a great tournament, save for one team that exuded arrogance, and assumed they would run the table all weekend. One of their kids even said to one of my players in the week before the tournament “we’re going to win, but maybe you’ll get silver…” Shockingly, nobody liked them. These coaches set up 4 (yup; FOUR) different cameras for every game, gave the organizers (all volunteers) a hard time over scheduling etc, complained about the officials… all at U13 House League level. We had execs from other clubs saying “I really hope you beat those guys!” And we did beat them - TWICE, in fact, on our way to the final. Gotta say, the 5-0 win in round robin against them was sweeter than winning the shootout in the gold medal final.

1 minute ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Did you dust off the ol' VCR for this post? 

The Dude abides

21 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I think we've all seen that porno introduction. 

I thought pornos usually start with the cable going out, repairman shows up, and then next thing you know… Logjammin!

7 hours ago, MTH said:

I'm almost 47. I've been dating someone a few years younger than me for the past few months. This is me everyday. I feel more worn out than ever. Add in hockey... 

we’re all assuming one thing - but what’s really going on is that she’s insisting you join her in her gym workout and training runs, right?

Another tournament win - and the final was a shootout thriller that was decided in the 4th round (my son went first for us, and deked that poor goalie out of his jockstrap). 
I seem to be much better at coaching than at playing goalie (not that I have to be a good coach for that statement to hold true).

4 minutes ago, Puckstopper said:

Thanks man!  When I saw how closely the EF5 graphic lined up with this I ditched plans for a Tampa colored set instantly.

Love this set you’ve put together - well done!

no more Hespelers being made anymore. Looks like you could have had the original stick too for $310 (back in 2016, at least)

https://auctions.nhl.com/iSynApp/auctionDisplay.action?sid=1100803&auctionId=1072877
 

When your team shits the bed, and loses 5-0 to the last place team, all they can really do is sheepishly give you the Player of the Game hat, I guess. I know I played well, as guys from the other team and even the refs were like “how did you even save that???”

I responded to my team with this:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1j2ZeVr6aV/?igsh=MXEzZDZxYng3a3k1ZA==
 

We have a great room, so I know they can take it

Picked up a new stick at a good price yesterday- and funny thing, despite it not being a glove, it also has a break angle (more on that later; heading out to the rink to coach my kid’s team)

On 1/4/2024 at 1:14 AM, southpawtendy48 said:

You guys know what break angle your gloves have? Huh..

Isn’t “the break angle” the excuse you use to justify buying new gear in situations where finances are shared…?

For example:

Me: “Honey, I need to buy a new glove; I think there’s a break in the plastic in my old one…”

Wife: ”Oh - it broke? So that’s your angle this time - not ‘it will match better’…? Different angle, but same answer - NO!”

FWIW, I don’t know the break angle on my glove either.