Category — Hockey

Played a game last night that started at 10:10pm. We won again, 4-2 this time to give us a 2-1 record on the season. We should have won the game by a lot more though, as I think we were a lot better than this team. I am feeling really good out on the rink now, and my control of the puck is getting a lot better. Didn’t get any points last night, but probably should have had a couple goals, especially one where I was on a break and beat the goalie just ended up shooting the puck a little wide. My only problem last night was not having a lot of energy, I think the late game start kind of got to me, because I really didn’t have the legs I usually do. Next game will be good, it is an earlier start and I feel things are only going to get better.

Played a game last Monday and another one last night. The Monday game we lost 7-4 after making a bit of a come back. However we had a bit of a lapse for 5 minutes in which time the team score like another 3 goals. I really felt that we were starting to gel as a team though, and the more our endurance increases I think the better we will do. The team on Monday had to call a timeout because we had the puck in their zone for a good 10 minutes straight in the second half, simply because we were outskating them. Myself personally still was having troubles playing the puck on Monday, it is a lot different than a ball.

Yesterday we won our game 5-4 to even our regular season record at 1-1. I played a lot stronger of a game with a goal and an assist, but more importantly I think I am finally starting to get a feel for the puck. I shortend my stick by about an inch which I think has help out a lot as well, as it is giving me more control. My goal came on a nice cross ice pass that I pounded into the net. My assists happened just as I got on the ice from a change, the puck was just sitting in front of me so I picked it up and sent it cross ice where we scored from. Probably my best play of the night happened when I picked up a puck on the left side, I made a nice move around the one defensemen then sent a pass through the other defensemans legs cross rink to my linemate who just missed it.

Anyway I need to work on winning faceoffs, I think I have maybe won one faceoff this whole time, pretty pathetic.

I went to my first hockey game in almost a year yesterday. I went to game three between the Kelowna Rockets and the Vancouver Giants. The series was tied at 1 game a piece and there was a lot of excitement going into the game in Vancouver.

The first period it seemed like the two teams were feeling themselves out and most of the game was played in the neutral zone, or in the corners. Kelowna came out of the period with a 1 goal lead. The second period started with Kelowna’s Keller scoring a pair of goals to put them up 3-0. Throughout the whole game Vancouver had been totally outhitting Kelowna, and it continued after going down 3-0. Then things started to go right for Vancouver and they were able to pop a goal on the power play (textbook pp goal I might add). Then a few minutes later with the momentum with them they were able to steal another goal after some poor goaltending on Kelowna’s part. Finally with less than a minute in the 2nd period Brule truly impressed the hell out of me by throwing two huge checks before getting himself to the net to help setup the tying goal. The third period Vancouver came out hitting and full of energy. Tying the game in the second gave them a new jump in their skates and it paid off midway through the 3rd to take the lead. After that Vancouver buckled down to win the game 4-3.

This was my first WHL game of the year and was a lot of fun and totally worth the $20 tickets. While the start of the game was a bit slow it definitely picked up in the second and carried on to the end. I was very impressed by two players last night, Brule and Keller. Brule was everywhere, and often double shifted, he showed signs of brilliance when he almost deaked out two defensemen at once and was a one man force on the ice when they scored the tying goal. For being only 5′11 180 pounds this guy can sure throw his weight around. Keller was also impressive for the Rockets, he scored two of their 3 goals and was a force everytime he was on the ice. What really impressed me a lot about Keller was that despite the booing of fans he still came out for a skate when he was named 2nd star of the game.

I am really glad I went to this game, it gave me the hockey fix I needed. Hopefully the Giants can make it further in the playoffs so I can check out another game or two.