And that's a season!

We played, as it turned out, our last game of the Big Bear Winter 2014 D4 season last night.  We only had one round of playoffs.  With only four teams, we all got to play.  We played Low Down Dirty Shame again, and I think I can safely say- I hate this team.  They are good, maybe too good for D4, but they also play a dirty game.  They slash, trip, hack, and board all night.  They also dive all over the ice.  We played with the same situation as last week- we spent a load of time in the box, and they didn't get called for anything- including an egregious pull down of Ryan at the end of the game.

Different from last week- and all our games with these guys- we really gave them a tough game.  They scored the first two goals in the first, and we got one as well.  In the second, we were able to tie it up and it was a tie as we started the third.  The horrible officiating put us on the power kill a few times in the third, and they scored two more before it was over.  I think we went to the box six times to their two, and one of theirs was a matching minor that left it 5 on 5.  My last shift was another first for me, the sixth man when we pulled our goalie.  I admit, I was a little confused.  I also accidentally jumped on the bench on the wrong side of the blue line in a change and caused us to be offside at one point.  I don't think I'll ever stop learning the nuances.

As far as my play- I think I really did pretty well, considering I was having skate issues through the first period.  I pressed in the offensive zone and ended up in the corners and in front of the net on each shift- contributing pretty well, including a centering pass that nearly made it to Ryan in front of the net.  On defense, I was able to play the spoiler more than once, and I may have saved a shot that could have scored.

I was probably more disappointed than I've ever been after a game.  Mainly it was because we really pulled it together and played tough smart hockey right off the first face-off.  We didn't make dumb mistakes and everyone kept their cool.  It was a great game, and a hard loss.  Realty Source also lost, so what ever happens in the final, we finished in third place.  It was also the realization that the team that comes back in a couple of weeks is going to be different.  Justin and Ryan will not be playing with us, and Ben may not either.  I really enjoyed playing on lines with Justin and Ryan, and they always gave me great advice and encouragement.  Luckily, I'm now in the loop for drop in and pick up, so I'll see them again. 

My quest.. as it was originally set out... is over.  I went from barely getting around Evergreen Lake to playing a season in a beer league in a year.  I can't wait for the next year in hockey!