I'm going to Wally World!

Holey crap!  What a night!  What a game!  

The Icemen are Big Bear Adult League D4 Spring 2015 CHAMPIONS!  

Oddly, we played with a smaller bench than we have lately.  We also started the night with a bit of a panic, as both Tyler and Vicki were running late.  Bry was ready to tie a spare jersey around his neck and jump in to goal without pads.  He was amped.  They showed up just in time and we hit the ice.  We shouldn’t have worried- the time keeper showed up really late. 

We scored first with Justin getting a great breakaway.  Realty Source had great pressure in our defensive zone during the first period, which worried everyone a bit.  They were finally able to score.  That was pretty much the end of the scoring portion for the rest of regulation.  Tyler was amazing as usual, and the Realty Source goalie had some great saves as well.  We played really hard and began to wear Realty Source out.  The refs were letting things play out, and there were only 4 or 5 calls all night.  I think we were in the box three time.  Overall, they called a great game, and let us battle it out, but were able to keep things in control- as you’d expect in a championship game.  One egregious non-call happened in the 3^rd period though, when Justin was cross checked into the Realty Source net.  It sounded horrible from the bench and he was pissed- but not hurt. 

When the buzzer sounded to end the game, we were tied 1-1.  Since no one had been in a final that had ended in a tie, we had no idea how it would be decided.  They did it NHL regular season style- Five minutes of 4 on 4, and if that didn’t decide it, we’d go to a shootout.  Once we decided the two pairs of 4 would be, we started OT.  It was all over within 30 seconds.  We won the face off, and the puck bounced around the Realty Source zone.  It went up the far wall, and it looked like it was going to go out.  Paul was able to just keep it in a brilliant pull, and decided that he just go ahead and score.  He went right up the right side and caught the goalie switching sides.  It was brilliant!  Everyone went nuts- us for the win, Realty Source because they thought the puck was out.  They argued with and yelled at the refs for a bit, but it was in the books.  We got the cup, a case of beer and tee-shirts.  We took a bunch of photos on the ice and continued the celebration in the dressing room.  More beer, more photos.  We finally got kicked out of the dressing room at about 10.30, and a few of us went to a place called Fat Boy’s for even more beer.   I’m exhausted today.  

I played a really good defensive game last night.  I was able to block quite a few shots, and got in a couple good stick checks in.  I also spent a lot of time in front of the net. Strangely, I was left pretty much alone, and didn’t have to battle for position.  Unfortunately, I only got one chance to whack at the puck.  Tony did try to pass to me from the corner when I parked in front of the net in the third, but he was gassed and the pass got picked off.  Although I never got that second goal this season. I’m really pleased with the way I played, for the most part.  I am a little unsatisfied with my skating though.  That doesn’t frustrate me.  I’ve gone from not being on skates for years to playing in a championship game in just under a year and a half.  Now, I need to move everything to a next level!  

My second season was awesome!  A season of firsts- first goal, first multiple point game, first game ending injury, first playoff win and first championship!  I have realized that this is the first time Ive ever been part of a championship  team.  

We live to fight another day!

Last night was the Big Bear D4 playoffs.  It was a single elimination, and since were still only four teams we played Here For Beer again.  We had nearly a full bench again, with four forward lines, and five defensemen that cycled throughout the game.  If we’d lost, we be done for the season.  We play again next week.

I said last week that I really wanted to beat Here For Beer, and we did it with élan!  We won 4-1.  I played on a line with Bry at center and Mark on the left.  I was on the right wing.  Bry is by far our best player, so I got to be on the ice for one of his two goals.  The other two goals were scored by Justin.  I played really well.  I was skating well, and I was in good position nearly every play.  My horrible stick skills prevented me making a couple of breakouts, but I was able to win a few battles in the corner and had one run up the ice.  I had one shot on goal, and a pass hit my stick and nearly went in when I crashed the net.  I also took Here For Beer’s best player, #6, totally out of a play.  He was heading up the slot, and was dekeing our defenseman.  If he’d gotten past, he would have a free ice to the goal.  I was backchecking him and when he went for the deke, he backed right into me.  He went down hard, and we got the puck.  I was able to stay on my skates.  Fun stuff!

We also didn’t have all the problems with the refs we’ve had in the past.  We only had two penalties, one of which was a matching call, that left it 5 on 5.  Things got really fun in the 3^rd period when #6, got tossed out of the game with about 8 minutes left.  It was so stupid too.  There was a play behind our net that got blown dead.  I can’t remember why, but refs moved the faceoff into the neutral zone.  #6 thought the faceoff should have been in our zone so he got chirpy.  He wouldn’t let up and he got thrown out of the faceoff.  As he moved out of the circle, he told the ref to fuck off.  Yeah… you can say pretty much anything to a ref, but not fuck off.  The ref immediately sent him off for 2 minutes.  He must have kept up the haranguing, because the next thing I knew, the ref called him for a game misconduct and he was skating off the ice.  Not five minutes later, there other ringer was booted as well, after his 3^rd or 4^th penalty in the game.  We spent the last of the game on the power play, with all their best players gone.  They got a little hackey at their net, and the refs called the game with about 16 second left.   

We play Realty Source for the championship.  We've played them four times, and we've split the series- two wins each.  We were the only team that beat them all season.  Hopefully, we get refs who can keep things even keeled this time.  

I sat around the dressing room for a while afterwards, having a couple of beers.  We decided that we just needed to play like that again next week.  The season of firsts just keep on coming! 

Slide down all ready!

An incredible game last night.  We played really well, made crisp, clean passes and had great communication on our really big bench.  We played Here For Beer, and both their ringers were playing.  

We had four forward lines and three defensive pairings, which made for a really crowded bench.  Luckily everyone was paying attention to who was on the ice and keeping shifts short- so everyone got to get in at least 3 shifts per period.  We scored first, but Here For Beer was able to score two unanswered goals- one while we were on the power play.  We were able to tie it in the second period.  We got called for a few really bad calls, and on one of the penalties Here For Beer was able to score again.  With about two minutes left, we took a time out and decided to put our best players on the ice to try and tie it up.  Right off the face off, we did.  The score at the end of regulation was 3-3.  We went into our first shootout of the season, and after 7 or 8 rounds, we won with 2 shootout goals to 1!  Tyler was awesome.

After the injuries and the head shaking from last week, it was the probably the most fun I’ve had in a game all season.  I played a hard and involved game, getting a few shots on goal and nearly a 2^nd assist on our second goal.  Good stuff!  

It was our last game of the regular season.  None of the games last night changed the standings, so we finished in second.  We’ll play Here For Beer next week in the first round of the playoffs.  I really want to beat them again and play in the championship- that would top the season of firsts.