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. 

Went to a fight, and saw a hockey game break out.

Last night was one of those games where you just sit on the bench and wonder why you bother.  Ok, that is an exaggeration.  I bother because I love to play, regardless of how out of control things get.

We had a full bench last night- 4 offensive lines and 3 defense pairings.  We played Realty Source, who we’ve been battling for first place all season.  Before the game they led us by a point in the standings.  Now they lead by 3 points.  Beh...  We lost 1-3, although we should have tied and the game should have gone to overtime, but after a non-call on a crushing hit on Justin, things just spiraled. 

I think I played pretty well, but was only on the ice for about 5 shifts.  I also banged my elbow early on, and had a few spills on the ice.  I only played one full shift in the third.  My second shift was about 3 seconds.  That kind of sucked.  I went onto the ice after Tony, the left wing I was following.  The play was blown dead pretty much as soon as I got into it.  Tony was on the ice after a penalty, so the lines were sort of messed up.  The guy who was playing with the line that was out jumped on the ice before the play was set, so I ended up being the 6^th man.  I told him I’d just came out, but he ignored me and skated to the face off.  I jumped off the ice to prevent a penalty, and was never on the ice again.  Beh, again…

The last couple of minutes of the game were pretty intense.  We were down 1-2, so we took a time out with 3 minutes left, and planned on who was going to be on the ice when we pulled Tyler at 1.30.  We got that sorted and even though Justin was going to be the center on the ice when we went to 6 on 5, he stayed on the ice.  Right off the faceoff, he headed up the ice and was crushed by two Realty Source players.  Neither made any move for the puck.  It should have been a penalty.  Justin stayed on the ice for a long time, but he refs didn’t call it, and played continued and Realty Source scored again.  Our bench went ape.  It went downhill from there.  With about a minute left, we went on 6 on 5 and put on loads of pressure.  There was loads of hacking, slashing, and pushing in front of the net, but we couldn’t put the puck in the net.  With 16 seconds left, shoving turned into a full on fight involving everyone on the ice.  The game was called but the anger didn’t stop.  We gathered our gear and skipped the handshake line- another first- and there was almost another fight.  Insanity.

Vickie spoke to the refs, since they screwed up so badly, and was told that it was our fault the game got out of control.  For those playing at home- the refs job is keeping the game in control.  I’m pretty sure we’ll meet Realty Source in the finals, which will be damn fun.