Hockey :: Maroon 5
August 26, 2007 / Sunday
EOS
Had a fun game against M1 today. Managed not to fall. Played hard. Tried to score. Took a lot of decent shots. Opposing goalie stopped everything. Oh well.
I remembered for the second time ever to take the puck in, curl around the D, and skate past the front of the goalie for a shot. Oh yeah, I can do that. I should try to do it more often.
Final score: 1-2. We played well, despite the loss.
Goodbye, M5.
Next season is totally up in the air. I kind of like that.
10:18 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (1)
August 19, 2007 / Sunday
Well, That Kinda Sucked
Played another game with M5 and skated like super tired ass. The whole team sucked today. Instead of playing like we owned the puck, we made blind passes directly onto the other team's sticks. Don't know what changed from yesterday, but I hope it changes back for next Sunday's game.
Final score: 0-3. Boo.
09:26 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (2)
August 18, 2007 / Saturday
Last Chance To Win
Tonight, we had our final chance to get a win against the one team in the division we had not yet beaten. We played them last week and they drubbed us soundly; this week we hoped for a happier outcome.
And a happier outcome we got! After a scoreless first period, we landed on the scoreboard in the second with a beautiful drop pass from Lucinda to me followed by a shot and a rebound goal by Kathie. Her first goal since her return to the ice! Very nice. :)
Ellen followed up with a steal and a goal, and Whitney put a pretty wraparound in after that. For her part, Cara delivered a shutout, giving us a very tasty final score of 3-0.
Yum. Or was that the cream puffs we had afterward? Lucinda brought Beard Papa! Thanks Lucinda!
After the game, Christy, Gina, and I raced between goal lines. The result? A three-way tie. Phew.
11:27 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (3)
August 05, 2007 / Sunday
Comme Ci, Comme Ça
Played M4 today. Felt fine, but max heart rate was low: 189. Perhaps it had something to do with the ride this morning? Didn't feel tired, though, which was pretty cool. Didn't score, but had an assist. Final score: 2-1. Not the 10-0 blowout I was gunning for, but I'll take the win. ;)
08:44 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (0)
July 28, 2007 / Saturday
It's Good To Be Back... Again
What a screwy season it's been for me. Played my first Maroon 5 game since June last night, and only because I scheduled my flights to get me back in time for it.
Food poisoning and 2 mostly sedentary weeks in North Carolina, have taken a toll on my body. While I was fortunate enough not to pull any muscles in my legs, my triceps did not fare so well. I knew something was wrong even before the game, when they hurt during a light and truncated game of air hockey. During the game, the right one failed altogether. I tried to load my stick for a shot, and as I pushed on the shaft, I felt a twinge in my right tricep. After that, I was pretty much done shooting.
Not that any of my shots were going on net, anyway. It seems my accuracy is the first thing to go when I'm out of practice. All my shots went wide... even the three I took on the open net toward the end of the game. Sigh.
Fortunately, we didn't need any extra goals. Whitney, Leslie, and Ellaine each put one in, and Amy totally stood on her head for us in net. Final score: 3-0.
*grins*
03:06 PM | Injuries:Maroon 5| Comments (0)
June 30, 2007 / Saturday
ZOMG WE WON AGAIN
We won our third game of the season today, against a team that's lost only one game this season (which, as it turns out, was to last week's team, which, if rumor is correct, had lost only one game this season before last week). What does that mean? I think it means we went from sharing the basement to beating the two top teams in one week. Wow! And wow! And wow again!
This game was definitely more of a challenge. We traded goals until the final few minutes; 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2 ... Final score: 3-2. Phew!
Despite burping Tofu House all game, I managed to hang onto my dinner and score two goals tonight. I had quite a backward tumble just after scoring the first one. I think I was trying to avoid a collision? In any case, I caught an edge, went flying, landed on my back, and banged my head. Nothing too serious; no concussion symptoms, and I got to wiggle out a celebration with all four limbs in the air.
Gina was the total speed demon tonight. I don't know if it was her new pants or the fact that she didn't go for her run today, but she was CRAZY FAST. She had several breakaways throughout the game, and toward the end she chased me down and totally schooled me for the puck. I wanna learn to do that.
Pam was pretty huge tonight too, scoring our second goal and baking us cookies. Cookies! Yes! She even packaged them in little baggies of four cookies each. Go Team Pam!
I got to partake in the other team's (a.k.a. The Fun Team) post-game tailgate. It was bring a food that starts with the first letter of your last name night. There was all sorts of tastiness, and a good time all around. Thank you Fun Team for the invite!
Aaand ... to top it all off, Andrea gave me the coolest shirt after the game: Stick Figures in Peril! The little stick figure drawings are hilarious! Thank you Andrea! :-D
12:16 AM | Maroon 5| Comments (0)
June 24, 2007 / Sunday
ZOMG WE WON
We won! We won! We, the team that's won only one game this season (if I remember correctly) against the other team that's won only one game this season (against us, lol), beat M2, a strong team with great players and an excellent coach. Final score: 5-3. Did we just do that? Holy moly, we did!
Holy moly also, I had a hat trick! My first one in Maroon! I'm having a little trouble remembering it all; Lucinda actually had to tell me how I scored the 2nd one at the end of that shift. I usually remember all my goals in vivid detail. Maybe I was in the zone? I have no idea, but wow, that was some craziness.
People kept asking me what I ate before the game. To tell you the truth, I had trouble deciding what to eat. I wanted a little caffeine, protein, and carbs, so I picked up an iced latte from Starbucks, but halfway through that I decided I didn't want it anymore. I stopped at the gas station, picked up a DMD as an alternate caffeine source, and some Munchos for salt. Then I ate a banana for carbs and potassium. What did the trick? Beats me. I'll credit the Munchos. :)
I don't think any of us had any idea that the game would turn out like this. Before the game, we watched player after player file into the other team's locker room while we wondered where our teammates were. We continued to wonder as the other team got a pregame talk from their coach. Quite frankly, I was a little intimidated. Ellaine made a good suggestion, though. "Treat it like a practice," she said, "Work on things you want to do at the Burninator scrimmage next weekend." That helped set my mind at ease a bit, and I think once the puck dropped I forgot about everything and just played. No thinking, just playing, as hard as I was able. I'm glad it was enough.
After the game, brownies! I even got a corner. Thanks, Malinda!
08:34 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (4)
June 10, 2007 / Sunday
It's Good To Be Back (Hockey Edition)
I'm back! I arrived for my first Maroon 5 game since April to a chorus of "Who are you?"s. I'm that other captain who's never there, that's who I am! To my credit, I did bring a roster to today's game.
Aaron made magic pancakes for breakfast today. I brought some leftovers to the game and ate one just beforehand. I wasn't sure if it'd work, but it turns out they're just as effective out of a Ziploc as they are off the stove; I scored a goal! Thank you Aaron!
Anyway, the game started off poorly for us. We went down 0-3 early. Ellaine put one in to make it 1-3, but they answered immediately with a goal of their own and we entered the 2nd period down 1-4.
We opened the 2nd period on a power play. My opposing wing took the faceoff, and when the puck went back toward their zone I took off for it. I narrowly poked it away from one D (phew!), then the other (phew again!), headed for the net, and squeezed a slightly airborne backhand by their goalie. A backhand! I've been practicing those during warmups lately, but really, I'd have no backhand if it wasn't for Josepi, so thank you Josepi!
Leslie got us another goal in the 3rd period, making it 3-4. With about a minute left in the game, we pulled our goalie to try to tie it up. We spent the final half minute in their zone, swarming the net, keeping their goalie busy, but the buzzer sounded before we were able to put one through. Darn.
Final score: 3-4. Not bad, considering the speed, skill, and subs that this team brings to their games. Also not bad, considering how our season has gone thus far.
Next game is in two weeks. I sure hope I can make it. It's not like me to miss so many games.
09:13 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (2)
May 30, 2007 / Wednesday
Another?
My string of missed Maroon 5 games continues through next week. Boo.
08:42 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (0)
April 29, 2007 / Sunday
Maroon 5
Well, we finally have a name. We were goalless and nameless going into yesterday's game, so I suggested that the first person who scored would get to name the team. Kill two birds with one stone, right? I was hoping to sneak a goal in there and name us Flying Pancake. Either that, or Squeaky Feet. But no, I didn't score. Pam did, so here we are, Maroon 5.
Before I continue, congrats to Pam for scoring our first goal this season! Perhaps we should just do the Pam cheer between periods like we did this game. "Pam on 3! 1, 2, 3 ... PAM!" :-D
Okay, on to the me me me game recap.
Me me me #1: Lucinda gave me a great pass on a breakaway, I sent the puck toward the upper right corner of the net, it actually sailed nice and flat, and then pinged off the post. D'oh.
Me me me #2: Due to some line change issues, the forward lines ended up getting messed up, and I wound up playing with Lucinda and Kathie, which turned out to be a pretty nice combination. Of course, my next game with this team won't be until June, by which time the lines and landscape may be totally different. Yes, June. Ouch!
Me me me #3: I remembered what Keisha said to me yesterday about getting up quickly from falls, and actually popped back up from a fall and got back into the play without missing a beat. Total downtime was about 1 second. Whoo, I *can* do it! Yeah!
Aw, man, I can't believe we're Maroon 5.
11:32 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (4)
April 20, 2007 / Friday
Scoring Drought
Another game, another loss. Final score: 0-3. Again. Ouch.
I still had fun, but it's pretty rough on a team to lose three games in a row, much less get shut out each time.
Like last time, we managed to outshoot the other team, but couldn't get anything past the goalie. Mary had a great game in net. Too bad for us.
I played D today, after losing a coin toss to Lucinda before the game. Okay, I didn't actually lose the coin toss; I didn't care either way. I like wing because it gives me more chances to score, but I like D because it makes me work positioning, anticipation, and taking a look before I try to do something with the puck. I managed some decent shots and made some good passes today, but in the end it wasn't enough to make a difference on the scoreboard.
A few highlights:
- Taking a shot and watching the puck sail flat. Seeing that still surprises me.
- Seeing a teammate curl to head up the ice, pausing to time my pass, and putting the puck on her stick at just the right time.
- Waving, waving, and waving at Val, Sam, and Riley through the glass.
- Squeaky shoes! And walking! And NO!
Okay, we need a team name so I can start slapping a category on these posts, and so we can have a team cheer.
Go, squeaky feet!
11:07 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (2)
April 15, 2007 / Sunday
Trip-A-Viv
What a strange start to today's game. In each of my first three shifts, I was tripped either taking the puck to the net or trying to get a hold of the puck in our opponent's zone. Trip, arm, touch, whistle, power play, repeat.
Unfortunately, we didn't convert on any of those power plays. In fact, we didn't convert on anything at all. The other team did, though. Final score: 0-3. Bah.
I skated my ass off and took the puck in a bunch, but I'd end up triple teamed and unable to get a good shot or pass off. It was frustrating, to say the least. I asked for some advice after the game and got some good insight (which was dead on in terms of what goes on in my head) and some things to try. I'll see about giving those things a go on Friday. No, I'm not telling you what they are; I play against some of you Friday!
Okay, enough about bah and frustration. I'm going to jump to my highlight of the game. I'm also not going to give too many details. Essentially, it boils down to this: I ran someone over, and it was FUCKING AWESOME. I say this only because I think that person was going at me and not for the puck. I could be wrong. Thus, not too many details, just my perception and reaction to the whole thing.
This reminds me of a CCM ad in the latest issue of USA Hockey, the one in which Ovechkin "outmaneuvers" his opponent by plowing through and flipping the guy over his back. That's not my usual style (I was tripped twice today trying to skate *around* people), but you know what? I think that ad is pretty fucking awesome too.
Oh goodness, why all this cursing and aggression? I blame school!
09:42 PM | Maroon 5| Comments (10)
April 01, 2007 / Sunday
I Think We Should Have A Different Name Every Game
Weird, I'm not motivated to write. Is it because we don't have a real team name yet? I'm not digging "M5"; it's the same name as my current school team, and that really doesn't sit well with me. After all, school hates hockey.
Okay, then, I'll just toss a list up here.
1. I like our team. Hooray. :)
2. Ellaine is back! She always knows where to find me with the puck. Totally awesome.
3. Cara stopped all our shots. Good for Cara, but bah!
4. Julie kept blocking my passes (on ice and in air) with her stick, which made me curse at her.
5. If I'm cursing at you, it generally means you're doing your job really well. ;)
6. Final score: 0-2.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to go watch Talladega Nights.
