How NOT to succeed in the shootout

If you read my post about shootout tips and it’s freaking you out, watch the video below that I picked up from Greatest Hockey Legends.  Presenting the Top Ten Worst Shootout Attempts in the NHL:

Even the pros shank it once in a while, so don’t panic if your captain calls your number.

Singh10.

How to succeed in the shootout!

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged on this site.  People who keep up with this blog or are familiar with the circumstances and events surrounding our playoff loss last season will have some clue as to why I haven’t updated in some time.  After retracting a couple of posts,  I put myself on a self-imposed blogging timeout.

This is not to say that I’m letting a certain team off the hook as it relates to their sketchy and underhanded actions.  I may or may not address those in the future.  But, in the mean time, I am now back to writing about rec hockey and my experience with it.

I’m kicking it off with the following to offer for your perusal. Check out some tips for goalies and shooters for the shootout, from Razor With An Edge.  Here’s a couple to get you started:

GOALTENDER

• As soon as the shooter picks the puck up at center telescope out to the bottom hash mark and pause. As he comes over the blueline with his head up this will plant a visual seed in his head that he has little to shoot at and will now be thinking he has to make a move to open a hole. Advantage goalie.
• When the player approaches the top of the circle begin backing up at the same rate of speed as the attacking shooter. (Too fast and it will give him more net to shoot at, too slow and the player will be able to deke around you too easily. This is real important)

CHOSEN SHOOTER

• Show confidence while circling about, waiting for the refs whistle to go. Body language is important.
• Drop by the bench or have a quick chat with your own goalie. This can plant a seed in the goalies mind that you are targeting an area, that you know a secret.

Check out the full post, because you know, these are the secrets to my prolific shootout success!

Singh10.

UPDATE: …or compliments of Hogs01, you can forget all those tips above and just do what this kid did.

Picking up the pace

I’ve been feeling a little better lately about my game.  I’m not sure what accounts for it, and it’s probably imperceptible to those outside of my brain.   But, I feel like I’m skating a bit better, and am seeing the puck and the play a little better than I have been in a long while.  I’m also trying to push myself to get out of the comfort zone that I’ve played in for the longest time.

I’ve had a few good chances to score in my last few games, so maybe this is what is helping.  I had a bunch in our last game against the Ice Dawgs, though I wasn’t able to cash in on any of them.  This surge in confidence/feel-goodness has motivated me to try and get in another ice time during the week.  Since our team moved to playing Friday nights (as a result of the creation of Silver B), I’ve only played once a week. 

I used to play one game plus one drop-in or skills class per week.  The drop-in I used to attend was removed in place of our games on Friday nights, and there haven’t been any classes for months.  I’ve never felt that one session on the ice per week was enough, and I think it has had an impact on the development of my abilities on the ice as well as my enjoyment of the game.  So, I’ve resolved to get my butt out of bed early on the weekends to practice at the rink.  So far, it’s been great (“so far” being the one time I’ve done it since making the resolution to do it).

Speaking of the Ice Dawgs, we had a great game against them last Friday, except for some physical play all during the game on the part of one of their players, who later was ejected from the game.  I’m not sure what his deal was,  but I think in the end the referees handled that situation appropriately.  Some words were exchanged between players on their time and ours, but I’m not going to hold it against them or take it personally.  The Ice Dawgs certainly don’t have a reputation for dirty play and it was probably just due to emotions boiling over.

On another note, many of us were surprised to see the Pints finally lose a game in regulation.  Norcal Crossover A beat them 2-1 on Friday night.  Not to take anything away from the victors, but I wonder if the “fix” was in.  Consider the following:

• The week prior, during the Silver B Captain’s Meeting, the question of league parity came up.  I understand that the Pints team was mentioned as they were basically undefeated, but that consensus was that there isn’t a parity problem.  What happens the following week?  All of a sudden, the Pints lose a game.  The coincidence raises an eyebrow, doesn’t it?
• According to the official stat sheet, the Pints only had one shot on net against Norcal, on which they scored.  Apparently, they did not shoot any more than that.  How is it possible for an undefeated team to only have one shot on net?  Hmmm… perhaps because they didn’t want to score again?
• The Pints’ best player happened not to be at this game.  Another coincidence…
• The Pints and Norcal Crossover A are former/current roller hockey teams.  They know each other and it seems interesting that the Pints would lose to people they are familiar with.  Not to sound surfacist, but we ice players have noticed that roller players tend to be a bit sketchy.

So, I think the circumstantial evidence speaks for itself here.  The Pints threw a game because they want to avoid being moved up to Silver A next season.

And finally, has the offseason already started?  It’s only February but I’ve heard of some activity with a captain or two approaching players (including those on my team) to join theirs next season - though I don’t know which league specifically; it could be in our league (in which case they are looking to poach our roster) or another.  It seems several of our guys have been approached. 

Perhaps it’s better to be proactive this year and get myself going in that regard.  It seems that the country’s economic woes are having an impact on whether many people will be able to play next season, as employment is becoming an issue and hockey has to take its place on the affordability bubble.  As such, I’ve started this week to begin my team planning for next season.  Hopefully, by starting earlier, the offseason won’t seem as difficult as it usually has been.

Singh10.

More stickhandling, and a petition!

Tonight is the start of a three-week stickhandling clinic at Skatetown:

ADULT STICKHANDLING CLINIC
This clinic is for players who would like to improve their stickhandling. Skills taught will include technique, control and agility with the puck, increasing stickhandling reach and range, body position, deception and fakes. The class will be taught by Skatetown’s professional coaches.

This is the second time a stickhandling clinic has been offered.  The first time was last summer, and I took that one too.  It was a big help, and it was just after I did that four-week clinic that I scored this shootout goal last summer – a toe drag to the right to avoid the goalie’s pokecheck and giving me nothing but net to shoot at.  As such, I can say that this stickhandling stuff really works.

My personal preference has been to play at least twice a week (game on Sunday, drop in game on Friday), and I’ve noticed that when I don’t play twice, I don’t play as well (naturally).  Lately, I haven’t been getting out to the drop in on Friday nights – it’s hard to drive out to the rink at 10:15 PM after you’ve come home from work, had dinner and are sprawled out on the sofa.  Feel free to comment about my social life below.

So, I’m looking forward to hitting the ice tonight.  Hopefully it’ll have helped me like it did last time, and hopefully sooner than later.  We’re playing the Bronze Champ Phantoms this Sunday and I’ll need any help I can get.

And now, on to another, much more pressing matter…