Jerking Around the Playoffs: Aftermath

That was short-lived. Lost an excruciating game to Mario's. Started off 3-0 at the end of the first. Hanging on 4-2 at the end of the second. Going home 5-4 at the end of the third. Talk about hard knocks.

No doubt you're wondering what the excuses are. Or maybe you really aren't, but you're going to get them anyway. But let's not call them excuses. Let's call them a goaltender's analysis.

First period analysis:
We came out strong defensively, picking up loose pucks and carrying them down the other end, picking up 3 goals in the process. We had a few offensive setups to wear out their defense and goalie. They also had a few offensive setups and even some rushes, but either our D got it done or I kept my focus on the puck to make the stop. We also picked up a few powerplays (converted on one, I think) and picked up one penalty. Keep this in mind for later.

Second period analysis:
Mario's come out much the same as the first period: sitting back and playing it safe. We dominate the first half in terms of positioning and chances but only convert one good opportunity, but not before they get their first goal against us off a weird bounce. One of the players, #7, keeps buzzing my area in an attempt to be a constant screen. The shot hit him in the shoulder or chest and somehow landed in the net. Must have flipped over us all. No biggie - just a lucky bounce for them, not indicative of us playing bad. But before the end of the second period, Mario's steps up the pressure and succeed in keeping us on our heels, giving us few chances for offensive breakouts. A few seconds before the period ends, they get another goal that is too similar to their first goal for me to be happy about it.

A few penalties were called, but no goals came off them for either team. But the refs were letting obvious calls go, including one where the opposing #21 rushed my net so far ahead of the play that when he fell and knocked me over, the puck was still in the middle of the rink. Since he came in on my blind side, I never saw him coming. So when I fell, I had no way of protecting myself and my back landed right on his skate. Chest protectors are named as such for a reason - they don't protect the back. That's because a goalie worth his salt doesn't expose his back to the play. The jagoff asks if I'm okay as I'm getting up, and I say "No, I'm not all right." He keeps skating off like the idiot he is. The ref never bothered to ask or even call a penalty. Not that the penalty matters, because that's when we got our goal. But they never call interference when goalies get run over or tripped, and I'm pretty sure what happened to me was just that. The puck was no where around when he ran into me, so I'd like at least a penalty for the sake of principle.

Third period analysis:
Mario's comes out firing on all cylinders and we just can't take back the momentum. Our offensive opportunities happen on the rush, not the setup. Theirs happen on the setup with a few rushes. Refs seem to think everything we do is a penalty, so Mario's gets 2 powerplay goals. Both powerplay goals were partly my fault, because I was too deep in the net from going side to side too much, and then I wasn't able to end up perfectly square to the puck. Kudos to them for not giving me the time or space to be ready. The other goal was a wrap-around that I really had time to stretch to the other side, but I was tired. A stupid excuse, really. That was the goal that tied it up - the second powerplay goal was the final goal.

I hate to say that the game hinged on the officiating, but this one really seemed to. Ignoring several obvious calls as the game went on while calling us a few questionable calls - Mario's is a team that really knows how to dive - certainly sunk us, especially in the third. We picked up at least three maybe four penalties. One was because their guy just decided to stop when he knew our guy was on his back, so the refs called our guy for roughing, which was a similar penalty against us during the first period. The refs just came across as lazy. Not really watching the game but just sort of reacting to the falling bodies if the bodies were wearing yellow. I should tell you our team doesn't wear yellow.

So I was pretty angry last night, upset that the refs managed to be so inconsistent combined with the blatant knock over #21 put on me last night. My anger has subsided, but I'm still upset, thanks to the nice and lovely bruise my back is wearing. Luckily my ribs did their job and prevented anything serious from happening. But I know that the next time we play these guys, the next time the refs decide I can be knocked over for kicks and giggles, I'm pretty sure I'll be receiving the first penalty as a goalie. And I'm pretty sure that I won't be remorseful over it.

But now it's time for a recharge, and hopefully we'll come out of the gate on fire and unstoppable. Until then, I'll be rooting for Mystery PA to knock off our rivals with extreme prejudice.

Jerking Around the Playoffs

So it's playoff time for the Jerky Boys for the first time since the last time. Almost Spaceball-esque, that statement. But it's notable this time around, because the last time we finally won. Not just a playoff game (which is true and was very exciting on its own merit) but the whole shebang. We had our cake and ate it, too. It was all very exciting and very very close hockey. We started off by dispatching a perpetual rival in Raabe Landscaping. We then followed up with a 2-game dispatching of the second best team, A-Team. The finals was the best though. Not only did we play the team, Mario's, that was our near doppleganger, we beat them while playing our best and while they played their best. Our best obviously was better that time.

But that's then - this is now. This past season saw us start off with a 5-game losing streak. Not fun. My play was way below the end of the last playoffs, our roster was spotty with who was playing or missing games, causing the players who were there to play positions they weren't as strong at or doing double-duty, wearing them out as the game went on.

Game 6 saw a turnaround in fortunes - we got onto a 4-game winning streak, which included taking the top team, Mystery PA, to a shoot-out victory. We weren't able to pull off a 5-game winning streak to draw even on the season against Mario's, but given that we were missing 5 of our regular players due to vacations and two of our substitute players were kicked out of the game (why not all three substitute players? I will never understand referees), it could have been a lot worse.

It could have been a thoroughly demoralizing game with a very lopsided score as opposed to 3-1. And two of those goals took place at the end of the game, after we lost the two subs. After keeping neck-and-neck through 5/6th of the game and stopping all 3 breakaways, it was actually a good loss, if there's such a thing. At the very least, it was a strong game for myself, and I may be biased, but a goalie playing well going into the playoffs is a very good thing indeed! It's what a team wants, when the poor guy needs to be out on the rink the whole time, getting no breaks.

So what does this all mean for the upcoming playoffs? Well, the last game is definitely useful, since we'll be playing the same team in the playoffs. The fact that we'll have most if not all of our team on hand is encouraging. Three of our absent d-men should be there, which means Mario's should have a more difficult time getting breakaways and setting up for extended shooting sessions. But then Mario's will probably remember that we stood between them and the championship last session, just barely eking them out with a 2-1 score, and now we stand there again. They may feel they need to prove something. And then maybe not. Either way, they'll be a good first round for us. If we beat them, then it means we're ready to go toe-to-toe with the better teams that we'll likely go against in deeper in the playoff run. That means going against Eternal Underdogs, a team we've had no success against during this season or last season, even though we've come within one goal of beating them. They fell apart last playoffs, so maybe it'll happen again? It's a silly thing to ask, coming from a team that wouldn't mind being back-to-back champions.

But first things first. Mario's must go down. Again.