Category Archives: regular

Colts Tourney is On

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The Boy and his mates opened a home tournament last night with a severely lopsided victory.  It was 2-0 three minutes into the game and you could just tell it wasn’t going to be pretty.  The next couple of goals were both scored while the team was killing penalties. It got worse from there.  The opposing coach switched up his goalies after the third goal, but to that point it hadn’t really been a goalie-issue.  Our boys were taking it to them pretty hard.  By the end of the second period it was 10-0. Our home side fans stopped cheering goals after about the sixth tally. The score clock never went higher than 8-0 in an effort to minimize the blow.

You do start to feel a little uncomfortable as each goal goes in.  Unfortunately, one of the determining factors in the round robin standings is goals for and goals against so it is really in the teams best interest to make the victory as lopsided as possible. But that sure doesn’t make for a fun game to watch or, for that matter, play in. 

There was a break for the Zamboni to clean the ice between the second and third periods.  I believe everyone would have just rather that the game continued without the break. As the teams left the ice, the Boy was pulled aside by the head referee.  The referee properly suggested that the team ease up in the third period, particularly from a body-checking perspective, so as not to provoke any retaliation borne of frustration from the other side.  There had already been a few penalties that you could tell were a result of the uneven goal margin.

In the third period the clock was set to run without stopping for the entire 15 minutes as opposed to stopping after every whistle, which is the normal course. The tournament rule stated that this be the case if the goal difference was six or higher.

The Colts for their part certainly took their proverbial foot (or skate in this case) off the pedal.  One more goal would be scored in the third period after a perfect setup of a player in the slot, the offensive zone sweet spot, to make the final 11-0.  The Boy told me after the game that the team had been challenged by the coach in the change room between the second and third periods. Their task was to keep the other team from scoring in the third to preserve the shutout for their goaltender.  As an added incentive, or deterrent if you will, if a goal against were to be scored, the five players on the ice would owe the rest of the team a round of Slushies. They obviously all got the message as only a couple of relatively harmless shots managed to find their way through to the victorious netminder.

While a strong victory is a good way to start a tournament, such an overwhelming win can also be a tad dangerous as it can breed over-confidence or a lack of attention to detail.  

We assume the next two round-robin games today will provide stauncher challenges, preparing the home side for a likewise more difficult playoff round.  I should know better than to even utter the word playoff prematurely, but the boys are playing well, so I hope I am being prophetic in my analysis. Add to that a bit of cheering from the stands and a sprinkle of luck from the ever-present hockey gods to find my next post, late day Sunday, declaring a home town championship.

There…I’ve jinxed them but good now.

#imahockeydad

Close but…..

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In the semi-final this morning the Sharks battled hard and did everything they needed to do to win; except score.  At least three and maybe five or six pucks were uncanny in their ability to avoid the net.  Point blank shots, a couple of breakaways and in close rebounds were all turned back or away by the goal keeper and her cohorts. The Sharks’ string of close games against their fiercest rival continued with a 0-1 decision that left them close, but barely out of the afternoon final.

All in all the weekend has to be considered a success with four very competitive games against stiff competition. We sure all hoped they would pull of the win this morning and make it to the final, but the lucky Chuck Taylor’s and well-worn Jets hat weren’t quite enough to get them over the hump (like either had any say or bearing in the matter).  The tournament did show the girls they can skate with anyone.  Now they just need to use this showing to catapult them forward through the rush of regular season games to come.  Will wait a bit till I pull the shoes out again.

#imahockeydad

So Far, So Good

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The Devil and her mates have held true to the hopes of moms, dads and coaches in delivering three strong performances in their first three round robin Sharkfest contests.

The first two teams they faced, as suspected, were arguably stronger sides, but the girls were able to more than hold their own to earn 1-1 and 2-2 ties respectively. Both of the first two opponents exhibited a slight edge in puck control, overall size and aggression.  The girls, to their credit, did not back down at either end of the ice.  Perhaps there is something to be said about defending one’s home turf.

The Sharks were to be particularly commended for their showing in game two as they had to fight through illness and injury. One forward fought a nasty head cold while another suffered from an injured shoulder caused by an errant opponent’s stick in game one.  I was told, by a reliable source on the bench, that both girls desperately wanted to play and support their team in what they knew was a tough battle.  These two ties were also predicated on strong goaltending, which the team has been blessed with all year, and a couple of good bounces, which are always welcomed when the hockey gods bestow them.

Game three was slated to be another good test as the two teams would enter the match with identical 0-0-2 records.  Indeed the game opened with a scoreless, but chance-filled, first period.  A few minutes into the second period the opposing team would score its first goal on a deflected shot. The Sharks would waste no time in scoring to tie the game only eight seconds later.  Several chances would be exchanged through the second and into the third period; until the player afflicted, yet fighting, through the head cold pounced on a rebound.  She quickly deposited the frozen puck into a yawning cage behind the opposing keeper. The Devil and her cohorts held on for the rest of the period to secure the 2-1 win; thus earning a berth in tomorrow morning’s semi-final.

I’ve just checked the tourney Web site (ah the wonders of modern technology that allow us to track stats from home).  The semi-final will be against the Sharks’ fiercest rival this season who they will be facing for no less than the fourth time this year.  This is sure to make for an exciting, closely fought match.  I will likely don my lucky red Chuck Taylors for the occasion; though the girls have been doing a great job making their own luck of late.  I’ll wear the lucky hat too — just in case.

#imahockeydad

Sharkfest cometh

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The Devil’s home tournament, appropriately dubbed Sharkfest, starts tomorrow. We are all, of course, all hoping for a good showing.  You have to figure the home team has a bit of an advantage as there is no travel, no hotels, no pools, no rushed meals in restaurants and no other out of the norm distractions that virtually every visiting team has to deal with.  Our girls will be playing in the friendly confines of their home rinks, they will eat healthy, home-cooked meals and they will get to go home to their own beds at presumably decent times.  For many teams, tournaments mean suggested, but not necessarily strict curfews.  We’ve been to enough tournaments to know the general “lights out time” is 10pm, while the general “we’re sleeping soundly time” is more like 12am.  8 and 9am morning games show up plenty early.

You would also like to think that the home team would play a little harder to defend their home turf.  That message will no doubt be relayed in the pre-game dressing room coach talk.  We’ll just have to see if that attitude is carried out onto the ice at game time.

All three of the teams the Devil will be playing are coming from 2+ hours away.  But then again, two of the three teams come from traditionally strong regions where players are drawn from large, primarily rural areas. The result is a usually a collection of quite talented players from a relatively small population. We’ve played teams from one of these regions in the past where the players, from a size and skill perspective, appeared to be a year or two older. I may have once quipped from the stands that someone should “Check that girl’s driver’s license” as she didn’t seem to fit in with the other 10 year olds.  10 years olds typically don’t stand over six feet tall even if they are wearing skates.  I also recall watching an opposing 11 or 12 year old player launch a slap shot that I would be proud to see fly from my stick. One or two significantly stronger players on any given team can make the difference between winning and losing in women’s hockey. Then again, often times a cohesive team can counter a strong player.

As with any tournament, the real purpose is for the girls to have fun playing a variety of teams they don’t usually get to face.  Doing well and perhaps even winning a tournament would be an added bonus.  The coaches will simply want to see the players and team compete to their full potential. We believe we have started to see glimpses of that potential over the last several weeks and hope it continues this weekend; as the team prepares to enter a heavy part of their regular season schedule in December.

The Boy, for his part, has no hockey until late day Sunday, so he will be running score clocks during the tournament in return for high-school mandated community service hours.  He’d much rather be playing Call of Duty on his XBox in his down timie. However this is a good opportunity to amass a substantial percentage of the 40 hours he is required to put in during his four-year high school career. So he will be joining us, somewhat willingly, in the rinks.

As other local teams in other divisions will also be playing in this tourney, I’m sure we will spend a substantial amount of time in one rink or another over the next few days.  I will hopefully be reporting back triumphantly, if not with simple pride following a strong effort by the Devil and her mates, as the weekend draws to a close. 

#imahockeydad 

Sharks Bounce Back

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The Devil and her team had an excellent outing the night before last in which they earned a 3-1 victory. Then again tonight they came out strong and played three good periods of hockey in a 0-0 tie against an important rival; a team they lost to the last time they played.  Their early season record sits at 2-1-2.  I am told the coach delivered a focused message about playing aggressively and being the first to the puck before the last victory. They have since been all that and then some.  The girls are beating the other team to the puck, winning the battles on the boards and getting more shots on net.

The Devil for her part was coming off a couple of lack-lustre performances leaving many, including yours truly, wondering why she was not playing up to her potential. This season we have seen flashes of speed, but they have been relatively scarce. She has been making good plays/passes with the puck.  She has scored a few goals. However, hockey mom, I and a few other observers who have seen her play in the years past, know she has more to offer. Whether it was the coach’s speech or mom/dad’s pre- and post-game exhortations; something appears to have sunken in. She, like her teammates, has picked up the pace.  She’s skating harder; particularly on the back-check, which really tells you how much more committed she is.

As a hockey parent, who puts time and a few bucks up for the kids to play, you really want to see them give their best effort.  There are generally extenuating circumstances.  Mood swings are not uncommon with pubescent teenagers; boys and girls alike; so we always need to keep that in mind.  At the same time, we can appeal to their understanding of the importance of commitment. personal growth and teamwork.  They get it. Sometimes it’s just the who and the how the message is delivered.  As parents/coaches we don our psychologist hats, try a variety of approaches depending on the personality we’re dealing with then hope for the best.

Whatever’s caused the recent change, the effect is welcomed by those who understand the ability and potential of the player and the team.  Another lull can/will undoubtedly come as it does with all players/teams, but now we can all reflect back to the last couple of games. We can offer the reminder of what we know is possible. Then we can hope the message resonates again to affect the desired response.  We know ya can do, so just do it!  Oh that it were that easy. Games are lost and won as much between the ears as they are on the ice. So we’ll continue to work in both places hoping for positive results.

#imahockeydad

Back to Winning..and Scoring..Ways

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The Boys team had a busy, but successful, weekend this past weekend as the previous photo foretold.  We traveled a couple of hours down the road to play in a tournament.  The first game was at 6:50 pm on Friday, but the Boy somehow finagled getting a full day off of school. He hitched a ride down with a teammate’s family as I decided to not miss another full day of work to his hockey schedule. Of course, that backfired as I hit rush hour traffic and got a little mis-directed on my way down with another father.  We arrived late, catching only the third period of that first game. 

The team got off to a slow start against what seemed to be a “weaker” opponent and were showing signs of continuing their goal-challenged ways.  They came up empty on several power play opportunities and were behind 2-1 when I arrived.  But they would bounce back to tie the score at 2-2 and that’s how the first game would end. Game one did see a casualty as we lost a player for three games due to a what many felt was an over-zealous call by a ref, who would in turn toss the coach as well for a game.  Interesting start to say the least.

Another pre-game development saw the Boy receive the honour and responsibility of a Captain’s “C” on his jersey.  The news was quickly reported back to hockey mom and we both swelled with a sense of pride and accomplishment for him.  Post game he likewise expressed his gratitude for having been selected to take on this leadership role by his coaches and peers.

Having stayed at and paid for a couple of hotels with the Boy and the Devil in the last month, we decided to accept an invitation of accommodation from a friend who lived relatively close to the tournament location.  I hoped the Boy didn’t feel he was missing out on any team activities or team-building opportunities, but know there will be many more over the next 4 or 5 months. Not staying in a hotel would also ensure that he would be well rested for his games.

Games two and three on day two would see the team play somewhat better.  They would break the invisible seal on the opponent’s net with 4-0 and 4-1 wins advancing them on to the semi-finals on Sunday.

In the semis they raced out to a 2-0 lead, which they in turn gave back by the end of the second period during a five minute lull.  They would, however, regain their composure, add two more goals and advance to the Final game. Not that it should be a highlight, but with about a minute left in this game, the Boy pinned the puck against the boards deep in his own end and was immediately set upon by two opponents, one of whom decided to hit him in the back of the head. The Boy immediately spun and threw a strong left hook into the face mask of the slightly smaller player. This was luckily the end of the exchange, which earned the two players minor roughing penalties, as I had visions of my kid watching the final game from the stands. Hockey mom, who was receiving play-by-play from me via text, simply replied “Oh Dear” and “He didn’t get kicked out of the next game, did he?”.

Coincidentally, the combatants in the final game of the tournament would be the same two teams who faced each other in the first game of the tournament; which you will recall, ended in a 2-2 tie.  The make-up of these two teams would be a little different though as our previously suspended player would return after his three-game penalty.  A player from the other side unfortunately suffered a broken leg in their semi-final tilt. Our boys dominated the play for the most part in the final and the returning (understandably rested and enthusiastic) player contributed three goals in a 4-1 win.

Following the game the two teams lined up to receive t-shirts (short sleeves for the finalists and long sleeves for the champions), a plaque and the obligatory hand shakes.  In the change room, there was no doubt some celebration and much needed showers before the two-hour ride home.

On our ride, the Boy quipped, “I guess we’ve decided we’re a tournament team” as they all realized this was their second tournament victory in two attempts. The coaching staff no doubt hopes this win and the breaking of the goal-scoring slump carries forward into the team’s regular season games, which begin again versus a tough opponent in a couple of days.

As usual, a weekend away had me missing one of the Devil’s games, though I received a similar text-based play-by-play of a 3-2 loss from hockey mom.  The Devil is having some hockey-related issues of her own that may need to be addressed before too long, but that’s another story and I need to get to work so I can help pay for all this hockey.

#imahockeydad

Temporary power outages

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The Boy’s and the Devil’s teams have both, of late, had problems putting the biscuit in the basket, bulging the twine, solving the keeper — that is to say, scoring goals. Both have had a string of low scoring games.  In the case of the boys this has translated into three regular season ties in a row before their most recent 4-1 loss. In the last of the three aforementioned ties, the boys had the other team to thank for the tying goal on an egregious defensive error. We’ll take a tie however we can get it, but having the other team score goals on themselves is generally not a prescribed stragegy for success.

The girls, on the other hand, opened their season with a 1-0 win followed by a 1-1 tie.  Women’s hockey is generally low scoring.  However, one goal a game is not going to win many for you.

It’s not that either team doesn’t know how to score or that there is a lack of effort.  Rather, there seems to be a generally lack of ability to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.  Shots are misfired or heaved squarely at the goalie. I joked with one of the Devil’s teammates recently that the crest on the goaltender’s sweater is not a bulls-eye she should be aiming for. To borrow a phrase from baseball “Shoot it where they ain’t.” That is, of course, easier said than done in the heat of battle.  Tougher to do when you know you need a goal and you clutch your stick a little tighter trying to force something to happen. To their credit, both teams have run up against very good goaltending where sure goals were kept out my an outstretched pad, the butt end of a goal stick or the flash of a leather glove.

The Boy, himself, is experiencing a multi-game drought.  He has had several very good chances to score in each of the last few games. He has never been a prolific scorer; he tends to be more of a grinder and playmaker.  Yet some of the scoring opportunities he has missed lately have been a little confounding. Pucks have jumped over or seemingly through his stick. He simply hasn’t been able to finish. A couple of times I haven’t been able to figure out how the puck did not end up in the net.

Hockey, and I suppose sports in general, can be funny in terms of the ebbs and flows that can occur within and across games.  Momentum is a often used word for good reason.  It has been said that scoring is contagious and I’m sure when either of these breaks through there will be a flood of converted chances. It would seem not scoring is contagious as well.  In practice, the coaches diligently work on plays and strategies designed to prompt these breakthroughs.   The boys have practiced offensive zone break out drills and powerplay situations, while the girls have focused on creating scoring chances and going hard to the net.  Coaches hope the drills taught and lessons learned translate from practice to game.  It’s no doubt heartening to see when this is in fact the case.  A practiced tactic that makes its way into game-play proves the players were listening and learning.  That’s really the most you can ask of players.  Presumably with listening, learning and practice come execution; which will ultimately lead to the desired result; in the cases of these two teams…more goals.

The Devil’s coach has rightly surmised that part of their dilemma is a lack of power. He has suggested working on shooting at home into a net, against a wall, a garage door, etc. I’ve nailed two pucks together in an effort to strengthen the Devil’s shot. She has admittedly been negligent with the extra work, but has school basketball, homework and general kid stuff competing for her attention.  When we were kids (here comes my father’s voice again) we’d be out on the driveway or in the backyard practicing for what seemed like hours. But, in my case at least, there was far less to be distracted by.

Of course, as I recently watched the local NHL hockey team struggle through eight consecutive periods of scoreless hockey, I was quickly reminded that all teams, at all levels, are susceptible to lulls in execution.

So with no lack of effort or chances, perhaps the key is to simply continue to do the good things, limit the bad and wait for the flood gates to open. The hockey gods will smile upon you soon enough. If that doesn’t work, it’s back to the drawing board. We, perched in the stands, will do our best to will a few in.

#imahockeydad

Fourth and final game update

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The text telling the tale of the 4:45 quarter final game was a little late as me and the Boy were making our way to the arena for his game at 6:05. Another game, another one goal decision in the wrong direction as the Devil’s team fell 2-1. The upside, as hockey mom sees it, is that they get to stay up a little later in the hotel tonight and they can sleep in tomorrow morning.  With no hockey tomorrow there is a pretty good chance a few parents will let their hair down and the girls will no doubt spend an inordinate amount of time in the pool.  Just like the boys, this weekend is as much about them having fun and bonding together as teammates as it is about the competition. Of course, it’s fun to win too.

As for the Boy, he and his squad eeked out a tie against a perennial thorn in their side. They gave up a go ahead goal with just under four minutes left in the game, but wree then able to score a tying goal with less than two minutes left. At this level and in this league over the past four years lopsided scores for either side have been few and far between. There are a couple of weaker sisters in the division, but for the most part there is relative parity among the top six or seven teams. It makes for pretty exciting hockey, though it can grind on the nerves after a while.

Now the Boy’s gone to a buddy’s after his game because there is no game tomorrow. The girls are away at the tourney. So it’s me and the poochie left to our own devices.  Guess we’ll watch the hockey game and/or baseball game together before we hit the hay.

#imahockeydad

Game three update from Windsor

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I know y’all are waiting with bated breath like I have been for the past hour and twenty minutes.  The latest text reads 2-1 Bad guys but they played very well and the goal was hers (the Devil’s that is).  On to the quarter finals at 4:45 with a record of 1-2; with both losses by 1 goal.  Anything can happen in girls hockey. I will have the fingers, toes and several other body parts crossed for a win. I’ll send along all the words of encouragement I can then wait semi-patiently to hear the outcome. Bahhhhhhhhh!

#imahockeydad

I hate missing games

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Hockey mom and the Devil left on a four+ hour trip to Windsor for a tournament this weekend.  I helped load the van with all of the suitcases, bags, coolers, equipment and various other paraphernalia female hockey players (and their mom’s) need to travel.  Unsurprisingly, it was a fair bit more than the Boy and I needed last weekend.  The ladies had companions for the ride, another player and her mother, so the van was loaded to the hilt with female accessories times two.  Hockey mom, seemingly travelling to a foreign land, was equipped with a stack of Google maps to get her from our driveway to the hotel, from the hotel to the rinks, from the rinks to the hotel and from the hotel to dinner and back again (I will no doubt pay for this wee sentence). And off they went on their weekend of fun and competition. 

The Boy and I were left behind because he had a practice two nights ago and has a game tonight here in town.  So far that’s meant Mucho Burrito and Big Chris BBQfor dinner the past two nights.  We are roving bachelors with unlimited options.  Last night I sat on the couch to watch the Rangers knock the Yankees out of the major league baseball playoffs (Yippee!), while the Boy played Call of Duty on Xbox Live with his hockey buddies.  Yup, we really shook it up.  We painted the town red.

Part of the problem with having two rep hockey players is they are most often going in two different directions. As such, we miss a bunch of games, which can be frustrating.  Last year, the hockey mom had an idea that someone should record and broadcast all games online (like on YouTube or something) so parents and friends who weren’t able to attend for whatever reason, could still see their kids play.  Not sure that anyone would actually pay for that service, but it’s one that I wish was available this weekend.  If I had a little capital and thought the idea might work this would be perfect job for me.  I’ve always said I just need to find a way to get someone to pay me to watch my kids play hockey.  Hell, I’d even watch other kids play hockey.

The Devil’s first game was yesterday at 10:30am so we texted briefly pre-game.  I sent along typical words of encouragement — “Skate hard!” “Have fun!” “Score me a goal!” “Give 110% out there!” “Listen to your coach!” ”Keep your head up!” “Win the battles!” If it were the Boy, I’d add in “Crush somebody!” in a purely positive sense.  So I may overdo it a little.  But I really would rather be there watching and shouting all the same things from the stands or from behind the bench.  Instead, I had to try to focus on my regular job while waiting anxiously for a score to arrive on my cellphone.  Not the optimal way to experience a hockey game. The score did arrive in a text from hockey mom, about 20 mins after when I thought the game should have ended.  This was most likely because most rinks, with their metal and concrete construction, kill mobile reception.  I know this because I’m often challenged with trying to get NHL hockey scores, NFL football scores or work-related emails when the Boy or Devil are playing. What can I say? I multitask even at the arena.

The text I received said “1-0 for the bad guys”.  My heart sunk a little as you want them to win every game. The next text said “They had a good first period, a crappy second period and an ok third period.”  Followed by “She’s a little upset because the goal was scored against her line.”  And my heart sunk a little farther. I fired back with “Ah well..get them in the next one.”

I would have to go through the whole thing again a few hours later around game two, only this time the text read “2-0 for the good guys”. Ahhhh, that’s better. Now the girls have some confidence and momentum to take into the next contest.  The good thing about this tournament is they will go into a quarter-final round regardless of their round robin record. But you do want to go into those quarters with a winning record so you get a lighter opponent in your quest to move on to the next round.

Game three is starting in 10 mins against a very close rival from our league.  Funny how sometimes we will travel great distances to play in tournaments against teams that are based right around the corner from us.  But I digress.  I’ve already texted the Devil a few times this morning with the obligatory words of encouragement.  Her last to me was “Thanks. I’ll text you after the game. Love you. Bye.”  That will have to do, though I’d rather a string of shift-by-shift texts or maybe a live online video stream of the game, complete with play-by-play and colour commentary. I’d even take just an audio feed.  Maybe hockey mom was on to something.

#imahockeydad