Week 8: The Blue Angels vs. Pink Floyd

Victory!
That black mark is not a smudge on the glass — it’s the puck, and I know I stopped it because I had a shutout third period!
(click to enlarge)
(click here to view the game pics)

The last time we played the Blue Angels (Week 5: Pink Floyd vs. the Blue Angels), we lost 4 - 1. This time we skated away with a 5 - 3 victory. Not only that, it was my first win all spring! Yay!!!!! And not only that, in Week 6, we were in 5th place; I didn’t play with Pink again until Week 7, after which we were still in 5th place, but after this game, we’re now in 3rd!!! I couldn’t believe it; it was a really exciting game and more so because we won by more than just one goal. Maybe I’m a decent goalie, after all.

Now that my pads match my gloves, I look good so I play good. I love Brian’s Manufacturing goalie gear, but if Coach made goalie equipment, I would be so on it! Heehee. Seriously though, I’m still getting used to the pads. They’re so much bigger and thicker and heavier, but they actually fit me way better and offer a lot more protection.

Also, if you happen to look at all the game pics, you may notice that I’m playing as #60. One of my teammates had an extra jersey from last year and gave it to me because it’s an XL. The fact that I could move my upper half a lot easier really helped a lot. Ironically, I have a jersey when I played one game with the Purple team last year that’s the same size and number. Even more ironic is that we played against the Pink team (see Getting a Life)!

I would wear it to my game tonight, but we’re playing against the Purple team (Moussaka), so it might get just a little confusing. I’ll be in net for the Turtles tonight and have decided to wear a plain white jersey (we’re the home team this game). Well, plain except for my name and number, but at least it fits and I can put it on all by myself. I’ve seen the other goalies wear different jerseys, and I should have started doing it sooner. Live and learn, I guess.

First Period: The first goal, scored early in the game, was completely embarrassing. The puck was right under my foot, but because of the extra padding that protects my skate soles, I couldn’t feel it. Although they no longer make the model of leg pads I use, clearly this pair is the top-of-the-line version of my old pair, which doesn’t have any padding under the sole at all. Because I couldn’t feel it, one of the Angels tipped it in. We were tied 1 - 1 at the end of the period.

Second Period: This was probably the toughest period all game. For several minutes (probably more like one minute, but it seemed longer), the puck was going back and forth between me and pick-a-Blue Angel, any-Blue-Angel (see this series of pictures: 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 (not sure if the puck went in or bounced off the post because in the next pic, there’s a face-off or what looks like action right after a face-off in our zone), and 76).

The Blue Angels’ second goal was from a turnover inside our own blue line. One of the Angels caught the puck straight on, just above the circles, and beat me stick side, mid-thigh.

Their third goal was a clean shot from the glove side circle, and she beat me stick side. I reached with my stick to block it, but didn’t make it. I almost went down, too, but didn’t. Again, we were tied at the end of this period, 3 - 3.

Third Period: Shutout period!

Final Score: The Blue Angels 3, Pink Floyd 5

For stats abbreviation key, see below.

KEY
GP: (# of) games played
GA: goals against (shots I let in)
GAA: goals against average (GA divided by GP)
S: shots against (how many shots I faced)
Sv %: (S minus GA divided by S)
W: wins
L: losses
T: ties
W %: win percentage (W divided by GP)
SO: shutouts (when you don’t let in any goals at all the entire game–or like in the 3rd period when I didn’t let in any goals, that’s considered a shutout period, but don’t count in stats)