Week 5: Purple vs. Blue

Nope, My Knees Weren’t Shaking
(click to enlarge)
(click here to view the game pics)

This was my first game since I hurt my knee. The last time I’d been on the ice was just over a week prior, for rat hockey, which is pretty different. It has its own type of pressure (when you’re the only goalie), but not the same type of pressure as in a game situation, such as keeping track of the score.

I was subbing for the Blue team, and since we were “away,” I figured that the black jersey already packed in my bag that I didn’t use because I didn’t end up going to my most recent Instructional League session would be fine. Plus, I was too lazy to drag out my one blue jersey. Little did I know that the Purple team actually wears black.

The Blue team only managed to score 1 goal, and in the last period. They’re normally much better than that — I should know — we lost to them in the very first game of the season (Week 1: The Turtles vs. Blue). Also, a few of them played together on the Powder Blue team in the Spring Mixer. Guess it was just an off night.

As for me, I’m trying not to blame myself for losing the game. Everyone on the Blue team said I did just fine and made some great saves, though I barely remember any, except for a kick save on which #04 Allison (who was a goalie in the Spring; forward currently) complimented me; and a glove save — the puck bounced right back out, but fell right in front of me and I was able to cover it right away. I really do need to strengthen my forearms so I can close my glove. Or maybe I just need a bigger one, but the problem with that is it may be too wide for my hand span.

In retrospect I think I was just rusty from not having played, because I seemed to get my groove back in the third period. Also, Brian’s stats are probably more accurate than the scorekeeper’s. Brian has a zoom lens after all.

First Period: Pretty much right after the face-off, I got scored on from about the right-hand circle, stick side. Purple’s second goal was shot point blank, with the puck being lifted high over my stick side.

First period score: Purple 2, Blue 0.

Second Period: Third goal was on a breakaway. I went down, but didn’t cover enough of the net so the puck went in on my stick side. The fourth goal was scored by someone planted in front of the net, on the opposite corner from which the puck was that I had just blocked but remained in our zone. I was hugging the post on my right side, but the player with the puck fed it across the crease to her teammate, who was completely open, no one covering her, and I was unable to move to the other post quickly enough.

Second period score: Purple 4, Blue 0.

Third Period: Fifth goal was like the fourth one that Purple scored, except I got a piece of the puck. Apparently, not enough of a piece, though.

Final Score: Purple 5, Blue 1.

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)