Tiger vs. Tiger
(click to enlarge)
(click here to view the game pics)
*groan* Another hockey post, you say? Well, it almost feels like my swan song game post, since I won’t be playing for a while. Oh, yeah: I’m having the MRI for the uterine fibroid embolization tomorrow; if I have the energy later in the day, I’ll write more details. Or the next day, or the next day after that, or the next week, or when the whole ordeal is over with.
So if this is my hockey swan song (I know I’m being fatalistic — indulge me), it was a great one. It was Sunday, October 28, and Brian and I were pigging out on ribs and watching the Bears game. I get a call around 4:00 p.m. from a goalie friend/mentor asking if I could sub for her. That night. At 8:00 p.m. At a rink I’ve never played in. Against a team I’ve never played against. But I jumped on the chance even though I was terrified. The Inferno is a team that’s at least two levels more advanced than my own! Luckily, I know many of the team members from the Spring and Summer Mixers, so that eased some of my anxiety.
It wasn’t my best game even though we tied. My teammates that night said I did great, and I thanked them for the opportunity to play at a higher level. I didn’t see much action that night, and when I did, I, personally, think I sucked because I didn’t get much action. Thankfully, my teammates were there to pick up my slack.
Ironically, the goalie subbing for the Vikings’ own is the Blue Tigers’ goaltender! And the skater who scored their first goal against me, but whose shot I’m blocking above is on the Tigers’ White team!
Two things I learned this game: women’s hockey in the greater Chicagoland area is still barely getting off the ground, otherwise we wouldn’t all be running into each other; and not seeing much action for most of the game isn’t necessarily a good thing because your muscles start getting cold and stiffening up on you, and you also end up thinking too much instead of simply reacting.
I can’t believe this was over a month ago. This was the last time I played.
Brian’s Goalie Summary
First Period: First goal was on a 2-on-1 breakaway; the shooter scored with a wrist shot, low on my stick side.
Vikings 1, Inferno 0.
Second Period: Shutout.
Vikings 1, Inferno 1.
Third Period: See first period.
Final Score: Vikings 2, Inferno 2. (Note that Brian’s stats may not match those reflected on the scoreboard, but since it’s Brian’s summary, I always go by his stats. Besides, most of the time, the scorekeeper doesn’t keep track of the players’ shots on goal, at least not on the board.)
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)
Hi! I’m amazed to know that you’re not just a hockey player, but also a blogger too!
Actually, I’ve been searching for Filipino hockey players around the world who also blogs. Unfortunately, I didn’t come across any Filipina players. I’m glad you found my site. Hope to meet you someday. Our team badly needs an inspiration LOL. 
Hey! Thanks for stopping by! I know Pinay bloggers here, but I haven’t met any other Fil-Am players. Isn’t that weird? Like I was saying in this post, though, women’s hockey in Chicago still has a long way to go.
The team I play on was one of the first women’s teams here, which started in ‘95. That’s when I first joined, but I skated up and stopped playing for a few years. Then I played for a little bit in grad school and started in net because we needed a goalie! I had no idea what I was doing, gear that didn’t fit — it was horrible!
I stopped playing again for the longest time — 5 years, and started again last season. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to try playing goalie again because I was so bad at it. Not that I’m great now, but I do all right for a 2nd-year rookie.
Oh, yeah — I was 25 when I first learned to skate, and started playing the game seriously, as a goalie, last year at age 37! One women on the Tigers is in her 60s and still going strong! Now that’s inspiration!
I do hope we get to meet some day. I haven’t been back since ‘96, I think, but I brought my skates and got to skate at Megamall!
glad to hear that your last game b.s. (before surgery) was such a good one for you, even if you didn’t get much action.
good luck with the MRI tomorrow!
Glad you had a good game even if it was a while back, atleast you can think about it while having the MRI good luck on that too, hope all goes smoothly.
Hi again! Wow! So you’ve been on and off the ice eh? But that’s more than a decade and I guess you’ve joined a lot of tourneys. Our team started 2002 and only a few were still playing for 7 to 8 years on and off too. Most and majority of the women players here are newbies.
Last year, only 5 of us joined the World Ice Hockey 5’s in Malaysia and we were mixed with Hong Kong and Macau players representing Asia. We placed 3rd overall. Then last June, it was the first time that my team (all Pinay players) joined an international tourney. We placed last though compared to team Japan, HK, Malaysia, etc. I think we weren’t good enough yet. But we hope we’ll win in our future games.
Age is not a prob i guess. I started when I was 23 lol and I still need to learn alot. But at least you’re still actively playing and you can do both player and goalie. That’s awesome!
Anyhow, yea hope to meet you one day. Since 96′ you say? Wow! That was a very long time. A lot of things changed here since then. New skating rink at Mall of Asia. Totally cool!
Well, keep in touch and keep on playing!
I enjoy the hockey posts, actually. I wish there were more chances to see women’s hockey on TV. Of course I realize it’s a very physical game but I rarely watch NHL games any more because the fighting has become too much even for me. It’s not just punch-outs anymore. It’s really dirty stuff. Who needs it? I want to see the game, not some kind of gang warfare!
Forgive me…it is 5 am and I am becoming stupider than usual.
Good luck with the fibroid exam. I hope things turn out o.k.
megan and Holli, a belated thank you.
sharm, actually I’ve only ever been in two tourneys! Once in 2000 when I played on the club team for Ohio State, which is nothing like their current club team. We totally sucked but had a lot of fun! And more recently this past August for Puck Cancer!, which was for a good cause. Since I started playing again, I’ve played almost non-stop for a year, what with last year’s regular season, the Spring Mixer my team sponsors, and a new Summer Mixer that just started this past summer. Then, back to the regular season!
Cheesemeister, thank you! It’s nice to know that a non-hockey-playing reader enjoys these posts.
Actually, women’s hockey is no-check, but of course the game is still physical. Nothing like men’s games, though!