I didn’t realize that I hadn’t blogged about how this happened, but I did write an FB note about it and tagged hockey friends so they’d get a notification that I wrote it. So here’s the story, based on that note:

So I finally went skating last Tuesday (March something-or-other) for the first time in a couple years! They say it’s like riding a bike, right? Sure, if you’re used to riding a fancy-Lance Armstrong-racing-type bike and then hit some rough trails on a mountain bike! I completely forgot that regular skate blades are curved and the boot is taller, so I didn’t tighten the top part as well as I should have, nor take into account the blade differences between hockey skates and goalie skates.

Once I was laced up, I hit the ice! And immediately fell on my ass, twice in a row. The second time, my ankle twisted and the outside bony part landed on the ice, HARD; out of habit, I tried doing a half butterfly as I fell, so the inside of my left knee is nicely bruised. Good thing there was only me, my goalie friend Kathy, and some older dude there to witness this! Gotta love noon skate.

Of course my ankle bothered me but I ignored it, probably due to my stubbornness and determination to skate for the half hour remaining. I mean, I was there already, right?

At the time, the injury didn’t seem too bad, but the doctor said not to do anything like WALK, drive, let alone skate. Which is annoying on all counts, especially because I can’t wait to be back out there!

Jonathan Roy, Patrick’s son. Guess he takes after his dad, eh? Read the Yahoo! article here: Ex-NHL player, Quebec coach Patrick Roy and son suspended for brawl during game. You won’t catch me doing that. I don’t think.

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.