by Nick
We got back in the win column last night with a win over team Sullivan. This is the team that we played the first game after we got promoted to the upper division last season. They hadn't lost in a year and a half to that point and we beat them 4-0. So needless to say they've gotten up for games against us since then.
I was in goal again, and I really felt the benefits of playing consistently. Just stronger, more comfortable going down and moving around, angles solid, positioning and square to the puck without thinking about it...good stuff.
That said, I let in four goals. But we did get the win.
There was some more nastiness, but really it was with just one guy on their team.
We seem to be getting into it with every team in the division...maybe it's us!
Anyway, it was nice to get a win.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Game 11
by Nick
*Sigh*
We started the 3rd rotation through the schedule, which means we played Bronk. We've developed a nasty little rivalry with this team, other than the fact that we can't beat them. We were short-benched again, but were right there until the end when they got an empty netter to seal the deal.
I was in goal for the second straight week and played better, but just needed one more save. One goal in particular bugs me (too deep in the net). Their third (and, ultimately, game-winning) goal was frustrating. It was a shot from the point (by their best player) that was spinning end-over-end and dipped on me. It hit the bottom of my glove and went in.
*Sigh*
We started the 3rd rotation through the schedule, which means we played Bronk. We've developed a nasty little rivalry with this team, other than the fact that we can't beat them. We were short-benched again, but were right there until the end when they got an empty netter to seal the deal.
I was in goal for the second straight week and played better, but just needed one more save. One goal in particular bugs me (too deep in the net). Their third (and, ultimately, game-winning) goal was frustrating. It was a shot from the point (by their best player) that was spinning end-over-end and dipped on me. It hit the bottom of my glove and went in.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Purple For A Purpose
By Nick
Yes, I did wear some purple yesterday. No, it wasn't to support the Vikings.
Yes, I did wear some purple yesterday. No, it wasn't to support the Vikings.
Pancan.org
by NiNY
By the way, I've decided that I am going to donate the money I pledge/raise to pancan.org.
They seem to be the most visible and active pancreatic cancer awareness, research supporting and fundraising organization I can find.
So, check them out, and if they make you feel inspired, please consider a pledge like mine, or a direct donation.
I'll send the next five people who make a pledge like mine a purple pancreatic cancer pancan.org wristband.
Thanks!
By the way, I've decided that I am going to donate the money I pledge/raise to pancan.org.
They seem to be the most visible and active pancreatic cancer awareness, research supporting and fundraising organization I can find.
So, check them out, and if they make you feel inspired, please consider a pledge like mine, or a direct donation.
I'll send the next five people who make a pledge like mine a purple pancreatic cancer pancan.org wristband.
Thanks!
Game 10
by Nick
Tough game. We lost 6-4, with an empty net goal against. I was in goal, and had at least one goal where I made a mistake that led directly to the goal.
The guys played well in front of me, but we only had 3 defensemen, and they just got gassed - what can you do?
Anyway, I'm back in the cage the next two Mondays in a row, so hopefully I can get into a groove.
Tough game. We lost 6-4, with an empty net goal against. I was in goal, and had at least one goal where I made a mistake that led directly to the goal.
The guys played well in front of me, but we only had 3 defensemen, and they just got gassed - what can you do?
Anyway, I'm back in the cage the next two Mondays in a row, so hopefully I can get into a groove.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Game 9
by Nick
Second game this season against our arch rivals Walker. We won, I think the final score was 6-2. I say I think because I didn't see the final 6 minutes of the game. My line (the checking line last night - we had a full bench, three lines of forwards, and so I get relegated to my proper station which is playing in a checking role) had been having a very good shift, actually cycling the puck deep in Walker's zone, even creating what might be called a couple chances if one is inclined to use a loose definition of the word "chance". So I was in the slot and our defenseman had the puck on the right corner, I was getting in position to screen the goalie and I got hit on the back of the head, then the next thing I knew I was lying on the ice.
After piecing it together, we think their defenseman hit me in the back of my head, then I went down and hit my face mask on the ice. I don't have a Pierre-Marc Bouchard, but I do have a headache (still). No big deal. The guy got a penalty, their captain came into our room after the game to apologize. It was just too bad because we were playing our best shift of the game.
Anyway, we won, it was a fun game, and now I think we're 2-0 against Walker this season - which makes you wonder why we still consider them a rival. Maybe it's because they do stupid shit like hitting guys in the back of the head?
Second game this season against our arch rivals Walker. We won, I think the final score was 6-2. I say I think because I didn't see the final 6 minutes of the game. My line (the checking line last night - we had a full bench, three lines of forwards, and so I get relegated to my proper station which is playing in a checking role) had been having a very good shift, actually cycling the puck deep in Walker's zone, even creating what might be called a couple chances if one is inclined to use a loose definition of the word "chance". So I was in the slot and our defenseman had the puck on the right corner, I was getting in position to screen the goalie and I got hit on the back of the head, then the next thing I knew I was lying on the ice.
After piecing it together, we think their defenseman hit me in the back of my head, then I went down and hit my face mask on the ice. I don't have a Pierre-Marc Bouchard, but I do have a headache (still). No big deal. The guy got a penalty, their captain came into our room after the game to apologize. It was just too bad because we were playing our best shift of the game.
Anyway, we won, it was a fun game, and now I think we're 2-0 against Walker this season - which makes you wonder why we still consider them a rival. Maybe it's because they do stupid shit like hitting guys in the back of the head?
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Gms 7 & 8
by Nick
We've now suffered a couple losses in a row.
Game six we iced 8 skaters (normal attrition and two guys suspended from the Bronk game) and we were actually winning 4-2 in the 3rd before our legs died. The other team, as luck would have it, had about 20 guys on the bench.
Game seven I was back in goal, and we just didn't have it. Unlucky goals, clearing attempts that took a bad bounce and ended up with a 3-on-0 coming back at me, guys picking corners they had no business picking...ugly.
We've been struggling to get a full bench to games. We picked up EJ, who has played for us before, and he's a great player. That will help.
We've now suffered a couple losses in a row.
Game six we iced 8 skaters (normal attrition and two guys suspended from the Bronk game) and we were actually winning 4-2 in the 3rd before our legs died. The other team, as luck would have it, had about 20 guys on the bench.
Game seven I was back in goal, and we just didn't have it. Unlucky goals, clearing attempts that took a bad bounce and ended up with a 3-on-0 coming back at me, guys picking corners they had no business picking...ugly.
We've been struggling to get a full bench to games. We picked up EJ, who has played for us before, and he's a great player. That will help.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Gm 6
by Nick
I was out of town for game 5, which we won, so $25 more dollars in the kitty!
Game six I was back in net, and we started the second time through the rotation (6-team division) which meant we played Bronk again. They always seem to bring out our claws - and we theirs. Really it's just one guy on their team who plays defense.
On this night he was sticking his knee out as a means of playing defense, which understandably upset some of our players. Finally Brett had enough and, instead of jumping around his knee trying to save his own knees, Brett just went through the guy. This guy always does this to us - gets us all worked up. This was late in the third and we were losing - so good strategy by the guy, taking our best player off the ice. The guy, Brett and Merkley were booted. We actually tied it up, then went up one, but then they tied it. We ended up with a 7-7 tie.
So, to review, I WAS IN GOAL. 7 goals against is never the sign of a good night. I was thrilled not to get hung with a loss - even though I deserved it. At the end of the first period I had 2 saves.....and three goals against. I ended up with 18 saves for the entire game. Not my best effort.
I just can't go a few weeks in between appearances in net without a serious drop off in my game - such as it is to start with.
I was out of town for game 5, which we won, so $25 more dollars in the kitty!
Game six I was back in net, and we started the second time through the rotation (6-team division) which meant we played Bronk again. They always seem to bring out our claws - and we theirs. Really it's just one guy on their team who plays defense.
On this night he was sticking his knee out as a means of playing defense, which understandably upset some of our players. Finally Brett had enough and, instead of jumping around his knee trying to save his own knees, Brett just went through the guy. This guy always does this to us - gets us all worked up. This was late in the third and we were losing - so good strategy by the guy, taking our best player off the ice. The guy, Brett and Merkley were booted. We actually tied it up, then went up one, but then they tied it. We ended up with a 7-7 tie.
So, to review, I WAS IN GOAL. 7 goals against is never the sign of a good night. I was thrilled not to get hung with a loss - even though I deserved it. At the end of the first period I had 2 saves.....and three goals against. I ended up with 18 saves for the entire game. Not my best effort.
I just can't go a few weeks in between appearances in net without a serious drop off in my game - such as it is to start with.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Gm 4: Back to .500
by Nick
Two wins in a row, and back to .500 on the season (2-2). We beat team Walker tonight, 7-5 with an ENG to ice it at the end. It's always nice to beat Walker. We've had a mini sort of rivalry with them for a few seasons. It was a back and forth game, with us getting off to a 2-0 start, then falling behind 4-2, then tying it up 4-4, then falling back 5-4 after two. But we fought back in the third and got it done - with some great goaltending from Justin (our main goalie) and some terrific defensive work, particularly along the boards by Eric.
We had 10 skaters tonight, which frankly is perfect. There's something about playing with three-plus lines that it's harder to get in a rhythm even though you're getting more rest. With two full lines, once you acclimate to the pace of the game, I find it's easier to find and stay in a rhythm.
I was chosen to skate the left wing with Frank and Brett tonight. Those guys...they're just good. I spent most of the night alternating between getting in their way and breaking up passes intended for Frank. I even hooked Frank once when he blew past me in the offensive zone and I didn't realize that he was on my team. Nice.
But I got my butt in the way for a screen on one goal, and then I actually scored what ended up to be the game winner. Not a pretty goal, but a goal that I'll certainly take. I got the puck in the slot, about dot-high. Spun towards the right wing side, taking the goalie with me from his right to his left. Took a wrister that would have gone wide, but it deflected off an oncoming defenseman and went in stick side on the goalie. Ugly goal.
So we're through the toughest part of the division on this first rotation, and we're back to .500. We'll take it.
I updated the stats in the upper right box.
Dad had his first chemo cocktail last week. It's a 48-hour protocol, every other week. It took him most of the week to get back to where he's just not feeling lousy. Lovely.
Two wins in a row, and back to .500 on the season (2-2). We beat team Walker tonight, 7-5 with an ENG to ice it at the end. It's always nice to beat Walker. We've had a mini sort of rivalry with them for a few seasons. It was a back and forth game, with us getting off to a 2-0 start, then falling behind 4-2, then tying it up 4-4, then falling back 5-4 after two. But we fought back in the third and got it done - with some great goaltending from Justin (our main goalie) and some terrific defensive work, particularly along the boards by Eric.
We had 10 skaters tonight, which frankly is perfect. There's something about playing with three-plus lines that it's harder to get in a rhythm even though you're getting more rest. With two full lines, once you acclimate to the pace of the game, I find it's easier to find and stay in a rhythm.
I was chosen to skate the left wing with Frank and Brett tonight. Those guys...they're just good. I spent most of the night alternating between getting in their way and breaking up passes intended for Frank. I even hooked Frank once when he blew past me in the offensive zone and I didn't realize that he was on my team. Nice.
But I got my butt in the way for a screen on one goal, and then I actually scored what ended up to be the game winner. Not a pretty goal, but a goal that I'll certainly take. I got the puck in the slot, about dot-high. Spun towards the right wing side, taking the goalie with me from his right to his left. Took a wrister that would have gone wide, but it deflected off an oncoming defenseman and went in stick side on the goalie. Ugly goal.
So we're through the toughest part of the division on this first rotation, and we're back to .500. We'll take it.
I updated the stats in the upper right box.
Dad had his first chemo cocktail last week. It's a 48-hour protocol, every other week. It took him most of the week to get back to where he's just not feeling lousy. Lovely.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Gm 3: We Win!
By Nick
We got our first win of the season tonight, and I was in goal, to boot.
Both teams only had nine skaters, and it was a close game, obviously.
I made 33 saves (Patrick Roy), and it was a solid team effort.
We got our first win of the season tonight, and I was in goal, to boot.
Both teams only had nine skaters, and it was a close game, obviously.
I made 33 saves (Patrick Roy), and it was a solid team effort.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Team info
by Nick
I play on Team Merkley (eponymously named after our captain).
We play at the Thomas Creek Ice Arena in Fairport, NY on Monday nights.
To keep track of our results, go here.
I play on Team Merkley (eponymously named after our captain).
We play at the Thomas Creek Ice Arena in Fairport, NY on Monday nights.
To keep track of our results, go here.
The Set Up
by Nick
Hi, I'm Nick.
I'm Bill's son.
Bill (dad) has cancer. It sucks.
It started out as pancreatic cancer (PC). On the bright side, dad's initial diagnosis was over three years ago. For those of you who know about PC, you know that three-plus years is a fairly long time. On the less-bright side, the cancer has done what cancer tends to do: it has spread and stalled, spread and stalled, spread some more. I mean, it's cancer...
But cancer is hardly what defines my dad. In fact, it's very little about what he lets define him.
Bill is an epicurean enthusiast. He has a great sense of humor. And is possessed of the communication skills to articulate it to full effect. He is loyal and selfless to his friends. He is a masterful teller of stories. He's an academic. He's a liberal. Having lived in the Twin Cities his entire life, he is infamous for his ability to be called upon for directions from a misplaced motorist anywhere in the cities, receive only a precious few pieces of locational data from them and get them back on the path of directional righteousness.
I like to think that dad and I share many qualities. In the first place, that's what happens between fathers and sons.
In the second place, what else would you expect from a relationship wherein the first joke I remember him sharing with me went something like this: It's the early 80s. I'm probably 8ish. We're driving down Davern St near the JCC in St. Paul. We're listening to All Things Considered. The story was something about the price of molasses and how it had risen doubtless due to some esoteric economic phenomenon that would appeal to and inspire NPR to do a story about it. I'm sitting in the backseat honestly not really paying attention (I mean, I'm 8...it was NPR...) although I must have been listening enough to know what they were talking about because, when he looked in the rearview mirror and said "the moles are very concerned about this" I got it, and laughed.
Another thing that has defined my relationship with, and perception of, my dad is hockey. Like I said, I grew up in Minnesota. Canadians don't call us Canada South because we like flannel shirts. We had North Stars season tickets growing up. And we got Minnesota high school hockey tournament tickets for many years as well. Like basically every kid in Minnesota, I played youth hockey. Like most kids in Minnesota my ability to play the game quickly fell behind my ability to appreciate it. But we went to a lot of games, dad and I.
North Stars games - I remember the Arby's coupon on the back of the parking stub. The cigarette smoke in the Blue Line club during intermission. The multi-colored seats. The time Bobby Smith got in a fight right off a faceoff and my dad said "Boy he must have really been pissed to fight like that.
Gophers games - I remember the obstructed view seats and Goldy's dinosaur toy.
High school games - I remember the tournament game when the one team dumped it in and then went off on a change and the other team's goalie made to catch the dump in and then set it up for his retreating defensemen, only the puck clanged off the crossbar and fell (harmlessly) into the crease next to the goalie, and dad saying (loud enough for several rows around us to hear, but good naturedly) "Can we get some toilet paper for the goalie, please?!"
Playing at the parks in the winter. Going to Strauss Skates for new gear. Him tying my skates in the lobby of the Highland rink before practice. Him telling me before my first organized game that the first time I got in a fight would be the last day I played hockey. Hockey, hockey hockey.
When the Wild started up, I flew back from Denver where I was living at the time and he and I went down to the new Xcel Energy Center to try to get tickets - to the game that was sold out in like seven minutes or whatever it was. We ended up scoring handicap-accessible tickets that were unsold, and released by the team before the game - so face value, put that in your pipe and smoke it! - and were in our seats when Bettman and Coleman and Naegele came out before the game, and the crowd started up the "Secord sucks" chant...and the pure catharsis out of the shame of losing the North Stars that was complete when Darby scored that first goal.
As I said, I'm not very good at hockey. But I love playing it. I'm on a beer league team made up of just a great group of guys. The team has been around for a while, and only last season did we have our first real success - a promotion to the upper division of the lowest level league, a division championship that left the team veterans in a state of bewildered amusement. Great guys, fun Monday nights late at the rink drinking Miller Lite, win or lose. Good game or bad.
So here's how I'm connecting the dots.
I'm going to raise money to support pancreatic cancer research through my love of hockey.
I pledge to donate $25 for every win. We play a 30-game season, we're two games into this year's season. We're 0-2 so far. I figure we'll likely win around 15 games. To supplement this, I'm going to also pledge to donate $100 for every goal I score. I'm not much of a scorer. I get put on the "checking" line when we have a full bench. I'm not much of a checker, either. To supplement THAT, I'm going to pledge to donate $200 for every shutout I record. I play goalie as well as skating out. I'm the backup. That mean's I'm not that good in goal either, frankly. Maybe we'll continue to not win this season and get relegated to the lower division again. That would give me better odds of recording the odd shutty or goal.
I'm going to ask my teammates, family, friends and colleagues to consider donations of their own, using the same breakdown that I'm using, or a different one if they please.
It's not that I think we're going to donate the silver bullet dollar that leads to the cure. But, what else can you do? Just sit by idly while this fucking disease erodes my dad's ability to embody all those wonderful qualities that I talked about before, promoting the one thing that he has worked so bravely to keep in the background and NOT define him? No. Fuck that.
So, I guess that's the set up for this blog.
I'd like to use the blog to promote awareness of the cause, keep track of pledges, keep track of how the team is doing - and what that means for accumulated donations. And anything else I can think of that seems pertinent, or that I just want to get off my chest.
I thank you in advance for coming along for the journey.
Hi, I'm Nick.
I'm Bill's son.
Bill (dad) has cancer. It sucks.
It started out as pancreatic cancer (PC). On the bright side, dad's initial diagnosis was over three years ago. For those of you who know about PC, you know that three-plus years is a fairly long time. On the less-bright side, the cancer has done what cancer tends to do: it has spread and stalled, spread and stalled, spread some more. I mean, it's cancer...
But cancer is hardly what defines my dad. In fact, it's very little about what he lets define him.
Bill is an epicurean enthusiast. He has a great sense of humor. And is possessed of the communication skills to articulate it to full effect. He is loyal and selfless to his friends. He is a masterful teller of stories. He's an academic. He's a liberal. Having lived in the Twin Cities his entire life, he is infamous for his ability to be called upon for directions from a misplaced motorist anywhere in the cities, receive only a precious few pieces of locational data from them and get them back on the path of directional righteousness.
I like to think that dad and I share many qualities. In the first place, that's what happens between fathers and sons.
In the second place, what else would you expect from a relationship wherein the first joke I remember him sharing with me went something like this: It's the early 80s. I'm probably 8ish. We're driving down Davern St near the JCC in St. Paul. We're listening to All Things Considered. The story was something about the price of molasses and how it had risen doubtless due to some esoteric economic phenomenon that would appeal to and inspire NPR to do a story about it. I'm sitting in the backseat honestly not really paying attention (I mean, I'm 8...it was NPR...) although I must have been listening enough to know what they were talking about because, when he looked in the rearview mirror and said "the moles are very concerned about this" I got it, and laughed.
Another thing that has defined my relationship with, and perception of, my dad is hockey. Like I said, I grew up in Minnesota. Canadians don't call us Canada South because we like flannel shirts. We had North Stars season tickets growing up. And we got Minnesota high school hockey tournament tickets for many years as well. Like basically every kid in Minnesota, I played youth hockey. Like most kids in Minnesota my ability to play the game quickly fell behind my ability to appreciate it. But we went to a lot of games, dad and I.
North Stars games - I remember the Arby's coupon on the back of the parking stub. The cigarette smoke in the Blue Line club during intermission. The multi-colored seats. The time Bobby Smith got in a fight right off a faceoff and my dad said "Boy he must have really been pissed to fight like that.
Gophers games - I remember the obstructed view seats and Goldy's dinosaur toy.
High school games - I remember the tournament game when the one team dumped it in and then went off on a change and the other team's goalie made to catch the dump in and then set it up for his retreating defensemen, only the puck clanged off the crossbar and fell (harmlessly) into the crease next to the goalie, and dad saying (loud enough for several rows around us to hear, but good naturedly) "Can we get some toilet paper for the goalie, please?!"
Playing at the parks in the winter. Going to Strauss Skates for new gear. Him tying my skates in the lobby of the Highland rink before practice. Him telling me before my first organized game that the first time I got in a fight would be the last day I played hockey. Hockey, hockey hockey.
When the Wild started up, I flew back from Denver where I was living at the time and he and I went down to the new Xcel Energy Center to try to get tickets - to the game that was sold out in like seven minutes or whatever it was. We ended up scoring handicap-accessible tickets that were unsold, and released by the team before the game - so face value, put that in your pipe and smoke it! - and were in our seats when Bettman and Coleman and Naegele came out before the game, and the crowd started up the "Secord sucks" chant...and the pure catharsis out of the shame of losing the North Stars that was complete when Darby scored that first goal.
As I said, I'm not very good at hockey. But I love playing it. I'm on a beer league team made up of just a great group of guys. The team has been around for a while, and only last season did we have our first real success - a promotion to the upper division of the lowest level league, a division championship that left the team veterans in a state of bewildered amusement. Great guys, fun Monday nights late at the rink drinking Miller Lite, win or lose. Good game or bad.
So here's how I'm connecting the dots.
I'm going to raise money to support pancreatic cancer research through my love of hockey.
I pledge to donate $25 for every win. We play a 30-game season, we're two games into this year's season. We're 0-2 so far. I figure we'll likely win around 15 games. To supplement this, I'm going to also pledge to donate $100 for every goal I score. I'm not much of a scorer. I get put on the "checking" line when we have a full bench. I'm not much of a checker, either. To supplement THAT, I'm going to pledge to donate $200 for every shutout I record. I play goalie as well as skating out. I'm the backup. That mean's I'm not that good in goal either, frankly. Maybe we'll continue to not win this season and get relegated to the lower division again. That would give me better odds of recording the odd shutty or goal.
I'm going to ask my teammates, family, friends and colleagues to consider donations of their own, using the same breakdown that I'm using, or a different one if they please.
It's not that I think we're going to donate the silver bullet dollar that leads to the cure. But, what else can you do? Just sit by idly while this fucking disease erodes my dad's ability to embody all those wonderful qualities that I talked about before, promoting the one thing that he has worked so bravely to keep in the background and NOT define him? No. Fuck that.
So, I guess that's the set up for this blog.
I'd like to use the blog to promote awareness of the cause, keep track of pledges, keep track of how the team is doing - and what that means for accumulated donations. And anything else I can think of that seems pertinent, or that I just want to get off my chest.
I thank you in advance for coming along for the journey.
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