Playing Well / Playing Badly

[Timberwoof]

Tonight was a weird night for me at my usual Monday night pickup hockey.

Because of other concerns, I didn't prepare well for the game, so right before I woofed down a Wendyburger, some fries, and a Coke. (An older guy who has been trying to lose weight for twenty years told me that that was a bad thing to be eating. I lightheartedly took off my sweater to reveal my lithe self and asked him whether I look like I need to worry about my cholesterol.) Anyway, for the game I was tired and a bit anxious about that other concern. I just concentrated about having a good time and tried not to worry too much about good form and angles and all that stuff.

The sides were much more even than they have been of late; perhaps my side even had weaker defense than usual for half the time. I felt I wasn't doing all that well ... a couple of pucks bounced off my side, my arm, my butt, and went in. I was not giving it my all -- it was more a distraction from the thing that's going on. I made a few good saves here and there, not much that was spectacular. (I try not to rely on spectacular saves to begin with, but that's another story.)

But afterwards, people complimented my playing, saying I was really on fire and stopping all their shots, and really wanting me to come back next week. Even the other goalie told me I looked really good.

Has his every happened to you -- you felt like you had all the good style of a half-eaten sandwich, but everyone said you were on fire and doing really well? They can't all be being really polite and supportive the same way to a goalie having a bad day, can they?

(And of course now, it's 3:20 AM and I should be sleeping, but I'm yabbering away here...)

[tom_m]

Timber -

We've all had games (pickup and league) where we thought we sucked, but everyone tells us how well we played. I think there's a few things going on -

It's only pickup. As long as you're not hopelessly out of your league, no one will complain. Defense is lax (or non-existent) and you're seeing many more shots than you would in a game. Given the shortage of goalies, they're just happy to have someone in net.

They're not paying attention. As fascinating as we goalies are, the forwards are not studying and critiquing our every move. At the end of the skate they say "Good game" because that's what you say, instead of "Gee, you couldn't stop a beachball with a tennis racket, eh?"

Just because the puck doesn't go in doesn't mean we're playing well. Sometimes we struggle even though we're making the saves. The puck pops out of your glove or you give up a fat rebound, but the defense clears it. You get faked completely out of the net, but the shooter misses the easy goal. No one else sees it, but you know you're off your game.

In short, chalk it up to low bio-rhythms and play big next time.

Regards.

Tom M.

[WERNER 1]

Timber- I played in a Tournment game a couple of months back, and I was still milking an adductor muscle pull. We lost 5-2, and I really thought I played poorly. But after the game everybody on the team was like "man you were awsume" and " what did you eat for dinner" It kind of blew my mind.

I guess it's just one of those things.

[GoalieAtWork]

It is really strange - I've had some games where I'm thinking "What the heck is wrong with me today?" and then after everyone is full of compliments.

OR

I think I'm playing a fantastic game and after people say nothing or even "A couple shots out there gave ya some trouble, eh?"



Or say I let in 3 goals:

1 staggered feed
1 wrister top shelf from 3 feet out (guy untouched by my D of course)
1 goal banked in off my own skate from behind the net

I go into the locker room ashamed at goal #3 when I hear:

"Man, that third goal you had no chance on man - just one of those impossible things!"
AND
"I kinda thought you coulda had the second goal though..."

ARGH!

[Clyde]

Timber,

I think it is usually due to a total lack of understanding by the skaters of what constitutes a good goaltender. Because of our position on the ice, and ability to see most of the play, most goalies have a pretty good grasp of what each position should be doing, and where on the ice they should be. Skaters, on the other hand, often are the most impressed with the "spectacular" save we were forced to make because of poor positioning. They are also not impressed with the "easy looking" save where you are challenging, on your angle, and gave the shooter nothing, ending with a shot to the belly with no rebound. They are even less impressed by the times that, due to perfect position/angle, we force the shooter to make a bad pass or miss the net on a shot. I add that to the fact that I usually have to make more "spectacular" forward-impressing saves when I am off my game a little, and you get the result you described.

[leaferguy]

The last tournament I was in, the other goalie had gotten pulled after he let it get to 7-1. Admittedly, the defense SUCKED, but he wasn't doing his job well. They put me in, and I felt sloppy as hell. Swinging my arms and getting very lucky. I was playing on pure adrenaline (as I was trying to win the starting job, which I did). I made some gorgeous saves on redirections and I reached back to steal a couple. However, I let in a rebound right in front of me, which I don't like to do. Then, I got burned five-hole by a one-timer from the point (I had slid across, but my legs were open just enough ). I was pissed that I let in those two goals that mercied the game. However, when I got off, the captain of the other team came over to me and said that their team was worried they wouldn't score on me because I was playing like an animal in net. Problem is, that's how I felt; I had no set stance, I was always moving, and I got really lucky, as stated earlier. Maybe it was because of the lack of defense, but I didn't feel too solid.

[pmgaff]

Originally posted by Clyde
I think it is usually due to a total lack of understanding by the skaters of what constitutes a good goaltender.

I think that this is it exactly. This is especially true if you (like me) are a career beer-leaguer where the skaters love the game but don't really know the game.

[sloppy]

TW,

Definitely stay away from the fast food before a game!!!! I've learned, no matter how starved I am before a game, I will not go there. You will be slow and farting up a storm.

It's true generally if you think your game sucked and others say, oh, you played fine, you sucked. Will teammates be truthful and not want to hurt your feelings or have you walk out on them by lying a tad? Not always.

Check out my report card here [these guys are unique] of a recent tournament...I'm the Pete, third from the last and it summed up my game closely.

Last official email as tourn. captain. as promised the bad and good from the weekend..

A+Jerry-bad-could have made a difference in the last game, good-no one better @ in your face hockey
A Chris-bad-no adjustment period as a forward, good-played better as a forward, big short handed goal.
A-Inacki-bad-never got his big shot going, good-willing to play with both Harry's
B+Pet-bad-beer & smokes before last game did him in, good-has the skills to score at anytime
B Rob-bad-not enough garbage goals, good-garbage goal in game 3
B-Adam-bad-playing over his head came to a end, good-soft hands for big goal game 2
C+Dave-bad-can't score pass 10ft out, good-hasn't lost 2pts/game standard
C Derek-bad-no end to end rushes, good-had the good d we've expected
C-Art-bad-too much effort in getting pictures of a losing team-good-played exceptional on d all weekend
D+Paul-bad-can't figure how to maximize his value, good-one timer was a highlight goal.
D Eric-bad-never got going with const&dave, good-hardest working guy on the ice most games
D-Harry woo-bad-missing net during breakaway, good-second effort on his only goal
E+Const.-bad-should have played him on d, good-glad we played him as a forward
E Pete-bad-1st game & 4th games, good-2nd and 3rd games
E-Harry Lee-bad-too many penalties, good-more offence with him in the box
F Kalok-bad-in hind site, we could have used a practice, good-lucked out on getting the trophies

If you feel your grade is not fair and you wish to appeal, send all emails and comments to Harry Lee, the next Captain for The PPL Hockey Club.


During the tournament, no one said I sucked, although I was apologizing for having an off first game, I'd say the most important one, but c'mon, everyone knew but why mention it, huh?

My summation: Game1: Lost 10-5 [I was horrible on easily 6 shots]. Game 2: Win 4-0. Game 3: Win 7-3. Game 4: Lost 4-2. The fourth game all 4 goals were scored on first saved bounces that defense didn't corral the opposition who took another wack which went in [although I was very close on 2 of them][big deal yah! We lost the opportunity to go into the final]. C'est la vie.

Some pick up games are played more seriously than a league game, depending who the crew is.

[JohnnyOne]

My experiance and personal belief on this is that when a skater says you played well when you know you did'nt means one of the following:

a. His vision is so bad he can't see you from the bench

b. You made one or two high lite film saves and after that no one notices the five weak ones you let in ( usually the case with me).

c. They need a goalie so bad that you could have laid on the ice with your back to the play and they still would say you are a good goalie. (also one of my personal experiances).

Most guys in pick up just want to see the big saves. If you make a few they don't care about the rest unless you play in a really competitive group.

[speedbump]

Hey, Timber,
I think it depresses me even more after I played badly and my team doesn't notice a difference from then and when I'm focused and stopping everything and then some.

[Chasedog]

It's been said before, "A player's intelligence is inversely proportional to his distance from the net."

I hate when I make an awesome save on a one timer and the bench is silent!

[Glamdring]

Sorry to go off topic, but what does C'est la vie mean?

[MillerTime247]

Vous ne parlez pas le français?

The literal translation is "It is the life".

[Glamdring]

Thank you MT247, and no I don't speak french.

[bedris]

The only people who will ever compliment my play are other goalies and small, forest-dwelling creatures (kevinthenet).

What's funny is, whenever someone compliments my play, I always feel that I didn't play well. However, when I feel I'm on fire, I usually never hear a word.

It's all one big lie I tell ya!