Current stats: http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/player.php?id=27745&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
11-9 record, 4.84 avg, 0.816 Sv. Pct 1 SO
Tuesday Mar 12/13 - Air Farce 6 Chargers 4
Hmmm... we got 7 powerplays, the Chargers got 1. They are a better team than us, but could not get any momentum as the refs seemed to be in our corner. After the game I talked to the other goalie Kevin - an excellent fellow - and he agreed that his team deserved every call against them... but we also agreed that there should have been 4 or 5 against us for similar plays. Who knows why... This was not a bad game, and to be quite honest, in spite of the shot totals, I was the lesser goalie on the ice. I only let in one questionable one and made a couple of very good saves, but two of the goals we scored were weird unlucky ones - strange bounces, and three were absolute cannons from the point while Kevin was moving. We'll take the win... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13631&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Saturday Mar 9/13 - Air Farce 0 Bolts 6 (15?)
This one was just downright silly. We had 8 skaters in total and the Bolts just danced circles around us. The 5-0 score at the end of the first was quite flattering as they missed several shots and I even made a couple of big saves in there... although I let in a couple of questionable ones too... sigh. The refs warned the Bolts to dial it back after the first period. The team had been in a higher division and lost 4 straight there in close games, and begged to be put back into our division. They had been told they were too good for the division, but were dropped down anyways... but I digress... apparently they were warned again after the 6th goal... you see, we have 2 players who have been permanently "suspended" from our team because they are too good for the division. The Bolts had at least 5 players in their lineup who were off equal quality to those guys. The goals kept coming, and I made two saves in the second on breakaways that actually had the Bolts cheering me on... when they scored their 13th goal in the third, they celebrated at the bench - who can blame them, it was one of their plumbers who had not scored in 5 months - which apparently ticked off the league manager to no end. It was a super soft goal on my part. The guy was cutting across and I just did not get my pad down. I came unglued at myself - the crossbar and the glass behind the net took some pretty serious whacks. In the end the score was actually 15-0, but due to the warnings the league stepped in on the scoresheet and on the tiering. The end result, the Bolts were cut off at 6-0 for running up the score, and they will be put up 2 divisions for the playoffs for breaking the "code" of rec hockey and not easing back when a blowout was obvious. Oh well... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13601&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Friday Mar 1/13 - Air Farce 3 Celtic Kings 9
We knew early on that this one was mostly a matter of hanging on for dear life. All five saves in the first were big ones, but it was pretty clear that the whole game was going to be one of keep away. The second period was a bit of a shooting gallery, and the rest was what it was... sigh... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13570&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Sunday Feb 10/13 - Air Farce 3 Chargers 5
I started terribly and played a real strong third period... but that was too little to late. A few good stops early on and this one could have gone the other way. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13476&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Wedneday Jan 30/13 - Air Farce 4 Bolts 6
The Bolts were moved up a division early in the season for being too strong, but apparently things did not go well up there. Tonight they showed that they are probably one of the stronger teams in our division now, if not the strongest. We were back on our heals early and on a broken play less than a minute into the game they got one past me - I got a piece with the trapper, but was moving the other way and could not get a hold of it. I figured it would be a real long night. The first two periods were tough as we just couldn't break through. I faced a lot of 4-on-2 plays where the Bolts didn't get their shots through - if they had the score would have been really ugly. We were down 5-1 going into the third. We slowly clawed our way back to 5-4 and I made a couple of real nice saves along the way. We had a tying goal called off and then a player on a breakaway was inexplicably called offside, or we could have been up by 1. With just over a minute left to go I was creeping toward the bench for the extra attacker when the Bolts created a turnover in the neutral zone. I got back in time to get set and made a solid stop right at the post on the right side, but I thought I had smothered the puck between my trapper and my chest. By the time I realized the puck had squirted into the slot I just couldn't recover. 6-4... bummer. It's tough giving up a backbreaker like that when we had stormed back and were carrying the play. Shit happens... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13446&team_id=315&division_id=88
Friday Jan 25/13 - Air Farce 7 Celtic Kings 3
This one started out with me playing really strong yet again. I few key stops early helped us get it together so we could jump out to a 1-0 lead. Early in the second I gave up a shorthanded goal on a missed poke check, but we scored a couple of shorthanders our selves and went into the third leading 4-1. We got up to 7-1 before the Celtic Kings popped in a couple of late ones. This was a good test for us as this was another team that was dropped to our division. They may not have been doing well in the division above, but they had some pretty solid shooters. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13415&team_id=315&division_id=88
Friday Jan 18/13 - Air Farce 2 Wildcats 1
This is without a doubt the best game I have ever played. My friends Roger and Angela were in town from Florida and actually came out to watch me play and I did not want to embarass myself. It was a pretty evenly played game with a low shot total, but pretty much all the shots were of the tough variety for both goalies. Before the game started Jim, who has never played a league game on defense, comes up to me and says "Let's keep score - your big saves to my bad giveaways." Very early in the game he had a turnover and I pulled my left groin stretching out to make a big toe save. Jim comes up to me and says "I guess you're up 1-0." Pretty soon it was 2-0, and then he stopped keeping track. To be honest, he was excellent on the blueline all night. I made a lot of first saves, but when I gave up a rebound he was getting it out of there. This was a real good game after a long layoff having missed the first 2 games in January, but I am gonna be real sore tomorrow - I think both groins are done in... and I stayed out until 2 am with Roger and Angela. I also earned my first assist in this game as I made a big save late in the overtime and had the puck bounce out to Brendan, who went end to end in the dying seconds and gave us the win! http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13383&team_id=315&division_id=88
Thursday Dec 20/12 - Air Farce 8 Wildcats 3
This one was a lousy start. I was not happy with either goal I let in even though one of them was a fantastic deke by the slickest player on the Wildcats. I thought I had him but he tucked it under me. Robbed him later, though. We started slow and I was not helping much, but then we took over. The game was played between the bluelines alot tonight, but we lit up their goalie from all over, including one behind the net (been there... poor guy). However I am not happy with the stats today. I know I faced way more than 5 shots in the second period. There was one flurry where I made three tough shots in less than 30 seconds, and another flurry where I ended up face down after making the first save, and stopped one off the back of my shoulder and took one off the side of my head as I scrambled back. On the other hand, I've received some phantom saves in other games, so I guess I shouldn't complain too loudly. I'd like the third goal back, too. Off the bottom of my blocker and into the net - not pretty, but being up 8-2 it didn't really matter. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13102&team_id=315&division_id=88
Sunday Dec 16/12 - Air Farce 6 Brookswood Wranglers 2
Ah. this team is good for the statistics. I made a couple of beauty saves, but 16 shots is a pretty easy night, and I'd really like the 2nd shot back - it was through a screen, but I should have gotten down because I couldn't see anything and knew the shot was coming - he just shot a moment sooner than I figured he would. My highlights for the night were a block save along the ice on a breakaway where the guy cut across and I stuck with him, and a save off my right arm on a rocket of a shot that I just got enough of. More importantly, I actually played this game - I wasn't sure as late as Thursday that I would even suit up, but I wrapped the wonky left foot and went for it. Against a better team that may have made a huge difference, but against the Wranglers I figured it would be okay to play at 90%. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13071&team_id=315&division_id=88
Sunday Dec 9/12 - Air Farce 1 Chargers 9
This one started well. I had a great first period with all 9 shots being big saves, but these guys simply wore us down. They had more firepower, and the wheels came off. After one of my saves in the first a defenseman turned to me and said "This is going to be a looooong night." Turns out he was right, but not just because of the blowout. It actually started in warmup when I took a shot off the inside of the left foot. Like an idiot I turned wrong on the very first shot of the warmup and tried to angle what looked like a fairly weak shot off with my skate and it caught me just above the boot just in front of my ankle. It stung and I shook it off. I played the game and it hurt a bit and I had some trouble getting up or any power pushing off to the right, but it was not the cause of the goals. After the game I went home, took a shower, made dinner, sat down to watch some tv and ice my foot. The shot happened at 4:30 pm... by 11 pm I was going up and down the stairs on my butt because I couldn't put any weight on it. Went to emergency for an x-ray and learned that it was just crushed ligaments and tendons and would need to wrap it. In the end... 43 shots, 9 goals against... not a terrible outing against a team that had us outgunned considerably. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13040&team_id=315&division_id=88
Sunday Dec 2/12 - Air Farce 3 Cyclones 10
This may sound crazy, but this was probably one of my best games of the season. The Cyclones were dropped 3 divisions for some crazy reason, and it showed. All seven saves that I made in the first period were of the very good variety, and one a couple of occasions a defenseman said to me after a save that it was going to be a long night. This team was constantly in motion and had our defensemen off guard all night. We had just 10 skaters including a 65-year old forward and a center who was playing his first ever game with referees! Our steadiest defenseman was not in the lineup, so we were a pretty rag tag crew. In spite of that, we managed some good pressure, but most of our shots came from the outside, and their goalie was pretty damn solid. In the second period the Cyclones figured out that if they can get me moving side to side I am weak under the crossbar on the glove side... and there were several breakaways that ended up in goals. On the other hand I probably made the best save I will make this season on a breakaway where their player charged in on my glove side, cut across the slot and then fired the puck back to the glove side. I was flying across the net and managed to snag the puck with a wicked glove save that didn't even get a reaction from my teammates because they were sure it was in. I tossed it to the ref like it was nothing. Right after that I made another save with my blocker hand in which two guys standing alone in the slot deked me out of my jockstrap but I managed to stop the puck with the end of my ring finger on my right hand - there is no padding there - still hurts a week later... I know the score looks awful, but I'm actually pretty damn proud of this performance because it could have easily been in the high teens. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13008&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Friday Nov 23/12 - Air Farce 4 Mustangs 3
Taking on a team that has been dropped down a division I expected a tougher game. To be honest, a pretty mediocre performance by me and I was damn lucky to get the win. The three that got past me were not bad goals, but I could have played better. Thank goodness we got the 4-2 lead before it got interesting after I let them slip back into the game late. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12978&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Tuesday Nov 13/12 - Air Farce 5 Wild Cats 0
This is probably the easiest shutout I will ever post, but I will take it. A couple of good saves in the first, and a couple of good saves with about 4 minutes left. Other than that we pretty much controlled the game. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12947&team_id=315&division_id=88
Saturday Nov 10/12 4:30 pm - Air Farce 10 Brookswood Wranglers 5
This was not a pretty win, but I'll gladly take it. Considering that last Saturday night I came down with the nastiest flu I can ever recall having - no barfing, just shakiness, headaches, and a cough that left me flat on my back for most of the week - and was still not at 100% by game time I will gladly take it. I honestly played this game because in the morning I realized that we probably had a game and that there would be no chance of finding a backup goalie. Thank goodness it was against the 1-8 Wranglers. They made a game of it early as they managed a nice deflection and a couple of breakaways in the first two periods that kept the game interesting before the Air Farce took over and made it look easy. I know there was one real good flurry where I made at least three saves in the third, and of course I let in another goal. I do not remember the other 4 saves that period - it could have been that I was fading, or it could have been that I covered up a couple of loose pucks and got some mercy stats. Who knows. Survived it and am feeling better today, so I should be good to go on Tuesday when we meet the Wild Cats.
Friday Nov 2/12 11 pm - Air Farce 3 Chargers 8
In baseball the Mendoza line, named for a fantastic fielding shortstop who was an awful hitter, is a .200 batting average because once a player dips below that his defensive effectiveness is outweighed by his offensive ineptitude. Since goalies do not play on offense, maybe there is a different measure. A goalie could have a solid average, but a lousy save percentage because they play on a good team that gives up lots of breakaways, or they could have a great save percentage to go with a lousy goals against average because their team is weak and gives up a ton of shots and the goalie holds them in the games - at least to make it respectable. But then there are goalies who do neither. Allan Bester was one such goalie in his "prime" he often had an average well over 4.00 and a save percentage below .875. In men's rec league it is safe to say that the Bester line would be closer 6.00 GAA and .850 Save Pct. Well... I have officially crossed that line in a big way. Instead of a terrible start like the last two games we actually led 2-1 late in the second. The tying goal was not a bad one, but the Chargers went ahead 3-2 14 seconds later after I failed to smother a rebound and the puck was poked between the wickets. The third period "highlights" included the next three goals being quite soft as well, with things going between my legs in very creative ways. I'm frankly surprised my teammates haven't started calling me "Snooki." With the score 6-3 I had two amazing three or four save sequences to keep us in the game, but in the end it was too little too late and the Chargers kept pouring it on. Oh well... now that we have played the top 3 teams in our division we get a reprieve by facing the Brookswood Wranglers next, who may be the tonic to my horribly falling numbers... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12885&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Saturday Oct 28/12 10:45 pm - Air Farce 5 White Sox 10
It was ugly. Simple as that. Let in the first 3 shots, and really did not play well at all. Made a couple decent saves, but most of them were pretty routine. Let in a couple soft goals, including one from behind the net in the third period. It was a powerplay goal and I blew a gasket, swearing like a trucker. Our guy did not come out of the penalty box after that one, so I assumed I got an unsportsmanlike conduct minor, but it turns out he had a double minor. Oh well. It didn't help that our steadiest defensman was told by the league that she (yup!) was too good for our division, so she was not allowed to play... so we faced the best team in our division without our top d-man and a guy who spared in even though he had been drinking in the bar upstairs since 7 pm after his earlier game had ended. I can't make this stuff up. But the reality is, if I made a couple of saves early we may have stood a chance. Luckily I did not have one of those little kid goals go in from the blueline... you know, the one were the goalie goes down to smother it, but it slips through the legs into the net, but I did have one like that where I was lucky enough to have it deflect into the corner... I stayed down waiting for the whistle while my d-man was hollering at me that it's in the corner. By the time I realized it, the puck was at the point and while I did come out to face the shot, I wasn't ready and it was a weak one because I wasn't square to the shooter. Here's the humbling box score... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12853&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Saturday Oct 20/12 6:00 pm - Air Farce 8 Bolts 7 (OT)
The Bolts have been together for 6 years, and are one of the top E-Division teams... and it really showed early in the first. We had a huge lineup including several new players, one of whom last put on equipment over 10 years ago, so we were all caught off guard by the speed of the Bolts. The first period was an absolute nightmare for me - shots coming through traffic, players cycling at a higher pace than I've ever faced, and when we were down 5-0 7 minutes into the game I figured it was going to be a blowout of epic proportions. Two things happened - I didn't give up, and nor did my teammates. In fact, they reorganized and regrouped and kept the shots mostly to the outside. This made my job easier, and it made for some nice breakouts. We slowly chipped away at them and made it 6-4 by the end of the 2nd, partly due to a 6 save flurry in less than 30 seconds including two left pad saves, a couple blocker saves, and pulling the puck off the blueline, if I may brag a bit here. When the Bolts made it 7-4 early in the third on a tip in from the point I figured we'd sag, but one of my defensemen turned to me and said, "Don't worry about it - Lukas should have known better than to push the puck forward when his wingers can barely skate. We'll have a chat on the bench." Nice to know that I wasn't being blamed - guess that second period bought me some slack. Anyways, after that I think I maybe saw two more shots, if you include me diving on the puck in the middle of the crease because our forwards really took over. We tied it on a long shot from outside the blueline with less than a minute left. The overtime - let's say I was crapping my pants, but ASHL goes to 3 on 3 with no linechanges at whistles. We controlled the play, with the puck only coming into our zone when our defenseman swooped back to lead yet another rush on the beleaguered Bolts. I'm real proud of this win because I started so poorly (though only 2 of the 5 were questionable goals) but managed to get it together to give us a chance to win. http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12823&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Wednesday Oct 10/12 10:45 pm PST - Air Farce 2 Wild Cats 3
I'd like to blame getting up at 4:30 that morning to get my son to his practice on this result, but the truth is, in spite of the flattering score, I just wasn't very good. We had a 1-0 lead to work with 17 seconds in, but I just didn't make the big saves. A couple good saves, a couple of questionable goals against vs a weak team in the division... not much else to say about this one... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12792&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
Saturday Oct 6/12 10:45 pm PST - Air Farce 5 Brookswood Wranglers 3
I had no idea what I was up against here. This was my first league game in net in over 10 years, and only the 5th in my life, 3rd as an adult. I expected to get ventilated, especially when the pre-game skate was just me and Adam, but we pulled 6 other players from their D division game that was wrapping up on the other ice and hung in through the first period to go scoreless. In the second, the floodgates opened a bit as I let in three on 15 shots. I figured we were done, but a bit of second wind from our top players came in the third when we outshot then 18-5 and scored 5 unanswered goals. I found out after the game that I am now the official starting goalie for this team. 3 goals against on 25 shots... http://stats.adultrechockey.ca/c-langley/ashllangley/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=12761&team_id=315&division_id=88&season_id=59
