Game Cancelled!!

It has been snowing sooo bad here that all GSHL games have been cancelled. That includes ours of course. It will be made up at a later date. Hope everyone has a happy holidays & a safe one at that. The Monkeys will be having a practice/scrimmage on Tuesday, Dec. 13th @ the Comcast Ice Rink. 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. It's open so swing by & say hi!! GO MONKEYS!!

Snow!!

It has been snowing pretty good here for the past week. Because of that, the GSHL has had to cancel a few days of games. We have our next game coming up on Sunday. Weather forecasts has another winter storm coming in on that day, so there is a chance our game could be cancelled & rescheduled for another day. They will have the information posted on the GSHL website. If I don't post anything before the holidays, have a safe & happy holidays!! GO MONKEYS!!

Kissing your sister... AGAIN!!

We played the All-Blacks again tonight & after a hard fought battle, it ended in a 4-4 tie. We actually had the lead late in the 3rd, but gave it up with a minute & 34 seconds left to play. After a 5 minute run time OT, it ended. We play the All Blacks again this weekend. Our current record against them is 1-1-1. First game we lost 4-2, second we won 4-2 & this game tied 4-4. Apparently we thought 4 goals was enough to win & so did they. Well I better get to bed, morning comes early!! GO MONKEYS!!

Next Game is...

This Sunday, Dec. 14th vs. All Blacks @ 9 PM. Kingsgate in Kirkland. We are playing Darryls 2nd team for the 3rd time. Apparently "someone" doesn't like him, because we also play them the game after. Thats the only team we have played FOUR times!! Poor Darryl, he's a Monkey, but the Blacks have had trouble with their players showing up. So he feels bad not playing for us, to play for them because they are shorthanded. My only argument with that is.... They're in FIRST PLACE!! We are in last, but moving up... GO MONKEYS!!!

Puck'N Monkey Hoodies

We are currently in the process of getting some Puck'N Monkey hoodies. They are black with the Monkey logo embroidered onto the front. Very nice!! It looks like the cost will be in the area of $40. If anyone is interested, please leave a comment with a email address & we'll see if we can put a order in. Will have more info. when I recieve it... GO MONKEYS!!

Last Nights Game

Ok so the day didn't start hopeful. We got a email from the GSHL president apologizing for not letting teams know that the rink at Castle Ice in Renton, had a huge hole in it. I immediately emailed him asking if it will be fixed by time we take the ice at 9:35 p.m. I got a email back 6 hours later saying he doesn't have any new information for us. Luckily for me, my wife was smart enough to call the rink & find out that the problem had been fixed & all games were going on as scheduled. I did my usual pre-game routine including my pasta dinner ( no pasta, no points ) & headed down to the arena early just in case.
We had a short bench. A few players were missing, so we had just enough for 2 forward lines, two D lines & 3 centers. The Blu Bombers scored first, just seconds into the game. We answered right back when Ian T. redirected a rebound into the net. Steve scored later to put us up 2 - 1. We eventually built the lead to 5-2 before giving up 2 straight. With the other team down 1, we buckled down & closed out the game. Darryl put in the empty net goal with 9 seconds left in the game to give us a 6-4 win. Ian & Steve both had 4 point nights & I managed 1 goal. It came mid game & Ian had just pushed the puck past a defender & up the left boards. He was chasing after it, but I had a better angle. There was one defender back as I got into there zone. Ian went to the middle & I hung to the left, & then faked like I was passing to Ian & wristed one 5 hole for the score. Darryl kept saying that the stars must be aligned tonight, because Kenny & I scored. His empty net goal also came from our own zone, so maybe he was right.
On other notes... Brian, Steve & Deb the goalie, sported the new Puck'N Monkeys jerseys. Now everyone on the team has a jersey, but those 3 are modeled after the Chicago Blackhawks. We haven't decided to all switch to the new jerseys yet, but could be something we are doing in the future. I shall end this post with the words of our Captain Ian...
" Our unbeaten streak starts again here, with 1!!" GO MONKEYS!!

Next Game...

The Monkeys next game is Tuesday, Dec. 9th. 9:35 p.m. @ Castle Ice - Renton, vs. the Blu Bombers. Then the following two games will be against the All Blacks both at Kingsgate. I will post it after next game, but if you are curious you can check out the schedule by clicking this link!!

http://http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/am/players-team-schedule.html?teamid=85118&seasonid=3346

GO MONKEYS!!

A 3-0 Loss!!

Our first game following Thanksgiving... looked like we had a little too much turkey during the break. Though we had a number of chances, outshooting our opponents, we still looked a little sluggish in a 3-0 loss. It was nice to hit the ice after a couple weeks off, but it showed. I don't think there is anything else that needs to be said about this game. GO MONKEYS!!

Thanksgiving break!!

The Monkeys don't have a game until the 30th of November. So enjoy Thanksgiving!! I do believe our game is Sunday, Nov. 30th, Kingsgate @ 10:00 p.m. vs. Red Raiders. You can check at the GSHL website - http://www.gshockey.com


GO MONKEYS!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Puck'N Monkey Loggers...

Actually we'll be the Eagle Water Loggers. While in Wisconsin this year we'll be wearing jerseys with the Eagle Waters logo. Its like a sponsorship. The jerseys will be Puck'N Monkey colors ( red & black ). We probably wont get to see it until we get there so everyone will have to wait til Feb. But here is a little history on how the name was picked by the Eagle Water Resort.

Eagle Waters Resort was the first trading post of Eagle River, before even the town of Eagle River was founded. This site was a logging camp, and then the first Bank and Post Office of Eagle River, which some of the first votes for Lincoln were also cast here on this property. Since there is a history of logging, the Loggers was a obvious choice. GO MONKEYS/LOGGERS!!

A Big WIN!!

A big win last night against the All Blacks. They are the team sitting at first place with a 5 & 1 record, make that 5 & 2. Darryl suited up for us & we played a great all around game. Brian scored our first goal, his first GSHL goal. Dan added our second goal to tie things up. I scored the go ahead & Aaron finished off the scoring. A nice 4-2 win to get things in the right direction. We currently have a 3 game unbeaten streak so the Monkeys are pretty happy about that. Just keep playing hard & the wins will come!! GO MONKEYS!!

Next game!!

The Monkeys next game is Sunday, November 16th @ 10:45 p.m. vs. All Blacks ( Darryls second team ) @ Olympic View. We'll keep you updating on who Darryl is going to suit up for. He played for the All Blacks the first time around & we almost pulled that one off. GO MONKEYS!!

Kissing your sister... a tie!!

I don't know why they say that a tie is like kissing your sister, but I know its not fun. Last nights game was a hard fought game & we found ourselves in a similar situation. Just like our last game we were holding on to a one goal lead when there was a penalty called on our team. With about 10 seconds left on the penalty & 30 in the game, we let the game tying goal in. Overtime didn't settle one thing, & we ended the game in a 5 - 5 tie. Usually we can complain about the officiating, but it was a penalty & it was our only one. The other team kept giving us chances, we just couldn't capitialize. Got to give kudos to the ref, since he was the only one there last night. Well got to get back to work!! GO MONKEYS!!

Next game!!

Next game is vs. the Squids. 10:30 p.m. @ Kingsgate, Tuesday, Nov. 11th. Another late game!! Our history against the Squids hasn't been the best, but we play them well. I expect a hard fought game & I think it'll come down to finishing off the 3rd. No stupid mistakes on my part, at least thats the goal this next game. GO MONKEYS!!

Game #5... WIN!!

In a thrilling OT game, the Puck'N Monkeys got their first win of the winter season. Steve & Christine each scored twice, & Scott got the game winner in OT to win the game 5-4. We would have won it in regulation, but I made a bonehead play with a minute left. We had two in the penalty box & the other team pulled their goalie. So the other team had a six on three & I puck chased into their zone which caused a odd man rush, a really bad one at that, 5 on 2. That led to the game tying goal. Luckily for me Scott scored early into OT, with a fake wrap around & shot. GO MONKEYS!!

Next Game... Tonight!!

Ok so we got put into a division. We are in 7A. Now the problem with that is... Darryls second team is also in our division. We also have a losing record against the teams in our division. So we are in the process of having the GSHL review their choice, whether or not thats going to change things, we don't know. I think we can be competitive in this division, but can we win?? Anyways, our next game is tonight @ 10:45 p.m. in Everett vs. the Blu Bombers. GO MONKEYS!!

Game # 4

Ok, so we are still not in a division. But I felt we played a team more our level. We had the lead again & a few breakdowns in the 3rd gave the game away. Personally I got another assist that gave me a 3 game point streak. We are getting better & I'm having fun again. Its been so nice not having to be the one in charge. Just showing up to play has made playing fun again. I will post the next game when they get it on the schedule. GO MONKEYS!!

Game # 3

Last game of placement, at least we hope. It was another loss to a higher divisioned team. But it was close!! We were down 3-0, then we scored one to make it 3-1. They added another to make it 4-1 in the 3rd. Steve scored his second goal with 5 minutes remaining & I added one a minute later to bring us within 1. We pulled our goalie, but we couldn't put that extra one in the net. 4-3 was the final. Pretty good for being shorthanded as well as playing a late 11 p.m. game. GO MONKEYS!!

Wisconsin Here I Come!!

So last Feb. I got to take a amazing trip to Wisconsin to play in the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Championship. ( The reason I created this blog!! ) It was a unbelievable experience. Well, we are taking that trip again & I'm ready to go!! It'll be the same 5 ( Aaron, Darryl, Kenny, Scott & I ) w/ Ian added to the mix. I'm extremely excited to be able to do the trip again. With money issues I was worried I wouldn't be able to do this trip. But its working out so far!! I'll keep everyone posted!!
GO MONKEYS!!

4-2 loss

Ok so we did it again. Held a lead into the third & loss. This time it was a wierd circumstance. Darry plays for both teams that were playing. We wanted to beat him, but if we won, it could put both of the teams in the same division. Needless to say, he got a scare, but in the end... his other team pulled it out. GO MONKEYS!!

Game #2

Game #2 - Sunday @ 8:45 p.m. vs. All Blacks, Everett.

Game #1... a loss...

O.k. if I told you the final score, you'd think it was bad. A loss... is bad. But all in all, I thought we played well, for 2 periods. We jumped out to a early 2-0 lead in the first. Half way through the second the D took a bad line change & left our goalie on a 3 on 1. They scored to make it 2-1 at the end of the 2nd. Thats where things went bad. We let some long shifts & bad penalties knock us back to earth. Final score... 6-2. They were a better team that played in a higher division, but we were right there. I think we'll be fine. It was fun to get back on the ice though!! GO MONKEYS!!

Game # 1 of the Winter Session!!

Game #1 of the Winter Session!! Sunday,October 5 @ 8:05 Vs. Highlanders - Kent Valley Ice.

First game as a non-Captain!! Yeah!! I'm ready for the season to start & see how we fare. We are going to have a good mix of vets, new players & one that took the summer off. ( NO NOT ME!! ) GO MONKEYS!!

Draft

Ok so here is my little gripe on the GSHL draft. When the Monkeys showed up to last nights evaluation skate/draft, Scott reached into the number bin & picked up the 1st pick in the draft. We were excited about getting the first pick, even though we knew what we needed & wanted. That assured us that we were getting who we wanted. Thats where things went weird. Apparently the way the GSHL does it, is that the higher divisions pick first. Which means our little paper with the number 1 on it, meant NOTHING!! So why do it?? Why not just say that the higher divisions will pick & so on & so forth. We were not going to pick someone out of our division. We wanted our goalie that wanted to play at our level. There was a chance that even with our #1 card, we might not get who we want. Since our goalie listed 6-7 as divisions she would love to play, if a div. 6 team wanted her, they could have drafted her before us. That... is BULLSHIT!! So with our #1 piece of paper in our hand, we held our breath while 6 divisions above us drafted. As I posted earlier, we got our goalie. But we could have just cut through the bullshit & just drafted since we had the first pick. We should have been just allowed to go up to Mr. Cole & say, " We got the first pick, we drew the first pick & we want that goalie there... she wants to play in our division & thats who we want." Then go home. Thanks for letting me vent... they definitely need to make some changes!! They should follow the P.S.S.B.L. GO MONKEYS!!

We have a GOALIE!!

First off, I stepped down from being "Captain" this session. It was just a lot of work that I didn't have the time for. So we elected Ian to take my place. Excellent choice & a obvious one at that. So our first order of business was to get a goalie & after a few weeks & a evaluation skate/draft, we have one. So that is one thing we can check off our list. More on the evaluation skate/draft when I have the time, but its definitely something that needs to be worked on. GO MONKEYS!!

A 3-0 Loss for our All Stars

I haven't had a chance to talk to our All-Stars yet, but I do know they were on the bad end of a 3-0 loss. I hope they all had a good time & I'll keep everyone updated. GO MONKEYS!!

All_Star Game Info.

The Summer Session GSHL All-Star Game Div.7A-6C
6:30 P.M. @ Castle Ice, Renton

GOOD LUCK!! GO MONKEYS!!

Summer All-Stars

The Monkeys are proud to announce that there will be 3 All-Stars representing the team on Sunday. #10 Scott Glowaski ( 2nd in total points for the season in our division ) earned his way onto the All-Star team. #96 Ian Thomas & #11 Sami Todoroff were voted in by teammates. Congrats to the All-Stars & GOOD LUCK!! GO MONKEYS!!

Season Over!!

The Puck'N Monkeys season ended prematurely Monday night. Skating with only 8 players & a goalie, the Monkeys lost to the Mudflaps-7A, 3-0. It was a hard fought game, felt like everyone left it on the ice, but just fell short. 2 of the top scorers for the Monkeys were not in the line up & that hurt. Now its going to be a short off season before the winter session starts. Looks like we are going to retool a little & hopefully pick up where we left off. New session starts on Oct. 5th. Will keep everyone posted!! GO MONKEYS!!

TIE!! UGH!!

Our last game before playoffs & it resulted in a 3-3 tie. It was a hard fought battle... but no winner. So our season series with the Squids ended in a 1-1-1 record. Playoffs will be starting soon. Will keep everyone updated!! GO MONKEYS!!

Loss!!

This was supposed to be posted last Thursday, but I posted it in my other blog. So here it is...
Played a 6-C team last night, & loss. It was a good challenge for us & for most of the game we were in it. 5-2 UGH!! One more game, against the Squids & then playoffs. We just got to get on a roll & who knows!! GO MONKEYS!!

Another big win!!!

The Monkeys took care of business last night. With a 7-5 win over the Squids, we leaped over them for second place. We had 7 goals from 6 different players. Defense played solid & kept the puck in the offensive zone which created a lot of opportunities. Even though it wasn't the cleanest game, we played it a period at a time & in the end, we came out on top!! GO MONKEYS!!

4-0 win... back in the W column!!

Played the Monarchs last night at Kingsgate in Kirkland. Jared's mom was in attendance & like he usually does when shes there, he scored... twice!! Ian & Scott rounded out the scoring. We had a Irving in net, but not the Silvertips one. He shut the Monarchs down as Bries replacement. It was a great all around performance, some outstanding passes, but as usual a few missed opportunities. Definitely a fun game to play & watch. GO MONKEYS!!

Another Loss

We played the Icemen tonight & loss 4-2. It was, as always, another exciting game. Started slow, but made it close in the end. GO MONKEYS!!

6-2 loss

I think it was 6-2. I know we were within 2 @ 4-2. But 2 crappy goals later the buzzer went off. It was a crappy game, we don't need to get into it. We loss, that was it. Next game in Kent. GO MONKEYS!!

5-0 win!!

The Monkeys scored a few seconds into the game & never looked back. Dan scored the first, Mad Dog had a shot from the point go in, Ian added two & Troy had a shorthanded goal in the 5-0 win. Brie had little work in the shut out & the Monkeys are now riding a 3 game win streak. The Monkeys next game is.... Monday, June 30th @ 9:15 p.m. Everett vs. the Squids.

5-2 win!!

Ok so here it is. Once again, we found ourselves down 1-0. Once again we had to dig deep & come back. It took a little longer than we wanted, but at one point scored 2 within 22 seconds. It was 3-2 I believe before we Scott scored to put us up 2 & then Brie had a empty net goal to finish up the scoring. Next game is this Sunday, June 22nd @ Olympic View, 9:30 p.m. vs. Monarchs - 7A. GO MONKEYS!!

Stick with the Flames... Put out!!

I kept telling Darren ( person that painted my stick ) that it's been bad luck so far. Since having the flaming stick, I haven't had a point. I'm usually a slow starter, but I just can't seem to do anything. Well last night, during a push up the ice, my stick got caught in between some legs & snapped in two. Adding insult to injury, I got a two minute penalty for playing with a broken stick. I didn't know it snapped until it hit the ice & it fell apart, but just because I held on to it for a second, I got whistled & sent to the box. UGH!! I break a $200 stick & get a two minute penalty. Just pour salt baby. But we won. I do believe the score was 5-2. I'll write a update when they post the score. GO MONKEYS!!

Schedule for the next 3 games!!

Tuesday, June 17th @ 9 p.m. Lynnwood - vs. Gang Green - 7A

Sunday, June 22nd @ 9:30 p.m. Olympic View - vs. Monarchs - 7A

Monday, June 30th @ 9:15 p.m. Everett Comm. - vs. Squids

I will post if there is any changes. GO MONKEYS!!

Game # 4 Results

After a slow start & finding ourselves down 2-0. We scored 7 unanswered for a 7-2 win over the Fighting Cocks. Scott had a Hat Trick & Max scored his first goal in the GSHL. Mad Dog also had a great game with a couple of assists. This brings our current record to 2 wins, 1 loss & 1 tie. GO MONKEYS!!

Game # 4

Sunday, June 8th - 9 p.m. @ Comcast Ice Rink in Everett
Puck'N Monkeys vs. The Fighting Cocks

Game # 3 results & Division

We played the BLU-Bombers last night & lost 6-2. We didn't have a good 1st period & I played like shit. I haven't felt good in 3 games. I need to get my ass on track. We've also found out what division we'll be playing in this session. 7A. We have moved up from B-A. It looks like its going to be a pretty good division. We'll be playing against the Icemen, Squids, Monarchs-7A, Fighting Cocks & Gang Green-7. I think we'll be competitive, but its going to be a tough division. Looking forward to the challenge with this new team. GO MONKEYS!!

Stick!!

I forgot to mention that I got my stick painted. It was my Warrior that got chipped up. I peeled the paint off of it & had it airbrushed by a friend. Since it was last minute, I kept the design simple, but the work on it wasn't. It's Monkey colors, though the red looks orange, its actually tinted with gold & depending on how the light hits it, it shines. The flames were put on just for fun & the Puck'N Monkeys is in the same font as our logo. Wonder how long before I have to repaint it?? GO MONKEYS!!

Game #3

Game # 3 vs. BLU-Bombers Sunday, June 1st - 8 p.m. @ Olympic View

Another great game

Icemen vs. Puck'N Monkeys - has become one of the great rivalry games for us. We had another fun game last night. For the first time in Monkey history we had 16 players. We had a extra forward & three lines of D, three lines of F/C. It was crazy!! We know that being summer, there will be some people missing, but we never thought we'd have a full squad at any game. I'm sure it might happen again, but who knows.
So we started off, not really slow... but both teams played solid, until those darn Icemen put one in the net first. One of our newer Monkeys, but a teammate of mine from a former team, put us on the board to tie. We managed to tip the puck away in the neutral zone & I knocked it into on sides, Pete then picked it up, walked in & put it past the goalie. Scott then scored one, Darryl another & Scott again to end the game with a 4-3 win. We took the lead at 2-1 & never let it go. There was a lot of energy, short shifts & just excitement with our team. It was nice to see & I hope it keeps up throughout the summer session. Not sure when our next game is, but it should be posted in the next few days. I will post it as soon as I find out. GO MONKEYS!!

Game #2 vs. Icemen

Not really a rematch of our epic battle that eliminated us from the playoffs last session, but close...

Tuesday, May 27th
Game # 2 vs. Icemen - 9 :45 p.m. @ Lynnwood Ice

Game #1 in the books

This season started with a hard fought game. I must say it was kind of weird seeing that many players in our locker room. We had a full squad. Happy Birthday to Max & a good way of celebrating it, with his first hockey game. Ian scored twice, once on a nice breakaway to help us to a 2-2 tie. Now we did have the lead, but a few mistakes that haunted us last season didn't help. First game, jitters, rust & getting to know our new players definitely played a role, but in the end I was pretty happy with our play. I expected us to be competitive, I expected us to play hard & we did both. Brie was phenomenal in net & really kept us in it. Next game.... next post...

GO MONKEYS!!

Game #1

Game #1 vs. Highlanders - 9 p.m. @ Comcast Community Ice Rink in Everett

Good practice game for the new Monkeys as well as the old. GO MONKEYS!!

And the Goalie is...

Well after a frustrating off season, we finally have found our goalie. Brienne will be suiting up again for us in net. She wants to skate out this session, but we have had such a hard time finding a goalie that I had to beg her to do it. I'm happy she will be in net, since she is a solid netminder, but disappointed that we couldn't find someone. I think by us asking the goalies to shell out some good money might have turned a few of them off. But in the end we got who we wanted. We've got our rosters & its 15 players, so I'm pretty happy. There is just a few more things to take care of before the summer session starts. GO MONKEYS!!

All Star Game & the Toothless Wonder

Top Pic - Scott, Me & Bill after the All Star game. If you look really good you can see my tooth missing. Scott got the third star of the game, Bill picked up a assist on Scotts goal & I got my tooth knocked out during a face off... Oh & we won 3-2, pretty good night!!

Bottom Pic - Is a close up of my chipped tooth!! GO MONKEYS!!

Tooth Fixed

Went to the dentist this morning at 8:45. Got my tooth fixed, I pretty much enjoyed a week of looking like a real hockey player. As for getting ready for next session, we've actually added a few players to the team. We had people contacting US this time, to join the Monkeys, so that was nice. The only problem is we still don't have a goalie. So if we don't hear from one soon, we'll have to go to a evaluation skate & try to pick one up there. Bri is looking like she wont play with us this next session, she'll probably just sub. Other than that, this next session is looking like it will be a interesting one. May 11th is supposed to be the first day, but there is no schedule out yet. GO MONKEYS!!

Captains Game & All Star Game

This past weekend I had the opportunity to participate in a Captains game & All-Star game. Saturday was the Captains game. Pretty much all the captains from teams from divisions 6C - 8 participated in it. I played on the white team & had a assist in a losing cause. We were down 3-0 before storming back & eventually losing 6-5. In the All Star game on Sunday, 3 Monkeys represented ( Should have been 4, but one didn't show up ). The Monkeys were represented by Scott Glowaski, Bill McCutchen & Me. Scott & I got automatic bids because we were among the top 4 in points in our division. Bill was elected by the team. The official score sheet hasn't been released yet, but I know Scott scored whites first goal ( I think I might have a assist there, but not sure ). We went back & forth til the white ( Monkeys were all on the white ) won 3-2. Scott got the third star of the game. Now for the fun part... during a face off in the second period, the puck shot up in the air & took out a piece of my tooth, so now I'm OFFICIALLY a hockey player!! I have a half of a tooth in the front, luckily I had my mouth guard in & it saved the broken piece of my tooth for a souvenir. So I've got a few days to enjoy my half a tooth before I get it fixed. I'll post a pic of the three of us, & my tooth when I find my damn cable for the camera & the computer. Oh summer session starts up May 11th. So far this team is adding some new players & it looks like we'll have a full team this session. GO MONKEYS!!

Last game of the season...

We played our last game for the winter session last night. It was a novice cup game & we played a team in a higher division. We started out hard, & fizzled very fast. We lost 8-2. Thanks to Jacy for subbing in net for us. It was a draining game, we were shorthanded as usual. But we had a good time & we are looking forward to next session that starts May 11th. GO MONKEYS!!

All-Stars!!

The Greater Seattle Hockey League just announced their All Star times for next weekend. Sunday, April 20th. Usually each team in the division picks two players to represent each team. This session they added a new feature, which allows the top 4 point scorers in the division to get a automatic selection to the all star game. The Monkeys had 2 within the top 4. Scott Glowaski at #1 & me ( Troy ) at #3. So we are automatically in... Now we are voting within for the next two Monkeys to join us. We could have a division leading 4 Monkeys in the All Star game!! So I'm extremely proud. I've been recovering from the cold I had during our last game & slowly getting better. Our next game is a Novice Cup game vs. the Jokers. April 15th. I have to check where & time, but I'll post it as soon as I figure it out!! GO MONKEYS!!

Over

Tough loss. We lost last nights game, but it was one hell of a game. We were shorthanded, like usual. We were down 1-0, but we manage to tied it up on a shot on net, just throwing it in the zone & it managed to make it in. Aaron gave me the assist. Then it was all Icemen, M.Lee had a hat trick & we found ourselves down 4-1. We made it 4-2 in the third & it was looking a little promising, until we gave up another. 5-2 with about 7 minutes left, wasn't looking good. But the guys didn't quit & we were within 1 with less than a minute left. Darryl was streaking down the right & put a hard shot on net. Knowing his blasts usually give a nice rebound if it doesn't hit the net, I charged hard. Rebound came right to me & I backhanded it up & over the goalie for the game tyin goal. It ended up going into a shoot out & the Icemen pulled it out in the end. It was a amazing game & I got to score in a shootout on a move I've been working on for a while. Did I mention that I was sick as a dog last night?? GO MONKEYS!!

Icemen

Here is the info on the next game!!

Sunday, April 6th @ 6:50 p.m. - Kent Valley Ice Centre
vs. Icemen

We were 1-3 against them this year. All 3 games we lost were 1 point losses. The one win was a 6-1 win. Thats just a fun stat for you all!! GO MONKEYS!!

We won!!

We pulled out last nights thrilling playoff game 5-3. Darryl got a natural hat-trick, a assist from me on the 2nd goal ( nice one at that ). But the Sockeyes tied it up late in the third. Scott then did his signature move behind the net wrap around, but altered it enough to fool the goalie & roofed it backhanded into the net for the go ahead goal. Adam then added the empty netter. Fun game, on to the next. One down 3 to go!! Next game vs. Icemen @ Kent Valley Ice Centre @ 6:15 p.m. April 6th. GO MONKEYS!!

Next Playoff game

Wednesday, April 2nd
9:15 p.m. @ Olympic View, vs. Sockeyes

Lose & go home!! GO MONKEYS!!

Game, Set, Match...

So once again, Bree makes it just in time for the drop of the puck. Well not really, she was actually still in the locker room. But we were able to get someone that was willing to play about 8 minutes of goalie for us, then get replaced by Bree midway through the first. Ian put two in the net with a chance at a hat trick, though he made a great juke, he wasn't able to backhand it into the empty net. Guess the hat trick will have to wait til next time. His wife & kids were there to witness the great game by Ian & I think we'll have to have them there more often. I wasn't going to mention the fall & slam into the boards he took pregame, but it was too funny not to. Scott got off his scoring drought with a goal & a few assists. His two goals since Wisconsin & the loss of his scoring stick has come from bizarre, lucky shots. But a goal is a goal, I wished I could get as lucky. I'm the A-Rod of our team, good in the regular season, a no-show for the playoffs. We ended up winning 4-1. It was a good team effort, had to kill a few penalties, but some of them questionable. Who in their right mind would say a penalty wasn't well deserved?? Well next game looks like Wednesday, April 2nd @ Olympic View, @ 9:15 p.m. Don't know against who yet. I'll keep everyone informed!! GO MONKEYS!!

Next Playoff game!!

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!! 5:05 p.m. @ Castle Ice in Renton
Puck'N Monkeys vs. Gatchateam

Should be a fun time!! GO MONKEYS!!

YAWN... we lost...

Well, we can't say we didn't try. It didn't start out well, our goalie, took the ice when we dropped the puck. Didn't get a chance to warm up, though I'm sure she didn't really need it. But we gave up two quick goals & unfortunately, that ended up being the margin of our loss. 5 - 3, I think we all played hard, but a few mistakes & bad bounces, missed opportunities & a short bench killed us. So now we are in the losers bracket & actually have a early game on Sunday. More info. later, now I've got to get to work after a hour & a half of sleep. Walking dead.... GO MONKEYS!!

3 hours to game time...

So here I sit on my bed nervous as hell... Thinking about the game, picturing the game in my mind. I've tried to lay down & get a little sleep, but that wasn't happening. I've got Tivo'd Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations playing in the background & it's actually helping me relax a little. I've done my usual pre-game routines, played a little NHL 08 with Brayden, & now I'm about 15 minutes away from packing my bag, getting my sticks & stuff in the car, downing a Diet Rockstar & meeting Darryl at his place so we can pile in the hockey van & head down to Renton. We've played the Squids once this session. We were supposed to play them a second time, but our schedules conflicted & that game was never made up. We lost that only game, & if I recall correctly, Scott did not play that game also. I do believe he was soaking up the sun on Maui at the time. From what I understand he has some work related excuse tonight. So that means someone has to step up tonight. I plan on doing so... & if by the end of the night we are sitting at the end of the stick, I will make sure that it wasn't for my lack of trying. 110% right?? So, it's time to close this computer, throw on my pre-game clothes & pack up my bag. Wish us luck!! GO MONKEYS!!

Game #2 vs. Squids TONIGHT!!

Good Morning!! I'm already trying to get focused on tonights matchup. We were in the same situation last session & fell a goal short. I don't want that to happen again tonight. We are a step away from the championship game & I know our team is capable of making & winning that game. So here I am, about to start work, thinking of hockey. I'm already thinking of how I'm going to head home right after work & sleep for a few hours before meeting up with the rest of the team for our long carpool in the hockey van down to Renton. 11 p.m.- that's when we hit the ice. Most of you will be in bed, either asleep or watching late night t.v. We'll be in the locker room, talking, gearing up & heading out for our pre-skate. GAME ON!! GO MONKEYS!!

Random

Ok so I'm thinking of deleting the other Pond Hockey Blog I created for the GSHL. So I think I'll be doing that later. In the mean time, I'd like to wish a GOOD LUCK!! to the Monkeys participating in the Canadian Tournament this weekend. I wished I could have gone, but I've got other things going on & could use the extra rest. For those of you that don't know, I participated in a baseball tryout last weekend & could be playing some baseball during the summer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. As if hockey wasn't good enough. Just trying to stay active & get rid of this BELLAY!! GO MONKEYS!!

Playoff game #1 WIN!!

So my scoring streak is over. But I traded it in for a nice 3-2 win. It was a tough game, but we came through in the end & thats all that matters. Adam had a nice game with 2 goals & 1 assist. Darryl also had a 3 point night with 2 assists & 1 goal.
It was a late night & I'm feeling the effects. I'm trying to figure out what I did different which led to my 0 point night & there is a couple of things. Lost my mouthguard last game, wore a different one, we did a weird thing with dark socks-light jersey, the necklace I had been wearing broke after last game & I had to use a make shift one... hmm who is superstitious here?? I just think it was someone elses night last night. I had a number of chances, either hit it a little off or goalie making a great save. But in the end, all that matters is the two points for the win & a chance to play a couple more games. I tip my hat to the Ice-o-topes, they played a hell of a game & for all that they have been through these last few weeks, they have played some inspired hockey. They gave us a hell of a fight & that made last nights game fun. Talk to you all soon!! GO MONKEYS!!

Playoff game #1

Ok, so game one is tonight. We play the Ice-o-Topes @ 9:30 p.m. @ Kingsgate in Kirkland. Last sessions game one was against the same team @ the same place so its a little deja vu. I hope it has the same outcome with a little different path. Last playoff game went to O.T. & Darryl had to bail us out with a shorthanded goal. The ref made a call on me, when he was supposed to make the call on the other team & I had to spend time in the penalty box. After the game I asked him about the call & he told me why he called it. I pointed out that I was the one that got taken down & he admitted to making the wrong call. Now just think if we would have lost that game. But Darryl took a shot from the point & put it in the net, & we rushed him at center ice. Fun times. Well off to work!! GO MONKEYS!!

Positioning for playoffs

So we had our chance to put us in first place to end the regular season. That didn't happen. Our loss to the Icemen on Sunday took away any shot at first. Here is the scenario so far... We are currently tied with the Squids for first, but they have the tiebreaker with a win against us in our only meeting. The Icemen still have another game to play & if they win, then it will be a 3way tie. They have the tie breaker with us there, they beat us 3 games to 1 during the season. So we could drop all the way to 3rd. It really doesn't matter, the only thing that finishing 1st & 2ND would have done, is give us a first round bye, I do believe. But we'll see the schedule that should be coming out soon. I sent out a email to our players that didn't get to play much this season to tell them, that by GSHL rules, they cant play any more games for us this season. We would have to forfeit games if any player that hasn't played 40% of this sessions games were to play for us in the playoffs. I know there are some players that would have liked to make it out more, but couldn't. Now I had to tell them that even if they had the chance to come out now, they cant. I figured better let them know now, before they show up at the rink & I have to tell them to go home. Well I guess they could sit & watch & support. Well, I shall post the schedule when I get it!! GO MONKEYS!!

Late night - Early morning..

Ok, this definitely was the wrong time to move our clocks ahead. We had a 10:45 p.m. game in Renton last night. Which meant that after we got off the ice at 5 til' midnight, & the drive home, putting away gear, showering, & then trying to get to bed, it was... 3 a.m. I needed to wake up in 2 hours to get to work. The nice thing was that we carpooled. Darryl brought out the hockey van & 6 of us piled in. The Wisconsin crew + 1.
So the day started out in a with a memorial. I didn't mention it in my last blog, but we got the news Monday morning that a fellow hockey player passed away shortly after leaving the ice. I don't know the details so I wont get into that, but she played a major role in hockey here in the northwest & willed be missed. She also happens to be involved in one of the funnier moments in Puck'N Monkey history, I'll type about that later, when I have the time. She played for the Ice-o-topes & was on our schedule several times this season. Bill made up some special stickers for us to put on the back of our helmets.
Then later on last night, we took the ice, had 15 seconds moment of silence & played a tough game. We jumped on the board first, with Ian scoring a few minutes into the game, but a tough penalty that led to a penalty shot, got them tied up really quick. Early in the third I scored a tough one to put us up 2-1, but a few penalties & turnovers got us looking at a 3-2 deficit, then loss. Oh well, now the regular season is over, looking forward to playoffs. We were getting hot before playoffs & now we need to pick it up again. I think we'll be fine. Gotta head to work now... GO MONKEYS!!

Update on Sundays game

OK, so our scores popped up on GSHL website & so far so good. No forfeit, no suspension... yet. But I'm sure if it would have happened, it would have happened already. But if it does happen, I'm fighting it. I just couldn't believe that this is even a issue. Well... Next game on Sunday, another late one, except this one is down in Renton... UGH!! GO MONKEYS!!

2 games in 2 nights...

Ok so Saturday night was a learning experience & we seemed to learn enough not to do it on Sunday night. We blew a 3 -1 lead in the 3rd & took a 4-4 tie into OT. It ended in a tie. We also blew a hat-trick by Darryl, & a goal by me... First in a while. My parents got to watch me play since it was a early game. Did miss the Tips game though, but it sounded a lot like ours. Now Sunday night, a whole new ball game. We were playing the Monarchs-7A, which is a team a division above us. We had our usual suspects, plus another person that has subbed for us in the past. In fact, he had suited up for us the night before. Unfortunately for the Monarchs, they were extremely shorthanded. We took advantage of it & jumped out to a early 5-0 lead. We didn't fold like the night before & tacked on a few after they put two on the board. I had a 4 point night, two goals & two assists. Darryl added two more goals to his collection & Scott finally got back on the score sheet. It was a great all around game, until we were informed that the Monarchs challenged that our sub wasnt on our roster. If we were guilty, the game would be forfeited & I ( being Captain ) would have to serve a two game suspension. But our sub has played 2 games & was added to the roster before the roster freeze Dec. 1st. So I'm not worried. But it was just so ticky tacky. We play the game for fun, we want to win, but I mean... cheating?? We just want some subs so we dont wear ourselves down during those 10:30 p.m. games. Oh well... We are tied for first with that win. So there we go!! GO MONKEYS!!

Last Sundays game

Well its been a few days since we last played. I haven't done much on the computer, trying as much to stay away from it. But we did win our last game vs. the Sockeyes. We pulled it out 4-1, Bri giving up a fluke goal to ruin her shut out. But we played a pretty solid game for being shorthanded like usual. This weekend we play two games. One on Saturday night, & one on Sunday. Saturday we play Gatchateam. A team that we have had recent success against, but we probably wont have our goalie. Bri has another game to suit up for. Sundays game is against a upper division team & I dont know why we are playing that game. It shouldnt be for the Novice Cup since we lost to the Mighty Boosh when we got back. That was a pretty good game, considering we were extremely shorthanded in that game & only lost in the closing minutes. Those are tough games, because we want to win, but at the same time, if we win, then it might mean we should be in a higher division. Thats all the venting for now. GO MONKEYS!!

Game Pics...

Ready to start game #1

Darryl making a save
Glow scoring a goal w/ Darryl waiting far a rebound

Photos courtesy of : the Icelagers

Commercial

Check out the commercial that was promoting this years tournament!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED3n5A7eS0o

few more pics

Kilt day... Friday- ended up being -10 @ night, walking home from the bar.
Next years Silvertips season tickets??? Hope so!!
Taking in a local hockey game!! Slapshot style!!

Back In Everett!!

Ok lets play a little catch up...
Sunday morning... after a nice "Champagne Brunch" @ the Eagle Waters Resort Restraunt. We headed out to the pond hockey championships. Even though most of the teams left town, there was still a pretty decent crowd to watch the last few games. You would think, being a championship, there would be major hype. None at all. Wisconsin was also under a winter storm watch & it was snowing like crazy. From when the teams scraped off the ice to a few minutes in, inches of snow was piling on the rinks, making it hard to skate & pass. None of the teams the Icelagers or Monkeys were in the finals. But it was a close game. A team called Collateral Damage, won the championship in the novice division ( our division ). While watching, I kept finding pucks in the snowbanks. Whatever pucks came off the playing surface, we'd TRY to find so we could bring home souveniers. We hung around for the championship game of the gold division & that was a heated contest. After that, we pretty much went back to our lodge, kept a eye on the news & packed up our stuff. The news kept saying that the winter storm would bring another 3 inches to the 5 feet that was already on the ground for the past few days. We made sure our flights were on time & went to bed ready to wake up extra early in the morning. It was a little hard to get to bed knowing it was going to be our last night there. Aaron & I spent some of it laughing at some of the memories we had of the weekend.

Monday... Travel Day!! We got up @ 5:30 a.m. & made the drive to Rhinelander. We were the first plane out that day @ 7:35 a.m. We boarded early & got to witness a little deicing. We had the most anal steward. He really made sure you were in your correct seat before take off. Of course I was at the back of the plane, the only on in the last row. Aaron sat with me so we could bullshit, & "John" our steward, made a announcement, then came back & made sure Aaron got into his correct seat. We seriously sat there for a few minutes because people were trying to change seats & he didnt want that. Once we were settled, we taxied on fresh snow out to the runway. You could feel the plane slide a little getting up to speed for take off. We had a brief stop in Eau Claire, before heading up to Minneapolis. I was really impressed at these pilots being able to land in the snow. We had a few hour layover in Minneapolis, so there was a little shopping in the airport/mall. We grabbed a quick bite to eat & Aaron got us a "duck fart" before boarding the plane home. We had the same flight as the Icelagers, who drove to Minneapolis to catch the Minnesota Wild game the night before. That would have been a blast, but we were also glad to be resting in our nice warm cabin, watching the game on tv.

I spent the rest of Monday, & most of today, resting... It was a fun trip & I definitely recommend it to anyone that loves to play the game. It was a amazing experience & I'm saving up for next year. Someone at the tournament said that they had to turn away 50 other teams. Apparently they werent ready to have a 200 teams there, but they might be next year. Registration for next year is going to start this summer. Thanks to everyone that helped me make this trip, I truly appreciate it. I'll remember this one forever, & even if I make it a annual thing, its never going to beat out our first year. I'm back to work tomorrow!! GO MONKEYS!!

Game #2 & #3- Saturday...

Sorry, Saturday was such a busy day, I didnt get to post this sooner. I am sittin in a chair outside the office in the cold to recieve the wi-fi. I cant believe they are not opened yet. So here is the blog for yesterday...
Feb.16th, Saturday: Woke up around 7 a.m. & had a little something to eat. Got our gear on & headed out to the pond. Couple of us learned from yesterday & walked out to the pond before slipping on our skates. The rest laced them up in the tent then made the annoying skate out to our rink. We played a team from New Mexico. They had a couple of good skaters, but Darryl & Scott were able to pick their pockets. That led to a few easy goals. The ice is so bumpy, that it creates problems skating as well as stick handling. I can really understand why the players that grow up doing this turn out to be phenomenal stick handlers. We were able to win this one in regulation 9-5. So far we are doing a lot better than we expected. We came in to this trip just for the experience, & now we have a chance to make the playoffs. So after our win we asked the other team to pose for a picture & then headed back to the tent for a couple of pictures & check out the standings. Its pretty simple, we win, we play tomorrow. The team headed back to the cabin, took off our gear & hit the breakfast buffet. Great breakfast!! This resort has been amazing; they even have discounts on breakfast for the hockey players. They have a big one tomorrow, but we are hoping that we miss that one, being on the ice instead. Right now we are getting some rest. We’ve got a few hours before our next game.

Game #2 : We watched a little bit of 300 before heading off to our second game. I think arriving on the ice a little early didn’t help. The ice was different, more air pockets & it was hard to sweep any of the access ice off. It was also harder to dig the puck out of the snow. Its amazing how the puck seems more lively & hops over your stick & into the snow banks. We ended up losing our second game 9-7. The other team out skated us, but we played hard, just didn’t have it at the end. The loss knocked us out of the playoffs. Old Steel, the team we played in game 1 & beat in OT, ended up squeaking into the playoffs. Had we won that game in regulation instead of OT, we’d be playing tomorrow. Instead we’ll be having a killer brunch at our resort & maybe do a little snowmobiling.

So after our loss… we collected our beer & headed back to the changing tents to wander & meet other teams, get our pictures taken with various hockey teams & watch games. After a few hours of just hanging out we went back to the cabin for some R & R. After a nice dinner at a small local pizza place, we caught a local hockey game. It was in a wooden dome built in the 1930’s & is home to the Wisconsin hockey hall of fame. It’s also the home of the Eagle River Falcons, of the Great Lakes Hockey League, a men’s checking league. They were playing a rivalry game vs. the Mosinee Papermakers. Apparently this is a intense rivalry that can get a little out of hand. This game was part of a Rivalry Cup, a home and home series where the total points decide the winner of the cup. Mosinee had won the previous game the night before in Mosinee, 8-5. This game was so much fun. First off, we were in a small barn type of building straight out of Slap Shot. They sold pitchers of beer, in plastic Miller pitchers for $6, refills $5. Chuck-a-pucks were real pucks & after we threw them in the first intermission, they resold them to be tossed again in the second intermission. The fans were rowdy, a lot of cussing & interesting body language, it was a blast to be a part of, definite small town atmosphere. I love what we have in Everett, but it was nice to experience hockey in its small town roots. Eagle River ended up winning the game 4-2. They had the two goal lead late in the game, but Mosinee didn’t want to pull their goalie to give up the cup tying goal. Instead Eagle River with the lead, pulled their goalie in hopes of adding another goal & tying the game. But they fell a point short. I had never seen a game where the puck hit the post as much as I had seen tonight. After the game we headed home & everyone decided to hit the sack. We are not sure what we are doing Sunday, but I know I’m going to have to head down to the office & post this blog. Good Night!!

Game # 1... in the books...

WE WON!!! Its only game one, but we sure celebrated once we got back to the cabin.
We started the day with a great breakfast by Scott & it ended with a great 13-12 win in OT. Everyone scored & had a great time on the ice. It was tough getting from the changing tent to the rink, but once we started playing we were having fun. After we won, we watched the other team from Everett, the Icelagers, play thier first game. They didn't do as well, but had a good time. We are meeting up with them later for a happy hour. There is a scheduled pub crawl tonight, so I dont know when I'll be able to add to the blog, so keep your eyes peeled!! I am getting a lot of pics, but I'm having problems with loading them because of the speed of the internet. I'll make sure to at least get some on. GO MONKEYS!! Oh F.Y.I. it was minus 10 degrees this morning, but by time we started play it was about 5 degrees. Its kilt Friday & I've got mine on.

A Few Day One Pics....

The guys say only one word describes this picture... Idiot!! This is outside of the airport in Rhinelander 12 degrees!!
Cramped up in the back, with my hockey bag on us.
After checking in at our cabin at Eagle Water Resorts, Wisconsin... Scott hitching a ride to our cabin.

Up to my shorts in snow, love the icicles hanging from the cabin. 12 degrees & 3-5 feet of snow. This is just a few of the pictures I could post, it was just taking too long. If I have more time I'll post a few more. Night!! GO MONKEYS!!

Day 1...

Ok, so we are here in Wisconsin & first off... Thank you to all that helped with funding a little of this trip. I greatly appreciate it. Now I have no internet service in our cabin. So I have to walk in the snow down to the main office & boot up my laptop there. So I'm still working out the kinks. Second, since I have no internet, I've been writing things down in Word & then I'll paste it on here. So I apologize if it sounds funny. So here is what has happened so far.... Left Seattle @ 12:40 a.m. & arrived in Minneapolis @ 5:50 a.m. It was 18 degrees with a few inches of snow. With a 3 hour wait for our connecting flight to Rhinelander, we were able to get breakfast at a Chili’s & wandered for about a hour before getting to our gate. Darryl & I had a $1 – 3 minute chair massage… wow, Happy Valentines to us. Now we are just sitting at the gate, Darryl is watching Blue Comedy TV w/ Kenny looking over his shoulder. Scott & Aaron are wandering this endless airport. Scott mentioned that he has seen over 15 bars, he really likes this airport.

9:05 a.m. a twin prop 40 passenger plane pulled up & we boarded for Rhinelander. It was about a 45 minute plane ride. 12 degrees & snowing, soft, dry snow. We ended up getting one rental car, a Dodge Durango. It was the biggest vehicle they had. How many Monkeys can you fit in a Durango?? Apparently 5, that’s with 5 hockey bags, 5 suitcases & carry ons. Darryl drove, Scott navigated & Kenny, Aaron & I piled into the backseat with a hockey bag draped on us. We headed north to Eagle River, & 35 minutes later we pulled into our sweet cabin. We are staying at the Eagle Waters Resort. We have a amazing cabin that sleeps 8-10, two stories & a number of bathrooms, just in case. So we are going to chill for a while, register our team later on tonight, get some dinner & then hit a bar.

We did a little shopping at the local grocery store, which also sells liquor by the way. On our way back to our cabin, we stopped in at a local rink. It’s not a public rink, but Scott & Aaron went in & asked if we would be able to skate for a little while. We rushed back to the cabin dropped off our groceries & picked up our gear. A 2 hour skate for $5 a person. That rink was crazy!! They didn’t Zamboni the ice, but that’s the way we wanted it. Gave us a idea of what to expect. It was freezing!! It was so surreal, like skating in a movie, lights barely on & working on drills. It was so cold in that rink, that when I got off of the ice, my moustache had icicles.

Back at the cabin, we pretty much took it easy. Got cleaned up, registered for the tournament, collected our cool Labatt Blue hockey jerseys, then headed back to Eagle Waters Resort for a great prime rib dinner. Now Scott, Darryl & Kenny are at the cabin, watching high school hockey, Aaron was my buddy & escorted me in the cold so I could post this blog. I've got pictures but I'll try to put it on a different site, so you can view them all at one time. I'll post the link once I get that situated. First game is tomorrow @ 11:45 a.m.!! GO MONKEYS!!

Last Day of Work!!

Ok, so here I sit during my break thinking of all the things I need to do before I head off tonight. Seems like the small list I had last night keeps getting longer & longer. Errands to run, things to pack, making sure I havent forgotten anything... I think I'll finally get to relax on the plane. I plan on taking a few pictures & hopefully when we get to Wisconsin Thursday morning, I'll update the blog & post a few pictures. GO MONKEYS!!

3 Days to go!! Well really 2...

So here it is @ 1 am on Tuesday morning, I should be getting to bed, but we just won our game & I'm still buzzing off the high. Scott had another hat trick & I managed a goal & a assist. Brienne got another shutout. I think so far all of her shutouts have come against this team.
As for getting ready for this trip, I bought a couple of wooden sticks so I dont break my good ones. I aint even bringing the expensive stuff. I dont trust the airlines. I've just got a few more things to pick up & I'll be ready to pack some stuff tonight. So I'm going to try & get some sleep, if anything comes up... It'll be here!! GO MONKEYS!!

Pond Hockey Schedule Released!!

BREAKING NEWS!! I've just located the pond hockey schedule... here is our official times!!
Friday, February 15th - 11:45 a.m. Puck'n Monkeys vs. Old Steel On Ice
Saturday, February 16th - 9:00 a.m. Puck'n Monkeys vs. NM Hockey
Saturday, February 16th - 1:00 p.m. Puck'n Monkeys vs. PHA-Q
If we win a couple, we'll play Sunday, February 17th - 8:00 a.m.
Win that, then we'll play in the championship Sunday, February 17th - 11:30 a.m.

So hopefully we'll be playing well into Sunday!! GO MONKEYS!!

7 days to go!!

The countdown has been on since I have started this blog, but its getting closer & closer. At this time next week, you'll be reading how our trip started out & I'll probably have a few pictures up. But today... nada!! I ordered a few more things last night & I hope they get here in time. I paid extra so they better. I checked the weather & so far... UGH!! Looks COLD!! I'll add a link to the weather.com, since I dont know how to add the weather to my page. I might be able to figure it out, but it might take a couple days. Unless someone can give me some pointers.
I can't wait to lace them up & take my first steps on that frozen ice. Well thats all for now. GO MONKEYS!!

Wednesday!!

Well, another day. Got some good news... Darryl talked to someone in Wisconsin & it was 30 degrees there & the ice is about 13 inches thick. Bad news... we might be a person short. I don't know any details, but that is not a good situation for us. I was asked how the blog was going & whether or not I would like a link put on the GSHL website so people can pop in & read whats going on in Wisconsin. I'm still undecided on the deal, but I think I'll let Darryl take a look at the blog & help with my decision. I spent the weekend picking up some more cold weather gear. So I think I'm pretty much set, just a few more things. I need to pick up a visor. I picked up one the other day, but I don't like the look so I'm going to look again. I figured if I don't play good, at least I look good. I will write again later!! GO MONKEYS!!

Puck'N Pond Monkeys!!

Left to Right : Aaron Davenport # 67, Darryl Peterson #13, Troy Buduan #12, Kenny Salo #6, Scott Glowaski #10 Not Pictured : Shad Chrisman #2 Photo: Deborah Buduan

Super Bowl

Ok the Super Bowl is over, congrats to the Giants!! I hope we can do the same this winter session. I'm thinking this will be a short post, with another that has our picture of the guys going on this pond hockey trip in less than two weeks. I have made a little progress on getting prepared for the trip. I bought some Under Amour to keep me warm, as well as some thermal underwear type pants & top to keep me warm. I was able to find some liner type gloves to go under my hockey gloves, but still can't find a ninja style skull wrap. As for the team, a few of the Monkeys are up in Vancouver, B.C. right now, partaking in a tournament. "3 games in a day" I would have loved to have joined them, but my troubles getting into Canada as well as the fact that I have to work tomorrow was the deciding factor. Now for those who don't know me & my stories of the border. I don't have problems coming back into the United States, its just getting into Canada. For some reason, they think my name is RANDOM, when I travel there. Never fails, I will be stopped at the border. Well I better get to putting that picture up before I head to bed. Morning comes quick... GO MONKEYS!!

A Week Without Playing

Because of the Super Bowl, like us hockey players care... We don't play a game until the 11th of February. We were supposed to have a game tomorrow night, but the Tips play a game vs. Vancouver & a good number of our team has season tickets. I know most of us would rather play, we still have money invested in the Tips & if we could get a schedule change, then that's what we want. So after our game on Monday, Feb. 11th vs. the Ice-o-topes, we'll have 3 days before we leave for Wisconsin. So hopefully I'll be able to get some ice time this weekend or the up coming week. I got a new helmet, debating whether or not to go with a full shield or half. I have been hit in the face before with a errant stick. Is that the right word?? So I'm kind of hesitant to go with a half, but they look so damn cool. So new helmet, something with a little more padding for the noggin. Nothing else new. I've decided to put up another pic, one of my favorites. Its of our amazing goalie Brienne. I do believe this was during one of the 1 minute intermissions we get during our game. Notice her talent!! Enjoy... GO MONKEYS!! Photo: Ted Basrak

Team Picture

PUCK'N MONKEYS 07-08

Front Row ( Left - Right ): Scott Glowaski #10, Darryl Peterson ( Assistant Captain ) #13, Brienne Stewart #1, Troy Buduan ( Captain ) #12, Ian Thomas #96
Back Row ( Left - Right ): Adam McLeod ( Assistant Captain ), Brian Campbell #00, Aaron Davenport #67, Sharon Ballenger #69, Bill McCutchen #3, Kenny Salo ( Assistant Captain ) #6, Kim Dennis #29 Photo : Ted Basrak

All Star Weekend

OK so this was the weekend that the NHL All Stars got to show their stuff. I watched, I saw, then went out & tried to emulate. I will say that I was successful, but wasn't credited for it. I'll explain more later. First off, spent Saturday watching the skills competition with Darryl. That was fun. Got to see Peter Mueller play in the Young Guns game, had a goal, maybe a assist, didn't check the stats. Then Sunday, I watched some of the NHL All Star game. Lot of goals. East won with a goal late in the game. Then at 10:30 p.m. we hit the ice for our game. We played Gatchateam. They are 3 points behind us & with a win, we could be 5. It could also put us in sole posession of 2nd place. So this was a important game. Well we didn't start out like it was important, giving up 2 quick goals. One off of my skate!! UGH!! But eventually Adam got us off the snide, & Darryl tied it up with a shot from the point. ( assist to me!! ) We had to kill of some bad penalties in the 2nd, we were down to for a lot of that period, but the team stood strong & so did Bree. We ended up taking the lead midway through the 2nd. Got a puck in the neutral zone & managed to skate past a couple of D-men & did a little deke & went backhand as I got tripped by the goalie. It was a pretty goal & I got some ribbing for it. Good ribbing of course. Then we played hang on. Brian got slammed into the boards late in the game & Bill decided that he wanted to drop his gloves with someone. Luckily for him, he couldn't manage to get them off his hands. Scott added a insurance goal late to give us a 4-2 win & 2 points in the standings. Fun game!! Well now I need to head up to bed, morning comes quick. Its SNOWING!! GO MONKEYS!!

Random Thoughts

Ok so Wisconsin is slowly creeping up. There hasn't been much going with the team. Other than our game last Sunday, it's been a pretty slow week. I need to get my skates sharpened before I head off to Wisconsin. I've been pricing some cold weather gear & wondering what the hell to bring. Is it better to have too much & be able to take off?? Or have too little & freeze?? I think too much is a good choice. Thats just my thoughts for now. I figured I would just write because I haven't in a few days. Now I must go & run some errands. GO MONKEYS!!

Game vs. Ice-o-topes, Sunday, Jan. 20th

Update!! With 3 of us playing our 2nd game the day, I thought we'd start off a little sluggish, but that wasn't the case. We went through warm-ups half assed since we were shorthanded. The score keeper informed us that this was a Cup game. Novice Cup. It's something the league does throughout the season. The only difference is that if we end in a tie, we go to a shoot out. The games then count also under a different standing & at the end of the season I guess we play in a little playoff or something. I'll find out more later. As for our game tonight, it started off by us having the same ref as our last game. See 2nd post for more on that. Since Sharon had a theory that he only calls penalties on the dark team, we decided to go white jerseys for the game. It didn't start off well as Adam got called for our first penalty. On the penalty kill, I managed to get the puck deep in their zone, felt Darryl trailing & made a pass from behind the net. Darryl was there to clean it up & put it in for our first goal. Our second came late in the game. We should have had one to end the 2nd period but the officials claimed it went in after the buzzer. ( BULLSHIT ) Hopefully no one saw that last comment. But Kim put one in on a pass across the crease from Jared. I watched it from behind Kim, & it was a great play. Darryl finished off the scoring with a empty net goal as time expired. Bill was supposed to have a assist on that play, but as usual, the officials didn't see it that way. So it was a nice win for the monkeys, keeps us in the thick of things. I shall now go take a shower & head to bed since I have to be at work in 5 hours. GO MONKEYS!!

Weekend Hockey

Ok, its been a couple of days since my last post. Friday night we had the Tips beating Portland in a pretty entertaining game. Took OT. I think its funny that we can crush them in Portland, but struggle to pull one out in Everett. Saturday night we watched a pretty heated game, Spokane in Everett. Everett had beaten Spokane in Spokane last Wednesday & there was some after the game fireworks that made this game a fun one to watch. The Tips won 4-2. After the game, my wife & I headed to Mardinis in Snohomish to watch a friends band play. There was a bunch of friends from work there & it was a fun time. I had way too much fun & woke up this morning not feeling so hot. Problem was, I had to play a game @ 12:50 p.m. I met Darryl @ 10:45 a.m. still feeling like shit. We picked up Sharon & were off to Renton for this fun filled exhibition game. I tried the whole way down, not to puke. But once the game started I felt better. Darryl had a hat trick & I managed to put one in the net. It was a pretty good goal, lifted a players stick & swiped the puck, then made a couple of moves past a couple defenders & managed to deke & backhand one in. Took a lot of concentration for that one. My recommendation, don't play with a hang over!! SUCKS!! I still got a game to go. There is one tonight @ 10:30 p.m. in Everett. So I figured I would get some rest & write in the blog before heading out. I'll update you on tonights game tomorrow. Til then... GO MONKEYS!!

Time In Between Games

This has to be the most frustrating time for anyone that plays any type of sport. The time in between. I just finished looking at one of our websites, & so far we've only got 5 players commited to our next game on Sunday night. Again we are going to be playing without our top player & I haven't heard anything from anyone about the situation. I feel like I'm out of the loop, but I think its just me being paranoid. I wasn't going to write in the blog today, because there isn't really any monkey news to report. But I figured I better practice writing & fooling around on this thing so when I'm in Wisconsin, it should be easy. I was watching the Phoenix vs. Columbus game this evening & there was a commercial for the tournament. It was pretty neat to see everyone having a great time & knowing we'll be there doing the same thing in less than a month. Phoenix ended up losing that game tonight. Peter Mueller tied it up with a great powerplay goal ( miss that here in Everett!!! ) but Phoenix let a beautiful goal in with 20 seconds left. It was a amazing goal by Rick Nash, he went around a couple of Coyote defenders with some crazy stick handling & then put it into the back of the net for the game winner. Well I guess I wrote more than I expected. Good night!! GO MONKEYS!!

Monkey Business

Ok so I recieved a response back to the letter I wrote yesterday. I had my wife read it & add input, then I deleted it this morning & finished it off. Nothing against what she wrote, but I felt I needed to finish it my way. Shortly after sending it this morning, I got a response. I was pleased that it came quickly. It also explained his process behind the suspension. So, our top scorer will not be playing this Sunday at our next game. Which just means we have to step it up vs. the Ice-o-topes. I was also asked by the GSHL boss, if I would like to write a story or have a link to my blog on the GSHL website on the trip to Wisconsin for the pond hockey tournament. So I'm considering it, not quite sure just because I'm new to this. But thats the reason I created this thing so why not right?? GO MONKEYS!!

Letter to the league

Well we just found out last night that one of our players is suspended for our next game. Now we don't believe he deserves a one game suspension, so I have to write a letter to the league. I just finished it, but needed some input from our assistant captain before sending it off. It's kind of a hard letter to write, because you know that he doesn't deserve this type of penalty, but at the same time, things shouldn't have been said. I regret some of the things that came out of my mouth at the moment & I'm sure if given the chance, this player would not have made the comment he did. It wasn't a bad comment, no cursing, but it did tell the officials that we were not happy with the way they were calling the game. I do believe that the officials were pretty quick to kick our player out because they were just tired of hearing it & wanted to get the game done & if that was the case, then they were wrong for doing that. Hey, I just thought of a couple new things to put into that letter. I'm liking this blog more & more. Gives me a place to vent & gives me ideas. Well I'll keep whoever is reading this, updated on the situation. GO MONKEYS!!

First Blog

I've created this blog for a trip I'm taking in a month. 6 of us Puck'n Monkeys are flying to Wisconsin to partake in a annual 4 on 4 pond hockey tournament. So I figured I would start this so people could be updated on how the trip is going, how cold it is & how the team is doing in the tournament. So here is the first blog... The Puck'n Monkeys was created in our minds first, about 2 & a half years ago. With Kenny already playing hockey & a some of us ( Darryl, Jared & me ) learning, we thought it would be cool to have a team that we could all play on together. Kenny, Jared & I started on a team called the Drop-Outs, but I wasnt able to afford it & dropped out of the Drop-Outs. I was later on a team called the Black Katz with Jared. After two sessions ( Summer & a Winter ) the opportunity was there to create our own team. Darryl had taken a few learn to play hockey classes after us & used that to recruit a few players for this new team. Darryl & I came together to get this thing rolling & though there have been a few ups & downs, we are having fun playing on this ragtag team we call our own. The team is now in its second session & playing pretty good hockey. Currently ranked 3rd in our division & we have the top point scorer in the division, Scott Glowaski ( 1 of the 6 going to Wisconsin ). Well I think thats all for now, I would talk about our game last night, but I will probably vent about that later.