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!!