Bluepoof's Adventures

We’re #2! We’re #2!

Our championship game against the California Polar Cats was this morning and I thought it went pretty well overall.  It was clear that both teams were tired, but the Cats did a great job of making us run all over the ice, which tired us out more.  It felt like their passes were connecting beautifully, and they were intercepting our passes well…plus their goalie was once again a total rock star.

I felt like I skated decently but the fourth game in four days definitely was taking its toll.  I wasn’t winded or muscle-sore (ha, I’m sure that’s coming in the next few days) but I just felt a little sluggish overall.   Like, my brain would be yelling “SKATE!” and the message would take its sweet time getting to my feet.  My feet were drinking pina coladas poolside while the brain was trying to forecheck.

I had a great time, though, and it was a great Burninators team this year.  Mad props to Susan, who won the all-tournament goalie award (yay!!) and to G and Shorts who got team awards for D and forward respectively (yay!!).

I’ll post a couple of my favorite photos tomorrow sometime and then it’ll back to our regularly scheduled motorcycle blather.  🙂

This evening’s game was a fun and physical game against the Alaska Ambush.  We were tied for points with the Ambush going into the game so I knew it would be a close one.

I started out the night by taking a slap shot to the ankle from my own teammate in the warmup.  Ouch!  I can now vouch that Mary Ann has a hard shot. 😉  Fortunately by the time my line went out, I could put weight on the foot and now it’s only a bit sore, nothing terrible.  Ah well, wouldn’t be a tournament without some bumps and bruises!

The game itself was pretty fun.  We were a bit discombobulated at times — I think everyone is starting to get tired — but there were good passes and good opportunities.  I hit the post again (again! bahhhh!) and tended to get tied up in my own feet, but otherwise I had fun.  Lisa was our center for this game and I enjoyed playing with her.

We got the one goal, a deflection off of a wicked shot by Andrea back at the point, and then Susan did an awesome job of defending her shutout.  Yay Susan!

Not much else to report…the championship game against the Polar Cats is tomorrow at 10:30am. Go Burninators!

Today’s game was a hard-fought loss to the California Polar Cats at the Fiesta rink.

We had a 1-0 lead early but the Cats came back to score two more and their goalie successfully rebuked our attempts to get more goals.  I forgot to look at the scoresheet after the game to see how many shots on goal we made, but it seemed like we at least gave it the ol’ college try!

I don’t think I played as well as I did last night — Kira didn’t sleep well last night so I was pretty tired despite a nap — but I had some really good opportunities.  I hit the post twice and had a few good runs up the ice.  I tried to remember to take my time (yesterday’s lesson) and it worked pretty well.

Next game: tomorrow at 6:15pm.

Wow, it’s been four years since I posted in the Burninators category of this blog.  This will not do!

This weekend finds us back in Sin City for the 2013 Las Vegas Women’s Hockey Classic.  I’m so excited to be playing in this tournament again that I can’t even describe it.  I can’t believe it’s been four years since I’ve played here.  Dang.

Anyway, tonight’s first game pitted us against our old friendly foes, the Houston Harpies. I love playing against the Harpies; they’re always cheerful and happy (not very harpy-like!).  Their roster is super small this year — they’re playing with only 7 skaters!!  I’m tired just thinking about that.  I would have been lying on the ice weeping by the end of the first period.

I’m playing right wing in this tournament, with Jean at left and Heather (McJedi) at center.  I had a good game and at least one really nice breakaway — which Peter got a decent photo of, hooray!  I looked at the pic and was like, wow, that’s me?  Neat!

I’ve gotten the advice lately that I need to take more time.  I’m a fast skater and I generally have way more time than I think that I do.  I need to chill and look around and make time and space for myself.  I tried to do that in this game a little more and I could feel it starting to work.  I even got a good pass to G back at D, who took a great one-timer.

We’re staying at the Cancun Resort this year, which is pretty good.  My only nitpick is no in-room laundry (what a princess I am!), but the one-bedroom “villa” has an extra little TV room that Kira is sleeping in, so that’s nice.  She was a rockstar and did well even with our late 9pm game…though now she’s still asleep in the car seat with all her clothes on and I’m afraid to move her .;)

Next game: tomorrow at 6:10 pm.