Won A Hockey Tourny This Past Weekend

[Hank 0]

Played in an over-35 tourny this past weekend and we ended up winning it all (I'm only 32 - soon to be 33 - but each team was allowed one exception of -5 years in age). I played defense the entire time (which I normally don't play) but I really, really enjoyed it. I found the challenge of keeping forwards to the outside and battling for pucks along the wall and in the corners extremely fullfilling. I definately have a new found respect for rearguards. You have to be a lot smarter with you decisions with the puck and you have to be aware of so many other things happening on the ice.

The best part of the tourny was the final game. I wasn't going to play as I had a family reunion but when I got home after our semifinal win, my wife said something that really made me feel good. She told me that I HAD to play in the final game as I was easily their best defenseman. I started to laugh. I asked her "Didn't you see all the mistakes I made out there?". She said that I did make some mistakes but far less than any of our other dmen and that I was their strongest defenseman. She said that I worked harder than any of them, won more battles, had more energy and that I could really fly up the ice when making my rushes. It sure was a huge confidence booster.

We ended up winning the final game 1-0 and I scored the lone goal halfway through the 2nd period. It wasn't anything spectacular as our centre won a clean draw right to me and I wristed a hard, low shot along the ice that was screened. It definately had eyes as it went through several pairs of skates and sticks before going through the goalies 5-hole. I don't think he saw it at all, as he was a very good goalie, and would have made the stop if he had.

Anyway, that was easily the most fun I've ever had playing hockey and as strange as it sounds, it felt like our own little Stanley Cup. It was a great feeling.

What made it even better was that this team was put together very half-assed with most guys playing in spots they've never played before. We gelled very quickly and everyone had a great time. I can't wait to do it again next year.

Anyone else have a fun hockey triumph story?

[superstarsingh 23]

Great that you enjoyed yourself. I have a host of tourney stories but I would be here all day if I told you about all of them.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Great that you enjoyed yourself. I have a host of tourney stories but I would be here all day if I told you about all of them.

Pick one then?

[superstarsingh 23]

Pick one then?

hahaha yeah the obvious thing that I should have done. Umm. We had one in Windsor a few years back. We got ousted from such because we had a lot of banged up guys. Anyways, I threw 3 or 4 good hits in every game and played very well in my own end. Im a dman btw. I had a breakaway every game....and every game I hit the post. A few of my buddies from the team and I went over to Detroit for a bit and that was fun. But let me tell you, downtown Windsor is SO sketchy.

[Hank 0]

hahaha yeah the obvious thing that I should have done. Umm. We had one in Windsor a few years back. We got ousted from such because we had a lot of banged up guys. Anyways, I threw 3 or 4 good hits in every game and played very well in my own end. Im a dman btw. I had a breakaway every game....and every game I hit the post. A few of my buddies from the team and I went over to Detroit for a bit and that was fun. But let me tell you, downtown Windsor is SO sketchy.

Windsor's a hole. I know because I have to drive through it every day. The downtown is great if you're looking to get drunk, see some strippers or gamble. So I guess if you're into drunken debauchery, it's a great place. It was fun when I was younger, but now, as a married man with kids, I never go downtown.

I work in Detroit now and I'm amazed that the downtown area is 100x cleaner and nicer than downtown Windsor. I'd probably even feel safer walking around downtown Detroit at midnight than Windsor.

Edited April 25, 2007 by Hank

[superstarsingh 23]

Haha. Yep getting pollutants from Detroit and Toronto both cannot be too healthy. I was so uneasy in Windsor. I did get to play in the Spitfires arena though. Drunken debauchery, haha I was like 15 or 16 at the time.

[Stevie Y Forever 0]

superstarsingh where do you play?

[superstarsingh 23]

superstarsingh where do you play?

Mississauga.

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

Oh the memories for minor hockey! I had the opportunity to play on a very talented team my final year of minor hockey. We lost only 2 or 3 games all year, one of which was directly related to an awful call that disallowed a goal. I was half of the top d pairing. We won 8 or so tourneys that year. That year will always be a time I can look back on and smile.

Here is one of my favorite memories from that year.

We were in a tourney and just rolling through it. The first 4 games we allowed 1 goal, and scored upwards of 50. We get to the Championship game, and we are facing a team we had beaten 12-0 or so in our second game, so we figured this would be cake. They came out hard, with an obvious point to prove.

At the end of the first two periods, it was a 1-1 game. We were stunned to say the least. This is a team we manhandled, and shouldn't have had problems with. At about the 8 minute mark of the third, they got a fluky goal. A shot from the point was stopped, the rebound went off to the right side of the net. Our goalie came across and made a huge save, but the puck rebounded off his leg pad, off the shooters shin pad and went top corner. Nothing the goalie could do.

After that goal, they went into lock down mode. They were playing a 1-2-2, we were having trouble getting anything going. After an icing call, there was a faceoff in there zone, on the left side of the ice, my side. I got together with my d partner, and the right winger. I told them I was going to take a chance and pinch if I could.

We win the faceoff, and a shot goes just wide of the net. The play goes around to the right side, then back to the left. Here they come. I pinch up, and take the boards away, knowing fully that a pass is going to go across to the center. As soon as the winger starts to make that pass across I jump all over it. There are about 4 people in front of the net. Back in those days, I had a pretty hard slap shot (a seperated shoulder and torn rotator cuff will kill that) which I had used several times against this team. I skated in about 5 feet from the top of the circle and started to wind up for a shot. The opposing d knew I had a good shot, so they did their job and moved everyone out of the way so the goalie could see. Only problem was because I had stolen the break out pass, the center and left winger were no where near me, and the right winger who had passed the puck was too far away to touch me. So I had a clear path to the net. I pull down my stick and skate in. I give a head and stick fake to my backhand ( I am a righty), then deke to the forehand. The goalie bit on the backhand move, so when I went to the forehand, all he could do was stretch across. He was a pretty good goalie, he got over faster than I had anticipated. I wanted to go high, but that was his glove side, and I didn't have much of a wrist shot to speak of. So I slide the puck in five hole. The crowd went nuts (it was a small crowd, but it's amazing how loud cow bells can be!). With two minutes left in the 3rd, we had a tie game.

About 45 seconds later, my d partner scored the game winner on a shot with eyes from the point. We were supposed to win, but not in that fashion. It was such a great game. Everything about it was an exciting experience.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Oh the memories for minor hockey! I had the opportunity to play on a very talented team my final year of minor hockey. We lost only 2 or 3 games all year, one of which was directly related to an awful call that disallowed a goal. I was half of the top d pairing. We won 8 or so tourneys that year. That year will always be a time I can look back on and smile.

Here is one of my favorite memories from that year.

We were in a tourney and just rolling through it. The first 4 games we allowed 1 goal, and scored upwards of 50. We get to the Championship game, and we are facing a team we had beaten 12-0 or so in our second game, so we figured this would be cake. They came out hard, with an obvious point to prove.

At the end of the first two periods, it was a 1-1 game. We were stunned to say the least. This is a team we manhandled, and shouldn't have had problems with. At about the 8 minute mark of the third, they got a fluky goal. A shot from the point was stopped, the rebound went off to the right side of the net. Our goalie came across and made a huge save, but the puck rebounded off his leg pad, off the shooters shin pad and went top corner. Nothing the goalie could do.

After that goal, they went into lock down mode. They were playing a 1-2-2, we were having trouble getting anything going. After an icing call, there was a faceoff in there zone, on the left side of the ice, my side. I got together with my d partner, and the right winger. I told them I was going to take a chance and pinch if I could.

We win the faceoff, and a shot goes just wide of the net. The play goes around to the right side, then back to the left. Here they come. I pinch up, and take the boards away, knowing fully that a pass is going to go across to the center. As soon as the winger starts to make that pass across I jump all over it. There are about 4 people in front of the net. Back in those days, I had a pretty hard slap shot (a seperated shoulder and torn rotator cuff will kill that) which I had used several times against this team. I skated in about 5 feet from the top of the circle and started to wind up for a shot. The opposing d knew I had a good shot, so they did their job and moved everyone out of the way so the goalie could see. Only problem was because I had stolen the break out pass, the center and left winger were no where near me, and the right winger who had passed the puck was too far away to touch me. So I had a clear path to the net. I pull down my stick and skate in. I give a head and stick fake to my backhand ( I am a righty), then deke to the forehand. The goalie bit on the backhand move, so when I went to the forehand, all he could do was stretch across. He was a pretty good goalie, he got over faster than I had anticipated. I wanted to go high, but that was his glove side, and I didn't have much of a wrist shot to speak of. So I slide the puck in five hole. The crowd went nuts (it was a small crowd, but it's amazing how loud cow bells can be!). With two minutes left in the 3rd, we had a tie game.

About 45 seconds later, my d partner scored the game winner on a shot with eyes from the point. We were supposed to win, but not in that fashion. It was such a great game. Everything about it was an exciting experience.

Great read! That's a game you can tell your kids about some day. 'cept I'd lie and say you were the underdog (no need to let them in on what life's really like all too soon )

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

Great read! That's a game you can tell your kids about some day. 'cept I'd lie and say you were the underdog (no need to let them in on what life's really like all too soon )

Hah, kids, not for me! I'll stick to telling it to my nephew as soon as he is old enough lol.

[Hank 0]

Haha. Yep getting pollutants from Detroit and Toronto both cannot be too healthy. I was so uneasy in Windsor. I did get to play in the Spitfires arena though. Drunken debauchery, haha I was like 15 or 16 at the time.

I don't blame you. Windsor is a crap town. I've been to Spitfires games at that old barn and the 'fans' there are one in a million.

I saw a game a few years back against London. Steve Ott hit a guy from behind, head first into the boards. The guy didn't move while lying on the ice. The crowd starting going nuts calling the kid a 'baby' and when the trainer came out they started chanting "Waterboy! Wateboy!". Totally classless. But that's Windsor to a T. (It also says something when half the crowd has combs in their back pocket - what is this? The 70's?)