Game 2: Cross Chix

Oh my god, Power: ON! I felt like I was ON FIRE in this game. I don't know where it came from, because I remember saying to J-W and Michele in the hotel lobby before the game that I felt like my skills had *dropped* over the past year, but I felt so confident on the ice it was scary. I skated as if no one was going to stop me, and often, nobody did; several times I thought, about the D, "why aren't you stepping up? there's a puck lying right there, and if you don't step up, I'm going to get it!"

I fought for the puck along the boards and actually got possession several times, which built my confidence up even more. I actually had SHOTS ON GOAL, none of which went in, but all of which were decent (the goalie actually had to make saves, not just flick the puck away with her stick). And THEN! after one shot, I got my own rebound, skated around the net, and TRIED FOR THE WRAPAROUND. I have never done that in my life, as far as I can recall, and it felt so natural and authoritative I even shocked myself. The shot went across the crease, behind the goalie (I'd shot very hard, but didn't curl my stick around quite enough), but man was it a thrill to make an advanced hockey move like that.

As for goals actually scored by us, there were two: I didn't see the first one because it was on the far end of the ice, but apparently Leslie passed to Marie and then went for the slot; Marie noticed that Lolly was open at the point and passed to her. Lolly took a shot, more to throw the puck in front of the net than to try to score, but Leslie was screening the goalie, and the puck went in. Lolly didn't even realize it until she got to the bench.

The second goal was scored by Deanna, who'd set up in the midde of the slot. I don't remember where the pass came from, but I suspect it was from Shawna, who I think was out there at Center at the time (we had two Centers and three sets of Wings). Deanna was open and in exactly the right spot, and it was a good reminder to me to stay up higher in the slot instead of always standing practically in the crease. You have more room to manuever up there, and you're more likely to stay open (the D often forget about you if you're not standing directly in front of their goalie). The Cross Chix only ended up getting one goal (I was also on the bench for that one, so I was even in the sense that I wasn't on the ice for *any* of the goals :), so we won the game 2-1.

Although everyone played really well, and I had so many confidence breakthroughs, the game was not without downsides/room for improvement. We played the entire third period on D, even when we were on the power play, which didn't seem like a good idea. I know NHL teams like the Mighty Ducks and the Wild are known for defensive games and neutral zone traps, but our version of a defensive game mostly consisted of backing up until our opponents were in our zone and then trying to chip the puck out. We totally looked like we were penalty killing the one time in the third when we were on the power play.

Two things I personally want to work on are staying up and open for a pass rather than coming back so close to the D—there were several times that Lolly got possession and tried to pass to me, but I was coming back to help her out rather than looking to move the puck up—and jumping into the play sooner. I was working on the latter specifically in this game and getting better at not standing around after I made a pass or chipped the puck forward, but I still caught myself standing still a few times.

So, final outcome: we won, and I felt GREAT. Oh, and it wouldn't be a Vancouver Tournament without a little hilarity in the locker room after the game:

Beth, with her hockey jock on backwards.
This also happens to be my 1000th photo posted to Flickr!

Posted by Lori in Vancouver Tournament 2006 | May 28, 2006·12:23 PM