Can't get enough

I am struggling. I just can't get on the ice as much as I want. To be fair, I've never been on the ice as much as I want. Everyday is more than I can swing. But, with the season over and not being able to get a babysitter for my daughter so I can go during the day, I've been relegated to Thursday night drop-in only. I can't play in the men's league because I work on that night. I've decided that I should drive the 45 minutes to the next closest rink for their Tuesday Thursday morning skate. It starts at 5:45 am. That means I would need to leave at 4:45 am to be on time and dressed. I went on Tuesday and it was a solid drop in, but I am still trying to recover from only getting four hours of sleep. Those of you who know me will agree that I'm a night owl. I hate waking up and going to sleep. I love sleep, it is just the getting in and out part(kind of like a geo metro for me-6'3" 275).

I'm going to figure out a way to get more hockey. I love being on the ice. I love shooting the puck. Even if it is just a sunday skate, I want to be there playing.

I'll just have to find a babysitter. More than that, I need a full time job. Then I will be able to really figure out how to get my hockey fix.

Blackhawks offense

The Chicago Blackhawks made all-world goaltender Roberto Luongo look like a garage leaguer last night. They beat him four times in the third period of an elimination game. Luongo's mates did their part offensively, they gave him a lead. But Luongo couldn't stop Chi-town's skill players. Kane and Toews are just sick. They are straight swine flu mixed with bird flu covered in sars. Kane's backhander was amazing. He cut across the ice to the right, Luongo cut off the angle perfectly. But Kane shot back against his body with a defender on him and sniped the top left corner. You just can't do that, it was worthy of his celebration after.
What the Canucks should have done is borrow a page from Anaheim's playbook. The Ducks kill skill with toughness and hustle. The Canucks just stood around while the young guns of Chicago sliced and diced their way through the Vancouver zone. The Ducks would have interfered and cross-checked them the 'hawks into a bloody pulp. They wouldn't have stood around and watched while Kane put the puck in their net. They would have put some composite lumber in his teeth. That is why the Ducks got a Cup in '07 and Vancouver has nothing.
Even the Wings figure out how to play chippy when the stakes are high. They don't do it ugly like the Ducks, but they still hit hard and keep their man from posterizing them. The Moral of the story is, Vancouver chose not to be good enough to win.

Soothing my depression

I miss playing hockey now that the college season is over. So, I am living vicariously through the Detroit Red Wings. But it is getting rough.

The wings dropped a second one goal tilt to the Ducks. I do page design part-time for the Provo Daily Herald and I was watching it while I put the scoreboard page. It wasn't that the Wings lost that got me down, it was how the played.

Usually the Wings have the best passes in the league. Not just head-manning the puck, but they throw beautiful no-look behind the back drop passes and sick across the crease to snipe passes. I saw none of this from them in the first period and a half. They were chasing the Ducks around like a bunch of mites. They got better, but too little and too late to win the game. Now they are down 2-1.

To make myself feel better, I went to my local hockey shop. They are having a 50-70-percent off sale. I got a Warrior Dolospyne for $100. I'll let you know how it is when I get a chance to use it on the ice. I'll be playing a drop-in on thursday night. Hopefully it is such a sick stick that I go and buy ten more. I usually use the old yellow synergy sticks, but hopefully the Warrior stacks up.