New Stick Trial and Playoff Hockey

A late start to the day meant a missed morning skate down in Kettler, but it also meant migas for breakfast, so things worked themselves out it seems.

Today saw the first time I've had the chance to try a composite stick out on the ice. With the acquisition of Mr. Aucoin's brand new stick a few weeks back, I have finally seen the light, and doubt I'll be going back.

It's amazing the difference in feel and stick maneuverability you feel the second you begin to play a puck. There is a significant bump to overall handling ability with the reduction in weight that is appreciable in even my less than qualified hands.

Open hockey went well overall this afternoon at Kettler. Unfortunately there were no goalies for the hour, but teams worked out to be roughly evened out with 6-7 per side giving us enough to go 4 on 4 for the duration. The first 20 minutes were end to end with good energy, but by the end only a handful of guys still had it in their legs to play the puck hard.

There were a few familiar faces from last week and a bunch of new ones, but all around a great group. Some skilled players and a few less so (namely myself), but all were just out to have a good time.

Playing posts isn't exactly a strong point of mine, as really I have very little control over shots just yet, but joining a rush I was fed a pass that I threw on net where a defenders stick deflected my shot up and into the crossbar, to which there was much rejoicing by myself and my teammates as I had lamented that my only chance to hit the posts was to be lucky!

Getting home and getting some good grub in my gut before flipping the tele to the game in the hopes that the series would be clenched. The game didn't disappoint in the drama department but did in the unfortunate loss. I said it to a friend a few days ago, to watch the Caps is to invite drama.

Overall this post season has been absolutely fantastic. Series that I thought would be a sure thing are blown wide open or overturned a predesignated (in my mind) winner with an upset time and time again. Some amazing plays all around and a lot of nail biters. Last years post season is what jolted my hockey heart back to life, and this time around, it's just as electrifying.

Media Craziness at Kettler and Open Hockey

Friday morning at Kettler started off calm enough. Sunny and warm outside, but cool and crisp as a rink should be in the stands of the practice rink. But then, this is the playoffs, and that slow start was soon broken by the buzz of media from the full spectrum of the hockey world.

To say there was a good bit of media represented for Morning Skate is more than an understatement. During the regular season, a practice or morning skate pulled a handful of personnel from various online and television sources. Post season? Well, I'll just let the photo do the talking.


They come out in droves this time of year it seems. Much of the throng seen seemed to be from North of the border, as there was more than a fair share of French being thrown about in a manner I've yet to be privy to outside of a High School French class. Standing about in front of the gate, I was hoping to catch one Jose Theodore for a minute of his time for the charity art project I've worked on. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to secure any signatures for the time at the gate, but ended up dragooning myself to opening the gate for media personnel with far too much equipment for their own good. A few nods of thanks and some tired legs from waiting I decided to have a seat.

The team didn't do a full on skate for the day, in fact a good portion didn't skate at all. I took a seat high in the stands to the close net behind the Russian contingent who I've seen regularly taking the boys morning skate in, with obvious attention to Semyon Varlamov.

As I took my seat there was a bit of a contest/game/competition going on with the boys out on the ice, a shooting practice using two sticks in either corner. I wasn't quite able to discern the objective unfortunately, but there was a good amount of chatter through the group as each shot. Eventually the group finished up and moved to other matters at hand.

The practice wound down slowly, with the healthy scratches doing their bit of extra skate before the the ice was quiet and the pucks and sticks were collected. I walked back over to the gate for a while longer, but no one was making their way back around that area. Joe B and Al Koken wandered over as a few kids were hanging about, they signed a few jerseys for them and chatted a bit. Both seemed very personable and were good sports about one fans attempt to take a photo that ended up being video!

After waiting for what seemed to be too long, I checked my clock and seeing as it was past noon, it was definitely time for a quick bite down in mall. A sandwich and a soda was to be the cap of my trip to Kettler, and I sat quietly to myself in the cafe checking through the Kettler website on my phone. I had plans to head back up to Rockville, closer to home, for some stick and shoot, but something told me to double check on the days and times for Open Hockey while I was still around. Luckily I did! There was ice time in 15 minutes! I scarfed down my sandwich and chugged a bit of soda and hoofed it up the stairs (Note: Take the Elevator!). Getting my sticker, I ran out to the Jeep and collected my gear and sticks.

Playing ice hockey on the Capitals practice ice was something of a special moment. I'd known you could for some time, but it was the first time I'd had the chance to do so. It's a great fanboy moment as you cut into the same ice that your team does. The moment was to be slightly short lived as my first shift on came up quickly and I realized just how dehydrated I was, and how eating just before taking the ice is likely a bad idea! A few moments of indigestion and a near issue with my past meal making reappearance, I got through the worst of it and guzzled water at every chance.

While in the locker room getting ready, there was talk of someone on the ice who'd mentioned their brother played for the Caps, a bit of peaked interest, I headed out not thinking too much of it. I took my seat alongside the rest of the guys out there and noticed a Swedish flag on a Bauer stick. A one Kristoffer Backstrom was playing a game of pick up. It was a neat thing for a newbie player like myself to play hockey with a guy who plays in the Swedish Elite League. Luckily, he was on my team so I didn't have to be embarrassed by him skating circles around me! There was no big kerfuffle made about his presence, but it was a fun addition to an already great group who showed for the ice time.

I really look forward to getting some more time out at Kettler, the locker room was far more mature than those I've be accustomed to in Rockville and the attitude on the ice is much more lax and fun. It's a drive, and actually costs more, but the level of fun was much higher than my past open hockey time. In fact I'm doing much the same as I did last week this week! Only this time I'll be putting my freshly cut and taped composite to the test.

Get out there, have some fun, and I'll see you on the ice!

Stick and shoots, Caps games and a new 'Piece'

The leaner me. Thanks Hockey!

It's been a bit of a hectic life these past few weeks. I've been terrible about updating the blog and I while I know I should update daily to get the most out of my hockey experience, there just isn't enough time! We might see a bit more focus from me on the daily hockey front come the summer and into the next season as I settle into things a bit more.

I've been making some time every week or two for a few hours of ice time, and would you believe it, I can sort of stop to the left! It's such a momentous occasion! I should probably buy a cake and ice cream to celebrate. It's not pretty, and I can't do it at all times, but when I'm thinking about it, going in at the right angle, and am not going too fast, I can make a hockey stop to the left side. With a few more times out on the ice to practice, I can see learning to use it mid play as well.

Other things I've started to see about my play have been getting frozen while on the back peddle playing D. I feel I commit too much to a forward push when I should be looking to turn and burn with the opponent instead. I've had a few too many bad (see: unforced) turnovers when moving in zone as well. Both of these make me realize just how new to the game I really am. But as a little boost to the old ego, I've mentioned a few times that this is my first year ever playing ice hockey and many people have said that's really impressive considering how I play already. Still, there is a lot of 'in progress' when it comes to my on ice play.

I'm still hovering around 187-188, depending on the amount of water/food in my system. I feel really good about it, as my workout time has diminished some with school. I usually get one or two good runs in a week and as mentioned above, a hockey day/night once every week or so. My eating habits have only slightly improved from before, but I'm far more active and busy than before. Even when going to school, I get a bit of workout from the quarter mile hike I have to make from my Jeep to the classroom (CCBC parking is a miserable situation when you need to be in the art department!). Doing this 3 of the 4 times I go to class gives me a little bit a workout that seems to wake my body up just enough.

Here we go...

Caps games have kept me glued to the television every few days and I've even been able to attend two since my birthday. One against the Stars and this past Friday versus the Thrashers. The game against the Thrashers was the most fun I've had yet at a game. The feel inside Verizon was just intense. A really great experience from start to finish with a beautiful girl by my side the entire night.

The Presidents Trophy Presented to the 2009-10 Washington Capitals

Seeing the Presidents Trophy presentation was a special extra, and the Fan Appreciation hockey stick sale was a great chance to pick up a brand new or used stick from the players own stock. I dug through the sticks during two intermissions and finally found one that I was going to call my own, a Keith Aucoin Warrior Dolomite composite that will routinely run you a cool $170 I picked up for $99. With a blade with a near identical in curve to my CCM Ovechkin wood stick, I just need to cut it down to size and throw some tape on. There were a few used sticks that I had considered picking up, but I felt I'd much rather a new stick that I wouldn't hesitate using for my own game instead.

My new 'piece'

First Star Alex Ovechkin

A few Red Hooks, a pizza, and a win later, my wife and I headed out to the concourse to pick up my stick and then hit the store for some swag for our last game of the season. My wife made out like a bandit picking up a zipper sweatshirt, a reebok capitals hockey shirt, and a old school looking hat. The hats section is where we spent the majority of our time, taking photos of her in each so she could see what they looked like. They really need to put a mirror next to the rack...

My beautiful Date

So with the regular season coming to an end yesterday, the beard is begun and I wait with baited breath for the coming storm that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If last year was any indicator it's going to be another amazing couple of months worth of hockey.

Artwork signed by Eric Fehr

I hope to get down to Kettler sometime in the coming week or two to try and get with Jose Theodore and Alex Ovechkin for their John Hancock on the pieces I worked up for the Saves For Kids foundation. With any luck I'll have them up and online for bidding before the end of the first playoff series. For those of you with connections/access, if you can help in this regard, I'll be looking to promote these auctions all around the web/community. And if anyone can get me a few minutes of face time with either of those two players, I'd love to hear from you!