But I Digest

Its been said that we are a team that lacks the cojones to close the door when it matters. That we are a team that, if given the opportunity, would rather be losing with five minutes to go than have a one goal lead. Some people even say that we cant handle the pressure of a win.

But to me that's the equivalent of saying that we are born losers.

I cant accept that.

I wont accept that.

In fact, the reality is not that we know how to lose but it's just that we dont know how to win.

Call it semantics, but there is a difference.

A Game Overview:

Any warm and fuzzy feeling that you may have gotten from game one is gone now. If you had anything to feel encouraged about, it just blew up in your face. We got smoked. Our butts were handed to us. We were reamed thin, chewed up and spit out. We played like a team of rookies. Scratch that. A team of fat, out shape, slow, over confident rookies.

Our performance was a punch line. It was really 'haha' funny though.

The interesting part about this game was how we started. We actually carried the ball, controlled the tempo, made some good shots and had a few scoring chances. It looked like we would be in for a competitive game. But the other team scored first...second and third.

We were down by 3 with a defense that got turned around numerous times, a second line that 'ran' past their assignment if the other team deked just the slightest and a 1st line that couldn't muster any offense besides the Ron Leger long range slapshot.

A comeback wasn't happening.

But being down 3-2 at the start of the third period gave us hope. The hope deflated about 40 seconds into the period. The other team scored on a bouncy ping pong ball like goal. It was 4-2, it may as well have been 15-2.

Final Score 5-2. With an Empty Netter.

More Questions than Answers:

I think I should preface this before I go any further:

We have a good team. And yes, we were missing a few key players this week. But, we have a fundamental issue. And Im not even talking about the BobCat 'thing' or Brendon questioning the move of MVW over him on the 6 on 5 (which was the right move). Those are bumps in the road. They were both ridiculous, but nothing too big.

Let me just say it: This team never picks themselves up. Never. That's why we never win. Everything snowballs. And you can quantify this theory by looking at a single play or the game as a whole. When was the last time a key scorer struggled and the team managed to pick him up to persevere for the win?? It doesn't happen. the key winger has to score or we lose, period. We never have that "out of nowhere" performance to lift the team up. We live and die with the performance of the few. Thats why we lose. We never have a 'Bobby Keilty' hit a game winning homer or a 'Nick Punto' with a key defensive save. Its the same people carrying the offense every week. 

We are a team that prides itself on hustle and stingy defense (we have done neither the last two weeks btw), but we need to do a better job turning the other teams failed rush into our own offensive breakout. Hard and accurate passes. It starts with me and the defense. I haven't done my job. The defense as a whole has not done what it needs to do. Adjustments need to be made. They have been made. Its time to kick some butt. And it starts on defense.

For some reason stagnant performance plagues us all. But we are better than this.

It starts next week.

Haverhill Cup - Saturday at 1:00

This is what we'll be missing out on if we don't play next Saturday! The only trophy any of us have a chance at winning.(If you look close Nick, you can see your name)

List of who is in: John, Brett, Nick, Jon.

Game on: Sunday, 6:00 inside rink

I'm waiting to hear back from enough people to see if I should schedule the rink this Sunday or next for this month. Let me know if you can make it this week, and if we get enough then I will schedule it. 

Update: Game on, 6:00, inside on Sunday


In: John, Nick, Billy, Brendon, Elliot, Dale, Brett, Warren, Brian, Lenny, Joe, Steve, Bobby (G), Darrin (G)
Out: Mike D, Jared, Brad

No hockey today. Likely next Sunday.

Running Lists - Hockey This Sunday 10/17 at 6:00; Haverhill Cup (Saturday Oct 22nd)

Okay, let's reuse this post for this week: Who can play this Sunday @ 6:00? Also, who is in for the Haverhill Cup on the 22nd?
So I am going to create two running totals and update them here.  One for who is in for this week.  The other being who is in for the Haverhill Cup (Saturday the 22nd at 1:30).

In for this week:  John, Nick, Brett, Brad, Tony
Out for this week: Billy, Mike D, Joe
Haven't heard from: Everyone else

Haverhill Cup
In: John
Out:
Goalies: