Minnesota Day 4

AKA the day I wasn't sure I'd survive with the ability to walk. But I did.

I played 2.5 hours of practice mid-day, 2 hours of practice in the evening, and then 30 minutes of the coaches game at night.

The practices weren't anything out of the ordinary. Just a lot of them. The highlight of the day was my friend Bryan, whom I've known for a few years now but never met, coming to visit. And his wife and daughters joined him, so it was awesome meeting the whole family and just chilling during my lunch break. Also, always funny to watch little kids get freaked out by us goalies. I get it. I would have been scared of goalies, too, as little kid. Wish more skaters were. :)

Always nice doing something like this to have some friendly faces who know more about you than you're from Houston and you're a goalie. In fact, he knows me so well, he brought me a huge bag of Funyuns and a chocolate milk! How clutch is that? VERY! Love a man who pays attention!

That night, I played the first 30 minute game against the coaches. The camper team was the blue (most novice) team plus one red group player (I'd say easily the best player in camp) to give us some hope vs. the 5 camp coaches.

I've mentioned how good these guys are.... someone compared it to the Harlem Globetrotters. They just toyed with us. It was a show. And it was an impressive show. Lightning fast EVERYTHING from these guys. But my team did a great job getting sticks in the way and minimizing direct shots as best they could. But they still put 8 past me in 15 minutes.

I had some good stops but they all have such quick releases and are such good skaters that it feels like no matter what you do, they can find a way to beat you. Having defensemen taking away some of their options helps but those guys can put the puck anywhere they want. As a goalie, it's awesome to have guys who can do that, especially when you're warming up. Nice to get some right on the blocker, right in the glove, etc.

You kinda see how a guy like Max Noreau gets it done. You get a ripping shot like that and you really can't see it. You just have to hope to be in the way, but these guys can pick the corner from center ice, so how can you be completely in the way? Unreal.

Anyway, after all that, I headed up to the Blue Fox and had an absolute blast with my Russoville friends. One of them is in the band that was playing (shout out to 100 Watt Jones!) and hooked us up with t-shirts and played the cowbell (okay, and saxophone.... and tambourine) like a beast. It was big fun watching the white folks dance like white folks. I was up laaaate and the beer glasses are really really big there. Saturday morning hit like a load of bricks.