Open Net; Feeling Good

I'm reading Open Net by George Plimpton, about the time he played in net for the Bruins during training camp and then played a bit in an exhibition game.

Not quite halfway through and I find it... not hard to read but not written like I want it to be written. But I'll reserve further judgement until I've finished.

However, I loved this line about when a goal is scored and I had to share it:

The puck sits in the nets like a dog's mess on the carpet. 

I can't really think of a better way to put it. I'm so repulsed by pucks in my net, I won't touch them. Once I see the puck's in the net, I won't even turn around again. I'm done with it.

The ref or my defense have to fish it out, because I've moved on to my "spend 10 seconds figuring out what went wrong and then forget it" routine. Sometimes I forget to move out of the way. Like, that puck might as well be in orbit around Jupiter for how much I want to do with it after it's in.

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Fun game tonight at Memorial City. I played with this group once before, back before Christmas, and wasn't happy with my game, but I feel like I did a good job learning their rhythm and tendencies in that game and it paid off tonight.

One guy kept getting breakaways and trying wrap-arounds, which was nice practice, and probably a good break because he's good and could have put it in on me at will if he wanted. The only one that went in I got, but it slid around the base of my pads and Bonnie banged it home because I had no idea it was just sitting in front of me.

For the life of me, I don't understand why defensemen won't SAY something when I'm sitting there stock still thinking I have it. Tell me I don't have it so I can get the flippers going or something! Oy.

But that's alright. This group is lousy with positivity, such that it tempers my natural ... what shall we call it... bitchiness? :)

It's a real credit to them how they integrate very novice players with very experienced players at this skate. The pace is steady and not annoying for the goalie like some novice level games can be. Speaking of which, my goalie brothers and sisters might enjoy this article from The Goalie Guild on playing casually vs. attentively.

It provided some clarity for me around LOOKING casual vs. BEING casual. I love goalies who have the confidence to be quiet in net and it comes across as being casual. So when I started playing and mimicked that style of "presence" in net, I confused looking casual with being casual. I'm finally learning that I MUST be attentive, but I can be quiet in the process.

Anyway, just read the article. It's good stuff.

And good luck to the Harpies in Vegas!

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I feel good. :) But please send some healing booboo love out to my goalies Maalivahti and Brusty who are both dinged up. I least I hope Brusty is just dinged up. My girl Maalivahti is a little more than dinged up. Send her some love, please, Goalie Union.