Looking for the silver lining...

Aw shit. Pretty bummed about the Aeros loss tonight. It's one thing for the other goalie to get a shutout, but it was a pretty lackluster shutout. Not many good chances on him to at least give me the satisfaction of having seen a great goaltending performance.

Oh well.

It's my fault because I wrote glowing things about them today, which is a surefire way to make them suck. Plus I didn't wear green. I'm sorry boys. I got cocky there...

Anyway, it's been a crazy week of working two jobs, basically, and moonlighting as a lush. Gone to bed sober one night this week and it turns out I still felt like shit the next day, so... why bother?

Good things about today though:

1. I had some mac and cheese at lunch
2. I got to ask BEAUTIFUL Cody Bass a (dumb) question at the post game presser. He smiled real big when he answered me. I blushed. He's really pretty and I'm looking forward to him shaving that Yosemite Sam beard off.
3. Lehner walked up some stairs next to me at morning skate and I got to ogle his ginormous thigh muscles. (Seriously, the boy is walking on redwoods. Not the usual goalie birdlegs.)
4. Didn't get completely hammered at Dill's tonight, so maybe I won't feel like puking during morning skate interviews tomorrow.
5. My first round of picks for my Five Hole Fantasy team came out today. It's basically a fantasy hockey league for next season where we don't really care who wins as long as our team is drop-dead gorgeous. NHL and AHL boys in the mix, plus one "Ice Man," who is basically a non-hockey hottie cheerleader guy. Mainly it was an excuse to wax poetic about Brusty to a new audience.

So, other than meeting a few Twitter gals and the above items, the day kinda sucked. Even my nap was full of nightmares I couldn't seem to wake up from.

And it's my last night in Binghamton. Back to real life earrrrrly Sunday morning when we land back in Houston. It's been a great experience here and I've actually gained some good confidence at this beat writer thing. Tonight, when Yeo's press conference started, he looked at ME for the first question. It's a small thing but it meant a lot to me.

Anyway, I'm exhausted and surprised I haven't started getting sick yet. Always do when I burn the candle at both ends like this. Maybe the alcohol is killing the germs. :P

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The Dream goes to Binghamton

Haven't really written much since The Dream came to be. I've been thinking a lot about that because... well... I write. About everything. But especially hockey, Brusty, and things that generally rock my world. Which The Dream is entirely about.

But I think I finally figured it out yesterday. I write to "process" or to make you guys laugh or make myself laugh or to solidify something that I can't quite get a grasp on. Writing about something makes it tangible for me.

This is completely different though. It really is The Dream. And dreams are ephemeral. I don't have words for it because there aren't words. It's real, it's like vapor. If I try to bottle it or give it shape, it loses its essence.

So, with that, I'm just letting the dream "be" in terms of writing about it.

In terms of living it, however, I've got that sucker by the throat. I've got it so by the throat that I'm writing this post on the plane with the Aeros headed for Binghamton.

Yep, 25 honey badgers at the back of the plane, determined to hoist the cup. Coaches, doctors, trainers, staff. And me. How the fuck does that happen?

Nevermind how. It just does, at least this time. So my principle concern is making the most of it. I don't know that I'll ever have another chance like this.

(I wrote the above bit on the plane and suddenly the wifi cut out, so I'm finishing now that I'm at the hotel, which smells like boiled cabbage and makes it clear why the team sprung for a charter...)

That said, the view out my window is fantastic. I'll tweet a picture tomorrow when the sun isn't in the perfect spot to glare it all up. Follow me on Twitter for constant-to-the-point-of-annoying updates of everything going on here in Bingotown. At least everything that won't get me in trouble to say.

It's supposed to be "humid" here tomorrow. I can't wait to see what they call humid, but there is a LOT of water in this area. Rivers everywhere, so I'm kinda buying that humid could actually mean pretty humid.

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Okay, one last comment on the dream: I would love to know the odds of these teams playing each other in the finals. And I don't just mean the straight odds of any eastern team playing any western team.

I mean the odds of the random team that picks up MY goalie playing MY team in the finals. And throw in some further unpredictability because if Mike Brodeur and Pascal Leclaire hadn't spent all season going to the doctor, he would have been playing for Elmira.

Granted, the Leclaire injury was pretty much 100% predictable, but still... Oddsmakers, mathematicians, have your way with this one.

I'm gonna guess that it's lottery-winning sorts of odds.

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Exhaling. Resetting.

Sorry gang. I've been holding my breath for 3 days, hoping my next post here would be celebrating The Dream coming true.

But my ridiculously high expectations were dashed Wednesday night in dramatic fashion and I've since had to exhale and reset.

It's taken me until today to be honestly, completely happy for Bingo, which seems crazy and probably is, given my strong affinity for so many people on and associated with that team. But for 24 hours or so there, reminders of Bingo sweeping had an implied "and the Aeros didn't" attached. Bah. Shut up.

But regardless of what happens, I really can't lose. I can only win less. Either way, I have a dog in the fight and I'd love to see Binghamton shove it up Hamilton's collective derrieres if it comes to that. Especially Ryan White's. Greasy prick.

If you didn't catch my tweet of it yesterday, here's Bingo's room after their game Wednesday. Even media don't get these kinds of peeks too often, as there's usually a cooling off period after the game before reporters are allowed in.




Oh, hockey boys. Just ignore me yelling, "TAKE IT OFF!" when I watch that. Just instinct. Can't help it. Also ignore the singles I'm shoving at the screen when they show Cody "Hotter than Koivu" Bass. Rawr.

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Not a great week of goaltending for me, which is par for the course lately, but I offered up to the Hockey Gods my own hopes for success in the women's 3 on 3 tourney Tuesday night in exchange for the Aeros and Bingo wins. I'm fine with that trade, naturally.

I was playing across the ice from a girl who's been playing since she was a kid. Pure stand-up goalie. And really good, too. Those stand-up tendies sure make it look easy.... until one goes right between their skates. She whipped me, though, and seemed to hardly even move while doing it, so I guess I can't talk.

Ah well, it was fun and a killer workout to play 3 on 3 for an hour straight. I was flat out by the end of the last game.

Only clinic and drop-in next week, so I guess I'll do both. I sucked at drop-in this week even without doing clinic, soooo I might as well do clinic, right? Meh.

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Vacation Report: Brusty Day

I'm baaaackkkkk....

Back from the land of quaint houses and 2-story-tall piles of parking lot snow. It was a good trip, but I ended up coming home a day early because I was flying stand-by and there's a blizzard coming to the East Coast today and Wednesday. I wanted to make sure I could get outta dodge before the planes started filling up.

Worked out well because I also managed to get myself sick. Woke up Sunday feeling some lungular distress, but it was Brusty Day, so I had adrenaline and lustiness and get me through it. But by the time we got home from Providence, I was done for. So, I'm spending my last vacation day in bed, writing. And coughing. No big deal.

And since it makes a nice segue, I'll go backwards and start with Brusty Day on Sunday.

Binghamton @ Providence

So, Brusty played (and won) Friday in Bingo, he backed up Brodeur in a win Saturday night in Bingo, and then was supposed to play Sunday. But the Ottawa Senators are a bunch of selfish bastards and sent Lehner down at the last minute to get him some playing time. They are forever on my shit list for that.

Since Binghamton is 4+ hours from where I was staying and Providence was 2.5 hours, plus Sunday was the only day with clear weather, I decided that was going to be the way to go. And since it didn't require an overnighter, I was able to bring my friend with me and have some company.

So anyway, I went to bed Saturday thinking I was going to see Brusty play Sunday. That's a really nice way to go to bed in my little world. Grin on my face. Brusty Brusty Brusty... :D

Then I wake up in the morning and read tweets from Joy that Lehner's back and he's playing. #heartsink #sad

But dammit, I'm going anyway. At least I'll get to SEE Brusty. And that's just going to have to be enough.

So we get there and I buy tickets with no idea about the layout of the arena, but they're on the blue line at the end where the P-Bruins shoot twice. Okay, if Lehner gets the hook or gets hurt and Brusty comes in, I'll have a great view.

Neither of those things happened, but as it turned out, the seats were on the second row and DIRECTLY across from the visitors tunnel where... the backup goalie sits. :) O HAI BRUSTY!

So, while I didn't get to watch him play... I got to watch him watch his team play. Yay? Okay, I watched the game, too, and in all honesty, was rooting HARD for the Bruins in the first half of the game. I was really hoping for some LehnerFail. Alas, he's a pretty good goalie and the Sens were playing pretty well.

What was sucktastic was that Schaefer was backing up for the Bruins and sitting in the same spot as Brusty, just on the other blue line. So here I am looking at the two goalies who basically inspired ME to be a goalie... sitting on their asses in the locker room tunnel. Maybe the hockey gods were saving me from the stroke I would have had watching them compete against each other, but I have to think they would have enjoyed that. Stupid Ottawa.

At least I did get to see Schaef play, as Dalton got run after 4 goals. His defense was absolutely horrific but I also didn't feel like he was seeing the puck very well. He looks like a goalie whose been playing behind a bad defensive team for too long. There's just something about that that wears a goalie down.

Anyway, final was 5-3. We got back and my friend's husband asked me if my team won. I wasn't sure how to answer that. I guess so? I don't really consider them "my team" unless B's in goal, right? They're just some Eastern team I don't really give a crap about otherwise. But it was nice to see Brusty smiling and happy for the win and relaxed and, naturally, as foxy as ever. Even my friend, who really doesn't care one way or another for hockey or players, approved of my taste in hockey boyfriends.

We also both very VERY much approved of Cody Bass. Very approved. #pantysoup

"If you've had a physical reaction to my handsomeness, you're welcome."

Apart from all that was just the fun of seeing a game in a different AHL barn. The Dunk is a nice building. Holds about 11k and it was pretty full Sunday, but it seemed like an inordinate number of kids. When they did that noisemeter thing on the jumbotron, it was ear-splitting.

Also, I'm not sure whether I approve or not, but they do all their patriotic choir kids at the beginning of the game. America the Beautiful, God Bless America, AND the National Anthem in one swoop before puck drop. And then you're free to enjoy the rest of the game without all that cringe-inducing warbling.

Anyway, that's enough on Brusty Day. Possibly more than enough. I'll hit the rest of the trip over the next couple of days.

Oh, and a quick shout out to Sarah Connors, who writes/shoots for Something's Bruin for coming down at intermission and saying Hi! Great to meet you Sarah!

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Quick Hits: Fantasy, Ugly Jerseys, Vinyl Mask Art, Poodlecize

My fantasy team really did have a fantasy day today. I had 7 skaters active (no goalies). 9 goals, 5 assists, +12. Whatever I fed them for breakfast, they're eating every day now. Just sorry Corey Perry had to blow up against MY team, but whatever.

Between my +8.5 and the guy behind me with -6, I've finally got a bit of distance there and made a nice gain on the guy in the #1 spot. I'm coming for you, Kevin, and not in a good way.

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Got Friday's Binghamton game from AHL Live to watch tonight while I did some stitching and repairs on my goalie gear. Fun game and they weren't kidding about some big saves and some loud chanting. Lots of moving the puck behind the net. The team is clearly getting better at responding to that and taking advantage of it. THAT is fun to watch.

The Sens won again today in Rochester, but not quite as stalwart a defensive effort and it took 5 goals + 2 shootout markers to get the win. But hey, a W's a W.

Aeros stunk it up though. Expected a let-down after such a wild game Friday and some tough travel, so NBD.

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Some fuss about the Everblades hideous Christmas jerseys, including getting on the front page of Yahoo! Sports as a Puck Daddy feature.

A non-hockey friend even tweeted it to me, and the fact that she even knew it was off the hook sorta set me off. Ugly jerseys have always been a bit of a burr under my saddle.

I don't understand why teams would want to do that to their players. I know it gets media attention but it just seems disrespectful. To have to roll out and face a team you know is going, "Fuck man, you look like a Florida tourist shop barfed all over you." and have to grind it out. I dunno. Just seems like a bad idea. And just to make my point, the Blades lost.

I'd want my players to look good and feel good, wouldn't you?

Reminds me of when I shaved the dog at the beginning of the summer. He's just a dog but he knew he looked stupid and he was giving us stink eye for days over it. So you really think you're gonna get your best from guys you've dressed up like clowns?

And the SOCKS! My god, the socks....

*sigh*

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I bought this vinyl mask "paint." $25 for a totally new look for my mask. Worth a shot, right? I'll be sure and offer up a full review here, assuming I win the battle and am able to take my cage off. Hopefully it won't be like last time and require a drill and much frustration.

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Um. You can't un-see stuff like this. Especially at 2:45. Oh my.

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I told you so, Binghamton

I almost tweeted it today, but I held back. Sometimes the hockey gods teach you to just STFU and not make silly predictions. And sometimes I actually listen.

But what I wanted to say was that I had a really good feeling about both the Aeros game and Brusty's game against Albany tonight. Used to, when I had a good feeling, I was usually wrong. More and more, my intuition is getting righter. Maybe Andrew's freakish knack for predictions is rubbing off on me.

I was driving to the rink tonight and looked at the clock. It was about 6:07 and I realized Bingo was playing and I was thinking how much I wanted them to win. Like a big butt whippin' kinda win, you know? So I concentrated all my powers of concentration and sent some big time, big game mojo right to the crease there in the Broome County Arena. (Unfortunately, I'm not even remotely kidding about this. I don't even remember about half a mile of my drive on Allen Parkway, I was in the zone, man...)

I'm happy to report, it arrived safely and not only did the B-Sens win, B-money got his 3rd shutout of the season. I keep saying I'm going to buy a game archive to watch. I think I've found my game. Apparently some big saves and the crowd chanting his name, "BAR-RY! BAR-RY!" several times. Must. See.

One of the fantasies I have as a goalie is for my name to be chanted by an adoring crowd. (Attention whore, much?) The first time I heard that was at a Rangers game, and hearing the crowd chant, "HEN-RIK! HEN-RIK!" over and over made the hair stand up on my neck.

But I'm 99.9% sure that's never going to happen for me because there's never more than about 3 people watching my games, and also, I suck. But when it happens to a goalie I care so much about, it's almost as good. Vicarious chant fuzzies -- I'll take 'em!

I'm just so proud of him. After a really shitty year--year and a half, even--it's just so gratifying to see the stars aligning to give him loads of playing time and for him to be making the most of it and for the fans to be appreciating what they've got there.

Have I mentioned, darlings, that AHL All Star Voting has begun? Have I mentioned that if you love me, you'll get your butt over there and vote for Brusty as your most favoritest Eastern Conference goalie? GO. DO IT. NOW. PRETTY PLEASE.

And the Aeros game was pretty awesome, too. You can read about that at T3I. :)

Also, dig this tweet from Brett Cecil. OMG. I'm ordering my Blue Jays Cecil shirt right now, bitches. I'm in love.

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Drop-in Kills Bingo Sweater

I never really quite understood what it meant for a goalie to be "fighting the puck" until tonight. Now I get it. I fought the puck. And the puck won.

Nights like this, it's like I've handed out a "Free Goal with Every Shot!" coupon to everybody at the drop-in and they all cashed in. Hey, I made them happy, right? Never mind that I like 'em better when they're miserable.

I dunno what it was. I just couldn't find my angles, I couldn't track the puck into me, I couldn't do anything but get lit up. One after the other they just went in the net. I guarantee I let in twice as many as I stopped. Can you have a negative save percentage? I suck at math but I think I might have had one tonight.

I'd feel worse about it but I played so well last week, I kinda feel like there's a little leeway there.

But you goalies know how it is after a bad game, right? All the skaters, and even the other goalie, are kinda looking at you sideways, like, "Eww, you poor thing." It's some mix of pity and disdain.

Whatever. These things don't get to me quite like they used to. I'm both glad I have tomorrow's game to redeem myself (to myself) but worried about it, too. The team I'm facing, I see a lot of breakaways and I played breakaways tonight like I was blindfolded.

May just need to get some music in my head to try and shut off the chatter and doubt and just react. I can feel the overthinking already starting as I run through my mental list of all the things I have to do right. Challenge. Be patient. $2000 saves. Puck focus. Battle hard. Stick on the ice. Hands out in front. Move your feet. Bahhhhh. Shut up, brain!

But that's all the way to tomorrow, so I'll worry about it then. :)

This was the swan song for the Bingo sweater though. I told myself when I packed my bag, the Bingo sweater gets one last chance. I still have yet to play a decent game in it. I stink EVERY time I wear it. Getting pretty tired of that, even though it's a great conversation piece.

Random Skater: "Binghamton Senators? You from up there?"
Me: "No, but my favorite goalie plays for them this year."
RS: "Who's that?"
Me: "Barry Brust"
Drop-in organizer, who gets to hear this conversation every time it happens because we change next to each other: "SHE LUUUUUUVS BARRY BRUST...."
Me: *blushing* :) "It's true."
RS: *eye roll*

Maybe THAT'S the problem with the Bingo sweater... They get my brain off in Brustyland and I kinda don't really give a shit what the puck is doing. Lalalala....

Either way, it's back to the Aeros sweaters this winter (these AHL pracky sweaters are too hot and heavy to wear in the summer). Bingo will be reserved for recreational purposes, like curling up inside it when I'm cold or actually going a game in Bingo in January, where I'll likely also be cold. :)

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Quick hits: Weekend from Hell, Brusty, Holiday

Criminy. Life is hard sometimes. This weekend was hard. Personal shit I won't get into here, but things seem to have evened out.

At least I came out of the weekend with a brand new phone line, so I no longer have to yell over hum and static, and my internet will work consistently.

And the Aeros won for the first time at home. Awesome to see finally.

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I capped the weekend off by catching up on the B-Sens reporter's blog with my fresh internet, and it was chock-a-block with great quotes from and about Brusty, who is stealing points (if not always games, thanks to a sometimes-anemic offense) left and right for Binghamton. I see that his back-up has been sent to Elmira though, which means, I'm guessing, that Mike Brodeur is ready to come back from his concussion (and indeed, he is putting himself through his own goalie practice this morning per Joy's tweets).

And when Leclaire is healthy and Lehner is set to return to Bingo... Ugh. I mean, what are the odds they send either of the NHL-contracted guys down? No question in my mind that Brusty's a better goalie than Brodeur, and that's not just me being biased. The numbers bear it out. No pun intended. :)

Last season, they didn't hesitate to keep CHRIS HOLT! up when he was playing better than... um... whoever that guy was they also had there. So there's a precedent in Bingo for playing the best goalie. New coach though, so I dunno.

Can't worry about that now. Just enjoy whatcha got while ya got it.

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Anyway, in the midst of the drama, I missed hockey Saturday night. I was even AT the rink, but got sick while I was killing time waiting to get ready. Decided it would be best for me and everybody if I just went home. I felt horrible and wasn't remotely in the right head space to play a game (even though it was a practice). Just an awful night. :(

But I do have drop-in tonight as my only game all week. Playoffs start in women's league next week, I think. More good practice for me at staying relaxed in a little bit higher pressure situation.

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Cool thing: I sat by Bob Mason, the Wild goalie coach last night. Kinda fun getting to talk to him a bit. I could have very easily yakked his ear off about his goalies (though I'm not sure it would have been reciprocated) but I'm always afraid of being annoying with guys like that.

As if I weren't annoying enough with my gasping and squeaking (but never cheering, yo) and sound effects (i.e., "pew!" when it hits the netting behind the goal).

No really, I'm a pro.

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Finally, I'm planning a trip. Gonna head up to Boston on Jan 6 and catch the Wild game, then head over to Vermont to visit my best friend from college. She had twin babies last year, so I need to go see them and start whispering words like, "Hockey is the best thing EVAR" in their little ears.

What's funny is that during her whole pregnancy, I was suggesting hockey names for the kids. But neither she nor hubby like hockey at all, so it was all just a joke. Then she ends up naming the boy Crosby. Hahaha...

And apparently they went dressed up as a penguin and a clown last night. But the GIRL went as the penguin! Augh. Come on! :)  They're just about the cutest kids I've ever seen, and I don't usually think kids are cute. So it's all good.

Anyway, where they live is only a 4-5 hour drive from Bingo/Elmira and both teams are home that weekend, so I may actually get to go see Brusty play with my own two eyes. Lots of factors though, like weather and if he's starting and whatnot. It's a haul but I can't be that close and not try. I hope it works out.

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Braggin' on my goalie

So, while the Aeros soiled the bed at home this weekend, Brusty and the Baby Senators found their game on the road. I'mma tell you about it because I'm pretty proud of him.

It all starts with Mike Brodeur getting run and bonking his head last weekend. Welcome to Concussionville, Mikey! So he's out, and Brusty gets a start at home last Saturday. Yay!

Tweet!

Well, yay turns into boo when we discover that the rest of the team is Bad At Hockey and it ends up such a mess that Venice sinks an extra inch into the Adriatic Sea.

But never fear, Binghamtonians! Rookie phenom Robin Lehner has finally gotten his visa squared away and will be in town to start the next game. Phew!

But alas, Pascal Leclaire, being Pascal Leclaire, found a way to break himself. God bless him. I mean that. I hate that he's so fragile but he's really and truly Mr. Opportunity for everyone behind him. Anyway, it's some kinda groin thing with some kinda indefinite timeline that they're checking into this week.

Whyyyy? Whyyyyyyyyy?

Regardless, that meant that Lehner spent all of about 3 days in Bingo before getting called up on an emergency basis. But first! They let him get a game in for Bingo to get his game speed going. But that didn't go so well, as he got lit up just as bad as Brusty did in the last game. Guess he is what he is, too.

After the game, Lehner heads to meet the Senators in Montreal and Brusty is finally a #1 goalie in the AHL again and all is right with the world. And just to prove it, he holds the Crunch to 2 (from what I hear, very nice) goals. It's a loss to the Crunch but only because Bingo can't freaking score.

Rawr.

Regardless, finally, the score is less footbally and my friend in the stands (see Chairman How's Glorious Army) told me Barry played great. But apparently he was also quite drunk (my friend, not Barry). Never the less, I trust his judgment in goaltending quality through the boozy haze.

Even the boards in Syracuse know what's up.

The road trip continues up to Toronto where things get really good, because not only is Brusty pretty much the only choice to play (other goalie is an emergency backup) but the game is being broadcast on CBC in Canada and NHL Network in the US.

Holy crap, I get to watch Brusty! I really believe the hockey gods love me and want me to be happy that they knocked out all those other guys to make this happen. But to be honest, I've only watched the first period. I had to shut 'er down because of computer issues and the TV was taken up with football. But it's on my DVR and I've already marked it KEEP. If I could have marked it OMG KEEPKEEPKEEP!!!, I would have. You know this is gonna be up there with The Princess Bride and Office Space for "Number of Watches" before long.

What I do know is that it went amazingly well. He stopped 41 of 42 shots, 18 of which were in the 3rd period, and they won 3-1. He also got the first star, natch, and hopefully enjoyed a little skate with a big grin and lots of Marlies fans hating him for being so fucking awesome in their barn. So clutch.

I'm gonna guess we're looking at the aftermath of a poke here. Shaaaahhhh. I like the new pads.

More cool pics of the game here. The lighting is weird for these shots, like they're in the sun almost. Gives them a strange paparazzi-ish quality that I kinda like.

Anyway, that's the Brusty Report. It's just one game and when everybody's healthy again, I don't know what happens after that. But it was one game on the biggest stage the B-Sens will play on all season and he made the point he spent all last season trying to make. Not only does he belong in this league (or better), he can dominate it.

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Weekend Update (like SNL's but not funny)

Oooooweeee, kids, I love me some vicodin! My back hurts like a mother after I play lately. Dunno how I keep doing it but my hips are out of alignment and I need to get back to the handsome chiro asap before I'm officially crippled.

It's been a while since I posted because, really, nothing's been too interesting and I've been too busy to blog about anything boring.

Friday, the Aeros' home pre-season game got axed because the compressor went out at the rink and the ice melted. Oooops. Still, it was fun to see John and Drew and shoot the shit. As if watching hockey wasn't fun enough, I'm lucky enough to do it with those guys, who make me laugh and, more importantly, laugh at my dumb jokes and generally treat me like one of the boys, except with tits. It's perfection.

Saturday, I listened to Brusty's first full (preseason) game with Bingo on the ol' internet radio thingy. Sounded like an okay game but the announcer didn't describe the goals very well, so I dunno. Coach K said he felt the first and third goals (they lost 3-2) weren't his fault and then he says, "He is what he is. He probably feels pretty good about the way he played." Or something like that. That was the gist.

As you can imagine, I officially hate the guy. I sent off the paperwork earlier today. I mean, WTF, Master Motivator? One thing I always appreciated about Kevin Constantine was that he never EVER threw a goalie under the bus. I think having been one himself, he knows it's so easy to make the goalie the goat, so he's sensitive to it, especially with the media. I never heard him say something that would deflate a goalie.

Seems to me, no matter how you feel about your goalie, as a coach, surely you understand that goalies without confidence are completely worthless to you. You gotta keep their tires pump and find other ways to get what you want out of them than "Well, he has a pulse and he gear fits, so yeah, whatever" kinds of comments. 

*ahem* /rant

Saturday night I had practice. Happy to report my favorite d-man is back this season. I <3 him so much. He apologized to me after the scrimmage and yeah, he had a couple of pylon moments but damn if he doesn't block shots and play a smart game. Told him he never needs to apologize to me for anything.

They've also got one of the C goalies coming in to help us goalies. That rattled me a little bit, to be honest, and I felt insecure and desperate all practice long. It's like the voices were back... self-doubt, etc. They were evaluating the skaters, and I guess Jon was evaluating us goalies too a bit. He was really nice, so I don't know why I got all keyed up, but I did.

I'll admit, I've gotten pretty comfortable lately and I know I need someone to push me out of my comfort zone. I won't do it to myself, this I know. Ah, well. We'll see where it goes. Kinda feel like Scott should warn him. :)  I'll miss the next practice because of Aeros opening night, anyway.

I did have one absolutely crazy scrambling play where I was really proud of myself for staying with it. The puck was all over my crease and I was battling to get my glove on it and it went ALMOST completely over the line, but not quite when I swiped it back to myself and held on to it. It maybe had a few millimeters to being a goal. It was CLOSE and Toronto woulda needed a look at it, but it wasn't in, man. No goal.

Sunday, I did nothing but get writing done and say goodbye to the 2010 Toronto Blue Jays. I already miss Lyle Overbay. *sniff* He's just so manly and first basey. I love him more than any baseball person.

And finally, tonight I checked out the Aeros' "Sorry about that canceled pre-season game" Skills Competition. I'm just gonna throw a theory out there: Colton Gillies IS the Energizer bunny, right? The kid is constantly moving, always smiling, just a completely adorable button. But I wonder if a little Ritalin in his water bottle might not be a terrible idea.

He and Brandon Buck were most impressive in the shootout competition. Gillies has poor Hackett figured out blocker side. And Buck has this RIDICULOUS move where he ... well, I'm not even sure what he did, but it involved the puck being in his glove, which he swears is legal but I can't fathom how. Anyway, he did it twice and Hack bit both times.

I had my drop-in after that and it was fun having my friend Christa there finally getting to see what a hack I am in goal. Haha. Actually, it was better than last week because there were so few players and they got tired pretty quickly. Had some nice stops though, including a sweet glove at the end. It was fast and fun and the rink was COLD, so I didn't overheat like I have been the last few weeks there.

Loving the new pads more all the time. Still can't stand comfortably in them and I shift from foot to foot all game, which is tiring and probably weird to look at, but they sure are easier on the knees and awfully sturdy. Glad I invested in pro quality. They are beauties!

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I don't have a video this week cuz I'm too tired to care, but I have a site recommendation if you like weird shit that's funny. There's this craft-selling site called Etsy where people make stuff and sell it. Normally it's cute handmade purses, jewelry, or normal things like that, but some of it is seriously weird, fetishy shit. And that's where the site Regretsy comes in. They find and post the crazy shit for all us mean-spirited people to laugh at. It's a wicked good time. Check it out.

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Like being in college again

Pulling an all-nighter for work after getting home from hockey at midnight tonight. Made myself a double mocha in the ol' coffee machine (how is it that I pass a 24-hour Shipley's Donuts but not a 24-hour Starbucks on my way home?) and have been grinding away at it for the last 4 hours.

Not fun, but must be done. Sad thing is, it must be done because I'm maxed out on vacation and I need to Wednesday and Thursday off or I'll lose it. Not much of a vacation day if I have to spend it half or completely asleep.

I should get a boost from heading down to SLICE to check out Aeros training camp for a little while. Looking forward to that, though I always get a headache from it squinting to see who the guys are based on their helmet numbers. Maybe I'll just watch the goalies, eh?

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Game was good tonight. Played for the purple team, those hard-battling gals. Love them. Didn't see many shots and stopped all but two. One I actually DIVED for like I'm supposed to, but after about 3 tries, they finally got it in. Disappointing, but I was proud of myself for going after it like a crazed somethingorother.

What was funny is that I somehow missed the GWG going in and thought we were tied when the game ended. Then my team skates over to me for fist bumps and I'm like, "What, no shootout?" And they're like, "We WON!" Haha, oops. In my defense, my back was to the scoreboard. But how do I miss a goal? I'm not very good at numbers.

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I follow a kid on Twitter who has a tryout with Elmira, where Brusty's probably going to spend some time since the Senators are apeshit for wunderkind Robin Lehner. Anyway, Elmira and Bingo camps start today and Bingo finally has a beat writer, so that's good. Gimme newwwwwws. Though I do not understand this business of the B-Sens holding camp in Newfoundland. I think it's because the circus is in town or something in Bingo, but still. There's not a local rink they can use? Weird.

Anyway, in my early morning haven't slept in nearly 24 hours punchiness,  I have that old Oak Ridge Boys song, "My Heart's on Fire for Elvira" in my head, except it's Elmira. I'm pretty sure that's gonna happen a lot this season and it may be the thing that finally drives me over the edge. For what's left of my sanity's sake, here's hoping B-money is in Bingo a lot. Giddy up, oom poppa-omm poppa, mow-mow

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Tomorrow is a spa day for my gear. At least 3 teammates walked in the room tonight and went, "Eww, what stinks?" I figured I should just fess up and claim responsibility because it was all me. My bag is unbearably smelly right now. It honestly smells like something died in my car right now, even with an air freshener going that supposed to unfunk a 400 sq ft room. Gnarly!

I think my gloves are the biggest culprits, but also hardest to de-funk. I've got Oxyclean, a steamer, and time at my disposal so I'll do my best. I know I won't make them WORSE, so I have that going for me.

Okay, time to finish this damn work so I can have some fun, where fun = writing my "OOoooh, it's a new season!" article for PHN.

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Quick hits: House turmoil, Ellis, 1 ark please, Bingo sweater, game prep grind

Random midnight brain spew:

Been having our house painted this week. I've described it as "halfway to moving" in terms of the disruption. They've been great, but most of the house has been out of commission all week, with me and the dog cooped up wherever I'm working from 8 a.m. to nearly 7 every night. He misses the dog park, I miss eating something other than granola bars and Sun Chips and strawberry Fanta all day long.

But strawberry Fanta really is tasty, man. I'm jonesing for one right now and that would be my third today. Yeesh. I think I'm just really happy to have something decaf to drink besides water and Sprite.

It'll all be worth it though. The colors look amazing and it feels so chic. Our house is officially way cooler than we are.

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Been wanting to write on the Dan Ellis Twitter fiasco from earlier this week, but I've seen gobs of other people blog about it and I haven't had any interest in reading their takes, so I dunno why anybody would want mine.

I enjoyed his tweeting, as I've said before, but he strikes me as a guy who's actually fairly immature but doesn't know it, if you know what I mean. He lacks a certain self-awareness that I think you kinda need to have if you're going to open yourself up like that to fans.

But whatever. I have Joffrey Lupul now. And he's better looking. So there. (Except, WTF is a "Joffrey?)

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I had to bail on my Tuesday women's league game this week a mere 2 hours before puck drop. I felt awful about it, but it was the right decision. Between me and that rink, I know of at least 3 places that flood and who knows what places I DON'T know about. I wouldn't have gotten out until 11 p.m. and the storms were rolling in from the gulf.

Mr.C pretty much said he was going to worry to death if I went, and Coach Stalin, who works at NASA and lives by me, said she left work early to avoid the flooding. So that was enough to convince me to bail.

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My new pads still haven't shipped. Hopefully next week!

However, I did sweet talk my way into a great deal on a Binghamton Sens goalie cut practice jersey, which should be coming next week. They even threw in some other goodies, which was pretty awesome of them. Their PR gal is a little slice of awesome, as is their merch guy.

I'm still a little flummoxed by the lack of twitter or blog attention some AHL teams get. Doesn't anybody love these teams enough to obsess over them on the internet?

(Edit: As soon as I write that, I discover the Ottawa Sens SBNation blog did a preview of the B-Sens goalies. I was nervous to read Brusty's because I knew if it was wrong, I was gonna be all cranky about it. Instead, it made me want to hug whoever wrote it. Double-Ds comin' atcha Alex Calloway/Crooklyn Banks/whateverthefuck your name is!)

Anyway, that jersey is gonna look sweet with my gear. I've been wanting a black sweater for a while. Only thing not black will be my solid white pads and gloves. Ooooo, sweet, right? I bet CHRIS HOLT! wore this one, too (I'm assuming it's an old one, anyway). Winnnn...

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Having a chat on Twitter right now with my goalie buddy, Moosey, on the number of games per week we play. I was commenting that 3x/week every week will burn me out over time. And not because of the games themselves, but because, well, I'm not the most disciplined person, but I do have to be disciplined about my game-day preparation or I stink worse than usual.

And it's that constant state of "I gotta do XYZ because I have a game tomorrow/tonight" that wears me down. I don't like being high-maintenance. I like to roll with the flow. But I know from experience that if I'm not getting enough hydration, my mind gets fuzzy, I get overheated, and I don't play well.

And I know that my energy stays more consistent and high if I eat carby meals on game day. But I don't want too heavy a meal if it's 3-4 hours from game time, and I don't want too light a meal because then I'll get hungry or I'll need a snack, which is a whole other thing to figure out.

Also, playing in the evenings means I screw up "mealtime" for Mr.C, too. So either he fends for himself and I eat later when I get home, or he eats early with me, or whatever. Regardless, I always feel some guilt for my silly little hobby dictating his schedule, too.

And then if I'm tired, do I nap even though that can make me feel too relaxed and lethargic for my game? Or do I just muddle through and try to stay awake? Or do I crash for 15-30 minutes for a power nap (my favorite)?

Then there's the gear. I've actually started leaving my gear (except skates) in my bag in the car. I find I play better with it already a little damp (that's what she said). I feel like I'm wearing drywall when it's dried out. So that's one bit of preparation that makes it easier to play several games a week. Then, how are the skates? Sharp enough? Need a sharpening? When can I spare 2 days without them to get that done?

Then, AFTER the game, adrenaline is surging until 2 a.m. and I'm dog tired the next day.... ugh. Man. That plus all the rest really wears on me. The Dainty Ms.Conduct Flower, she wilts so easily.

Luckily, for the foreseeable future, I've got 2-3 games a week, with women's league being off for me every third week (typically), which is a perfect break.

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Dear Binghamton Senators, Welcome to Brustytown

It's been unofficial for a week now, but today your Binghamton Senators announced they've agreed to a 1 year AHL deal with Barry Brust.

If you haven't been keeping up with your stash of goalies this summer, you have Mike Brodeur (no relation) as the likely starter, and Swedish prospect Robin Lehner, who put up respectable numbers in the OHL last season, slated to turn pro. So Brusty is, for now, probably #5 in the minds of the muckity mucks in the Sens organization, and unless Lehner really effs it up, he'll probably start in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals.

Though depending on the organization's devotion to Lehner and whether he struggles some in the transition to the pros, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Brusty come up and Lehner spend some time in Elmira much the way CHRIS HOLT! moved up and down last season.
I thought I'd provide a little scouting report on Brusty for B-Sens and Elmira fans out there wondering who this big goalie is and what his game is like if you don't remember him from his time in Manchester and Reading. But I won't even pretend to be objective; I gave up on that ages ago. Take it for the fangirl fawning that it is.

Brusty is my all time favorite goalie ever. And I really love goalies. So to be at the top of that heap is pretty special. But here's why I love the guy and why you will, too:

1. He's got brass ones. He plays a very aggressive game, with lots of big poke checks, playing the puck, and defending his crease. I've seen him play through all manner of injuries, including a giant skate slice that required something like 30 stitches during intermission, and then came back out to finish the final 2 periods of the game. Hard core, bitches.
2. He's big and athletic. His strengths lie in his size, his strong ability to read plays (hockey sense, yo), his quick reflexes, and his innate athleticism. I watch him play and sometimes think, "Um, hey, Brusty. Puck. Puck. Right there. Look alive." and then BOOM, he's on it. Which is to say, he's got a very calm demeanor, doesn't have any excessive movement in his game (other than the pad tapping), but when it's go-time, he gets the job done. So, even if his relaxed style bothers you at first, you'll come to trust it, I promise.
3. He's entertaining, both on and off the ice. His game is keep-a-defibrillator-handy exciting, but he's also pretty funny off the ice. Plenty of good war stories and a great sense of humor. Reporters love him for providing good, sincere, non-cliched quotes. Fans love him for just being a swell, easy going guy. My favorite Aeros game broadcasts were back in the day when Brusty was out with some injury for a while and he'd provide color during the games. Check out the videos to the right for more funny Brusty goodness. 
4. He makes teams better. I guess I've established that he's a good goalie already, but if you've never had a goalie who was a strong puck mover and could nail stretch passes to your defense or even forwards to help the breakout, you're not going to believe how useful and rare that skill is. He not only shuts things down defensively, but helps the offensive side of your team's game as well. 

5. 

   We must increase our Brust
   Photo by Chris Jerina

   He's clutch. Brusty has another level to his game when his back is against the wall. Playoffs, close games, shootouts, I have so often seen him step up and be just incredibly clutch under pressure. And the more teams try to get under his skin, the better and meaner he plays.
6. He's foxy. He is. It matters! Foxy goalies are way funner than non-foxy goalies. Look at him! Gah. *big sigh*
7. His glove. Brusty's glove hand is quick and nasty. Many times, I haven't even seen the shot go off before it's in his glove. I dunno what it is, but damn, a good, split second flash of the leather sends me into orbit. Wear your seatbelts.
8. His PIM. He doesn't put up with any crap in his crease. He'll give a jab or a whack or whatever he needs to do to keep the pesky kids off his lawn. Sometimes this annoys players. :) And where most goalies will skate off by themselves when things get heated around the net, Brusty skates into the scrum and tries to help his teammates. He hasn't gotten into a fight as pro though, and if it happens up there, I'm gonna say right here and now that I hate you all.

Most of all, he's just a good guy who will do a good job for your team. I've talked him up a lot, but he's, of course, not perfect. Who is? Goaltenders will always have their good nights and bad nights, but in general, fortunate is the team that has Barry Brust between the pipes. Enjoy him while you've got him.

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