Week 18-19: Mark It Zero vs. Da Bulls & Lebowski

After work kept me late and the subsequent white-knuckle thrill ride that ensued to get to the game on time, I was overenergized for this game. We were short, playing w/o Todd, Andy, and Derek, but Da Bulls were as well. Playing w/o playmaker, Tony, as well as a couple of others, they looked like a completely different team.

VS DA BULLS

Despite dominating play, It may have stayed scoreless for the entire first period. Ben and Juke were ironmanning it on defense, staying out there almost the entire game. We would get it going in the 2nd. Ryan took advantage of a weak goal to start things, and I got on the board next with a pass-across from Miller. I actually hit the goaltender’s chest, but it ricocheted off right into the net. 

Miller brought his beastly backhand to this game, as he scored on two of them. On one, I gained the line, and Miller tried to beat his defenseman to the post. With the D-man in position, he made a fine adjustment and took him to the inside. I passed it as he made his move, he torched the defenseman and went backhand on the goaltender above the pad about blocker-high. It was a thing of beauty. He curls around the net effortlessly as if to say, “and then what? So that’s it?” Silky smooth.

Don’t remember the score, but we won. By one. I think. Damn.

CLOSE CALLS

I had two breakaways, went backhand on both of them, and got stoned both times. Here’s to trying something else!

VS LEBOWSKI

This was a make-up game for the time a film was shooting during our regularly scheduled game. As compensation for the move, we got free stick practice vouchers which I redeemed today (more on this in the next post). Point is, we’re playing Lebowski, and we’ve already got the #1 seed wrapped up, but Lebowski needs this game to be in the playoffs. Otherwise we’re playing the Green Hornets in the first round. Technically, we can choose who we want to play based on how hard we try, but that’s bad sportsmanship.

In the first period, Miller and I got on the board first. This was purely a catch-them-sleeping-on-their-heels (2 clichés?) play. In what is becoming routine for us, I gained the zone, stalled, and fed a hard pass backdoor to Miller, who beat his man and beat the goalie. The “closing” section in a textbook never looked as good. I remember this pass being as good as any pass I’ve had in recent memory. I’m very accustomed to saucer passes but this one was flat, hard, and landed perfectly on Miller’s stick before it overshot him. It also got there through at least 2 defenders’ legs, who were closing in on the pass from either direction. Quick 1-0 lead.

Not much later, I was able to put away a rebound off of a Juke shot from the point. Juke and Ben are so good at keeping shots low. And goaltenders in this league can’t control rebounds to save their lives. It bounced right to me - easy buckets.

Ryan had a great game in this one. He deflected Ben’s shot from the point for one tally, and ****SPOILER ALERT (Nobody reads this, Eric)****would end up with the game winner. 

We won this game by one - I believe the final score being 4-3 - which is disappointing considering what we can do against this team, but they were fighting to extend their season, so all things considered we’re glad we came out w/o any injuries/suspensions. Ryan, acting on mounted frustration from playing on the other line, got a dumb penalty with a minute or two left and yelled FAGGOT on his way to the locker room. I thought this was directed at the refs and might’ve warranted a suspension but he told me later it was to a Lebowski player. So this makes it OK!

Playoffs - Green Hornets - Thursday (tonight). Post Soon.

Team Stats:

League Stats:

Week 16: Mark It Zero vs. Da Bulls

I don’t think anyone’s noticed, but I think we’ve ALWAYS been the home team. Crazy.

The playoff scenario has worked itself out so that out of our remaining opponents, Da Bulls, The Green Hornets, Da Bulls, and Lebowski (how’d this happen?). We only have to beat Da Bulls once out of the two remaining times we face them, assuming we win against the Hornets & Lebowski.

As I walked in to the locker room, I noticed an Aryan gentleman who seemed to be lost. I mouthed to Miller “WTF is he doing here?”

“Justin has food poisoning. That’s our goalie. His name’s Daniel.”

FOCK.

VS DA BULLS

This game stayed scoreless throughout the first, yet we were borderline dominating in most aspects. They only seemed to register one (quality) shot all period. I will always deem this a success.

In the early 2nd, I gained the blueline, stopped and wound up to take a slap shot. Looking up, I saw Miller streaking to the far post, so I shot-passed it right to him and he one-touch lifted it crossbar-down. This sent me into a zen-like state of satisfaction. Miller and I had been working on some form of that play in practices and it never fully materialized until then. So pumped.* 1-0.

Shortly afterwards, Derek had the puck on the left blueline and let loose a shot that was about 1 foot off the ground. It was a nice shot that found the twine. Derek didn’t pass for the majority of the game. But by the 3rd period, Miller gave him a piece of his mind and he started passing to spite him. Whatever works. 2-0.

The refs were horrible in this game and weren’t calling anything. I usually like refs that “let em play” but they weren’t whistling clear trips on both sides, and some obvious harassment went undisciplined. Derek hooked a kid juuust outside the blueline and the boneheaded refs decided to award the guy a penalty shot. He scored on it five-hole (Daniel’s pads were tiny)

The 4th goal came when both Ds were pinching. Aaron had taken the initial rush into their zone but Ben accompanied him. Aaron and I switched, and I was playing the left point. When Aaron’s rush was finished, he quickly made his way to the point, and we both motioned to switch back. It was then that I noticed Ben had possession and was heading behind their net, looking for an outlet pass into the slot. I was more than happy to dart right in. If he got the pass through, it was a definite goal. He threw it in front, and I shot it far glove side. That side was actually the goalie’s strong side all night, but this was through a screen and he had given me the whole right side to shoot at. 4-2 at that point.

They ended up scoring again, but we were able to hold them off in the final 3-4 minutes by playing very defensively the rest of the game.

Final score, 4-3. A huge win that pretty much locks up first place for us. Justin later told me that we only need one point to lock it up, but we have chances to get two points with a win against the Hornets or Lebowski. Nice Marmot and Da Bulls have two games left supposedly, and we have 4. How does this happen?

CLOSE CALLS

I’ve done away with this section, mostly because I’ve been writing posts w/ three games in em lately, and haven’t remembered the details. Not many close calls in this one, though on one shift I fed Ben and Steve with gift-wrapped passes on the right doorstep that didn’t get buried. On the Steve pass, I came out from behind the net looking at the point-men, and fed a no-look crafty/sneaky pass right across the crease, but Steve was handcuffed at that point and could only suffice to give the fast pass a poke. 

*And no credit. The assist went to Ben. He was the first to hug Steve. That’s the trick with these refs. Hug him first!

Week 11/12: Mark It Zero vs. The Green Hornets/Da Bulls

Brief post on both these games as I took a hiatus from these recaps. I’m pretty much running out the door for our last Marmot game of the regular season. Looking to get a season split on these guys, or at least it feels like it will be a split. OK. Last two games:

VS The Green Hornets

Miller didn’t join us for this one as he had bronchitis. So my line was Todd, Aaron, and myself. Aaron and I had played until our backs gave out the previous night in Burbank, so we were looking to make some plays together. As our team dominated play, Derek would end up with a hat trick. I ended up down low in the left corner as I looked for someone to thread it to. Juke pinched into the slot and I fed him with an increasingly common saucer pass, and he buried it. Sick. Later in the 3rd, for insurance, I capitalized on Aaron either passing it across, or one of his rebounds but I had the whole left hand side of the net to shoot at so I flicked it over the netminder’s leg.

W 6-2 

VS Da Bulls

We were ready for a dogfight when this one came up. These guys cherry pick like the dickens. Miller and I started the game on a line together, but since the team again wasn’t fully ready by the initial drop of the puck, one guy had to double shift. I opted to, and was on the ice for half the period straight. Didn’t feel very tired after that, which I was proud of. Miller, now playing on the 2nd line, stayed there even after we were fully staffed, which was annoying, but he did notch an impossible angle goal with his back on the left corner wall. It looked like he threw the puck in off the goaltender’s skates. Derek ended up notching his 2nd straight hat-trick. Credit where it’s due, but the guy had me wide open sitting on the left post for a tap-in and opted for a snipe job top-right corner through the smallest opening. Again, props - but unnecessary. I had 2 assists in this one, the one I’m most proud of came on the power play, when I was in the right corner peeling away from the traffic, turning up the boards and finding Ben, who had just subbed onto the ice. Ben and my pass were converging on each other, with Ben trying to get there in time to keep it onsides. I had feathered it enough to take some speed off the pass, he caught up, released a shot, and scored. Awesome. The other assist was actually a breakaway. I rang the top right post on a shot, the puck dropped onto the goal line under the goaltender, and Aaron jousted in my sloppy seconds. Couldn’t have happened to a better person.

Blowout win, don’t remember the final score, but Da Bulls got a goal or two.

Week 9: Mark It Zero vs. The Green Hornets & Da Bulls

Two games this week: The Green Hornets & Da Bulls. Time to make up some ground on Nice Marmot. We went into this game tied for first place and by the end of the night, the result was the same: tied for first. Autumn decided that she’d forego some retouching to get out and see some hockey.

VS THE GREEN HORNETS

We moved the puck well and were dominant throughout this game, but the goals weren’t coming as easy for some reason. Throughout the first period, we were getting some chances but the opportunities weren’t great. They weren’t getting quality ones at our end, if they got there at all. We were dictating the play, but their Ds did a great job all game of not giving up a true breakaway. Our first goal came off Todd’s stick, as he floated a shot over the goaltender’s shoulder. I know this because of rumors, as I was on the bench getting my ducks in a row and never saw the play. Todd always makes it look effortless though. It was on an odd man rush, though. Looked like a 2-on-1. I always look away when I see a 2-on-1. What the hell was I doing?

The score remained 1-0 going into the 2nd period, which was when we got a few extra tallies. Miller and I were really feeling it and were cycling down low on several instances.

The rest of our fan section arrived right in time to start the 2nd period. This time, it was Ryan, Pete, Adam, Ramos, Steve I., & Austin. 

***This is where my memory fails me. I stopped writing this entry about 3 weeks ago. It’s been maybe a month since we’ve played these games. In a two-game week, one that we could’ve strung two wins together with some good momentum, ended up being a forgettable 2-loss week. Da Bulls are much better than they were at the beginning of the year, for whatever reason. Credit where it’s due.

Don’t remember much from the Da Bulls game now, but I recall after one game tying goal that Ben shot through my screen, I went towards Ben to celebrate when I looked back to find Miller fighting with some chump on their team. To give you context: Miller NEVER fights. He had some edge to him this game because apparently one of their players was bothering him all game so the guy inquired if he wanted to “go” and Miller accepted his proposition.

CLOSE CALLS: Too many. I had so many opportunities, yet they weren’t quality ones, and I was already on top of the goaltender with nowhere to go. On one chance I flipped the puck as if to have it soar over the goaltender’s shoulder without him noticing. Yeah, that didn’t work. 

stats (season) 

Week 6: Mark It Zero vs. Da Bulls

Steve didn’t play against Da Bulls the last time we faced them because of what I am now calling a season-opening 2-game suspension. Describing them as an opponent, I told him that they were a step down from Nice Marmot, the only team to beat us so far this season. We only beat Da Bulls by a goal officially, but we did allow some soft last-minute goals at the end of that one, so it wasn’t truly as close as the score suggests.

Arriving at the rink, we noticed that the Green Hornets beat Nice Marmot, giving them one loss and moving us into a tie for 1st Place. How they did it I’ll never know, but it gives us promise for next week’s game…

VS DA BULLS

We’ve been a horrible first-period team. In this game, however we provided some good pressure on them right off the bat. In the first shift we put on a great display of passing and got some quality opportunities. Since the 2nd line was waiting for Todd to come to the rink straight from landing at Burbank Airport, I double-shifted and found myself on a 2-on-1 with Andy. I threaded a saucer pass over to him and he re-directed the pass into the top-right corner. Effortless beauty.

Not sure what led to the next goal, but Darren ended up with the puck right in the slot. I had set up a nice screen on the goaltender and he couldn’t see a thing. Darren shot it into the right side of the net. 

Miller was the beneficiary of one of Derek’s rushes*. Derek’s a defenseman who likes to get involved offensively and waited until the very last minute to feed Miller right off the right post. Steve buried it as he’s quickly become the Mark It Zero Closer.

After the 1st period, the score read 3-1 MIZ. It seems trivial, but based on the opening periods we’ve had in games past this is a marked improvement.

The 2 goals the Bulls scored in this game weren’t truly earned, in my opinion, as they were flukey tallies. I don’t remember the specifics, as it took me a little while to write this recap, but they were goals that just shouldn’t happen. We also knew that Justin was feeling it this game. The shots were even 33-32, but the Bulls’ shot selection was poor. All too often, they’d put themselves at an unfavorable angle, and we were playing good team defense.

After Todd got a tally in the 2nd, we were weathering a rush in our own end, with the 2nd period winding down. They were urgently pinching 4 guys down low on the goaltender. Justin came up with a couple of huge saves, and the rebound squirted out to me. 2-on-1 - myself and the Closer. The defender handled the situation rather well, staying in the middle, then favoring Miller. He was giving me the shot, and the goaltender was playing the shot. I really felt that I could fit the puck through so it would sail over the defender’s stick and land in time so it wouldn’t overshoot Miller. I saucered the pass through, right onto the Closer’s stick. BOOM! One-timed into the back of the net.

Penalties were called pretty fairly this game. Juke got a roughing penalty for hitting some fool**, then followed it up with an unsportsmanlike conduct for giving the ref an earful afterwards. He felt that the guy dived, and told the ref to give him a Speedo. Nothing’s more frustrating and disgraceful than seeing somebody take a dive. I don’t honestly believe that somebody would dive in this league, but I didn’t see the play. I think Juke is averaging 2 penalties a game (15 Penalty Minutes in just 4 games). One of these days I’m going to post a video of what he can do with his nose.

Andy added another goal in the 3rd to cap off a great game: 2g, 2a. Miller gets an honorable mention with his 2g. 

Final Score: 6-2, the good guys.

CLOSE CALLS: As always, there were close calls in this one but none that were so obviously boneheaded miscues. One defensive close call was Miller throwing the puck into the middle of the ice (a defensive zone abomination), sending one of their guys in alone on Justin, but Justin picked Miller up with another routinely incredible save. This guy leads the league in save percentage.

Next up is Nice Marmot: The Rematch. Last game against them, I had perhaps a career high 6 points. Following up with a similar production would be nice, but a win - nicer.

*Derek has made a habit of rushing the puck often. This is encouraged, but it seems he’ll go to great lengths to keep the puck to himself. I’ll continue to get open but one time Miller gave up skating because he knew he wouldn’t pass (despite the goal they collaborated on). Derek didn’t pass, but after the play, he apparently looked at Steve with his hands in the air wondering why he stopped playing. Steve thinks the pass he made across the net on their goal was mistaken for a bad-angle shot.

**You’re not allowed to hit in men’s leagues. You can use your body to guide people places and bump a bit, but yeah you can’t blow people up. This was a significant part of my game when I played back in the day, and it’s tempting to catch people’s heads down.

stats (season) 

Week 2: Mark It Zero vs. Da Bulls

Was my turn to bring beer to this one. Found some Miller High Life cans at the nearest spot. The reasoning behind it? Why not enjoy the champagne of beers to celebrate a win? Man, that stuff was more disgusting than it was supposed to be.

VS DA BULLS

We have a lot of respect for Da Bulls. People told me going into this one that this is the team that won the league championship last season. To top it all off, we’re going into this game even more shorthanded than before. Last game we had 3 subs, 1 on defense and 2 forwards. This game we had 7 total skaters, leaving only 1 sub for the forwards and 1 sub on D.

Iron Man hockey again.

Da Bulls (not even “Da Bears” wtf?) have a couple of guys with talent, and for the most part we needed to contain this guy in a green helmet. I’ll get this guy’s name later; we play them 5 more times. Gotta love 5-team leagues.

I always wanted to be on a line with a Darren and an Aaron, and this game I got my wish. Our first goal was pretty, and came in the first period. Working it around in their zone, the puck found David at the point (more on him later). With my screen set up, David took a low shot towards the net that Darren deflected up, through me and into the upper half of the net. I got a front-row seat to this brilliance; the goalie never saw it.

David is a humble, 50 year old Canadian defenseman who believes for some reason that he doesn’t belong in this league. While he’s older and played Division 4 last year (I have no idea what this means but we’re supposedly a mix of Divisions 1/2/3) he’s always in position (half the battle) and plays up to game pace. He’ll be even better - we all will - when we can field a full roster for once.

The game stayed 1-0 for a long time, probably until late in the 2nd. We had a bunch of missed opportunities to open this one up. Someone gave me an optimistic outlet pass that I reached for and barely received, sending me on a breakaway, but I extended myself so much trying to reel in the pass that I looked concussed skating in on the goaltender. Wobbling like the dickens, the play broke up. On a faceoff to the left of the Bulls’ net, I cranked a shot off the post right as the ref dropped the puck. Ben hit another post in this game on a better scoring opportunity. Bulls got a couple of tallies and went up 2-1 on us fairly quickly. We were shorthanded enough to start the game but throughout this one we were getting dumb penalties. They were the type of penalties a tired team would commit. Holding fools, tripping fools; we were getting beat at times and didn’t have the legs to get back into the play. Both Bulls goals were scored while we were shorthanded (we had previously been perfect on the penalty kill). 

In the waning moments of the 2nd period we were getting some good scoring opportunities and were peppering their goalie with shots. I swam by a few defenders looking for Darren to shoot it low off the goalie’s pads. Thankfully, he threw it on net, the puck trickled to the left, and I buried it on the backhand. Tie game.

Midway through the 3rd period, Todd Oppenheimer finds himself on a breakaway* and casually scores low-glove side if I remember correctly. Todd skated away from this goal as if to say “you idiots, you could’ve just done this the whole time”. Loved it.

The last 4-5 minutes were loooong, as we played passively, trying not to allow odd man rushes while getting our wind back simultaneously for the next onslaught. Final score 3-2 the good guys.

Looking back on this tilt, I think we played as well defensively as any exhausted, 7 skater team. Justin stood on his head in net, coming up with a brilliant stick save on a rebound opportunity late in the game. All of us were holding our breath as it seemed he wouldn’t recover in time. Ballin. I feel like I’m getting more comfortable stickhandling & passing again. Saucer passes were landing perfectly - on one I hit the guy in stride, over the opposing player’s stick, sending him just on-side into their zone. That one I was proud of. Also set my linemates up with some quality scoring chances.

Next up is Nice Marmot, who’s also unbeaten. They defeated Da Bulls and look to be the strongest team we’ll face in this league. Thankfully, we’ll have this kid named Derek, and more importantly, MILLER.

*if it seems like we’re always on breakaways, it’s because this Bulls team pinches like mad. It wasn’t hard to get behind their D in this game.

stats (season)