Sunday, October 30, 2011

Back In Goal - A Return To The Nets

Today was my return to playing nets at Sunday ballhockey for the first time since my bike crash on the Thanksgiving weekend. I have played out for a couple games and all felt good so today was the test to see how the knee felt playing goal, specifically the demands of post to post mobility.



Still sore to the touch the knee worked fine, albeit in a losing effort. I lost the coin toss and didn't get the first draft today so the opposing goalie ended up with the first, third and fifth picks.Since we were missing a couple skilled players today he definitely ended up with the stronger team. Luck in the draft also meant he had an extra spare which played a role later on in the day when fatigue became a factor. I was rusty! Not seeing the ball well and turning it over behind my own net in an attempt to clear the play. My game quickly because nothing more than making myself as big a target as possible in an attempt to stop the ball.
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Despite the speed, skill and forecheck of the opposing team we managed to win the first game 10 -9 but got shelled the second match as the opposing squad stormed the proverbial gates and dominated the play for a 10 -3 win. A slapshot to the top corner sealed the victory for a convincing win.




 The rubber match saw me play well and despite us rallying for a 6-5 lead at the midpoint, we lost the game 10 -6. The extra spare certainly played a role in the match as my squad just ran out of steam

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I was quite content with my performance as the body responded well to a challenging day in nets. Mobility was good for both the knee and neck which were my main concerns heading back into goal.The only thing left to do now is get back on the bike. Hopefully this week I will gear up my Norco MTB with lights for commuting to and from work.

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