He Shoots He Scores, My First Collegiate Goal

After red-shirting during the 2008-2009 season because of a back injury, and going through offseason surgery to repair a ruptured disc in my back, I had no idea what to expect in my first season back in 2009-2010.  I worked hard during the summer to try and shed some of the extra pounds I had put on after literally not being able to get out of bed for months.  In our first game that year against Western New England College I can remember feeling nervous, far more than I had ever been for a game in my entire life, even after playing in numerous championships and prestigious tournaments. I was lucky enough to post my first collegiate point, an assist on our teams first goal.  That was one gigantic monkey off my back, and at that point I knew I belonged and I was back playing the game that I love. Our team was lucky enough to get the win that day in a 5-4 thriller, and I was also able to pick up another assist in the third period.  One game, two points, and a team win, more than I could have possibly asked for in my debut.  There was however one little part missing, that first goal.

A few days later in our home opener, we had a convincing victory over the visiting Franklin Pierce Ravens.  Although our team put up six goals that night, none of them were scored by myself, and it started to feel like I was never going to score again.  It starts to weigh on you, and all you can think about is what you are doing wrong, and what you can do better.  I can remember in that game starting to grip my stick tight, trying too hard to make something happen and not playing within myself.  When you set the bar high for and you struggle to reach it you get stronger, but sometimes it can be hard to keep the confidence to get the job done.

Game three was against Framingham State.  It was a team we had not lost against the previous year, and our team played with the confidence knowing that we were the better team.  We jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but let one slip away at the end of the period, making it 4-1 at the first intermission.  In the locker room, our coach reminded us how easy the lead could slip away if we did not get back on them in a hurry, and he did what most coaches do at the end of their speech. He asked, “Who is going to get the next one?”  This is a rhetorical question used to boost the morale of players, and get us fired up, but I can remember saying to myself, “its going to be me, I’m getting the next one.”  The first few shifts of the third saw back and forth play, and I remember coming off the ice exhausted but ready for that next shift.  I took a few sips of water on the bench before getting ready to get back out there.  It’s funny, water seems to be the best tasting thing in the world when your tired and panting, and you drink it like you have the last sips of  left on Earth, and you need them to survive.  Then, just as I caught my breath our coach called our line for the next shift. It would be a shift I will remember for the rest of my life.

I hopped the boards and looked for my d-man to cover as the other team entered our zone, and just like that it happened.  Brad Norkum (Norks), one of our defenseman broke up the ice after the puck.  I was stuck behind the play, and not being known for my speed I struggled to get back to the offensive zone as the late trailer. As Norks broke in one-on-one with their defenseman,  I remember looking taking a quick survey of the ice around me and realizing that no one was covering me. As I entered the zone I remember screaming at Norks, “Norks, Norks, slot,” as I crossed the blueline. Within half a second he sauced one to the middle and it hit my stick and I was in all alone.  As the goalie came out to play the angle I realized that he was cheating (or he was out of position) to the blocker side, leaving the whole right side wide open.  Most guys would probably try to go top shelf, cheddar here, but hey, I’m a grind type guy and accuracy is also not one of my strong points, so I decide, low glove.  It’s crazy to think about all the decisions that can be made in hockey in under a second.  Writing down everything I was thinking makes it seem like the play took minutes, but it all happened lightning fast. As I released the puck towards the net I knew it was in right away.  The goalie had been expecting high glove, and hardly moved as the puck zinged by him.

There it was, my first college goal.  I was so happy, I could hardly celebrate.  I just put my arms in the air and let the rest of the team come to me for the hug. Going down the line and tapping all of my teammates after that goal was an elating feeling.  It was like I could feel the frustration from not scoring being lifted from my body with every glove I tapped.  There is a tradition in hockey where you get to keep the puck from the first goal you score in your career.  I still have the puck at home, and it is a treasure I will keep with me forever.  As I have said in previous posts, scoring goals in hockey could be the toughest thing to do in all of sports, and I am glad that for the rest of my life I can always say I scored at least one in every level I played in.

Tune in Monday for analysis of the first few games of the second round, and my predictions for how the series will ultimately play out.

Observations from the First Round

Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are putting a first round scare into the hearts of Boston Bruin Fans.  Braden Holtby, the Capitals goaltender is the real story however, as he has boasts a .953 save percentage and allowed just one goal in game four as the Capitals evened the series at two games apiece.

Claude Giroux leads the 2012 NHL Playoffs in points, goals, and assists, and is second in the playoffs with a +4 rating, leading his team to a 3-1 series advantage and playing more like the best player in the world than is Sidney Crosby. Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh head coach, got his team focused and looking to make a comeback in the series after a huge 10-3 drubbing of the Flyers on Wednesday night which could have shifted some of the momentum back to the Penguins as they return to Pittsburgh for game five on Friday night.

Everyone’s eyes should shift to the series that no one is talking about, the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers who are deadlocked at two games apiece. For the 24th time in his illustrious NHL career, Martin Brodeur recorded a playoff shutout in game four on Thursday night.  Great goaltending from a man who will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position will be the key for the New Jersey Devils to advance to the next round of the playoffs. How many times have we debated whether or not Brodeur should retire, and then he comes out and has the performance of a life time just to shut everyone up?

Incredibly, the Los Angeles Kings have a commanding 3-1 series lead against the defending Western Conference Champion Vancouver Canucks.  Jonathan Quick has put himself into the conversation of the NHL’s best goaltenders with his performance against one of the best offenses in the regular season. Kevin Bieksa and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks will have to find a way to beat Quick and also keep LA’s speedy forwards from blowing past them and putting pucks in the net. Looks like we may be seeing a changing of the guard in net in Vancouver after Corey Schneider’s performance in game 4, in which he looked like a far superior goaltender to Roberto Luongo who just a couple of years ago was among the leagues best.

Maybe this year we will have a team representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals who has never been there before.  Nashville is dominating the finesse heavy and old Detroit Redwings lineup with their physical play giving them all of the momentum as they look to end the Red Wings’ season in Nashville Friday night. Of course, veteran experience is key in the playoffs, so look for Lidstrom and company to make this series interesting before its all said and done. Pekka Rinne has been solid between the pipes, but look for Pavel Datsyuk to try and change that.

Question marks surround the goaltending situation in Chicago, as the Blackhawks try to fend off their elimination, and people are starting to call for Ray Emory to get a start in net.  Raffi Torres’ hit on Marian Hossa was probably the dirtiest of the playoffs so far, as Hossa had to be carted off on a stretcher after Torres’ left his feet to make contact to the head of Hossa. Sometimes in the playoffs players seem to catch fire, and for the Coyote’s this postseason it has been Mikkel Boedker who has been the overtime hero in back to back games for the ‘Yotes.

The series between the New York Rangers and the Ottawa Senators has been my favorite to watch, as the two teams have battled each other hard with heavy hitting and timely goal scoring and I don’t think anyone saw the Senators putting up this big of a fight against the Rangers. Unfortunately for the Senators, I think that the Rangers are starting to figure it out and put this series to rest in six games, but the Senators will be a team to watch in the East next season. Vacation may be good for some of the players after the bumps and bruises from this series.

Whether or not the San Jose Sharks win another game in their series against the St. Louis Blues, it is clear that the Blues are the better team, and they have imposed their will on the Sharks, scoring first in all three games that they have won in this postseason. Xerotic; thats what the Sharks plays has looked like, very dry, as they look like they could care less if they win or loose each game, which as a fan makes you very angry. Yeah, I am sure they are trying to win, but they are not interested in doing what it takes to beat a team with a tough, strong defense like the St. Louis Blues.  Zigging and Zagging their way through the Sharks penalty kill the Blues have exposed the Sharks biggest weakness and are taking advantage of it, so much so that it looks as if they will move on to the next round with relative ease.

Dangle Sauce Blog’s Guide to Celly’s

Scoring a goal in ice hockey is arguably one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. The feeling that goes through your blood when the puck hits the mesh (or in my case usually the lower pad) is indescribable, a feeling of joy that few people beyond the sports world can understand. Its not like basketball, where one made shot is a bad day, or football where they give you six points. This is hockey, where people with big sticks are trying to take your head off while you light the lamp. I’m not taking away from any of the other sports, but scoring a G-note is like hitting a grand slam every time your at the plate.

That being said, and coaches are going to hate me for this, every good hockey player knows that what happens in the 5-10 seconds after you score the goal that means as much how you scored the goal itself. This is the celebration, or celly as hockey players call it.  Of course, situation means everything, you can’t celly hard after scoring the 9th goal in a blowout, but if the time is right, you give it everything you’ve got because you never know how long its going to be until the next opportunity.

The Following is a User’s Manual for proper cellying:

1. Preparation:  Celebrations can be planned days, weeks, or even in the summer months before the season, when you are yearning for that first game the next year. Some celebrations will obviously be spontaneous, but most of the fun is shooting-the-crap with your teammates about what you have in store for the upcoming game, and then delivering on the promise.
2. The Goal: It does not matter how you score the goal, there is a celebration for every type. Remember, make sure the goal counts! There is no guy on the ice easier to chirp (make fun of) than a guy who has a pre-mature celebration, and in fact there should be a penalty for it, and in juniors/pro you probably are going to get punched in the face. Once you know you have tickled the twine, let the fun begin!
3. The Celebration: There are four things that factor in to a good celebration; time of game, opponent, fans, and type of goal you scored. If you score to end the game in overtime, pretty much all of these rules fly out the window, just go insane, a la the great Theo Fleury (Best Celebration Ever in the NHL). But here are some basic examples for each type of goal:

• Greasy– You bang home a rebound and/or get knocked on your face as you do it. Or maybe you throw one at the net and it bangs home off a D-man’s leg or the goalie’s skate. Sean Avery had a classic celebration after banking one home against Thomas Vokoun (watch here). While I wouldn’t consider Avery to be a role model hockey player, this push-up celly is one of the classic ways to properly memorialize a greaser.
• Breakaway– I have to be honest with the readers here, I probably haven’t had one of these since my junior hockey days, but hey, a lot of my teammates have. After you’ve left the goalie’s jock strap in the crease, or tucked one cheese under the bar (hitting the top of the net), you normally have lots of room and time to celebrate because you are all alone. Usually a good move here is to go long slow fist pump usually down on one knee. The longer you hold the hand at the bottom and drag it on the ice the better, and then you meet your teammates for the usual celly hug. Blake Wheeler’s recent goal against Ryan Miller is a perfect example of what I mean.
• Sick Snipe– So you bury one from a tough angle over the goalies shoulder, or you blow it by him with a clapper, or go bar-down (for a clearer definition of snipe, check out this video.) Endless possibilities here. The classic bow and arrow, the sniper like Anisimov, or maybe your stick is on fire!

4. Post Celebration- Now that you have taken the time to put the spotlight on yourself, let it fizzle and get your teammates involved. There is no better way to end a celebration than by letting your teammates tackle you into the glass, then heading down the line to bump fists with the rest of your team. The most important thing I can say here is MAKE SURE YOU TOUCH YOUR GOALIE! Without him, you guys probably wouldn’t be in the game, and he is just as excited as the rest of the boys. Another important element to use is the crowd. If you have scored a big goal and the fans are going crazy take your celebration into the glass in front of them. Something such as the EASY button celebration can also be worked out in advance as well, and is always a classic to be remembered.

There you have it, you are ready to hit the ice and start cellying with the best of them.

I will leave you with a couple of videos for some more ideas. Dangle Sauce will be taking a break for spring break this upcoming week, but look for more during the week of March 19! Thanks to everyone who has read this so far I hope you are enjoying it.

Welcome to Dangle Sauce

Hello, Puck Lovers

From inside a hockey player’s mind, comes a new hockey perspective. Sure, you can go to nhl.com and find the latest mock drafts, standings, and statistics, but here at Dangle Sauce you can find true, unfiltered opinions of all things hockey.  This blog does not limit itself to the NHL. Dangle Sauce is your one-stop shop for puck information. Equipment reviews, trade opinions, rankings are a part of it, but sick celly’s, chirping, and lighting the lamp are at the heart of it.