The Wildmen lived up to their name last night, delivering a wild game to the Ordinals. The Wildmen have some good skating technique combined with a strong passing game that overwhelmed us in the early part of the game. As the game kept going, we figured out how to defend against it better, but it couldn’t turn around the 12-5 loss.
Going into next year, it’s clear we need to tweak our defensive game a bit. Rather than a zone defense, it seems like it is time to go for more of a man-on-man defense. It might help keep people in more of the right positions, rather than crashing in to low while we’re on defense. It’s quite distressing to look up, as a defensemen, and see no wings up high to help get the puck to clear.
Even with the loss, I enjoyed the high energy of the game. It certainly made me think differently because of the way these guys played. It became necessary to try and cut off their passes, even more than with some of the other teams in D7. I also played the body more than usual, I’ve been working on that more at Ronnie’s Ice lately because Ronnie keeps telling to use my size more, especially since I’m not as agile in movement. And I had that going last night, stopping a couple of rushes by just being in the way. I feel that today, especially in my arms; but it’s a good sort of all over soreness.
Sadly, I was directly responsible for at least two goals. The first two Wildmen goals were all on me as I managed to fall in my first shift out, which allowed the skater to go right by, and then made a stupid move behind the net for their second goal. I tried to make up for it with a couple of decent offensive moves later in the game, moves I don’t usually get to even try in D7. But neither of those paid off, still it was fun to get the chance.
League play is off for the next two weeks now for the holidays. But I will get a couple of scrimmages in because I think I’d go crazy without a little hockey each weekend.
