First Point of the Season!
2003-10-06: Mighty Pirates 1 vs. Money Shot 1

Courtesy the Leggett Media Network

Missing and missed: Klein, Toth, Kwinter, and Sager.

Captain Mola again showed up to encourage and shoot video.

So, the game. Rumors that the Money Shot were looking to throw their game against us to ensure being bumped down a division were quickly quashed when fourteen of them took to the bench and then proceeded to rollout in doggedly-determined lines of enthusiastic if not overly-skilled effort. Their defense corps played a conservative and lumberjack style of hockey while their rather large goalie showed strong positioning. But their transition game and work in our end was about as weak as we've faced.

What happened?

In the words of the only certified professional Mighty Pirates watcher, Matthew Lella, what occurred was a goal drought. (This does not really apply to Jezioranski and Perri who again combined for the MP goal as they did in the previous game. Perhaps this combo should not be broken up.) Lella also used the words frustrated and crazy to describe his feelings while watching us from his net where he avows to not have broken a sweat in spite of a highlight reel save made on his back and the lone goal, not to be blamed on Matthew, that they scored on the powerplay. The goal was a result of team breakdown that no one person was responsible for but, nonetheless, should not have been scored.

As a side note, Lella did go on to play a second game and helped the Zig Zags defeat Finger Lickin' Good 5-2.

But back to our game. We can blame the goal drought on a number of factors.

1. From Money Shot's side, big aggressive defensemen cleared their net effectively, clogged the slot, and played a simple game of getting the puck into the corner where they basically tried to pound the winger into the boards while chipping pucks out.
   
   Solution: skate. We were by far the superior skating team but instead of cycling and moving we kept trying to set up in front of the net resulting in nothing to shoot at or pass to for the puck carrier and eventually leading to one-on-one battles with bigger players.
   
   Our defense were highly effective at keeping the puck in their zone but need to get their shots on net quicker. As well, the off-winger needs to be in position at the net to make this effective.
   
   
2. Also from Money Shot's side, a big goalie who played position well.
   
   Solution: shoot more and shoot low. While we were not having success in establishing position in front of the net, both lines had a centre who could put it on net from the blue line. Our wingers would have won the foot races to rebounds at that distance.
   
   
3. From our side, passing. Whether we were tight, just getting used to playing with each other again, or are just lousy passers who cling to memories of one inspired game in our past, passes were not getting through.
   
   Solution: same as no. 2. Shoot more and go for rebounds. A goalie cannot stop every single thing that gets thrown at him. And if a defender gets in your way make him pay. He'll think twice next time.
   
   
4. And lastly, the defense joining the attack. This was initiated all night with the customary grace we have come to expect from our defense corps but, for some reason, our wingers had a brain cramp. We weren't falling back to cover the point and this lead to the attack stalling at their blue line due to a congestion of Pirates and perhaps an uncertainty on the part of the defense as they realized they were more and more out of position.
   
   Solution: wingers, wake up! Know your defenseman and when he starts to move, post on the boards so that you are both open for the pass and ready to fall back to defend if the defenseman continues his rush. This frees up skating lanes and hopefully inspires the defenseman to attack or not, safe in the knowledge that he is not leaving a hole. Defensemen, work the give and go more. This will free up your skating lane as the other team moves toward the puck. Wingers, if you get the puck, give it back to the skating defenseman! (Yeah, this is a basic play but basic plays can pay huge dividends at our level of hockey. Remember last week's beating.)
   
   

So that is it. Personally, I am encouraged by what I have seen in my two games this season. Last week would have been a hummer with a couple more guys on the bench and, though I am not saying we could have won, we would have been happy with the game and not felt outclassed. This week's game proves definitively there are teams out there that are a lot worse than ours. We still have to take them seriously and, at least early in the seasons when we are rusty as a team, keep it simple and play Pirate Brand Hockey®.

So that is it. Personally, I am encouraged by what I have seen in my two games this season. Last week would have been a hummer with a couple Thankfully, I believe, Howie will be back for our game on the 27th.

Go Pirates!