Tag Archives: minor hockey

Tournament Play

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The first test of the new season for the Boy’s team is an early bird tournament that started this evening about an hour from home. Tournaments are generally good because teams have an opportunity to play against teams they wouldn’t play during the regular season.  Pre-season tournaments are good because there are fewer expectations and less pressure to win. Of course, the GOAL is still to WIN.

Every tournament is a little bit different in the way its structured.  Some differ in the way they assign points for games won, periods won, goals for or goals against. Sometimes the criteria for advancing beyond a preliminary round can be a little confusing.  The myriad of tie breaking scenarios is quite often enough to make one’s head spin. 

I immediately recall two tournaments in particular where the scoring formats produced some curious results.  

In one instance, the Boy’s team was able to advance to a playoff round despite having recorded no wins (one tie and two one-goal losses) in a three game round robin preliminary format.  It seems they were able to amass enough points by having won or tied individual periods to beat out two other teams; one of which actually had a round robin victory.  To make matters worse, this was the Boy’s teams home tournament and onlookers undoubtedly raised a Spockian eyebrow at the home teams good fortune.  How could a team with no wins advance? A final rusty nail in the proverbial coffin would find the Boy’s team going on to win the entire tournament as they managed to play progressively better from match to match all the way to a victory in the championship final.

The other odd situation I recall found the Boy’s team on the opposite end of a wonky points per game won/points per period won situation.  In this tournament, the Boys came out strong in each of their three round robin games and built up commanding leads in the first period of each. However, in two of those three games, although the Boy’s team won, the opposition came back hard and won or tied the second and third periods.  As fate would have it, one of these two opponents would win their other two games and a majority of the periods in each; thereby vaulting them over the Boy’s team on the basis of aggregate game plus period points.  What seemed to be a very successful tournament ended with a bewildering THUD.

If this all sounds confusing that’s only because it is.  There will always be groups of fathers, coaches and tournament officials huddled around the posted game results, which are usually prominently displayed on a main arena wall, trying to figure out all of the permutations and who the potential playoff opponents will be.  If Team A beats Team B by 3 goals but then loses to Team C by 2, ties Team D and mercies Team E; what’s the square root of Pi and Who’s on First?

Last season the Devil’s team was playing in a tournament, which was run at multiple arenas (as most are). Early on we were told game results were being dutifully updated on a tournament Web site. Going into their final game, the Devil’s coach knew there were a couple of events that needed to occur in order for the team to advance to the playoff round.  First off, the Devil’s team needed to produce a convincing (at least four goal) win against a tough opponent. Secondly, a game starting 30 minutes earlier at one of the other rinks had to have a specific winner.  With this in mind, I was asked by the coach to check score of the other game on a laptop out in the arena lobby, so he would be able to determine whether or not they had a legitimate shot to progress.  Halfway through the second period of the Devil’s game, I was given the secret signal from her coach to go out to the lobby and check the score of the other game. Of course, we were not dealing with real-time results and I spent the better part of 15 minutes hitting <REFRESH> and ultimately coming up with nothing in the way of a score.  When I returned to the action a fellow spectator promptly reported that the Devil had scored a superlative goal and had a fine assist to go with it – both of which I missed during my fruitless sojourn to the arena lobby. Post-game I had to tell a white lie and say that, “Of course I saw the beautiful top-shelf goal.” The Devil’s team did surprisingly win their game quite handily and the right team did also claim victory at the other rink; thereby allowing the Devil’s team to move on. However, moving on meant a third game in a 12-hour span for a bunch of dead-tired 12 year olds. So that’s where that tournament ended.

The Boy’s first game this evening was a white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat, 2-1 victory.  The team looked pretty good in their first official game as a team. We’ll hope they fare as well or better in their next two outings.  I’m not sure whether or not periods won has any bearing on the tournament standings, but I’m sure coaches and parents will eventually be huddled around the bristol board covered wall, pulling out scientific calculators or multi-colored abacuses to see which teams will face off in the quarter finals.

Did I mention that I love spending my weekend on my way to or in a rink? Which is fortunate because the Devil has three exhibition games of her own in the next three days. We should be drawing straws at some point tomorrow to figure out exactly who is going where and when.

#imahockeydad

Tournament Play

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The first test of the new season for the Boy’s team is an early bird tournament that started this evening about an hour from home. Tournaments are generally good because teams have an opportunity to play against teams they wouldn’t play during the regular season.  Pre-season tournaments are good because there are fewer expectations and less pressure to win. Of course, the GOAL is still to WIN.

Every tournament is a little bit different in the way its structured.  Some differ in the way they assign points for games won, periods won, goals for or goals against. Sometimes the criteria for advancing beyond a preliminary round can be a little confusing.  The myriad of tie breaking scenarios is quite often enough to make one’s head spin. 

I immediately recall two tournaments in particular where the scoring formats produced some curious results.  

In one instance, the Boy’s team was able to advance to a playoff round despite having recorded no wins (one tie and two one-goal losses) in a three game round robin preliminary format.  It seems they were able to amass enough points by having won or tied individual periods to beat out two other teams; one of which actually had a round robin victory.  To make matters worse, this was the Boy’s teams home tournament and onlookers undoubtedly raised a Spockian eyebrow at the home teams good fortune.  How could a team with no wins advance? A final rusty nail in the proverbial coffin would find the Boy’s team going on to win the entire tournament as they managed to play progressively better from match to match all the way to a victory in the championship final.

The other odd situation I recall found the Boy’s team on the opposite end of a wonky points per game won/points per period won situation.  In this tournament, the Boys came out strong in each of their three round robin games and built up commanding leads in the first period of each. However, in two of those three games, although the Boy’s team won, the opposition came back hard and won or tied the second and third periods.  As fate would have it, one of these two opponents would win their other two games and a majority of the periods in each; thereby vaulting them over the Boy’s team on the basis of aggregate game plus period points.  What seemed to be a very successful tournament ended with a bewildering THUD.

If this all sounds confusing that’s only because it is.  There will always be groups of fathers, coaches and tournament officials huddled around the posted game results, which are usually prominently displayed on a main arena wall, trying to figure out all of the permutations and who the potential playoff opponents will be.  If Team A beats Team B by 3 goals but then loses to Team C by 2, ties Team D and mercies Team E; what’s the square root of Pi and Who’s on First?

Last season the Devil’s team was playing in a tournament, which was run at multiple arenas (as most are). Early on we were told game results were being dutifully updated on a tournament Web site. Going into their final game, the Devil’s coach knew there were a couple of events that needed to occur in order for the team to advance to the playoff round.  First off, the Devil’s team needed to produce a convincing (at least four goal) win against a tough opponent. Secondly, a game starting 30 minutes earlier at one of the other rinks had to have a specific winner.  With this in mind, I was asked by the coach to check score of the other game on a laptop out in the arena lobby, so he would be able to determine whether or not they had a legitimate shot to progress.  Halfway through the second period of the Devil’s game, I was given the secret signal from her coach to go out to the lobby and check the score of the other game. Of course, we were not dealing with real-time results and I spent the better part of 15 minutes hitting <REFRESH> and ultimately coming up with nothing in the way of a score.  When I returned to the action a fellow spectator promptly reported that the Devil had scored a superlative goal and had a fine assist to go with it – both of which I missed during my fruitless sojourn to the arena lobby. Post-game I had to tell a white lie and say that, “Of course I saw the beautiful top-shelf goal.” The Devil’s team did surprisingly win their game quite handily and the right team did also claim victory at the other rink; thereby allowing the Devil’s team to move on. However, moving on meant a third game in a 12-hour span for a bunch of dead-tired 12 year olds. So that’s where that tournament ended.

The Boy’s first game this evening was a white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat, 2-1 victory.  The team looked pretty good in their first official game as a team. We’ll hope they fare as well or better in their next two outings.  I’m not sure whether or not periods won has any bearing on the tournament standings, but I’m sure coaches and parents will eventually be huddled around the bristol board covered wall, pulling out scientific calculators or multi-colored abacuses to see which teams will face off in the quarter finals.

Did I mention that I love spending my weekend on my way to or in a rink? Which is fortunate because the Devil has three exhibition games of her own in the next three days. We should be drawing straws at some point tomorrow to figure out exactly who is going where and when.

#imahockeydad

And we’re off…

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The Devil’s team had their first exhibition game of the new season this evening.  It looked like most new team’s first games with plenty of caution and trepidation.  In my biased hockey dad opinion, the Devil could have skated harder and played her position, albeit a new and somewhat foreign position, a little better.  In many instances, you could tell line mates and team mates weren’t quite in sync.  Passes were a little off and support, when needed, was a little delayed. All of these players are talented and have strengths on their own, but it is quite another thing to couple those individual skills with the trust and confidence it takes to play as a team.

And so, with this first game as an early bench mark, it will be interesting to watch and gauge the progression of these individual players and this team as a whole. Herein lies the challenge for the coach and his staff, who are tasked with melding these players’ skills and psyches into an effective unit – to make the sum greater than the parts.

Of least importance tonight was the final score; 2-1 for the wrong team from someone with another admittedly biased opinion. While wins and losses have some bearing on team success these are certainly not the only criteria when we’re talking about the development of young athletes and burgeoning adults.

#imahockeydad

And we’re off…

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The Devil’s team had their first exhibition game of the new season this evening.  It looked like most new team’s first games with plenty of caution and trepidation.  In my biased hockey dad opinion, the Devil could have skated harder and played her position, albeit a new and somewhat foreign position, a little better.  In many instances, you could tell line mates and team mates weren’t quite in sync.  Passes were a little off and support, when needed, was a little delayed. All of these players are talented and have strengths on their own, but it is quite another thing to couple those individual skills with the trust and confidence it takes to play as a team.

And so, with this first game as an early bench mark, it will be interesting to watch and gauge the progression of these individual players and this team as a whole. Herein lies the challenge for the coach and his staff, who are tasked with melding these players’ skills and psyches into an effective unit – to make the sum greater than the parts.

Of least importance tonight was the final score; 2-1 for the wrong team from someone with another admittedly biased opinion. While wins and losses have some bearing on team success these are certainly not the only criteria when we’re talking about the development of young athletes and burgeoning adults.

#imahockeydad

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Most times it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact.

The Boy’s team had a tourney in Ottawa the year before last.  Our boys won their first two games and were doing quite well.  In the third game, they came up against a weak opponent and, with a semi-final berth secured, the coach decided to shuffle his players around for the third period. Defencemen were moved up to forward positions and forwards (including the Boy) were moved back to defence where they could get some experience and have some fun in a somewhat foreign role. The Boy, who is defensive minded, has played forward for the last several years, but was moved back to the blue line on this rare occasion.  This was also a year when all players began adding slap shots to their repertoire, invariably trying to mimic the booming blasts of NHL stars. But they all had a ways to go to reach Al MacInnis status (or even the much lesser known Bob MacInnis status, for that matter)  

As it turns out, this tournament also had an enterprising local businessman who would record and burn every game to DVD and then offer the same to proud parents for a “nominal” price. Our team took advantage of a special offer, whereby we would each get full recordings of all games for $20.  We would receive six DVDs in total as it turned out because the Boys made it to the Finals; so not a bad deal at all. Personally, the $20 I spent on the DVDs was simply justified by a roughly 10 second clip within a single game.

The particular game in question found several other fathers and I standing right next to the videographer who was dutifully capturing the sights and sounds on the ice below.

To paraphrase and somewhat colour commentate the 10 seconds of action provided herein, a puck sent around the boards by the other team in the offensive zone was intercepted by the Boy (top left corner of the video) who was pinching in from his new found defensive position.  Recognizing an opportunity to unleash a gargantuan blast from the point, the Boy loaded up and took a mighty swing……..  If you listen closely, you can hear several fathers and I bellowing out a resounding “Whoooaaas”, “OLEs!” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” as the Boy triumphantly misjudged the position of the puck or the length of his stick. In short, he flat out missed. Unfortunately, what you don’t see in the video is the Boy’s subsequent response to our emphatic “OLE!”, which is nothing short of classic.  At 13, the Boy had the presence of mind to give us a ceremonial middle-finger salute and I could see the grin on his face from across the ice. These are the images which shall forever be etched in my memory.  He immediately grasped the humour of the moment and played right along.

This seemingly simple snippet of time in an inconsequential game is the true definition of hockey for me and why I cherish watching my kids play. Had the Boy simply fired the puck into the corner or even put a decent shot on net, it wouldn’t have left the same idelible mark as that wondrous miscue and the honest reactions that followed. I should, however, point out that the “Whoas”, “OLEs” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” have come back to haunt me in spades as the Boy regularly looks and derisively comments on the rec hockey miscues of his 40+ Dad, which occur on a much more regular basis.

As I watch this clip again for the umpteenth time, I just wish I had more of this stuff on video.

#imahockeydad

Most times it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact. The Boy’s team had a tourney

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Most times it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact. The Boy’s team had a tourney

Most times it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact.

The Boy’s team had a tourney in Ottawa the year before last.  Our boys won their first two games and were doing quite well.  In the third game, they came up against a weak opponent and, with a semi-final berth secured, the coach decided to shuffle his players around for the third period. Defencemen were moved up to forward positions and forwards (including the Boy) were moved back to defence where they could get some experience and have some fun in a somewhat foreign role. The Boy, who is defensive minded, has played forward for the last several years, but was moved back to the blue line on this rare occasion.  This was also a year when all players began adding slap shots to their repertoire, invariably trying to mimic the booming blasts of NHL stars. But they all had a ways to go to reach Al MacInnis status (or even the much lesser known Bob MacInnis status, for that matter)  

As it turns out, this tournament also had an enterprising local businessman who would record and burn every game to DVD and then offer the same to proud parents for a “nominal” price. Our team took advantage of a special offer, whereby we would each get full recordings of all games for $20.  We would receive six DVDs in total as it turned out because the Boys made it to the Finals; so not a bad deal at all. Personally, the $20 I spent on the DVDs was simply justified by a roughly 10 second clip within a single game.

The particular game in question found several other fathers and I standing right next to the videographer who was dutifully capturing the sights and sounds on the ice below.

To paraphrase and somewhat colour commentate the 10 seconds of action provided herein, a puck sent around the boards by the other team in the offensive zone was intercepted by the Boy (top left corner of the video) who was pinching in from his new found defensive position.  Recognizing an opportunity to unleash a gargantuan blast from the point, the Boy loaded up and took a mighty swing……..  If you listen closely, you can hear several fathers and I bellowing out a resounding “Whoooaaas”, “OLEs!” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” as the Boy triumphantly misjudged the position of the puck or the length of his stick. In short, he flat out missed. Unfortunately, what you don’t see in the video is the Boy’s subsequent response to our emphatic “OLE!”, which is nothing short of classic.  At 13, the Boy had the presence of mind to give us a ceremonial middle-finger salute and I could see the grin on his face from across the ice. These are the images which shall forever be etched in my memory.  He immediately grasped the humour of the moment and played right along.

This seemingly simple snippet of time in an inconsequential game is the true definition of hockey for me and why I cherish watching my kids play. Had the Boy simply fired the puck into the corner or even put a decent shot on net, it wouldn’t have left the same idelible mark as that wondrous miscue and the honest reactions that followed. I should, however, point out that the “Whoas”, “OLEs” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” have come back to haunt me in spades as the Boy regularly looks and derisively comments on the rec hockey miscues of his 40+ Dad, which occur on a much more regular basis.

As I watch this clip again for the umpteenth time, I just wish I had more of this stuff on video.

#imahockeydad

Priorities #imahockeydad

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The Boy had a team meeting and then practice from 8:30-10:30 last night…seriously cutting into my ability to catch the first NFL game of the season between the Vikings and defending champion Saints, a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game and the return of the ageless Brett Favre.

I was going to just drop him off and pick him up after the practice.  But he said he wanted me to check out his sweet new yellow practice jersey and Atlanta Thrasher-style socks.  Maybe I would also get to see him make a nice pass in a drill or make a goalie look silly on a breakaway with a sick deke or bar down shot. How could I resist a chance to catch any of this potentially hyperbolic action.  Hockey Mom reminds me that I better not complain because I’ll sure be sorry when he stops wanting us to pay attention. Of course, he could have showed a little more regard for his football-starved father after practice and just tried this one time to be one of the first players out of the dressing room. We got home with enough time for me to catch the fourth quarter of a relatively boring season opener.  There will be many more football games I’ll be able to miss as the Boy’s, Devil’s and NFL seasons collide in the months to come. As chance would have it, the Devil was to have a game this Sunday, but its been cancelled and the day now actually looks hockey-free; so I’ll likely be on the couch soaking up as much of Week One pigskin action as I can to tide me over for the rest of September.

#imahockeydad

Priorities #imahockeydad

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The Boy had a team meeting and then practice from 8:30-10:30 last night…seriously cutting into my ability to catch the first NFL game of the season between the Vikings and defending champion Saints, a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game and the return of the ageless Brett Favre.

I was going to just drop him off and pick him up after the practice.  But he said he wanted me to check out his sweet new yellow practice jersey and Atlanta Thrasher-style socks.  Maybe I would also get to see him make a nice pass in a drill or make a goalie look silly on a breakaway with a sick deke or bar down shot. How could I resist a chance to catch any of this potentially hyperbolic action.  Hockey Mom reminds me that I better not complain because I’ll sure be sorry when he stops wanting us to pay attention. Of course, he could have showed a little more regard for his football-starved father after practice and just tried this one time to be one of the first players out of the dressing room. We got home with enough time for me to catch the fourth quarter of a relatively boring season opener.  There will be many more football games I’ll be able to miss as the Boy’s, Devil’s and NFL seasons collide in the months to come. As chance would have it, the Devil was to have a game this Sunday, but its been cancelled and the day now actually looks hockey-free; so I’ll likely be on the couch soaking up as much of Week One pigskin action as I can to tide me over for the rest of September.

#imahockeydad

Wear your Captain’s hat #imahockeydad

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The Boy’s favourite pro hockey player as far back as I can remember has been Joe Sakic. At last count, the Boy had amassed well over 100 different hockey cards bearing the image of his boyhood idol.  He has gone through several variations of Colorado Avalanche and Team Canada jerseys, shirts, socks, underwear, hats and other paraphernalia.  He has come to adopt and profess the benefits of the Sakic hockey stick curve pattern. Joe Sakic has been the main focus of several school poems, essays and maybe even a science project.  He even named his roommate and pet guinea pig, Joe Sakpig; a name which would have to later be changed to Josephina when we unwittingly discovered that said pig had the wrong plumbing for a boy and we didn’t want her to be gender confused on our account. 

As parents, we are pleased to know that a major reason behind Joe Sakic being the Boy’s favourite is the fact that he is a team Captain. In the hearts and minds of many hockey fans, like the Boy, he is “THE” Captain. Joe Sakic has been a perennial leader of NHL championship winning Avalanche teams, having spent his entire career loyal to that one team, and successful Canadian teams at the international level. In the 2002 Winter Olympic in Salt Lake City, Joe led Team Canada to a gold medal and was name tournament MVP. Joe Sakic is a phenomenally skilled athlete, but he is much more than that. He is generally soft-spoken and leads by example. He treats the game and those associated with the game with respect which, in turn, garners him the respect of his colleagues and peers.  These are the same morals and standards we have tried to convey to the Boy and the Devil.  Respect is an integral part of the game they have come to love and important to societal living in general.

The Boy has had the good fortune of being named a team Captain, in his own right, on three occasions and an Assistant Captain on a couple of others.  We would like to think this is because his coaches have recognized his commitment to these basic principles and his ability to set a good example for others. The Devil’s coaches, to date, have seemingly been less willing to name permanent Captains and Assistant Captains, perhaps worrying about the political correctness and/or ramifications of such appointments.  But I think it is an important part of the game and the life lesson. As such, the lesson has not been lost on the Devil nor do I think it would be lost on her teammates.  While coaches are generally responsible for choosing and naming Captains and Assistant Captains, I believe some input needs to be garnered from the team itself; particularly as the kids get older. On teams, as in life, leaders naturally develop and lead, quite often by their actions rather than their words. Leaders are leaders whether a symbolic “C” is bestowed upon them or not.

As both of our kids have joined new teams and entered new situations over the years, we have consistently told them to “wear their Captain’s hat” whether they’ve actually had letters placed on their game jersey’s or not. We believe they understand this means treating their teammates, coaches and others they may interact with in a respectful manner.  We hope the message of setting a good example on and off the ice is resonating with them.

Sports gives us these larger than life characters, some of whom conduct themselves and become better role models than others. We are thankful for players and people like Joe Sakic and now more women like Hailey Wickenheiser; who provide positive images that we can use to guide our kids through the early stages of the game of life. 

#imahockeydad

Wear your Captain’s hat #imahockeydad

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The Boy’s favourite pro hockey player as far back as I can remember has been Joe Sakic. At last count, the Boy had amassed well over 100 different hockey cards bearing the image of his boyhood idol.  He has gone through several variations of Colorado Avalanche and Team Canada jerseys, shirts, socks, underwear, hats and other paraphernalia.  He has come to adopt and profess the benefits of the Sakic hockey stick curve pattern. Joe Sakic has been the main focus of several school poems, essays and maybe even a science project.  He even named his roommate and pet guinea pig, Joe Sakpig; a name which would have to later be changed to Josephina when we unwittingly discovered that said pig had the wrong plumbing for a boy and we didn’t want her to be gender confused on our account. 

As parents, we are pleased to know that a major reason behind Joe Sakic being the Boy’s favourite is the fact that he is a team Captain. In the hearts and minds of many hockey fans, like the Boy, he is “THE” Captain. Joe Sakic has been a perennial leader of NHL championship winning Avalanche teams, having spent his entire career loyal to that one team, and successful Canadian teams at the international level. In the 2002 Winter Olympic in Salt Lake City, Joe led Team Canada to a gold medal and was name tournament MVP. Joe Sakic is a phenomenally skilled athlete, but he is much more than that. He is generally soft-spoken and leads by example. He treats the game and those associated with the game with respect which, in turn, garners him the respect of his colleagues and peers.  These are the same morals and standards we have tried to convey to the Boy and the Devil.  Respect is an integral part of the game they have come to love and important to societal living in general.

The Boy has had the good fortune of being named a team Captain, in his own right, on three occasions and an Assistant Captain on a couple of others.  We would like to think this is because his coaches have recognized his commitment to these basic principles and his ability to set a good example for others. The Devil’s coaches, to date, have seemingly been less willing to name permanent Captains and Assistant Captains, perhaps worrying about the political correctness and/or ramifications of such appointments.  But I think it is an important part of the game and the life lesson. As such, the lesson has not been lost on the Devil nor do I think it would be lost on her teammates.  While coaches are generally responsible for choosing and naming Captains and Assistant Captains, I believe some input needs to be garnered from the team itself; particularly as the kids get older. On teams, as in life, leaders naturally develop and lead, quite often by their actions rather than their words. Leaders are leaders whether a symbolic “C” is bestowed upon them or not.

As both of our kids have joined new teams and entered new situations over the years, we have consistently told them to “wear their Captain’s hat” whether they’ve actually had letters placed on their game jersey’s or not. We believe they understand this means treating their teammates, coaches and others they may interact with in a respectful manner.  We hope the message of setting a good example on and off the ice is resonating with them.

Sports gives us these larger than life characters, some of whom conduct themselves and become better role models than others. We are thankful for players and people like Joe Sakic and now more women like Hailey Wickenheiser; who provide positive images that we can use to guide our kids through the early stages of the game of life. 

#imahockeydad