I was going to write up the anticipation for the playoffs at Hot Skates, but decided not to so I wouldn't jinx it. Didn't do any good as we lost 5-3. Expect a season summary soon.
I was pretty amped all week long. Honestly, I would sit on the train during my commute and think about it. Although it's just a beer league, and the lowest rung, it was the first time in two years since I had last made the playoffs. First time ever since playing at Hot Skates. Hell, it was the first time in two years where the team had more than 1 win.
It just wasn't to be, and we lost. We were down 5-0 with about 10 mintues left before we even scored our first goal. Losing stinks, but usually I can shake it off easy and look concentrate on the next game. We actually lost the first two games last week. Whatever, no biggie. Those were just regular season afterall. The game at Hot Skates didn't even matter since we clinched our seed for the playoff rounds.
The tricky part is when it's the last game of the season, and you're on a good team. We legitimately had a chance of going all the way, and even came close to tying it up when we were down by 5. But losing with no more games on the schedule leaves that empty feeling. It's not the end the world obviously. Like I said, just a beer league which I practically use as a glorified gym membership.
Bear in mind that this isn't a team we put together. It was thrown together by the league from free agents. It gives it almost like a pro level feel, because you know not everyone will be back next season. Even Ray and I are skipping next season at Hot Skates since the Central Park league conflicts with the days. That means next time might drop you back to mediocrity real quick. That's the tough part of crashing out of the playoffs. You just never know if you'll make it back.
It's also an impetus to get better. Actually the entire reason I started at Hot Skates was because I wanted to continue playing hockey after the awful season I had last year at Central Park. Of course it wasn't my play which made the team lose, but being better certainly could help us win.
That's another difficult thing with losing. I'm no Wayne Gretzky, and the 1 goal I scored this season was my all-time season high. Oddly enough though, the first game at Central Park a few weeks ago and I score on a breakaway (my career highlight). When that's the case, you know you need to contribute more and be a big game changer. The biggest play I was apart of in the playoff game was drawing a penalty for taking a big check when my head was down carrying (more like juggling) the puck.
Regardless, time for the offseason. That's the best time on working fundamentals I lack. Except Central Park is already in full swing. But as luck has it, I have a 2 week break before the next game. It'll be hell though, because the schedule for the next few weeks just came out, and it's back-to-back games to start it off. I thought last week was tiring, yet Ray and I seem to explore new ways to get exhausted.
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