Lloyd Duhaime's Ice Hockey Goalie Years

Valentine's Day Massacre at the SOFA Barn

2012-02-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

By guest blogger Harry Kope

(Victoria, BC) Married 31years, with 2 lovely daughters, and how many times have I passed along my hard won wisdom to wife and daughters through conversations (many times repeated), through example and through bellowing; alas my messages are never picked up.

BUT, last Friday at a casual lunch I mentioned once, how Breakers and/or WHA hockey should stack one line to be more effective. Gordy W was at that lunch and he was responsible for line assignments on Tuesday, and he did stack one line. The result was golden.

I think the best testimonials were from red team where they said “WHITE kept coming in waves” and “it was a fast game” and “how many goals did you get?” These statements speak volumes to the very effective strategy of having a strong line. Gordy W even said afterwards that he thought things worked out well and that next time he’ll put Warren on the Bernie and Harry line.

Be afraid team red, be very afraid!!!

Kopes Kougars Kaught, Killed … and Released

2012-01-17T23:34:00.000-08:00

The circus was in town tonight at Save-On-Foods Arena in Victoria as Team White salvaged a 6-6 tie with a dominant Team Red with a Zamboni-door-opening goal, as the buzzer sounded.

There were two reasons for the score.

One was dazzling crappy goaltending by Red's keeper on key goals at key times. I was furious at myself especially after the fifth one which was pure lack of combativeness.

The other was the circus atmosphere that awarded Team White, especially Jimmy Hoskins with several very fluky goals, all of which he skated away from with the swagger of a player who performed for it. Now I have to live with his swagger for a few weeks until it inevitably wears off.

Bernie Waddick has a fist full of red lights too, all merited as he's a fine specimen of oldtimer hockey player, and with pedigree to back it up. Waddick is a phoenix: every once in a while, you can keep him off the scoreboard for a few weeks but he always chips away and re-opens the floodgates. All a goalie can do is scramble to seek to shut him down again as soon as possible, an impossible task if Bernie is given half-decent wingers, one of which he had tonight in the person of the ageless Gord Wallace. Gord actually lost a strength battle for the puck - Gord never loses these ... but to the behemoth Chuck Groot.

Nelly at the other end had more shots and more success although Lady Luck did not serve the teams equally. But since you earn your hockey luck, it just shows how well he's playing. It's so much fun to play against him as he consistently competes very well. Yet we threw our best line at him: Warren Minie, Ricky Nyren and Jeff Tancock. Can you spell "WOW!" They were buzzing but missed a ton of chances too.

Again, you earn your luck and I did nothing to Lady Luck her down the ice.

A lousy, dirty tie but at least it stops the White Team from building too much momentum in the 2012 Breakers Spring Season.

We, Team Red, stand 0-1-1.

Team White's self-appointed leader, Dr. Larry Kope was quiet in the change room post-game. Dodging a bullet will do that to you. I was privately commiserating with Russ Pym after the game and he came down to encourage me. What a guy! Gotta love Larry, as we all do! He brings so much fun and camaraderie to the locker room, the bench and our games that I think Dan and I may give up our underhanded efforts at having him given a one-year suspension.

And yet nearby, the giant Dan Savard who put in a good game, especially thwarting Kope's rushes down the right wing, rubbed nothing in. Just another Night at the Museum for the Friendly Giant.

Unbelievable tension will reign between now and next Tuesday's Breaker rubber match, more tension even then the Super Bowl week, though with somewhat less press coverage. The Duhaime Cup XVI is this Friday (Ed's 50th birthday), preceded by WHA on Thursday. There will be chances and opportunity for one or the other to pad their trash talk with the exploits of oldtimer hockeyplayers, the rulers of the known universe and the probable successors of Jesus Christ in the mind and plan of God.

Duhaime Was Injured; Suffered In Silence

2012-01-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

As was widely reported, ice hockey old-timer goaltender Lloyd Duhaime (just ten years older than Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson), now suiting up for Leach Hockey, WHA and Breakers, has been playing with not-insignificant health issues.

"I didn't want to whine," said the keep. "Everybody has something. These were just my issues. I honestly felt I could play through them."

Play through them he didn't, surrendering 16 goals in his last WHA and Breaker games, 8-5 and 8-3 losses (although he kicked ass at Leach Hockey).

Enough was enough and today, usually tight-lipped league officials not only revealed the nature of the ailments but provided a graphic image.

The communiqué:

"Doctor Harry Kope of the Wilson Hockey Association and the Breakers Hockey Club, and on behalf of Donald Wilson, President, announce today the successful treatment of two concurrent ailments which have been adversely affecting the play of one of their two goaltenders. In a single operation, obtrusive and protruding nose hairs and five ingrown toe nails were cut back.

"I can breath! I can breath!", joked the goalie after the procedures, referring to a donkey in a popular children's movie.

"But, honestly, when you're playing goal, little things can bother you. Those nose hairs constantly irritated me and prevented me from focusing. The same with the toe nails: they would cut my toes to the blood and it would get squishy in my skate boots. This should really help.

"I'm no hero. I'm just an athlete expected to perform. Now the 9-11 guys, our boys in Iraq, retirees or employees in the public service: they're the real heroes. Me? I'm just an ice hockey goalie."

Duhaime is back in nets tonight. Tickets are still available: game time is 9 pm.

Duhaime Absent, MacDonald Reaching Milestone

2012-01-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

Two back-to-back stinkers have given Duhaime every reason he'd need to go deep! 8-3 WHA January 5 and then 8-5 Breakers last night.

With just days to go before the Duhaime Cup XVI, Special Fast Eddie MacDonald Edition.

After WHA on the 5th, the knives were flying (transcript):

WITNESS #1: There was much squawking and arm flapping from some on team red last night.  Something to do with not using the full potential of players on team Blue. Let me fill you in on team Blue’s strategies; in this particular case with Dan S. Last night among the players of team Blue there was a silent understanding that only in an emergency would we unleash Dan S. Nota bene (achtung!) Dan S’s potential is not something to be toyed with. Team Blue recognizes the awesome potential of Dan S.  So as you saw, Dan S circled and hovered like a majestic golden eagle putting fear into the ‘seagulls’ on team red.  Dan S did display his flash mob-like reflexes a few times with a some shots on net, but Dan S didn’t score until he put his signature touch to the game by scoring the tip-in just before the buzzer. Team Blue uses every player fully, but every player on team Blue is aware of their role.

LAWYER: I apologize greatly for having to put on the record my observations of last night's hockey game, and in particular the play of the primary playmaker on a line comprised of yourself and Gordon Wallace. As you know, Mr. Savard has a long record of efficient playmaking when he is utilized as part of a three-man offensive attack. I noticed that there was very little head-manning of the puck to him in spite of his (relative) quickstep down his wing and down the slot. I noticed that the self-assumed playmaker, that would be you, sir, circled with the puck on numerous occasions and held onto the puck in spite of the movement of Mr. Savard down his wing, in an open lane toward the net. As goaltender, it is my job to be aware of those lanes through peripheral vision and to anticipate a pass to that lane. However, on numerous occasions for which you were called out, and I do apologize for doing so publicly in such a humiliating fashion, Mr. Savard reached the end of the open lane and had to curl away from the play because the puck never came to him and instead, remained with the playmaker who had either not seen him on these numerous occasions, or would made the decision not to pass to Mr. Savard for other reasons. On almost all of those locations, a pass to Mr. Savard could have resulted in a scoring opportunity were it not for me, of course, and would have been, in any event, more effective than puck control far from the net. It was not one or two events but the repetition of these events that caused me to publicly criticize the decisions being made on those occasions by the aforementioned playmaker. As sometimes adviser to Mr. Savard, I anticipate instructions to object vehemently and seek an apology for the remarks that imply that his game is of such quality that the puck would be passed to him only if there were no other options, i.e. "only in an emergency". This, of course, is libelous unless you are prepared to argue the truth of it. I can advise that my client is distressed at the libelous suggestion you have regrettably made in regards to the quality of his play. Finally, Mr. Savard's goal at the end of the game was not a tip-in. It was a shot at point-blank range which I stopped. Unfortunately, in such crisis situations, it is not always possible to control the rebound and that rebound went back to Mr. Savard who then shoveled the puck in, the final goal of the contest. I hope these remarks will clarify the record and hold our friendship in good stead as we struggle through the difficult days to come with the Breakers and the WHA soon to hail a younger, maybe older if 52 is "old", but not necessarily new game-breaker.

WITNESS #1: It’s difficult to know where to start for a response to the bilious verbosity recorded below; there are so many errors, inconsistencies and bald-faced tall tales. As the opposing goal tender it would be impossible for  you to know how one of our better players accepted his role as ‘brute force in abeyance’.  It was all a ruse to get you, the “holey” for team red, to be watching more things than humanly possible, and thus leave themselves open to be scored on – which team Blue did with abundance. It would never be as an emergency that Dan S would be used, but rather as an example of what can happen. I stand corrected as to the choice of a verb used to describe the last goal of the game (goal #8 !!!).  You will notice that Dan S stealthy shifted to the right side of the net from where he scored, when he normally plays the left wing – very cleaver, very clever indeed. Our friendship can remain ironclad if you acknowledge the brilliant Scotty Bowman-like line of attack that team Blue employs.

WITNESS #2: Dateline South (Southern) Oak Bay. The World-Hockey-Franco-Prussian-Alliance forged through mutual self-sacrifice and condensation came perilously close to disintegrating before a packed house Thursday night at the local arena in the quiet hamlet of Oak Bay. The French part of "The Team" (note there is no "ussian" in Team) was clearly in the clear on way two many occasions to table before the court of public opinion! How often can an energy forward rush the zone, go to open ice, ready to pull the trigger so to speak and have nothing to show for so, so many herculean efforts? Rhetoric questions? I think not! Beware Prussian! I have a bona fide witness who will argue my case pro bono in Zurich!

Ok, so that was fine, I'm vindicated by Dan.

But who comes into the locker room last night, sits on Savard's lap and trumpets for all to hear that all is well on Team Blue? Hanz Kopitar.

So then, at Savard's request, I wear the red Canucks jersey I stunk in last Thursday and this time not only do I lose 8-5, but Hoskins scores twice, and would of had three if one hadn't of been called back for a penalty call.

The puck bounced weird for me last night but in hockey, you earn your luck. After the first one or two, I looked at Ronnie Lindsay and shook my head in disbelief. But after the 6th .... Maybe it was the 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga I did at Noon? Of course it was! Hello! Even a guy like ... hmm, Garry Kilgour would understand that depth of fatigue.

Hanz Kopitar comes running after me as I'm leaving urging me that I make the game so much fun etc. etc and I do, must come back! Like I'm dejected or something? Dude: I'm happy for any team that scores eight goals on me. It's an extremely rare event and I think the winners should rejoice in their moment.

Tremendous pressure for Thursday night.

Will I be up for it?

Hah!

The jersey Dan cursed is coming off, that's for sure.

Pre-Christmas Checking-In

2011-12-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

Another great Monday morning Oak Bay Recreation Centre duffer hockey, although no Keith Classen or Dan Savard, the latter absence meaning I had the goalie spot in the locker room as it should be.

Won a weird game last Thursday, WHA, 12-7, followed up by our annual delicious steak dinner at Don Wilson's place on Revelstoke, thanks to excellent cooking skills of the cycling duo and both on the injured reserve list, Willie F. and Tommy M.

Had a ball at Leach hockey last night (Sunday) at Esquimalt managing to win both by games 5-4 and 4-3.

Frequent Bikram yoga has seemed to stabilize my lower back issue - I call it lower back but it is really at the highest uppermost extremity of the right hip bone. May not be the spine (back) at all; more likely it has something to do with some muscle or ligament or soft tissue in the hip bone area - not the spine. But it has been a real bitch to heal ever since I pulled it in June of 2010 by simply wrenching up the goal on my right shoulder at Pearkes Arena to then thrust it back down onto the peg, after an ice clean. One silly little event, one MF-er of a long, annoying injury.

I have aggravated it several times going to Bikram, which has cost me hockey games But more recently, I think the back was ready for Bikram which I also think, combined with frequent hot water bottle treatments, may have the potential of putting whatever is out of place, back in place.

I have also discovered something interesting about my hockey game. I think I've pinpointed a simple problem but which has probably been affecting my game for several months. I'm happy with my positioning and my combativeness but no matter how much I focus or try to elevate those two, there seems to be something seriously missing. I think I have finally realized what it is. When I get set for a play, I invest too much in the act of getting set and not enough on movement through and even out of the setup to make the save. I realize I have to play through, to be an active goaltender through the play and although it may sound obvious, expect and anticipate making this save even as I am getting set and certainly after. In other words, I can't just be a statue: a goalie's job is not over just because of good position. The puck never stays still: I have to always expect to move on the puck even as I am setting and through it. Hopefully, this will make no sense to anybody but another goalie. It is a very weird rut to get oneself into, a rut I have been thinking about for months and I hope I finally have it solved. Certainly, a recent run of victories suggests that the adjustment has been helping.

Ahh, to be 20 again would solve everything - I would sell my 52-year old soul to get my butterfly back.
Breakers tomorrow night at SOFA ... WHA Thursday and then ... Christmas!

Kurier Hockey: Oh What Fun It Is To Tie....

2011-11-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

Had a great experience tonight at Kurier Hockey, 9:30 PM to 11 PM at Oak Bay Rec Centre.

Final score was 5-5 after we were down 5-2.

I've reverted back to my cage mask and I like the visibility more. I'll go back to the cat's eye eventually, I'm sure.

Anyway, I faced two good lines but somehow, as was the case Thursday at WHA, my team just dominated the play most of the time. The other goalie - much younger - still, was really good. I watched him with the full butterfly and I'm jealous!

There was a tangle in the corner that turned into a nasty yelling match. I though a fight was going to break out but though it did spill over into a few vicious contacts, it died down and we were able to finish the game.

I'm happy with my intensity, my slow return to more stand-up and less scrambling. I can't throw myself into one play so totally as I'm the last man standing!

I got scored on a strange flutter shot that completely handcuffed me. I was sooo cocked for a glove save and then this thing just floats at me... and past me! Another goal was a breakaway and yet another, a two on none.

What comeback and what GREAT defencemen I had. The level is a clear notch over WHA or Breakers so while it's not kid duffer calibre, it's still wave after wave of criss-crossing, nice passes and threats always. Sure beats a workout or Bikram Yoga!

5-2 WHA Win ... One For the Ages.

2011-11-25T00:42:00.000-08:00

I got there first or so I thought.

Oak Bay Rec Centre, hockey change Room B.

Means nothing to Bert. He announces after the game that he never understand people who write or read blogs. He then adds, as if it is a critical statement, that he knows some people to be - horrors! - on Facebook. He says he has checked out Facebook but it is full of advertising.

Where does one start with this?

I think you don't.

But there was Big Smooth in his corner seat, my corner seat, actually, as it is the most convenient for goaltenders.

I took the seat immediately across, and took my Bluetooth headset off, in spite of some good stuff from Motley Crue. Smooth took out his MP3 player and put his earbuds on.

It was not an auspicious beginning but there would be justice.

Bert comes in and chooses the seat next to me, complaining about it, including, after the game, the comments about the blog and Facebook. It's passive-aggressive but so am I.

Denis Delage is there so I can chanter le francais.

Johnny Wood starts a debate about the translation of fourer le chien.

Nice.

You don't want to know.

Still Denis translates and that gets my attention as the translation is literal.

Ed shows up for a rare Thursday game, what with his boys usually occupying this night of the week. It is so nice to see him.

I have not yet looked at the lineup but I do notice that Denis is with Red as I know Mark Taylor to be (Mark's birthday was Monday past - I sing Happy Birthday to him but only after he threatens and almost picks off one of my passes up ice. The boys must have wondered who I was singing happy birthday to).

Mark and Denis together is not good ... on paper.

We have Eddie, Harry and Don on one line, Gord W., Bert and Warren on another and somehow it works. Warren is on fire as he almost always is since his heart transplant. Two of his three goals in my 8-6 loss (that final score includes one empty net goal) on Breakers, Tuesday past, were beauties. We reflect on his one perfect tip-in which was a master-piece off Bernie Waddick's hard pass.

What can you say about Gord Wallace? He's a freak of nature. Gord is never the problem on a team that is losing. Give him some line-mates and ....

BTW, that game on Tuesday also featured two goals by Dan Savard, one a high shot over my left shoulder from an impossible angle just as John Wood had done earlier, and the other shot low far blocker side, which clinked the post and went in.

I had been trash talking Big Smooth about an earlier save ("Danny! Come here! Let's talk about it!") and he was quick to remind me about it after both those subsequent goals by parroting my invitation.

Nice.

Funny, anyway.

I hate archaeologists.

On November 12th, we played 3 on 3 at the Puckmasters Arena in Colwood/Langford. At the very last minute, there were not enough players so thank goodness Nelson came out. I volunteered to play out, as a player and what a good time we had. Ed's 12-year old son Jarryd played and scored 2 goals in a game which ended something like 15-14. Crosby and Wallace grabbed me when I was close to their bench and pulled me over. I entered headfirst. What I don't get about that is that I was so well behaved?

Bert, are you having fun yet?!

Eddie saved my bacon a few times.

There was one play that seems to pretty much summarize my entire experience with him as a hockey player; his value-added. Denis is seam stressing his way into our zone and works hard to buy himself a dangerous position to take a shot and at that very moment, Ed comes from nowhere, lifts his stick from behind and nullifies the play.

How I miss him on my team on Tuesdays! When he gets skating, nobody can keep up with him. He's so unassuming but do the math if you watch him play.

Harry, too, was very strong tonight, picking-off clearing passes, setting up one-timers.... and almost always making good use of the speed he had on left-wing (Ed), and the deftness he had in Don Wilson on right. That's Harry: a world class ice hockey centre.

By God if we're not in their end all night. I had half the shots of the other goalie, Nelson.

For the record, their first goal goes in after I stumble onto the crossbar and dislodge the net and frantically try to replace it but play does not stop.

Note to self: the next time that happens, skate away.

Anyway, I am unable to set for the shot and Mark scores from the slot. The goal should of been called back but you have to chose your moments as an old-timer goalie so you don't get pegged as a whiner.

Denis has Dick Izard on right wing, a hell of a player - not spectacular but very efficient.

But Big Smooth can't get it going on the left wing.

On the other line, Mark can't get any action from Trent or Paul, though not from lack of trying. These tribulations prove fatal in a 70-minute game.

Team Blue pepper Nelson, many too low but still, he is where he has to be time and time again. It is only a matter of time with a shot count like that.

gimmies when he's 180 feet down the ice. If you don't show up, you lose.

No Tommy (back), Willie (back), Richard Nyren, David Naysmith or Doug Connell. Chuck Groot was a no-show too. All were missed - all are permanent cast members of this WHA experience.

Time flies. It seems like only yesterday (2002), I migrated from the Rhinos and Oak Bay Duffer to join these groups, first at the old Memorial Arena in Victoria thanks to Eddie, and later Oak Bay Rec Centre. I snuck onto WHA and Breakers - it had something to do with Nelson being in Vancouver for a spell. Brian was then the other goalie as was Scottie. I plodded along - Nelson came back and both Brian and Scottie suffered serious injuries. Scottie left the game and Brian moved into an even older old-timers division. So here I am.

In some ways, any change in players changes the course of the game. You miss them all, especially what each brings to the experience. But the beauty is in the spares as well. Freshness keeps the game fresh.

We had only three defencemen when spare and defenceman Gord had to leave with a pulled groin. On Team Red, Hoskins was a no-show: a $25 fine and purgatory. Team Red played the whole game with only three defensemen.

WHA Christmas Party December 156th at Donnie's place. That will be fun. Rumor has it that Harry will be hosting an after-game party next Thursday at his new house in Fernwood. That would be fun. It'd be nice to have Edie and David Merner out for that.

For the longest time, is 2-2 but finally, at about 9:45 PM, we go ahead and then it becomes 4-2 and 5-2, which becomes final score. I play with my Hasek cage for a change but I barely broke a sweat. I cannot take credit for tonight's victory.

The Breaker boys are off for two weeks due to Victoria Royal games and the installation of a new score clock and HD video screen at SOFA Memorial Arena.

Duhaime Cup XIII - Saturday, November 12th, 2011

2011-11-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

The 13th Duhaime Cup will be held at the 3-on-3 private Puckmasters arena in Colwood on Saturday, November 12th.

Puck drops at 13h00.

The experimental affair - first time ever played on a mini-rink - has received over 100 applications for coveted positions and can now announce a partial roster, which will be sealed at 12 players and 2 goalies, the other goalie being Jonathan "Pillows" Risinger.

Roster (3 spots left!):

Michael Simmons
David Merner
Harry Kope
Tom MacGregor
Ed MacDonald
Doug Connell
Denis Delage
Gord Wallace
Dave Haines

MacDonald's Muckers Mandhandled

2011-11-07T23:37:00.000-08:00

MacDonald's Muckers went down to defeat against a much younger team at Naden Arena (aka Wurtele Arena), in a spirited tilt, which ended in a 7-5 victory for the Naden Vipers.

The Muckers had an Outstanding old-timer's lineup: Merner, MacQuisten, Delage, Simmons, MacDonald, Kope, Haines, MacGregor, Werner, Wood....

"F--k, man," whined the losing goalie after the game. "They had at least two 20-year-olds and a thirty-something (#44) who I know from Oak Bay Duffer to be an outstanding player. Is that their regular oldtimer team or did they call up ringers?"

Ouch! Someone might want to call in sick if there's a rematch.

Still, the player coach Eddie "Reggie Dunlop" Macdonald was proud of his team.

"A post or two, a bounce or too, a bit less Swede, a bit more Finnish," he said donning Hanson Brother glasses.

"Three of their goals careemed in off our own defencemen."

When a $20-bill was discreetly slipped into the palm of his hand, he added:

"I thought our goalie was better than their goalie. Duhaime made some amazing saves and kept us within striking distance."

It would have been nice if he had a stopped there but he had to add:

"But our keep might of caught that first shot ... he was too far back for another ... and one kitty cat shot just slided in along the ice low blocker...."

We interrupt this news article to return to nonfiction.

It was a very fun game played against very fun opponents and should make for a good grudge match in 2012, if they will have us back.

For one, this writer would cherish the opportunity to do it again.

Kurier Kollapse and MacDonald Military Muckup

2011-11-05T00:28:00.000-07:00

Dear hockey diary,

Lost 6-2 at Kurier Hockey tonight.

The stats will show me at 1w-2l after tonight.

20 goals in three games! That's too many. To win at Oldtimers, you need to keep the GA to five or less.

Could of gone either way tonight. Had one brutal defenceman and I couldn't handle four of the six breakaways he coughed up. Of course, you do the classy thing, keep your mouth shut and take the blame if it comes up but it doesn't mean I don't notice! I know when I stink and I know when it's not the goalie.

Last Friday, Kurier Hockey Team Blue won 11-5 and we had a Dream Team defence and two threatening lines ... but not tonight. We didn't get the bounces - hit 4 goalposts - but you earn your hockey luck.

I love my game right now. It's all upswing. I'm coming out better. A few more small adjustments....

I'm making an effort to not scramble as much as I take myself right out of the play - it's an all-or-nothing and I have to minimize my reliance on those as too many goals are going in off of those plays. Especially when the puck comes in front from in back of the net. I have a bad habit of over-playing that and committing to my knees and if I'm wrong, if there's a zag instead of a zig, or a rebound, I'm unavailable. And as the last man standing, it's a fatal situation. So that's what I worked on today, that and better position with the glove hand. Not happy with the effort on that last part as the glove was too low on a few shots. Although I did make some glove saves, I also whiffed on a couple of others.

But Kurier hockey is fun, free for goalies, refereed, and at a nice time (9:30 Friday at Oak Bay) when my all-chick gang at home is watching a chick flick anyway.

My back is far from 100% but stood up for the 2nd game in two nights without any medication (Robaxacet).

This was a good tune-up for Monday's game Ed has organized against his chiro's team at Naden Arena on the Navy Base. he's got some huge guns for us so I'll be honoured to be the goalie. That will be a blast. I'm so happy he's organized this.

6-3, Red Suffers Duhaime Blues

2011-11-03T23:12:00.000-07:00

It was time. Thursday, November 3, 29011, to be precise.

Chuck could hardly be held away from Harry. I tried to help but...

And yet the Acting Commissioner of Discipline, on three separate occasions, was involved in Sean Avery-like situations. Donnie: what were you thinking. Anyway, he was bled for it.

Savard had nothing ... well, OK, a lucky one off the goalie's mask. Naysmith, nothing. Izard, the CEO, one goal. Hoskins, nada - as a long goal-scoring slump raises concerns with management.

Hoskers took a licking in the corner from MacG and then tripped by Wallace and no-one on his team came to his rescue. All that was missing was Doctor Kervokian.

Merner, our future BC Liberal Party President, skated with Nyren, who was part of a Red Breakers squad that beat me 6-4 on Tuesday. Traitor. Dr. C. was happy on that line.

Russ «Rip van Winkle» Pym volunteered for the post-game interview. Don't judge our ages by his white hair; he's 49. He had a helluva scare last year (the Federal Election) and his hair's been white ever since. There are guys like that.

Night of the Living Dead

2011-10-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

Challenge Issued

2011-10-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

Contrite Goalie

2011-10-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

Kope Named Vice President, Discipline for WHA

2011-10-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

In an unprecedented move, the [REDACTED] ... uh, we mean the President of the Wilson Hockey Association has named Hary Kope vice president of discipline which carries with it all power and authority necessary to suspend players during the temporary absence of the president.

Duhaime's Ice Hockey Goalie Years(TM) has obtained a copy of an internal memo. In the interests of player solidarity, honesty and integrity, we reproduce it in its entirety:

From: DON WILSON [mailto:REDACTED]
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 4:56 AM
To: Kope, Harry FLQ:EX
Subject: Fwd: Upcoming Free Workshops

Hi Harry

[REDACTED]

Tell [REDACTED] I made you head of WHA suspensions in my absence.

Don

It is not sure how this will pan out given the short term tenure of Kope even as a WHA player. Not only is he not a contract player, but he is a mere spare.

Further, Kope's conduct has been under scrutiny of recent date given his constant belittling of #24/#6, and the unpleasant rebound goal of last Thursday which quashed and minimize a historic effort by a certain player who shall remain unnamed.

We are presently investigating the authenticity of the e-mail in particular given the 4:56 AM time. Until they shut us down and the shots are getting closer, we will bring the hockey news (TM) to you no matter what.

As always, we remain your faithful editors.

Nuthin' Don't Matter

2011-10-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Nuthin' don't matter none; it don't matter none. With the defensive pairs I had tonight, don't matter much to Slem and Slim.

Not at all when the final score, is - ouch! - 7-1. Nelly, Nelly, Nelly, where were you? Getting your eyes fixed? You would of loved it. I had Tommy MacG and Dave "Chara" Haines (any resemblance with pictured brothers is purely coincidental) and Russ Pym+Ricky Crosbie on D. To get to the red posts, you had to get by my Bayou Brothers. Good luck with that!

Up front, Ricky, Warren and Dr. Doug, the 8-7-4 line, and elsewhere, Chick, Bert and Trent.

We faced Mark Taylor, Harry Kope, John Wood and crew, including a $5 bet with Dr. N that he wouldn't score.

It was 7-0 at 10:01 when Kope scored on a rebound - just 2 minutes later the Zamboni doors clanged open.

Nelly's spot was taken by Scott who normally stones the boys as they adjust to his big size and new style. But not tonight. His driver, Chick, caught him going left when Chuck swung right on a breakaway but still, Scott got alot more shots than me. Danny Savard is out with emotional problems and other no-shows included Dickster Izard and the Commissioner.

But tonight was a nuthin' don't matter night.

We start over again next Thursday at 0-0 and we;ll see what the damage is at 10:03.

Young Guns (Relatively Speaking) Duhaime and MacDonald Injured

2011-10-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Breaker fans noticed the quiet and slower pace to the game at SOFA Arena in Victoria last night. In fact, the stands were empty, likely as a a result of the press releases earlier that day announcing the absences of both young studs.

Both tender Duhaime (#35, 52 but looks like he's, like, 29?) and winger Fast Ed (definitely 49) were out nursing back injuries.

For Duhaime, it was a flare-up of the June 2010 back injury.

For MacDonald, it was a smackdown that threw him into the boards last Tuesday, a smackdown that MacDonald skated away from making weird, orgasimic-like groans. It was, well, awkward.

According to a sources close to the Pictou Speedster, Fast Eddie has been to see several local herbal medics, chiros, masseuses and the like, to no avail except that he's out some bucks.

"Ah, Eddie's not good," said a source close to MacDonald, at 8:30 AM near the Cook Street Starbucks walking her daughter to school. "He's back at home and he's not good. Bring him a coffee, for cripes-sakes."

Contrast that failed approach with Duhaime's aggressive hot-water bottle regime. Duhaime has been cleared to play in tomorrow's WHA smackdown.

"There's been no acute pain today," said the Hollywood celebrity to a reporter who reached him at home at 5 pm. "I'm going to check it out at Oak Bay Rec on Thursday with a bunch of oldtimers."

This should be an interesting affair with Duhaime looking to redeem himself from a loss last Thursday - Savard scored (not a typo) - and with a medical doctor's illegal goal last week, and the daring challenge to fight which escaped the notice of the Commissioner, while others were shaking hands, it cannot - it shall not go unpunished.

BREAKING NEWS, OCTOBER 20: MacDonald Announces "Might Be Out For Season"

Ed MacDonald, in a dark, depressing blue Alliance oxygen jacket, announced with drooping eyes, that his back injuries are not getting better and have extended to his neck.

Laughing at the hot-water approach, MacDonald, who prefers paying herbal practitioners, announced that he "may be done for the year", without clarifying whether "year" meant to December or to April.

There's a Duhaime Cup on November 13 so he'd better seek and obtain proper medical treatment, such as frequent application of a hot water bottle.

Back Flares Up, Simmons Simmers

2011-10-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm overdoing yuckadoo.

Spent 6 hours sitting in crappy UVic Law Library chairs today and felt the lower left back from the start of warm-up: not a good sign, especially with two Robax Platinums in my belly. I tried to hide but surrendered 8 goals in two 5-4 wins at Doug Leach hockey tonight. Michael Simmons was out which was good. He says he scored three and I remember one which I couldn't scramble for with my back ache. But considering I'm eating delicious rice krispie squares right now thanks to his better half (Kelly), I'd have to say he was finding himself out there.

But it was fun, and he was rewarded with a season contract - excellent!

David Merner was out too as was his Dad (as a spectator), who leaves for Asia soon.

I'm sitting at my desk feeling every letter typed as they each twinge slightly on the lower back. Hot water bottle wrapped onto the sore area but I think it's night's out for duffer tomorrow morning.

Dang!, as I had 5 games in 6 days all scheduled out starting with tonight.

So far in 2011: January, 4 games; February, 9; March, 10; April, 6; May, 6; June, 10; July, 1; August, 3; September 12, and so far in October, 7. That's 68 in 2011.

I can't believe that one incident of putting the goal pegs at Panorama last June would be so consequential to my hockey in terms of injuries. It cost me all last summer and a chunk of this summer when I aggravated it at Bikram Yoga on March 2. This is one which is hard to heal from. I had been doing so well until tonight but we'll keep heat on it (ice doesn't seem to help), probably wake up to pain and see if I can go on Tuesday Breakers.

The Horror! The Horror!

2011-10-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

By staff reporter, Larry "Jimmy Olsen" Cope

Editor's note: Team red lost 5-3 last night including a very controversial goal on a play the Team red goaltender was unable to block Taylor's shot because of a team red teammate parked squarely in the blue paint.

Messages posted on Ice Hockey Goalie Years represent the personal views of the poster and are not endorsed by the Wilson Hockey Association (using the word "association" loosely as in "beloved dictatorship") or the Breakers Hockey Club, its directors, publisher, editor or forum administrators. Information from non-goalie writers on is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, absorb at your own risk.

For a report on the brutal attack suffered by our friend and colleague, Doctor David Naysmith, click here.

........ a whisper at some image, at some vision—team BLUE cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath — "The horror! The horror!"

And what a horror it was, to see those impish grins on the faces of team Red after last night.

They looked giddy, they looked satisfied, but mostly they looked relieved that they didn’t go down to defeat yet again!

But team red don’t make so fast with the victory parades, you’ve won a game. Take note team red, that real champions (like team BLUE) are those that maintain a consistent victory trajectory, and it’s not a team that accomplishes single victories (like team red) and then counts these statistical outliers as proof of its abilities. Your statistical monkey-works and addled reasoning wouldn’t even see the light of day in a publication of Reader’s Digest.

Be prepared next week team red, to defend your weakly fortified position as champions of a single victory. Team BLUE will use the current OCCUPY strategy and defend their 99% of the victories positions, against your 1% of the victories. The gloves have come off!

Last Guy Picked

2011-10-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

aka Gun for Hire

By guest columnist Larry Cope

I’m not sure which team I’m playing for at this week’s WHA tilt, if I dwell on it I’m in bed all day eating antacids, if I embraced change I’m at my desk all day eating antacids.

Either way I feel like an over-stacked container ship, on the high seas, in a hurricane (see picture)

Now I know both of you have immense influence with the people and with the decision making at the WHA. People defer to your wise counsel, and you are both respected for it. Further I see that you are given enormous responsibilities (i.e., Dan S and the jerseys, keys and sometimes pucks, and Lloyd D in providing comic relief). But too, I know that with those responsibilities comes power. You have the power to speak in camera with the Over-lords and to let them know that this antacid addiction is coming between me, my hockey and my sex life, and that’s not good. You can help break the addiction, let’s work together to get Harry a permanent place.

And so I remain your obedient servant, foaming at the mouth from too many antacids, and wishing that I was wearing #21, but I’ll take any number - just to belong.

P.S. Best of success tomorrow, because you are either my opponent or my collaborator.

W For Thursday WHA

2011-10-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

One does not always have to brag and so in order to minimize that natural inclination, these blog entries are generated randomly.

I just happened to win 10-5 last night.

Willie scored twice, one shot just eeking in under my left elbow, and the other deflecting off Dave Haines' arse, and I lazily missed the redirection. Then Warren Minnie popped one in low blocker side when I chose to watch the play from the wrong side of Tommy's arse, my defenseman.

In fact we were down 5-3 at the halfway mark and I was again pissed-off at myself.

That is when the Harry Kope Show started, with an amazing seeing-eye high shot from an impossible angle that tied the game. Chuck added a wrap-around. Ricky had his legs going.

I had to stop a ton of breakaways, some of which I did not stop with my equipment but with my mind. I know, it sounds vain and incredible and I cannot give away the secret but it is no random thing that Warren shot wide and Mark, though I missed my pokecheck, missed the open net.

Savard played great for Team Red, going only -8 (his statistic, not mine).
Really knoewledgeable observor had me 3rd Star to which Kope, ever the gentleman writes:

"A little note on your the third star choice, we had a team chat on the bench when we were down 5-2 and we all agreed it was up to us (forwards and defense) to make the difference, and we did. Not sure where that would leave your third star."

At the end of the game, Kilgour viciously tried to dig the puck from under my goaltender's blocker, bringing on a quick rebuke from the Brute Groot. In the arena corridors after the game, extreme foul language was heard. When I left the arena, I was shocked to see a "Wanted" poster. I haven't the heart to tell him. In fact, I can hardly believe he, of all people, a model citizen, could be a party to something like this. Oh, the humanity!

The Plot Thickens

2011-10-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

The night is now cloud-covered, warm by Canadian standards but black no less. Twenty-two men between the ages 48 and 60-something are each arriving at the respective homes, airing out their hockey equipment. Eleven have a special glow, a glow not just of victory but of momentum. Their names, for the record, are Tom MacGregor and his partner on defense Wayne Regan; together, The Wall. What a joy to play goal with those two on patrol. The other pair, Dan Evans and Russ Pym, the Kamikaze and Scythe - Dan with his last-minute no-look past through the slot right to Dan Savard with a 3-2 victory on the line and little time left on the clock. The White Team goalie (moi) smothered the shot. Another skirted out to Tancock with a second to go: again, and thank God, I was ready and where I had to be and got it and - Clang! - up went the gate and the game was over. Yes!

The forwards of team glory included Harry Kope, Jim Hoskins, Keith Classen, Warren Minnie, Bert Buckley and Chuck Groot. Hoskins shocked all observers when he voluntarily cancelled a 2-on-1 by curling in to the other player (Warren) on the other side while carrying the puck. But he hustled all night. All did - Team Red missed many chances because of bouncing pucks or shots just inches away from the inside of the port. The goalie for Team Red, Nelson, was tested and was sensational in giving up only three.

Back on Team White, I got off to a horrid start on a soft goal to Jeff Tancock. Tancock was running out of real estate on his right wing and was being led wide by Tommy but I overplayed him and was not square to the puck giving him a foot to shoot at. He took it. It was a brutal angle play and an unfair letdown for Team White. My team was fragile, substandard goaltending will do that, having lost Game One 8-3, Game 2, 7-3 and Game 3, 6-4, but tying last week 3-3.

I've rarely been so mad at myself, usually preferring to move on from any goal as quickly as possible. "You f&^%$#@ a--hole! Show up or go home," I yelled at myself in Tourretes Syndrome fashion. That was an empty feeling. Even now, I want that shot back.

It was only 1-1 so the psyche calmed down and may have redeemed myself when Doug Connell was stopped on a breakaway on a sweet feed from Bernie Waddick.

Eddie MacDonald sustained leg and a back injuries which seemed to do slow him down little. Later, Connell converted a fluke deflection that suddenly reversed the puck's trajectory 180 degrees and went right to him on the other side of the slot: an open net. But he missed another open net later when the puck bounced over his stick.

Savard seemed distant and distracted, probably preoccupied by the unresolved theft of a roll of sock tape, a brutal crime to such an honest man. He's my ®Close Personal Friend™. Waddick was a threat always and always so much fun to play against. His right wing, Commissioner Don Wilson had one point blank shot but it was observed developing and stopped.

In summary, an average game for this goalie. I did have to concede a goal my teammates were trying to cancel for alleged goaltender interference, which never happened, on that Connell goal described above.

John Wood, after the game spoke of devastation on his Team Red though Tancock kept his game face on, earning him the nickname of Iceman.

Team Red is brittle now, with a 3-0 series lead now 3-1-1 and with the break next week, by the 18th, they will not have won a game in a month.

The next game is the most important game of the series. If #35 can turn it on and have the Fall I had last year, with this hard-working squad, we should be fine - 2 more W's to go. Tonight was an excellent sequel to an 8-1 victory on Sunday night at Doug Leach hockey. Game on!

Breakers Team Red Suffers Collossal Collapse. Harbinger?

2011-09-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

(Special guest columnist) - The roller coaster ride of the stock market of the past months pales in comparison to the heights of giddiness to the depths of despair that team red suffered last night with the come from behind, almost win, of team WHITE!!!!

With a bovine persistence team WHITE scored 3 (count them) 3 unanswered goals causing red team to have doubts about their coaching staff, scouting staff, goalie coach, beverage manager, pilates manager, bench warmers, healthy scratches, financial manager, wardrobe manager, colon hydrotherapy manager and even the fan left doubting whether Team Red would ever be it's former self; although that fan did find a new beacon of respectability in the nattily clad WHITE team.

A promising and halogen-bright future lays ahead for team WHITE. Buy their official jerseys before they're gone!!!

PS. You can be honest with us. Did Team White display too much bravado yesterday after the game chatting up team WHITE's accomplishments? Do you think others in the dressing room find the shameless promotion of team WHITE a bit much to take? Should we tone it down? Give us your honest opinion (however, remember we know where you live.

Vocabulary:

bo·vine/ˈbōvīn/ Adjective: Of, relating to, or affecting cattle
col-on hy-dro-ther-a-py: medical thingie, up the arse with a tube and water. Colon cleansing (also known as colon therapy) encompasses a number of alternative medical therapies intended to remove feces and nonspecific toxins from the colon and intestinal tract
de·spair/diˈspe(ə)r/ Noun: The complete loss or absence of hope.
doubt/dout/ Noun: A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction

Breaker-WHA Organic Matter

2011-09-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

THE CAST

EM: Eddie Money; HK: Henry Kissinger, DS: Donald Sutherland.

September 7, 16h42

"What…the Breakers a ‘supportive’ group? Clearly you weren’t in our dressing room after the game. I actually felt sorry for ‘ole Emily…er…I mean [REDACTED]. He may have to dig real deep to bounce back from a thrashing like that. Like…team RED almost hit double digits! Doesn’t that only happen in basketball? What a way to start a season! In terms of the comments about WHITE rallying, bouncing back and winning next week…well…let me just say this. As a Breaker who would support Emily...oops again…[REDACTED], under most circumstances, the best advice I can offer is for team WHITE to pack a white towel in order to stop the game before it gets as out of control as it did last night, in order to spare your goaltender whatever dignity he may have left. Supportively yours, Dad" [EM]

September 8, 07h47

"Nice try [REDACTED], but team WHITE recognized how fragile and disjointed team red is and team WHITE conspired to let team red win a game to boost team red’s confidence so they would show up for the next game when team WHITE will dominate and show team red how the game is played. P.S. our goaltender wrote the book on dignity and he will NOT be packing a white towel, he doesn’t know the word surrender." [HK]

September 26, 12h01

"(Dateline: Amarillo) The Victoria Breakers RED (and the great state of Texas) are proud to announce that starting defenseman [the name "Dan Savard" redacted here for privacy reasons] has been pushed up to the wing for tomorrow night's game at SOFMA. Fans will be please to hear that [REDACTED] has been assigned Pierre Mondou and Russ Courtnall's old number 6. [DS]

September 26, 12h38

Forechecking, backchecking, shot blocking and skating is expected of all forwards. It's not the walk in the park that you are imagining. [HK]

September 26, 14h13

"Victoria Breakers RED are pleased to announce that [REDACTED] will be reprising the role of Trofimov from The Cherry Orchard tomorrow night at SOFMA! It's expected that he will bring his immeasurable acting skills to recreate the role of the impassioned left wing political commentator. "I'll let my stick do the talking" said [REDACTED] as he brandished his new (to him) pair of gloves. "I think there are still some goals left in these." Well said [REDACTED], I know the fan is looking forward to the game...thanks for comping him the ticket." [DS]

September 26, 16h12

"Although you might technically call them gloves they are better known as oven mitts. And if you wear the matching apron you stand to make a very strong impression. Bring your pillow there might be a few occasions for a nap tomorrow evening." [HK]

September 27, 11h56

"That's enough nap time for today. Now's the time to fix the holes in the socks and to wash those long johns. If we can't win at least we'll be tidy and presentable." [HK]

Duhaime Suspended, Devastated

2011-07-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

We interrupt the Casey Anthony acquittal news coverage to btring breaking hockey news.

In an unprecedented move, Lloyd Duhaime, 51 and goaltender, #35 has been suspended for two weeks from WHA play.

Reached at his lawyer's office, Duhaime said; "I dunno why or how it happened, It was so sudden. Next thing I knew, I was told to stay away until the 19th. This was not my decision. I'm ready to play."

For legal reasons, the name of the commissioner who made the decision cannot be revealed but the official league name, WHA, according to court records obtained by journalists, refers to "Wilson" Hockey League. The head office of WHA appears to be spinning the story to the effect that Duhaime, in recognition of a previous request, was offered a forward position for tonight's confrontation which he declined alleging some back injury. In addition, the cancellation of his contract for July 12 was done by consent: it appears to be the birthday of his wife. In short, if accurate, reasonable grounds exist.

But all of this remains unconfirmed at press time and in any event, suspicious. Last week's WHA game was extremely controversial, with Duhaime's Team Red winning 7-6 in spite of a late two man disadvantage.

Duhaime's play of late has the entire league buzzing and there are rumours that his removal from the active roster is for one or both of two reasons: he plays on Team Red which 5-3-3 in their last 12 WHA games (the Commissioner is on Team Blue), and he's too loud. At press time, neither of these could be confirmed.

Conversations with some of the players who asked to remain anonymous point to a bitter split amongst WHA players, with a strong core group seeking to enforce the results of the recent 4-3-3 best-of-seven Team red win, of which the Commissioner will have nothing. It is quite possible that the Commissioner is trying to send a strong message to the rebels; that the "W" in WHA stands for….

Meanwhile, a substitute goaltender takes to the ice tonight while Duhaime sits at home and stews. The fact that he will have to sit out even the week of his birthday is an aggravating circumstance. We will be following this story as it develops.

Justice Hockey

2011-06-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

It was a good game with so many non-lawyers showing up but then so too did Darryl Parsons, Kash Basi, Tybring Hemphill, Susan Loney, Jennifer Barrett and David Merner and, bien sure, moi-meme. Parsons and Jennifer's daughter Maryclaire Geneau was fabulous (plays defence for the U of T Varsity Blues), as was Joe Geneau and son Daniel, the other goalie. I had to take out Jennifer once and later, denied Susan Loney her only chance at a goal. I had no choice on either play.

3-3 at half time and a goalie switch; yet we still ended at 6-6.

It was a great game with the teams accidentally well-balanced.

Mark had his 12 year old son Michael out; Gord's son Mark played a great game and Michael Simmons and Ed MacDonald were their usual superb selves. Dr. Naysmith represented the hippocratic oath and scored a nifty goal in the first half, the puck lifted just over my glove on a fast, cross crease play that he smartly jumped on even though I was set. Savard was awesome on D and Harry Kope scored his trademark drag and pop high glove goal on Daniel who didn't know the play.

Justice hockey.

Then, tonight WHA, June 28, 2011.

The first best-of-seven series finally ended last Tuesday when I was in Los Angeles, bringing my Red team to a 4-3-3 win. In extremis, I'd say.

Then tonight, we brought a 6-3 lead to near disaster: 6-6 at 9:30 but the goalies decided to "finish this" by staying put as oldies packed their bags and left the ice even though the Zamboni guy gave us tons of extra time. Marcel was out and he took a shot from Dick Izard, even though we were 6 v 4, and the 6 Blue players had failed on many attempts to score just second earlier. Bang! - it was over and again, Team Red, without Ricky Nyren but facing Taylor, MacDonald, Regan and Wood took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd summery WHA series.

It was justice in hockey for the second time in two days.

I Ain't Pumpin' No-one's Tires No More

2011-06-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

33,000 feet over Mount Baker on this glorious June day, United Airlines flight. San Fran in 90 minutes. MacBook, Samsung Galaxy, audiobook (The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo), Times-Colonist, legal research and a huge bruise in my left upper thigh as well as a slightly pulled quad just over the right knee, all thanks to Oldtimer Duffer this morning at Oak Bay Rec.

We were without Professor Brad Bryan and the old, ex-NCAA hotshot Tim Smith so the balance of power was mostly horizontal, though White dominated. This, in spite of the fact Black had Savard, Kope and Classen, all WHA/Breaker alumni.

But those horses were a tired bunch. Dr K flailed away at air and I had something to do with it as I rubbed in salt in each of his numerous first half faux pas. He’d never admit it (he’s Prussian) but I owned him.

Class had to play D as did Sav, the latter benefitting only from some excellent coaching from your’s truly. Savvy got so mad that at one point he was blabbering something at me which I couldn’t understand (no-one can) except foe the “shit” and maybe I got a “fuck” in there somewhere but he was also spitting accidentally in my direction. It was gross and he will have to be spoken to given the obvious hygiene issues. If I came back from LA just when the STD was emerging, who’d believe me that it was Sav’ drivel from hockey?

Anyway, he may sue me for those remarks but the truth has to be told. I chronicle history only and I don’t editorialize at all. The post-Canucks collapse depression is full-swing. Wonder how Mark Taylor did at game 7? I’m pretty sure I saw a picture of him with some jewelry; he must of picked up what someone else had dropped and maybe he was returning it. Oh well.

What was really annoying was the other goalie Phil Kelly would not shut up. He would “whoo!” every minute or so. I mean if you’re going to contribute to the audio of an oldtimer’s game, if it isn’t trash talk, shut the frick up! I’m not saying “do this” or “do that”; I’m just saying that I would never, ever be loud and abrasive out there in the paint. A good goalie is a quiet goalie; quiet like a small little kitten who looks up at her owner in anticipation of a full cat-food dish being lowered down at meal time. But to make noise just for noise sake: c’mon! I’m not pumpin’ his tires anymore. Phil: we're through!

Dishonour on Bee Street

2011-06-14T23:15:00.000-07:00

Dishonour at Oak Bay Rec tonight. A game brought to 7-7 was ignominiously ended when team Blue's goalie left the ice, apparently dismayed by the tying goal. This ought to mean a forfeit but after prolonged consultation, the newly formed WHA Player's Union decided to avoid the ultimate penalty under all the circumstances and ordered the tie recorded but with a severe reprimand against Team Blue.

Too bad for the coward's ending as it was an exciting one in the Barn on Bee. Many of Team red - not just the guy in the blue paint - players didn't show up. They shall not be named except the goalie as he is the only one who cannot hide his errors. But useless puck- handling to a no-angle shot, wandering "who's-on-first" wingers … all that can be said of Team Red is strong play by wingers Kope and Izard and for the most part, the D. There has to be accountability. Nyren was sorely missed as Doc-Dick-Rick was gutted.

Team Blue was ripe for the picking and could have put it away when MacDonald, who had been miffed by Duhaime on several breakaways, finally scored two quick ones late, including a squeaker under the keep's arm.

This creates a conundrum even as Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals is tomorrow night, with Mark Taylor in attendance at Rogers Arena. The Summer WHA series is now 3-2-3 for Team Red, as Team Blue takes a third consecutive tie game.

Chess Match

2011-06-07T23:50:00.000-07:00

It may have been 75 degrees Fahrenheit outside but the temperature inside Oak Bay Recreation Center on June 7, for Game 6 of the WHA Summer Finals Series was decidely chilly. A goalmouth spat between two opposing Ds, Hainser and Killer, was just one of many battles. A 2-game suspension for Killer, a 1-game for Hainser and another 1-game suspension for Wilson (the latter for unsportsmanlike conduct before the game in certain whodunit conduct in the dressing room) were all tabled before the Commissioner and we know what that means.

Goalie-Blue gave Fitterer a well-deserved facewash. Dr. N. wisely avoided the blue paint lest his wounds of last Tuesday's affair be reopened. When he then chose to tussle with the lawyer-goalie, the latter could be heard giggling hysterically. Dr. N. left the red-stained patch of ice (apparently, it was Cherry Gatorade) with his hockey pants in tatters.

It was no different on June 6. Bad blood was everywhere. MacDonald was ridiculed on two breakaways. Having lost those mind games, he and Foreman Hoskins took a set speed play late at a centre ice face-off to loosen the Pictou Bandit and send him off. The Blue Sea parted on what would make be the last goal in a 5-5 game.

Bartel showed up and that, and only that, saved Blue, though with unnatural modesty, the same might be said of the other goalie.

Wallace took advantage of a poke sprawl to score the first goal for Blue. Bad gamble but nice cool hands by Wallace, who must be at least into the sixth decade of life. Foreman shot one that was going wide but just as Wallace had done seven days earlier almost to the minute, the shot hit the Red goalie's stick nob and deflected into the net.

Fitterer fanned on a shot on yet another Blue breakaway. The shot went low in spite of the body language, and into the net. Deny he tried - oh, did he try! - keeping a straight face as best one can see under his generous moustache "I was going low all along".

A miniute to go ... 5-5 ... Jimmy Hoskins stood up, point blank and let fly from ten feet, and - may I name him? - Duhaime said "frack you" (with all due respect), and moved his blocker into the way of a Blue victory.

The Red boys kept trying to poke holes. Rick-Doc-Dick did not play to their full potential, with the Doc having an off night - perhaps too much radiation on the job. The other line, Mac-Ko-Bert, was tenacious.

A brutal, disgusting, loathsome tie game as Blue not wishing to step up to the guillotine easily. But to quote the eminent French savant and author Voltaire, "ce n'est que partie remise" to which I would add, "que les bleuets mangent tous de la merde!"

Sweet Summer Hockey

2011-06-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

7-5 win out with the Kurier hockey boys, invite-only (http://www3.telus.net/sharons_kitsch/kuriers/). My D was awesome; all very efficient in coverage and moving the puck up, something you don't get with everybody in the older WHA/Breakers groups, which is why I am always so tempted to move the puck up myself. The Kuriers keep stats and retain the same teams for the entire season, like Groundhog Day, but it works for them. The stats are on their webpage (I'm "Duhaimel"). I can't quite figure them out ("GA1"?) as I did have two starts for them in the Spring and I recall them as being 7-4-ish losses, for a 14 GA in 2 games.

Anyway, nice to get the win and play a refereed game. Oak Bay Rec and just after Canucks won Game 1 of Stanley Cup finals 1-0 against Boston. Delicious night of hockey as I worked hard to wear down the crappy sharpening from yesterday.

Let WHA Blues take a second 6-4 win last night so that series is now 3-2 but I expect we'll end it next Tuesday and put them out of their misery. Awful skate sharpening job hit me as I skated out last night. Nothing I could do but make it worse by earning bad luck. I think they scored 2 legitimate goals and two others were my miscues or Lady Luck. Miscues I can fix and the Lady shows up only when you earn her presence.

Enjoyed a meaningless but fun old-timer duffer game last Friday too. The score was unknown and with Tim Smith out, it's predetermined but I love playing against him as he's the ultimate challenge for a goalie.

Won Duhaime Cup XI last Monday, 10-8. I made lots of good saves but too many softies got by. Just played good enough to win. Eddie and Michael Simmons put the puck on Nelson enough to keep us ahead for the whole game. The other team never got it going and for reasons I'll never understand, started their best player, Dave Secco at "D". The Nyren J. & Sr. show was kept off the board in the first half. It was only when Mamma Nyren left at halftime, likely disgusted, that Jr. got two; one a feed from Pop right across the slot which I should of seen, or my D picked up, and the other, a kittycat shot that crept under my poorly placed glove ... shortside!

By next Tuesday, it'll be my 8th game in 15 days. Summer hockey, I'm not injured and only 51. Does it get any better?

Calm Before the Storm

2011-05-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

All's quiet on the Western Front. We can hear the Germans (no offence) signing Christmas carols and some of the mates have even joined in. But we know that tomorrow brings a new day, a day of battle, of pain and, ultimately, of victory.

Across the city, grown men go about their individual days, some cutting the grass, others washing their cars. Each, married most, will start, now, that nervous laugh that comes with on eve of any Duhaime Cup; those nervous nonsensical remarks that, one can suppose, hockey spouses have grown to recognize.

It is the eve of success or failure and for a few minutes, anyway, both belong equally to each.

The one, the defenceman sometimes accountant, will oil the gears on his expensive bike, as if that alternate sport reached the knees of ice hockey. The other, a school teacher on a long weekend, fondles the lenses of his many cameras as if the banal hobby reaches the knees of ice hockey. Still another, retired achivist with the Royal Museum, dusts off old native pictures for another white man's book on native photography, an oxymoron as if it could come to the knees of ice hockey, all the while playing out the events of the morrow; deke that way, cut in this way, shoot there, skate here....

And still, one youthful lawyer with a writing impediment, pecks away at his computer in the warm aftermath of a Canucks victory in the Stanley Cup semi-finals, as if Stanley's can come to the knees of tomorrow's Cup; nervous reaction it is.

The quiet clouds billow softly over Victoria on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, blanketing, one by one, the many streets that house these warriors. Half will re-enter their hockey room within 20 hours, defeated, now, and quietly shuffling out, exchanging meaningless banter, most of revenge and rematch and how Lady Luck mistreated their team. Next door, another set of 11 crack open beers and reminisce about the ones that really mattered and is that room will be the emblem of hockey.

Which 11 will it be?

That, my friend, only time will tell.

Cup Cometh.....

2011-05-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Duhaime Cup XI Monday. Puck drops at 1:30 pm; ice clean at about 2:25 and then we go on to the end, buzzer at 3:30 pm. Huge. Absolutely huge. Lineups are now final! Phew!

Breaking News, May 21 @ 2 PM: Dan Evans keels to intimidation and resigns tenure. Organizers call upon Dr. Jeff Tancock to replace him on Team Yellow.

TEAM BLACK
Duhaime (G)
Kope, Harry
MacDonald, Ed
Groot, Chuck (D)
Merner, David
Robinson, Shawn
Savard, Dan (D)
Simmons, Michael
Wallace, Gord (D)
Blake, E.
Kent, Barry (D)

TEAM YELLOW
Bartels (G)
Classen, Keith
Tancock, Jeff (D)
Haines, Dave (D)
Hoskins, Jim
Kilgour, Garry (D)
McEvoy, Michael
Macgregor, Tom (D)
Nyren, J.
Nyren, Ricky
Secco, Dave

WHA Team Red Take Commanding 3-0 Series Lead

2011-05-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

Not something you want to write about. It should simply be brought to the back yard and shot, like a rabid dog. By any standards, a 9-5 loss for WHA Team Blue would wear poorly on all but the pallbearer.

And yet it was and it pushed Team Red to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven, a commanding lead now, what with 2 of the 3 wins leaving no doubt.

The NIC (Nyren, Izard, Connell) line was dynamite. That Izard is something else, packing great hockey sense into a tiny, CEO frame. That one pass from Ricky to him in front after a just as crisp pass from Savard had HON written all over it.

Kopster had his line goin' well which augurs well for the Cup game now only five sleeps away. Machine Gun MacGregor played forward and was a back-checking maniac.

For Team Red, hard to say. Defense? They stacked one line with Taylor and MacDonald who damn near accounted for all their goals and that left the FitNayWall Line (Fitterer-Naysmith-Wallace); looks good on paper and they did have their chances.

Three and oh! What a nice seat to watch the parade. Even if for one team it is a ..., well, you know.

Team Red Draws Blood, Takes Commanding WHA Best of Seven Lead, Savard and Kope Show Up

2011-05-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

All those that play ice hockey, not just the pussies that watch it, know and are fully aware that the score in the first game of a best-of-seven can be telling; nay, even chilling. A one or two - or even three - goal differential shows parity. 7-2 is a harbinger of humiliation.

And so it was on Tuesday night, May 3rd, two nights after Christians celebrated the death of Osama Bin Laden, and then felt embarrassed about their feelings. And a night after that on which the people of Canada exerted their wisdom, yet again, in giving the Conservative Party of Canada a majority mandate in the House of Commons.

But inside the chilly, bright confines of Oak Bay Arena, 22 men were just as rudely separated and came face to face with reality. The only two goals scored by a pathetic Blue team came on breakaways; one, a shovel by a doctor off a peculiar rebound after the goaltender had made the initial save. Obviously, nobody had picked up this trailer. The second, on another breakaway; this time, the goaltender recognizing the desperate face of a good friend and given the score, hanging out his jockstrap thus allowing his friend an amazing goal. But the friend was not a friend as he skated away and levelled his upper torso horizontal to the ice as if to mock the goaltender in some kind of pervert figure skating gesture.

Seven times the red light was lit at the other end. Seven times. But it ought not to take seven games to eliminate this paltry example of a hockey team; this mild batch of men that ought to beg for mercy, that they be dismissed from the contest in nothing more than four games, as it were.

But yet, even as winter rains continue to fall upon this beautiful city at the western edge of the world's greatest country, a new dawn arises; the dawn of a battle to end all battles. A Duhaime Cup is announced. The revered and prestigious trophy shall be placed on offer on Monday, May 23, 2011, from 13h30 to 15h30 at Oak Bay recreational center. It will be another epic battle between the drafting mind of an mere stockbroker, against the drafting mind of not any individual but an individual who has his name on that cup more than anybody else; thus the namesake. Pity the fools that do not line up before that namesake on that day.

The SOFA Corrall

2011-02-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

A little Doug Leach hockey at Archie Browning on Sunday (a 5-3 loss and a 2-1 win) and then....

Whoa baby! A wild one at the SOFA corral last night. Waddick lit 'em up in a losing cause for his Whiters though the Red goalie (ah-hem!) stopped the first shots on three goals only to see no-one snuff out the rebound ... no-one on the errant White jerseys floating freely in the shark's pond. Bang! Of course, if there hadn't been a rebound .... but it's not my job to argue my learned friend's case.

Whatever, final was 10-6 for White but even at that, the boys can't get their math right. Dr. Connell's swept into the net on his rear and Red keeper jumped over him and White scored and they wanted that to count! Well, it was Hainers and those are rare but ....

And Killer sulked when Duhaime caught Merner with a crisp up-ice pass as the centre circled tight in front of the cage. I had to pee myself laughing at Killer's sad face - drop the stick reaction. Thank goodness Killer-copper's a good sport or I'd be dead right now.

Kope and MacDonald struggled to have clean hockey sex as between centre and right wing but it didn't stop their left wing Vic High professor Trent from scoring three on Marcel, the call-up given Nelson's groin. If I was Nelson, I'd stay away for a while. I don't need the W's - I can get them from any opposing goalie just fine - but it'd be his psyche that'd be hurt were he to return at anytime in the next five years.

Truth be told, my game sucks right now. Down too early; in too deep; out too far; not low enough; glove not in position; not pushing pads out when going down ... these little things are making for an average keep and I'd better get it together now. I'm playing OK but I'm not at all the best player which I'd like to be - game in and game out. An impossible task - like a dog chasing it's tail - but the only way to be in the paint.

Had a gas trask talking the boys including urging Too Tall John Wood to shooot and when he did, I made the pad save and it goes to Bernie in the slot and, well, you know what happenned if you read above. Wayner cruised for some action but he was foiled.

We had David Merner who popped in quite a few including a nice breakaway. Even our resident nonogenarian and acting-commish, roofed one.

Ahh whatever! I'm havin' fun with the boys my way. And it's now or never. I ain't gonna live forever. I just wanna live while I'm alive. Like Frankie said, "I did it my way". 'Cause it's my life!

A Few Coveted Days of Bragging Rights

2011-02-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

It was rain but it was more than rain. With Nickelback screaming anarchy in both ears, one hand pulled the 40 pound goalie bag, the other held the goalie stick and the paths were wrapped over the shoulder by the attached knee tethers. It was dark but there was no snow which, the weather press says, is everywhere else in Canada.

This is Victoria, Oak Bay Rec Centre and this is WHA hockey, Winter 2011.

In the distance, other players move in … Mark Taylor and Dave Haines together. Must be parked close by.

King Nelson is in A so I move to B and take the sacred spot next to the hockey Savant dressed in an anti-bullying pink. Soon, his arch rival, the Prussian King Kopë, on my other side, also in anti-bullying pink. No one dares to separate the inseparable; the insufferable.

Everybody takes a turn to recall Tuesday past where at Breakers, I did not show up and gave up 5 bad goals in a 7-2 loss. Others also did not show up either and may have also made 5 miscues but I will wear that loss; I stunk.

Izard tells a story about injured knees to two different groups with two different set of facts and the Savant calls him on it. The CEO blushes, guilty as charged.

The Vienna jersey is pulled on, followed by the double snake, cats eye mask.

I find my way to the blue paint and the red cage, my home for the next 80 minutes. It's 9 p.m. and a black rubber disc is dropped 90 feet away. Soon - disaster beckons. It is 3-0. I give up a shot to Nyren I should of stopped.

This would be a tough battle especially as we are down to only three defensemen. God help us: one of them is Werner who blocks at least five shots. Pym and Giglio are solid and they had to be. We moved Gilbey to forward, already trafficked by Baydens and the two docs, parts that initially leave the sum waiting.

"Make a play! C'mon Blue!", I uncharacteristically yell. There are errant dumps. And the reason we'd give the puck away is?

Shots from Red attackers are rebounded to the corner, that one I got under my pad; another I cushion into my equipment as we're able to keep Red from pulling away. One more goal and we lose any chance of a comeback. But they're getting too many chances. I swing at Kopë, Fitterer and Groot - got to get my team back into this one.

It's 9:30. Bartels isn't getting enough shots. Then Savard takes a lazy one through a crowd and it surprises Red's keep 5-hole. We're down by 2.

Red keeps coming, one line with Nyren, Izard and Bert, the other with Kopë, Groot and Fitterer. Wave after bloody wave but the goal line is not crossed again as we tie it and then go ahead at 9:50.

A last second scramble in front of the net but what happens in the blue stays in the blue as we squeak out a 4-3 win as the clock hits 10:05 and the Zamboni doors clank open.

The clock in my burgundy Fort Freestar read 10:40. The rain drizzles and my equipment rests in the back, soon to be hung up all over the furnace room as my 20-minute post-game routine ends the hockey night. A few Bikram Yoga sessions and we'll be back at it at Memorial Arena, chasing a black rubber disc on a frozen surface for 80 minutes, for a few, coveted days of bragging rights.

Moments

2011-01-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

Moments.

Ice hockey can be a game of moments.

Like Dan Savard's roar after fanning on an open net in the first five minutes; and soon thereafter another shot ringing Team Red's post.

Like Jerry Baydens fanning, he too on an open net, this time with a 4-4 game on the line and with less than five minutes to go.

Like Harry Kope getting a breakaway and with all the mojo he could muster, shuffling his skates to try to confuse the keeper ... and in he came ….

And then. That moment, as Werner plunged out of nowhere and deftly poked check the puck from behind. It was a junior hockey moment in an oldtimer's game and ruined a dramatic showdown with Harry that I fully intended to take. I'm not sure who was more surprised: me or Harry.

Like Gary singing Olé-Olé after a buzzer rebound goal by Dickie Izard after I damn near broke my right hand trying to steal a goal from Harry who had an open net. I stopped H but I couldn't turn the key in my Ford's ignition after the game with my right hand and tomorrow, I expect elephantaitis of the palm. As long as I can hold my goalie stick on Tuesday!

Like having a breakaway by Warren Minnie called off by a questionable offside.

Like getting a 4-0 lead and watching it slowly evaporate and enduring a succession of Red Team players finding some excuse to crash our locker room just to rub it in. Harry even pulled out his expensive Rolex glasses for the occasion.

Russ Pym played a heck of a game for a multiplexeganarian as did Bert on the Team Red. I played with a knee brace, right side, just in case as I did tweak something Tuesday. But I never felt the knee.

But the only moment that counted was the last one and with Kevin, the Oak Bay Rec Zamboni guy asleep at the switch, Team Red pulled one off in extremis. 5-4 for the bad guys when the fat lady sung, Thelma Houston to be exact, with Don't Leave me This Way.

It's good to give Team Red a bit of leash. A WHA season is a feast and you don't want to scare off the game early.

Tuesday beckons, now, and everybody likes to knock off a loud goalie.

State of the Union

2011-01-25T23:09:00.001-08:00

It didn't matter that US President Obama was giving his State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. What mattered was the speech Gary Kilgour gave his Red Boys before the game It had something to do with "you guys remember the last game we played here?" That was enough to send me scurrying back to my blue paint. So I didn't hear most of it; Warren Minnie and I were discussing why he was embracing the opposing goalie, Nelson before the game. It was just plain wrong.

But Gary didn't just talk the talk. He went out and promptly got the worst of a collision with Jeff Tancock. Moments later: payback. Slam! - as the aptly-named Kill (and) gore paid his debts.

Red missed open nets; rung the post but still managed a 7-2 win over White, as Mark Taylor, Eddie, Keith Classen, Harry K and a steady set of rearguards including Pym, Wallace and McGregor.

Everyone was scratching their heads over the controversial decision by the team White braintrust to waste playmaker J. Tancock on defence. White sure paid for that one as neither of their lines was quite able to get it all together even though the bodies were there: Izard, Connell, Turner, Waddick, Hoskins …. Oh, Turner wanted a goal so bad. And Waddick got one but he wanted so much more! Dr. Connell and Izard were promptly put in their places.

But not me; my D was outstanding. Give Tommy a lead and ....

Savard played a great game; a great pass to Classen resulted in a goal. But the behemoth was called out in public in the dying moments of the game for an errant clear. It was hard on everybody but the boys know that from time to time, a good, surgical comment from a Viktor Tikhonov can cure many future ills.

Me? I merely pulled my left knee on two early shots low blocker, making the saves but on that last one, ... you know when you feel it and you know the feelings wrong? I was worried sick I'd hurt it real bad by re-pulling the knee before the end of the game but no. Let's hope this goes away overnight.

Eleven Grumpy, Sweaty, Red-clad Men

2011-01-20T23:05:00.000-08:00

11 p.m., Thursday night; a wet January night in Canada's prettiest city.

Yet eleven grumpy, sweaty, Red-clad men make their way home to their wives and families, void of any interest in talking hockey. Bah, humbug indeed.

They lost 5-3 to team Blue tonight in a masterful performance. Warren Minnie, Mark Taylor and Gord Wallace made their presence known at both ends of the ice and Duhaime was In The Cage. About time he showed up to play hockey and kick some ass. Bob Gilbey has learned to use his stick when skating backwards and that made cake out of Merner's dipsydoodle. There was one of his poke checks tonight that saved a goal. As did one of Wallace's numerous and very welcomed backchecks. The little things add up in ice hockey.

Dan Savard, i.v. and all, just decked Willy Fitterer - Bang! - the latter finishing the game with snow up and down one side of his outfit. Savard then rung one off the crossbar on a clever rush and made two seeing-eye passes to create breakaways which his teammates could not convert. Yes, the Dan Savard. #23.

My colleague in the blue paint, Nelson Bartels finally lost a game. He's had a great run since late November, all at my expense of course. I've had a W here and there but it's been all B-man. But that's the past and not prologue. We all get into our goalie zones now and then and run up the Ws. I owned September and October so what goes around between us comes around. No envy; I'm lucky to play against such a classy keeper and one who always shows up to play.

Chuck Groot tried time and time again to take me out but I let the bait come and go; a wise move as he's just under seven feet tall. But Domi took Probert?

Wayne Regan had a monster game and even Dr. Naismith was hard on the puck having the obvious joy of feeding off Mark Taylor at center. Kilgour's singing was off; there was nary an olay-olay from the poet-laureate of this beer league gang.

Puck drops again next Thursday. Nyren or no Nyren, Kope or no Kope, the Boys in Blue will be there, poised to once again snuff out the Red Commies.

A WHA Christmas

2010-12-24T00:39:00.000-08:00

And I had to endure the poem.

The game started off excellently with Ed MacDonald's new sugar-free diet giving him superpowers. 1-0 became 2-0. As usual, many of my forward passes from the cage were wasted on reflex-free beer-league forwards. Then, some of my defenseman, a certain poet comes to mind, kept throwing the puck away. Instead of making a play to a teammate, even if we have to backtrack, but at least to not give the puck up, it was thrown again and again out to nobody or negligently dumped. This, I had to endure from the lookout at the far end.

It was 2-2 when I let in a softy. Then Chuck took a hard shot which was ruled an illegal slapshot. To take matters into my own hands, I brazenly body checked the slippery David Merner. When he managed nonetheless to slip the puck out in front, Chuck fanned on his shot but there was ex-goalie Russ Pym in full goalie posture unable to twitch his right leg about an inch to stop the shot. Cripes: even Dan Savard, minus six pints of hemoglobin, scored.

I took the loss. Where was Harry Kope? He seemed lost all night, rarely if ever able to generate a good scoring chance. It could be his new religion. I tried as best I could using my superpower coach psychology to encourage him but his spirit had left the building. When Mark Taylor also took the night off, that left us with only Ed and it showed on the score sheet.

Then we went to Tommy McGregor's house, my favorite terrorist defenseman, and enjoyed a huge steak at the annual WHA Christmas post-game meal. Kope was a no-show but old pro Chris Witt showed up as did now-retired goalie Scottie, and most of the players. Gary Kilgour had the audacity to read a poem which was defamatory towards myself and for which I intend to take the requisite legal action:

'Twas the night before Christmas, all the players were bare

Sitting 'round the locker room in their underwear.

The sweaters were hung on their hangers with care

For everyone knew the Commissioner was there.

Lloyd was busy recapping his latest defeat,

While Garry kept grumbling: "Our team's just too weak!"

Doctor Dave in orange long johns and Doug in his black,

Had just settled down for a little "doctor's" chat.

When suddenly in the corner, there arose such a clatter,

Tom had let loose some gas sprinkled with fecal matter.

Away to the door, Willie flew in a fit

Screaming out loud, "Oh! My God! I've been hit!"

On Richard, on Chuck, on Nellie , and Harry

On Russ, on Gordie, on Dave and Gerry,

On Werner, on Mark, on Bob, and on Wayne

On Ron, on Dan, on Dave M. and Hugh

In the door sauntered Eddy, right on cue.

Bill huffed and puffed as he tied up his skate

While Dan was working out the square root of 988.

Don was dreaming of the sunshine he'd go south to seek,

While Bert was practicing, "Any regulars missing next week?"

After the game, they all had a beer

And wished each other a Christmas of good cheer.

Except for Dick who made a Scrooge-like remark,

"Another trip to the Big Island is where I'd like to embark."

So as I close out this piece and prepare to take flight,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Gary Kilgour, poet emeritus, WHA/Breakers, 2010

Duhaime in the Cage

2010-12-21T23:45:00.000-08:00

You don't mess with the guy in the cage.

Riding fellow Frenchman Denis, we raced out to a good 4-0 lead armed with on offence, bug guns Ricky Nyren and Denis to their Ed MacDonald, Jeff Tancock, Bernie Waddick (of past Merrimack Warriors fame; 79 35g, 71a and 106 in 79 NCAA games isn't bad), and Mark Taylor filling in for Hugh Turner.

I had to show up.

Modesty prevents me from speaking too directly of the difference I may or may not have made but the final score was 8-6. The boys saw what happened out there. It wasn't the red toe-polish I was wearing either. The moment of "Olé, olé" was sweet and this wrapped up Breakers for the first session in the 2010-2011 season.

#28 in Blue With White Numbering on a Red Background

2010-09-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, there has been sun but now it seems that darkness is upon us; Armageddon; the Apocalypse.

First, the gentle rays of sunshine were aglow at the Oak Bay Recreation Center on September 9 when Team Blue pick up a vital victory which, according to some observers, tied the series 2-2. Of course, the uneducated pundits include in that tally a 9-3 loss suffered by this goalkeeper in his first game back from a lower back injury which is still not fully healed. That game (end of August) was and remains an experiment but appears nonetheless to those desperate for some evidence of a loss incurred by this goalkeeper, a matter of record.

Still, on September 16 a devastating blow to team Red with a 11-7 win for Team Blue. Harry popped one on Nelson high glove which started the rout. When the Zamboni doors swept open at 10:17, Red could only cower their tired bodies back to their miserable locker rooms.

Then, on September 22, a return to Panaroma Recreation Centre and the Rhinos, my team from 2000-2005. Again, a goaltender's yardstick is team success. My squad’s 5-2 lead at halftime had the teams politely asking if the goalies could change ends: an ignominious 180 foot skate for the other keeper.

Now down 2-5, my new team rallied to win 9-8.

Michael Simmons could be seen in the locker room wiping egg of his equipment given his foolish highlight reel attempt to score on a breakaway, thus wasted by his shenanigans. Still, he rambled on about a subsequent wraparound attempt which I easily stuffed out but according to him, stopped instead by my defenseman Rob of Fernwood Shell. There was indeed a real pleasure to play with Rob and Michael and Ronnie and Dale P. and Peter Quinn and Joly – all Rhino hockey buds from time immemorial. It was a sweet ride home albeit 25 km, which is why I moved to Oak Bay Rec and the WHA/Breakers in 05. But for Michael Simmons, what to say to Kelly on what had to be a bitter, quiet and moody return to Broadmead.

But Michael did make an awesome play when our best defenceman tried to play fancy on him behind the net as Mike gave chase. Mike grabbed the puck and shoved it in front to a wide-open teammate and bang! Given the defenceman, I had been too relaxed and Mike's surprise precise play paid off. Really, that goal was his.

The very next day, back at ‘er with WHA, Team Blue and yet another W; this time a squeaker: 8-6. Dr. Naismith had a helluva game for us. But the personal highlight of the night was Harry accepting beer bitch duties for Breakers, likely in exchange for a season-long spare contract.

By this time, the first growlings of thunder bellowed asunder. For no where to be found was Dan Savard; he who places his hulk in the far corner of the locker room beaten there only by Gerry Buydens when Gerry plays.

No Savard.

No seasonal rumors of a tryout with his beloved Montréal Canadiens. No fantastic roars of encouragement from the bench. No skedaddle rushes he is famous for and no wrist shot, low blocker from the hashmarks. No ganging up on our favourite Prussian. No unintelligible but distinctive grunt-like sound from him when he's open and wants a pass.

And then last night, rumors were confirmed. Savard is MIA with some mysterious lower body injury … or is that upper body injury. There was a sighting: Fast Eddie had seen Dan. And then another rumor: Tommy MacG announces that Dan will be out until at least October.

A pity, that, as Dan would have loved the first Breakers game. On my White Team, I had Bob McQ and Denis and KC. But Red had Hugh, Bernie, Jeff Tancock and Eddie: a fierce showdown. It was a beauty; comparable to some of the many, delicious, fast pace duffer hockey games Dan and I have enjoyed over the years. I got myself into a 2-0 hole early but on both occasions, Bernie had been left alone with the puck right in front of me. But our lineup, especially McQ and KC fling out there – we tied it back up and crept to a lead, never to give it up. Dave Hains had a great game on D for me. Hugh got three breakaways in the second half. He scored on one where he deftly puck-handled around my reaching poke check and sailing through the air, scored. It was a beauty. His next breakaway, I wasn't about to try a poke check again so I stayed with it and blocked him far side with the pad, even though the rest of my body had been beaten. That’s why I’m the goalie.

Anyway, humility aside, it was a fabulous game. Nyren and Tayor (two other great players): you missed one for the ages. Great rink, great players: Breakers.

Eddie got one under my arm to make it 7-6 but that was our final score, my fourth oldtimer hockey W in a row. Hard fought and well-deserved.

If anyone has seen Dan Savard, please call. He is described as 6’2”, 200 pounds, sandy grey hair, two eyes, facial hair (Asterix/Viking style), #28 in blue with white numbering on a red background and is usually mumbling something about a Montreal Canadiens tryout.

Game Day

2010-08-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

4:55 pm. Must sleep. Vancouver for emergency estate work and now a rare Victoria traffic jam. Must nap or I'll be pummeled. Sleep. Must sleep. Can't hide like an exhausted forward could. Need sleep.

Wishful Thinking

2010-07-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last week's exhibition game (I was injured and Wilson rigged the lineup by putting Denis on the same team as Ricky), some of the Red squad are feeling a bit queasy about tonight's do-or-die tilt.

This was sent to me today from the team red wannabe captain, VWic.

"Series 2 begins tonight.

"Let’s recap last week’s games for those didn’t catch it on Sports Page –the RED team. Donny W had some big holes to fill on the forward lines, so he moved Harry K to the 1st line with Dave N and Richard N. The 2nd line had Donny W and Bob B centered by Dennis ? Defence had Garry K, Dave, Werner (and) Ron and backstopped by Nelson.

"The blue team were missing Tommy M (but they did have Dan S, need we say anymore) and they picked up Paul to complete their forward lines (Bert, Chuck, Mark, Doug, Warren) with a defence of Russ, Bill, Dan, and Wayne) and Terry replaced the ailing Lloyd D (upper body injury. Some had read on a sports blog that it was hurt feelings!)

"Those are the line ups. On paper things looked even, but by the end of the night the fans were hoarse from cheering the RED team on, and the RED team didn’t disappoint. 11 – 3! For the first 20 minutes things were even, but after that the 1st line for RED found their chemistry and there was no looking back.

"Donny W gave each of the RED team players a bonus, pointed out that the series ended 4 – 2 – 2 and he reminded everyone to stop shaving their legs for the next series.

"So it beings anew 0 – 0 – 0.

"Dr. Karry H. H. H. H. H. Hope"

Haha! Funny!

Convincing 9-3 Win, Team Blue One Away From Tying Series

2010-07-07T00:06:00.000-07:00

In disparate parts of this world's greatest city, world's greatest country, are 22 men each with their own selves now to consider tonight's hockey game.

The men of Blue needed a W just to stay alive.

Blue took their image from the likeness house(TM), scoring first and scoring often. Taylor continued his torrid play while Blue finally had a second line centre with call-up Denis, flanked by Big Smooth and McGregor (yes, McGregor played forward. I was surprised too but somehow, it worked).

In response .. well, there was no response.

Team R played like pussies and were seldom seen or heard from. Even their rare goal had to careen in off body parts. On D, the "W" (Wayne Regan) swatted attacks away with abandon. What a game he had!

Fitterer, Kope and Classen buzzed from great distances and when they popped anything, at least almost anything, it was batted won by The Keep. Red was a disgrace and one that should seal the deal in this series unless ....

In every corner of the final scoresheet was evidence of Blue's dominance, taking advantage of Red MIA Nyren, and a great game from Blue pick-ups Denis and Wayne Regan. Duhaime's physical being was outstanding, surrendering only three, two flukeys, one to the ever opportunistic Dr. N and another to Kope early, on a flutter shot that handcuffed. A potential sore lower left back that took him out of duffer on Friday-past at Pearkes lurked but never flared up.

Delusions of grandeur?!

I spit on you ... infidel!

And of those 22 men, eleven commiserate and wish they could this, maybe that, differently. If only .... coulda, shoulda, woulda.

But their neighbours, Ocean's Eleven, carry a spark in their soul - a brotherhood - that only victory in hockey war can bring, especially a W that brings them back into the series, having won the last two and not lost in three consecutive games. Can you hear Olay, Olay-Olay-Olay?

Do or die again next Tuesday as it will come down to the usual suspects: (1) the lineups, (2) who in the lineup shows up to make a difference, and (3) The Keep(s).

Huge W For Desperate Blue

2010-06-30T00:32:00.000-07:00

The bullshit meter of any knowledgeable old-timers hockey observer would have gone into the red if they heard the disingenuous nonsense from the team of the same colour. With this series advertised and truly at 3-0-2 (Tommy, that’s 3 wins, no losses and 2 ties, favouring the Red team), at least two of the victories or ties were tabulated regardless of "official time" (whatever that is) and favoured Team Red. When convenient to the pinkies, the views of the league scheduler are quoted (he's on the Red team - duh!) as if a hockey game ends by some arbitrary standard rather than when the Zamboni doors open or the players as by common and gentlemen accord, stop playing - as it has been for millenia.

But tonight, with no other team taking the Oak Bay ice after WHA, Blue managed a last second goal and a 7-6 victory. Some on Team Red tried to deride as if it was a joke.

Goaltending was solid on both ends (at least I think so). Ricky Nyren found a 5-hole and Izard buried a nice cross-ice feed. But when the fat lady sung, I was +1.

Next week, Team Red will be Nyren-less; he has been their Conn Smythe guy since the beginning of the series but he has a hot date in Qualicum. The league owner, Don W., may call-up a ringer such as the polite David Merner. Who cares; Team Blue is in a must-win. A arrogant email from Red guy, Dr. Harold Kope, was posted in the Blue dressing room and appeared to fire up the troops.

Chris Witt made an appearance during and after the game. Everybody wants Chris to return to action. As a goaltender, I would welcome him back on the blue line provided he not threaten Savard's captaincy - the gentle Giant had another great game and roughed up every Red sweater he could.

Mark T. ran the offence for Team Blue. Giant Chuck Groot was great as was Warren. Paul the workhorse was put at the center, a monumental error by my reckoning. Too big a task in a must-win and not fair to the rookie. This is not a "for fun" game; this is for the marbles.

Doctor Dave Naismith, who probably does not want his name used on the Internet, was awesome tonight; so awesome that it was necessary to intentionally attempt to injure him ... unsuccessfully this time - but I smacked him good a month ago. Rumours ran rampant that he had scored a goal but, of course, the rumours were false. Wild Willie Fitterer did score a goal, the puck just sliding under my body as I scrambled to corral it and Don Wilson had a floater go past a body (I lost it - shit!), hit the post and slide in. Robbed Harry twice which must piss him off and which ought to demonstrate once and for all that anytime two Frenchmen are on the same hockey team ... can you spell invincible?

6-6 but 3-0-2 In The Series

2010-06-02T23:54:00.001-07:00

Only my 39th game this year in a spirited affair at Oak Bay, with Glen's crowd.

Nice to have David M. out, and D. Secco, and all the boys.

Last night, kissed my sister 6-6 in WHA where we are behind 3-0-2 in the best of seven. Nyren-Izard-Naismith are killing us. Nyren fed on me again last night although I was able to make some great saves.

It's always funny how goalies are judged: not by the aggregate of their performance but usually just by the # of bad goals.

We shoulda-coulda-would last night but didn't Dan took a Willie Fitt on the left chin for 10 stitches.

Ed's still out with sore elbows - miss him. Now we face a nice 4 week break as the ice comes out at oak Bay.

Awkward Moment

2010-04-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

It was an awkward moment Tuesday night in an 8-3 thrashing of a subdued Red Team, all with Kope, MacGregor, MacDonald and Bartels, Boyd ... commiserating.

Tall Dan Savard was skating into Red's zone and Larry came up to him for some social pleasantries. But Savard rejected the advance as all athletes would do under similar circumstances. The game was in progress. There are no friends between the opening face-off and the Zamboni doors opening. Big Savard skated away.

We all felt for Larry as he, too, skated away, rejected and dejected, in spite of an early highlight goal having tricked me to my knees early and then reaching around and scoring. His years of experience paid handsomely though I stopped his earlier breakaway. Not bragging; just reporting. But he couldn't find MacDonald all night so the speedster's speed was wasted.

The W put an end to three straight L's for me at Tuesday WHA, as we enter the stretch for the summer season.

Then, today, I couldn't handle any low shots and blew a 10-8 first game loss at Oak Bay duffer only to redeem myself right after with a 15-3 win to wrap it up. Scottie said it's the best game he's seen me play in years. He told me that a few months ago too. I either stink often at duffer or Scottie's memory is fading.

Breaking Point

2010-03-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

On March 9, 2010, lost a great 5-3 hockey game for which no credit was given for two saves off Kope that would cause an ordinary man to pack 'er in.

One was an open net denied by a paddle that came from nowhere.

Somewhere later (it was a blur) was a whiff of a glove save that so stunned Breakers White that the speech of pedestrians outside on Blanshard could be heard.

But it was a glorious battle and one doesn't mind being on the short end of such a thing. There were no physical deaths involved so we can rejoice on the good things we did - such as extending to the opposition just enough charity to afford to them something they had not seen since Christmas morning, give or take a day or two.

A present.

Then came last Thursday's WHA game (March 11), a 7-4 win which again saw the poor Eastern European hockey players left gasping for Mont Blanc air (Savard took a rain check to Quebec - who can blame him?).

It was a herald of the Remparts 8-0 March 14th thrashing of the Baie-Comeau Drakkars that one ex-Baie-Comeau-er had to witness at the Colisee Pepsi.

The WHA game deserves a name and it was Deny. A dispirited Red WHA continued a Red losing tradition as guys like our crew-cut hero Harry Kope struggled through what has been so many losses since January that ....

It has to hurt, big time. Ed was wise to stay away. Pick up your W's when a certain goaltender is injured.

One hates to mention it but reporting on the news take precedence over feelings.

Blue Dominates; Red Cowers

2010-03-04T23:53:00.001-08:00

How to report on this without attracting flak.

"Savard, Kope, Whole Red WHA Team Atrocious in Huge Loss"?

Nope. I'll never hear the end of that one.

"Red Boxed In; Can't Make A Play, Go Down in Flames"?

Too focused on the losers or, should I say, the non-winners.

Once again, the talk in the room after the game was of the score being too unbalanced. Further gerry-mandering to come, etc. I say just give Nelson a week or two and we'll have fire on ice; that's all both squads need is to trade square goals.

Anyway in the result, an 8-1 drubbing we set on our opponents, at an otherwise quiet Oak Bay Rec Centre, even though I forgot to pack my mask and had to wear a ratty 1970s Itech helmet and face-shield thingie. The inside padding was brown and falling apart in large pieces. I cringed at every bead of brown-black sweat that trickled down my brow.

Somehow, with constant and awkward squeezing it back into place on my part, it stayed in place and I took no shots to an exposed neck.

Before the puck dropped, I walked into the dressing room and bragged about my undefeated streak (I haven't lost a hockey game since that nightmare at the end of December). They knew I was sick and they saw I had an odd mask.

Boys! What do you want?! Now I'll just get louder and louder .... until my bubble bursts which it will.

Only one puck made it by; scrambling and made all the initial saves low but the puck squirted suddenly to Wild Willie F. who was conveniently camped at the far post. He had about a foot of netting to shoot at. I didn't have time to rise or even to square to the puck and could only get the blocker out and pray ... but I had to turn it so as to not expose my hand and that moment gave him his chance. He stayed cool enough to make it happen.

No matter - we scored at least 8 on a back-from-injury Nelson. He's nursing a sore groin.

Eddie was back in action and we'll have to see how his elbow is doin' 'fore we find out if he'll be out Tuesday.

I was - and still am - sick with a tenacious cold (since last Friday) which keeps my throat so dry at night that I'm waking up every 60 minutes to swig from a water bottle - it's that or gag. It makes for a sleep-deprived lawyer. I'm missing hot yoga so much I tore a strip off Bikram in LawMag.

Flu Hockey

2010-03-02T11:40:00.001-08:00

Brutal duffer at Oak Bay Rec today. Hardly enough to play with two spares only per team on the bench. Robbie was out as was a chick.

The hockey was OK but I went in hoping to burn and sweat my flue out of my system.

Mistake

I'm also sleep-deprived what with the dry throat at night, so that made it very hard to stay focussed. Still, lost the first but won the second by similar 10-7-ish scores. I proably shouldn't of gone but it's done. And what's a guy to do on the day immediately after Team Canada scores a gold medal at Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games but go to any hockey he can find?

Whine, whine, whine.

Win Streak Continues; Savard a No-Show

2010-02-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

Where or where was Daniel Savard tonight in a 10-7 win for my WHA Team Blue against a concoction of Red sweaters? Poor Hugh suffered as a new Jimmy Hoskins had a rare of night off. H scored four anyway, two on a breakaway and another nifty lifter just over my lonesomeness and inside the post, and even though the net was clearly off its mooring on the side he scored on.

Who happens on the scene right then but Savard?

I show the dislodged post to him. Does he at least tell his teammates?

No.

Classless.

One has to call it like it is. You try in life to be kind but sometimes, you have to stand up and call it. They say "you can't teach an old dog a new trick" but even museum men can learn integrity.

Taylor had a field goal or three and our offence was decent but we had a great show from Gilbey; Haines played his usual good self. The other two? Reagan and Werner. Need I say more.

We could even afford to play Chuck up-front. Kopitar played OK too; a bit too much swerving and dancing (all Swede, no Finnish) - but his line - and the whole team - filled the other goal which bailed me from my so-so game.

Chick Team Canada won gold tonight and Team Canada faces Slovakia tomorrow in the semis after decking Russia 7-3 yesterday but it all pales in comparison to the real Canadian hockey played at Oak Bay Rec Centre. We don't get no medals but I do remain undefeated in January and February.

Put that in your pipe, light it and smoke it.

Kope Roofs Two In Losing Cause, Goalie Still Undefeated

2010-02-23T22:52:00.000-08:00

Gorbachev, Kohl, Kope or Waldheim - I'm never sure of his identity - scored two but his White Team went down in flames 8-3 tonight in the last Battle of the Breakers in February 2010 as we're off next week.

My Team Red manhandled White in every department except shots on goal.

Ah-hem. Excuse me for that one weak moment but I have to step onto the podium on a night when Canada beat Germany in the 2010 Olympics 8-2 to now face Russia tomorrow in the quarter-finals. That'll be the nail-biter tonight's Save-On-Foods game wasn't.

Marcel (Nelson is still on injured reserve) had reasons but others did too, though shared only discreetly.

Boys were well satisfied with my play as was I. Faced and was able to deny three breakaways in the first few minutes, including two by the ever-dangerous call-up and fellow lawyer McQuisten. This - and the others -drew a barrage of swear words which I'll bank as compliments and not intimacy invitations.

Hoskins, Tancock, Wallace, Warren Hamm and Bernie held the offence together while Groot (him again) was partnered with Reagan, Kilgour and Werner. I'll take that defence.

STILL UNBEATEN IN 2010

2010-02-18T23:03:00.000-08:00

Hours after Canada squeaked by Switzerland in a 3-2 shootout at the 2010 Olympics, the boys took to the Oak Bay Rec Centre ice with no less on the line. Again, Red v Blue, with Marcel in nets for Blue, who raced to a 2-0 lead.

Groot was left alone and he popped a rocket in over the goalie's flailing glove. Then it was Lindsay on another breakaway.

But other than a pooper by Haines, that's all she wrote for Blue, as Red began to chip away, first tying and then after a long spell with that tie on the board, Red scored .. again and again.

By the time the Zamboni doors cracked open at 10:05, eight goals had beaten the best Blue could offer.

Team Canada was poorly coached tonight. Toews and Perry never saw any ice as Babcock gave it all to old useless horses Thorton and Marleau. Nash was preferred to Getzlaf - that's a laff! Just like Team Blue tonight at WHA, Team Canada couldn't muster enough scoring chances. Thank God for Brodeur.

And across the Georgia Strait, a anti-violence speech shielded from the trash talk that should of befallen those of Blue that were "K"-aught in the dressing room. Of course, Savard was gloating as he picked up a W after a fine performance on D for Red, the veteran even allowing himself to call out his goalie for a misplay.

Four goals in two games: I'll take it!

14 GOALS IN VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE

2010-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Shots rang out in the Memphis sky inside Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena on Tuesday's Breakers ice hockey tilt.

It was the perfect tandem to Team Canada's 8-0 crush of Team Norway earlier in the same Pacific time zone, across the strait in Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Games.

Bang-bang-bang, 14 goals to a single shot from White and even at that, a puck which only crossed the goal line off Warren's arm.

As the sole spectator filed out, captains and organizers were seen in the hallways debating the tilt - the tilt of the ice that is. Trades, spares, Merner - all discussed ... but not goaltending.

"Far be it for you to be humble Duhaime," was all that the Acting-Commissioner could throw at the goalie after the game, disrespectful to the very reason of his good cheer.

And: "Remember the 29th?"

Ha-ha. Very funny.

Any goalie who gets 14 goals had better win his game.

Any team whose goalie allows only one goal had better win their game.

And so it was, with all the guns of team White silenced.

Keith Classen: zip. Hugh Turner: zip. Even the role players like Connell and Bentley and the enforcer Savard: zip.

The emminence (tres) grise, Kope? Zip. Nada.

All after 90 minutes of chances for both sides, but still a 14-1 final.

It's been said before but to save lives and marriages, more words to the wise: get traded or stay home on Thursday. Coming off an 11-8 win at Doug leach Hockey on Sunday, that makes someone undefeated in 2010.

Go Home.

2010-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here we go again.

Another V, as in 10-8 (WHA).

Savard scored twice including a nice wrister inside the face-off circle that I shuoulda, coulda, woulda but didn't. It hit the post and the crossbar and went in so kudos to Dan. Then he slid an on-the-icer on me which I responded to poorly. Of course, I was experimenting with a new skate tie and that was why I didn't snake out the pad but, anyway, it gave fodder for more than a few "we want three" chants which he could not respond to.

That's got to hurt.

Harry, Harry, Harry. Stop thinking. Just move the damn puck. This isn't a Federal government committee meeting.

But he doesn't listen to me.

And Willie: nice check on Hoskers.

What a beautiful defence I had ce soir. Dave Haines, Chuck Groot, Dick Izard and Bob Gilbey. They were real solid and Chuck ... hello! Dude!

I wasn't up to snuff tonight. I fought the puck a bit as I felt my tight ankles. I tried to tie my skates up to the very top to see if it'd help me with balance but it took away from my response to low shots. I see them all in my read view mirror and I know ... and they know too.

Lesson learned. Tuesday beckons already. Poor inglorious bastards.

Again, I warned Marcel (G) and the whole Red squad: just go home.

No Nelson and no Eddie: both on injured reserve. Donnie W is in Phoenix and Garry K skiing in Kelowna, where I was last weekend.

Proportionate to the Play

2010-02-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

Same old, same old.

Again, fair warnings to the White, including a direct approach with the other goalie, Marcel.

"Take a walk," I generously offered before the game. "Who's going to notice you're missing?"

But, Lemmings go to the sea.

So, I did what I had to do in a 10-6 Breakers affair even after the 90-minutes of the last day of my 30-day Bikram Yoga challenge.

Kope tried to take my head off and Danny, on one of his many chances, was thinking five-hole. But it was read and dismissed.

A 7-2 lead was whittled away to, at one point, 8-5 and 9-6 but it just wasn't fair. Mathematically, the score was proportionate to the play.

It's Just Not Fair.

2010-02-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

I tried to do my bit. It was, after all, a 23rd consecutive day of a grueling 90-minutes, 40 degree Bikram Hot Yoga (I’m on the 30-day challenge). Well, if it's good enough for Luongo (who goes to Bikram hot yoga at the Kitsilano studio), it's god enough for me!

As fatigued and exhausted as I could, was I, to level the playing field. It was arranged for David M to play with White. John "Dan" Wayne was told to give it up; just enjoy the skate. MacDonald was smart enough to feign an elbow injury and avoid the battle.

After a 12-5 W last Tuesday, the outcome last night was foregone.

And yet, what was I supposed to do?

Last night's hockey game at Save on Foods Memorial Center was a joke; a mismatch of epic proportions, boys against men, another 12-5 debacle.

Someone should retire.

Far be it for me to exaggerate or steep to trash hyperbole. As a trained lawyer and commissioner of oaths, nothing but the truth comes from these lips. There's no vanity here. Truth: I waved at one of Classen’s pussy wrist shots; my D should tied Kope up, who scored on a pass from the corner; and Merner was offside on an allowed wraparound goal.

But the saves.

The saves.

The sheer number of heart and puck-stopping, lightning quick – nay – as quick as light itself – leather bits and pieces thwarting the black rubber disc. All must've seemed but a blur to White, frustrated as they increasingly became.

I heard: "That can't be Duhaime! Duhaime sucks!"

Thus, emotions took over, the sticks rose with the stakes as fate teased White with a short-lived 7-6 score.

“Go White,” came a low, insincere whisper from the benches.

And then, sudden death.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Again and again, Red struck as White tried to no avail to put anything past the player wearing #1; defenseman pinched, Merner broke the rules; Savard – Kope – Buckley – Classen – MacGregor each picked out the revolver and shot from point-blank range only to be denied, although Connell squeaked one in on a breakaway.

But in all of that, the words of an objective observer ought to conclude this account. Bentham the wise, himself, entered the locker room and had but one word to describe the difference.

Goaltending.

It was sick, the carnage horrible, the mass depression in the far locker room palpable from one end of the modern arena to the other. Awkward talk spewed from the mouths of a defeated White as if at a wake, as they quietly plotted their revenge on February 9th. But that would be a mere five days before the start of the 2010 Olympic games. Left off the Team Canada squad, greater motivation this oldtimer French Canadian ice hockey goaltender could not find.

Words of wisdom to White: stay home.

But I Get Up Again

2010-01-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

No clue was all that could be found on the Oak Bay Rec Centre ice last night for poor Team Red (WHA).

Captained by Harry Kope and with MacGrrrregor on D, there was nuthin' doin' for 'em.

Team Blue signed Duhaime to his first game as a forward and sparks flew. Duhaime literally lifted mediocre Nyren and Merner to greatness, picking up seventeen assists in the process. Objectively and no exageration: Kope tried to knock the speedy decathlete down and even the passive Connell and Wallace tried to hook and grab but by then, the puck was gone sideways to the tape of either wing-mate.

The carnage was so great that the Red goalie gave up and ex-goalie R. Pym was seen leaving in tears, alleging an upper body injury.

The ultimate compliment occurred when the Russian Mark Taylor asked Duhaime to play on his line next week. Can't buy that kind of a compliment.

Obituary

2009-12-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

Lloyd Duhaime, GOALIE, 1999-2009.

Suddenly on December 29, at Save On Foods Arena, Victoria, British Columbia between approximately 9 and 10:15 PM, the Lord called home to Himself, the goaltending skills and abilities of Lloyd Duhaime.

Beloved Quebec-trained goaltender, Lloyd leaves behind fellow oldtimer goalies Nelson and Marcel and will be missed by all especially Edward MacDonald with whom he has played 1,000 hockey games in the past decade.

The palm bearers were selected by lottery and include Eddie, Nelson, Harry, Dan, Michael, Garry, Chuck and Rick Nyren.

As an ice hockey goaltender, Lloyd Duhaime will be remembered for being the goaltender at the Guinness Book of World Record Hockey Game played in 2002 in which he was the only goaltender to record a point and receive a penalty. Starting as a goaltender with the Rhinos Hockey Club at Panorama Arena in Sidney from 1999 to 2004, he moved on to play for the Wilson Hockey Association at Oak Bay Rec Centre.

He then joined the Breakers Hockey Club first at the Memorial Arena, then Esquimalt Arena, then the new Save On Foods Memorial Arena. He is a multiple player-of-the-game winner at the Sooke Oldtimers Hockey Tournament and the Wallace & Sons Annual Hockey Game. He has suited up for Victoria Doctors and with the Oak Bay Noon Hour Duffer hockey. He also organized an annual Duhaime Cup.

Donations in cash or cheque can be made payable to Lloyd Duhaime in generous amounts since, in any event, he can’t cash them.

Duhaime Cup Stays Home!

2009-12-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

By Clive Shamshawk

Warning: the veracity of this article has been challenged. Please click here for our challenge policy.

(Victoria) Before a home crowd of 25 and several Salmon Kings who had to defer to this critical old-timers ice hockey game before their pre-Alaska Aces tilt, the 2009 Duhaime Cup remained with Team Duhaime.

In ten games, the cup has been won by Team Duhaime on 7 occasions, with two ties and a single loss, an unprecedented record.

If there was a day for reckoning for Team Simmons, the Las Vegas money would of been on December 26, 2009, what with the entire Merner clan in attendance - including the matriarch - to cheer on their warrior. Ever dangerous, Oxford darted in and out and managed the first two goals for Team Simmons; the first, a push-in from nowhere which caught the goalie off guard; the next a roof job on a zero-angle shot.

But then #66 for Yellow took over and smothered Oxford with hockey love. Bryan's early goal and leadership on defence gave Fast Eddie room to manoeuvre though they took a 2-1 deficit to the locker room at halftime.

Team Simmons' Kope-hope was hurt early on, trying to draw a penalty on a sharp goalie move. The Prussian was alone in the slot on a perfect feed from Fitterer but Duhaime rushed out and the gamble froze Koze ... he chopped and the puck sailed harmlessly up, far above the crossbar. But rather than veer off, likely panicked by the speed of events then unfolding before him, Kopetar chose to dive over the goalie, and crashed into the boards. Words were exchanged even as the ailing forward lay on the ice, all but bleeding, and with wisdom prevailing, no penalty called on the play, and one Team Black man down for the duration of the tilt.

Penalty shots ... Pillows stopped Bryan and Taylor, and Duhaime, Stills. Wallace, Fitterer, Wilson, Taylor and Robinson came in waves and battled but what came to the blue paint, stayed in the blue paint, at both ends as Team Simmons' 29-year old ringer goalie, Pillows, was up to the task.

In the 2nd half, Simmons popped a quick one on a penalty shot to take his squad ahead 3-2 with 10 minutes left on the clock. The peacock feathers were everywhere on the Black bench. Savard was seen skating off the bench, opening and closing his glove towards Duhaime as if to taunt; Savard in game-worn Hamilton Bulldog apparel. In the handshake lineup, only a spirited and unexpected bear hug with Kilgour, and a sucker-punch, stopped a donnybrook.

But these minutes-left situations are why MacDonald exists. Two identical seeing-eye passes to Bert on the other side of the crease shocked and silenced the hockey world as Team Duhaime took the cup. When that final, fourth goal went in, there was but 10 seconds left on the clock ... pandemonium.

In the locker rooms, even Salmon Kings captain Wes Goldie recognized the significance and presumably came to congratulate Team Duhaime, under the guise of returning a forgotten stick (it was Willie's). When Goldie walked away, someone yelled: "If you need a practise goalie, I'm half-dressed!"

To the jealous, the sound that came back may be taken as laughter but to the trained ear, it was a sign of profound good will and respect, hockey man to hockey man; something - and not to overstate this - but something that the Men in Black of Team Simmons may never know.

Already, before even the engine of his Hummer2 had cooled from the long and quiet drive home, the massive frame of Simmons himself was emailing for a grudge match, like a chicken being asked into the slaughter house, like Shackleton asking to return to the South Pole, with the "we'll get you next time" cliché sounding like a Tiger Woods marriage vow.

Pain ... it's all pain for his 11 angry men, and for as long as it takes to rub the egg yolk off their very souls yet elsewhere in Victoria, 11 others chant Olay and wipe the beer stains from the inside of the Duhaime Cup, a band of brothers now proudly H1N1, fresh Blistex on their new cold sores, fleeting souvenirs from the rim of a championship silver bowl filled with Lucky Beer.

Saves and Shine, 68 in 09

2009-12-23T00:07:00.000-08:00

Team Red rallied from a 8-4 deficit to win 11-9 in a long Breakers game at Save-On-Foods Arena in downtown Victoria.

I played 6 games in October (coming back on October 13th and my left shoulder is certainly not OK but it's OK for hockey), 12 in November and 12 so far in December with 2 to go, assuming no duffer next week. Ha! Like that's going to happen .. not! I'm on the phone right now. Anyway, I had to stop when I hurt my shoulder on May 13th at which time, I had played 38 games; add 30 since October 13 and so far, for a tentative total, 2009, 68 games ... having missed 5 months.

The 2nd last game of the Fall semester (last Breakers game, next Tuesday), goals were pouring in on a weak Duhaime but then, somehow, the Red stemmed the tide. David Merner was a God out there but then, so, too, were Eddie MacDonald and Ricky Nyren for Team White. Warner Stills also played outstanding, as did Nelson, my nemesis goalie.

It may be a bit of an avant gout of the Duhaime Cup on Saturday. Will Duhaime flounder? Will Simmons keep up the torrid pace? Will Merner and Kope perform as well together? Will Savard have the spirit to play against his fellow quebecois? Will Fast Eddie be the game-breaker he so often is?

But call it what you want - beer league, oldtimers hockey - it's all about the relationships.

None of us are being scouted and at the end of the day, compared to climate change, the final hockey score means little.

The richness of my hockey is in the relationships.

Few, but some, come out to score and win, period, and there's little personal connection before, during and after the game. They are like ghosts in the locker room.

And to their credit, the powers-that-be manage to ferret out those guys and focus on what we really are, a social club of guys that have in common a love for playing ice hockey.

From game to game, we each take our turn to shine and suck but at the end of the day, these are the guys you want at your 50th birthday party.

I am grateful for these buddies and for the time we have together as we trudge from rink to rink playing make-believe important hockey. In 2050, when I'm rocking in some chair at Oak Bay Lodge, I will recall ice hockey and the characters that go by the name Duffer Veterans, Breakers or WHA.

The Boys

2009-12-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

Lost 5-4 tonight, Breakers at Save On Foods Memorial Arena in Victoria.

Or was it 6-4?

Anyway, it was a solid hockey game.

Chuck Groot, Dan Savard, Dave Haines and Jimmy Hoskins are playing great hockey this Fall. These are guys who have stepped up their game this Fall. And an honourable mention to Doug Connell and Dick Izard.

All are defying their birth certificates in consistently making good, instant decisions with a 1" puck in a game played on ice. Trust me: when defencemen screw up, I am immediately made aware of it!

All but DI are on my Breakers team this Fall but that'll change after Christmas when we (finally) mix it up a bit.

At the same time, you have your old faithful who always show up: Tommy MacGregor, Mark Taylor, Eddie MacDonald, Ricky Nyren, Nelson Bartel, Hugh Turner and Ron Lindsay.

Our one German player was robbed of a roof job and there was a mild complaint of an offside on Ricky Nyren's last goal of the game but these are just loser excuses.

We did throw a lot of pucks on net tonight and we didn't get the breaks in the slot we could have but you earn your hockey luck.

Two more games with the boys and then it's Christmas but it's back in the blue tomorrow with Victoria doctors Hockey, 1:30 to 3:00 at Oak Bay Rec.

Huge

2009-12-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

Dude!

Played against a great 20-something goalie today at Oak Bay duffer (Trevor) and still made it to 1:05PM (started at Noon) in the first game. That alone is huge.

A 10-5 loss but I was delighted with the whole thing. The guy's glove hand was on fire and got me going. What a delight to watch him play - reminds me of Randy C.

He was so dominant that guys were not shooting and doing the extra dangle - the ultimate compliment for a goalie.

It wasn't the usual crew either - no Z etc. - many guys I didn't know which made it fun. Not a single "beginner" either.

Anyway, I didn't know what I was getting into especially as I was playing 12 hours after last night's WHA game but yee-haw!

Love duffer!

Every Little Mistake

2009-12-10T23:36:00.001-08:00

I had a great time at hockey tonight which is a weird comment for a goalie who lost and let in nine goals (there was one empty netter; final: 10-9).

I thought I played fine but every little mistake seemed to end in a goal. Willie Fitterer had two awesome goals, both just inside the posts.

It did not help that I got hit for two late goals, both low blocker side - literally, on the ice, which sealed the deal for the enemies, WHA Red. I just watched them sail by as I had a mental committee meeting to decide whether to kneel and kick out the pad or kick out the pad as I kneel. Like there was time ....

It was a 90-minute seesaw battle and we fought back from several two goal deficit to tie it. eventually, it was 8-8 and we even went ahead 9-8.

Other than the simple math of giving up too many goals, it has been an exciting week of tight hockey at both Breakers and WHA.

The weather is very cold; minus 7 tonight, so it is a good time to play ice hockey. Christmas is almost upon us, which means the Duhaime Cup can't be far away (December 26th).

What The Hell

2009-12-08T23:17:00.000-08:00

6-6 affairs tonight at SOFA with Ed working hard to be sprung on a breakaway ... about 4 minutes to go and I missed the poke check, completing his hat trick.

Those are bad moments for a goalie as it's do-or-die but you don't attempt the poke check with a 6-5 lead and 4 minutes to go.

Flash also had a weird goal - after I stopped him twice point blank, he corralled la rondelle behind the net and shot it out front from behind the goal line, I suppose (unless it was a planned play?), and it hit a plastic part of my chest protector and popped right in. I made the choice to not duck - betting the puck would hit me, drop and stop their offence - and I paid for it.

His call on the breakaway was a good read but it frustrated an awesome performance by my Red defence, Savard, Lindsay, Chuck and Hainsers.

What the hell: I had a good game but for one dribbler change-up which locked my legs: I was wound up for a real shot and in came this little thing that just trickled through my legs.

That made it 4-3; we still had the lead. Gordie and Don had a tussle, Jim Hoskins played great and Ricky N missed the last half of the game when his blade support broke.

What a comeback for White even with Ricky N benched.

Olay, Olay-Olay-Olay, Olay, Olay

2009-12-03T23:13:00.001-08:00

Nice, tidy 8-5 win at WHA ce soir at Oak Bay Rec, on a very cold Victoria day (zero degrees all day).

David Merner and Ricky Nyren was all the offence we needed though the other line with Gord and Chuck worked hard. David scored on a wrap-around in his zillioneth try but he was awesome tonight giving fits to Dick Izard and Gary Kilgour on Red defence.

Ed and Mark Taylor, the latter with Warren Minnie, were flies. At one point, MT had some kind of event in the corner and I was so busy watching that I let Warren shovel it in uncontested. I had to sing the Canadiens Olay, olay-olay-olay, olay, olay song to perfect pitch.

Tom MacGregor was a monster for us and somehow we also had Warner; didn't hurt.

Nelson's out with an undisclosed injury so this was the 2nd one against Marcel.

No Savard or Kope so I didn't have to worry about trash talk though I did suggest to Dr. Doug that he find a knitting group for Thursday nights.

Olay, olay-olay-olay. Olay. Olay.

Celebrex Day

2009-12-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

Down to two readers; Anonymous and Mother but that's OK. Jesus was stoned in Nazareth. The true worth of a hockey blog lies in what the Big Guy will say of it on Judgment Day.

Far be it for me to speak for the Big Guy but Dan Savard played a huge game tonight at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena in Victoria, skating and taking chances as if he were a younger kid again. He was well served by his fine skating and slick stick. Tonight, Savard was an ice dog defenceman, ferae naturae, my favourite kind.

Victory 7-6 although one goal was scored on me when I ignored what I thought was a called offside which someone was mad about and had thrown it down the ice. It went in as I ignored it to use the break to clean the crease of a piece of tape.

I didn't care ... but everyone else did as White insisted it was a goal!

With a minutes or two to play, I had to stretch to stop Ricky Nyren from tipping in a pass that made its way to him from one end of the slot to the other. Luckily, I followed the puck aggressively. I also stopped a MacGregor shot just before that which I managed to pin with my glove on my blocker, always a worrisome play.

Probably got some 40 shorts tonight so at 50, 6 goals isn't too bad.

Hoskins was our captain and the other side lined up MacDonald, Classen, Nyren and Taylor so it's a big win.

Did I hurt my left shoulder last Thursday doing a double-header (I won the WHA game but my shoulder was too sore to do much at the doctor's game which I lost 10-6). But I double-dosed Celebrex and by Sunday, it was much better. Last Friday, I thought I would be out for months, the pain was so debilitating.

Bullshit

2009-11-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

Bullshit first.

Won 16-5 at Doc Hockey, Wednesday, the 18th. Boring! Hardly any shots.

Then, lost an 8-7 game on Thursday night, WHA, at Oak Bay Rec Centre.

Had to endure Savard bitch about Rob Byers description of his deflection of Dan's "goal" at duffer.

Then with DS (that's "DS" and not "BS") playing excellent, responsible defence, I still lost the game!

Savvy played great, as usual. Every once in a while, someone will skate around Danny and score and the word goes up that Dan's "easy" but you have to watch him play. There are so many plays he makes and tight passes that he nails .... As a goalie I watch him, and mostly what I like is his decision-making. 9.9 times out of 10 he makes a quick decision and it's the right one!

For me, few goals were blatant errors: rebounds the defence should of taken ... between the pads (just barely) ... shit happens - and crap just under this or above that.

Next day, Friday, Oak Bay noon-hour duffer and I was exhausted but tied game #1, 10-10 but took #2, 8-5 at the buzzer.

Savard wasn't there. Hurt? Chicken? Who knows.

I Loved It - What a Workout

2009-11-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

The rain was relentless as the white van pulled up into the parking lot of the Oak Bay rec center. The driver parked his car, removed his hockey equipment and made his way to the change room. It was another awesome duffer.

The six best players were on the team I started with: Zamian, Rob, to name but those two. And the two beginners were on the other team. But the star-studded white team kept throwing the puck right at the other goalie. The final, which took far too long to achieve, was 11-5. There were some loud, but erroneous suggestions of any 10-7 final score, though that would have to include two phantoms.

Savard fooled me with an old-timer shot in the middle of a kid's duffer game; a change-up by any definition, which deflected off Rob's stick but then crossed the goal line, just past my blocker. It was still a humiliating experience, one I had to overcome so it would not define my career. Dan skated away with renewed confidence.

In the second game, I only had 15 minutes to face White but I think I lost 5-1, under a constant barrage of rubber.

I loved it - what a workout. When I am old and retired from hockey, I will look back fondly at duffer games like today with "I'm here all week", "make a pass" and my very own "slow down the game in your mind".

Last Thursday, my WHA team and I dominated the competition and Savard and I took that to the next day's duffer. Fast Eddie, post-H1N1, had 6 breakaways and no goals to show for it.

It was still pouring outside when the heavier, sweat-laden hockey bag was thrown into the back of the van, for the ride home.

Loss: Eight to Six (Breakers)

2009-11-11T01:07:00.000-08:00

Down 2-0 and then up 6-3 only to lose 8-6 with an empty net goal. Chuck and Hoskins played great for me tonight as did Mark Taylor.

And, might I say so, Savard and Kope were monsters out there too.

It came down to the easy goals I gave up.

Those are the enemy.

When To Walk Away

2009-11-05T23:02:00.000-08:00

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.

Know when to walk away and know when to run.

That's how I feel about my new goaltending style because early returns are tough. I was told this would happen and I'm to stick with it and wait. The idea is that I was giving up the low sides of the net, especially under the blocker. The solution was a form of stretching (yoga) and a slightly new stand-up posture that can respond to shots in any corner of the goal. For me, that also means leading with the glove.

But tonight, two soft goals went under my pad, two more went right in along the ice with no dramatic speed on either, and I did not catch Dick Izard's little wrister glove side ... Hello! That hurts.

I'm not folding the tent on the change because it will pay off. I just have to be patient with it.

Luckily, both teams are scoring right now so in spite of the issues, I lost by 1 goal Tuesday and Thursday night ... but 9 and 8 goals against for me - awful!

But the camaraderie and fun of it all is so great. Even the defencemen who wander and give up breakaways for no offensive gain (again and again) - can't rain on the parade.

True Love

2009-11-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Nice, clean fun with the Victoria docs today at a quiet Oak Bay Rec Centre, it being 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

I must of been the only one without an H1N1 shot but they still let me occupy the paint. I fooled around, had fun, let a couple in, two while I was tussling with Dr. Y ... and still took a 10-7 win.

Which reminds me of Tuesday's affair. Looking back ... when I was too quick to kneel or seek to be all things to all shooters - an impossible task - rather than just returning to the basics of puck focus, high glove, combativeness and be wary of the inclination to over-lean into a shot which when it forces me down, the boys see as flopping (it isn't).

We almost came back on Tuesday and we lost by two which included an empty net goal. Moral of the story: regardless of the score or a small hole to begin, a goalie has to rise up and keep his team in there in the start and mid-game. For me, the key is realizing that a bad scoreboard is as good a time as any to summon the demon. Doing so is a win-win: it'll contribute towards breaking a funk for future games, and may just turn a L to a W.

Other than family, (censured), friendships and the duhaime.org website (10,000 visitors today for the first time ever!), what is there more fun than ice hockey?

This, even though no one watches 22 men chase a little one-pound round rubber disk, behind which is, collectively, hours and hours of work before and after as each player handles, lugs and washes a set of stinky hockey apparel and equipment at their respective homes.

That's true love ... and I don't even score goals.

The Hole, I Dug.

2009-11-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

Pulled the goalie and we coughed up the puck to H1N1; and he scored into an open net. But the hole, I dug, as we lost 9-7 tonight in Victoria's major league arena, the Memorial Save On Foods Centre.

Kope coped with his short angle roof job, one of two for the geogeologistphysicistforestry-guy. I used my Hasek mask and I had that line of silver steel to contend with in my line of vision - what was I thinking! But so far, so good with the shoulder.

Battled the puck all night; just couldn't find my footing or rhythm. No biggie.

Whatever

2009-10-30T00:10:00.000-07:00

Swine flue ... Halloween ... Luongo injured (again) ... c'mon! Can't blame the hole fiasco on our star player (Rick Nyren) not finishing his chances. I was in for 7 ... err, maybe 8, in a X-4 drubbing, all my fault too.

A great day for hockey, raining, Oak Bay, the Olympic Torch arriving in Victoria tomorrow and Ed's distracted by some red head.

Savard - I took him out again tonight ... I think. Why does he embellish his slip-ups by sliding into the net and taking it off its moorings? Who is there to impress?

Harry: that breakaway was athlete against athlete. Sorry. Maybe next time ... not!

Even Merner couldn't score to save the Liberal Party, try though he surely did.

Whatever.

3 Ws and Counting

2009-10-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

Brutal 12-3 win at WHA last Thursday as NB suffered one of his rare meltdowns, not to mention the boys in front of him, as I was able to get equipment in front of most pucks I faced. Ce soir, 6-5 win at Breakers as I let in a few I ought not to of.

Only one scary moment when I raced out to clear a puck before Slap Shot could reach it and almost had to take out Father Savard on the play. I would of done it if it had of been necessary for the cause and Dan knows the risk and would of accepted the concussion. But we missed each other as Slap Shot wisely skated away in fear and I just managed to clear the puck as Father Dan yelled some death thingie.

Nyren picked up a few garbage goals - rebounds, but also a dandy shot with me being out of alignment with the posts. We were up 3-0 then down 5-4 with minutes left when we tied and took the lead and yet another breakaway - this time Bert but I was far back enough that when he tried to deke to my left, I was able to cover it. Thump! sounded good.

It's Still Hockey

2009-10-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

It's still hockey.

No matter that no-one can remember the score, or they invent some self-serving dribble.

My Red Team pulled out a 6-5 Breakers victory tonight, rendered close only because my late foray to freeze the puck didn't work and Jimmy Cameron had an open net, though I did steal his sure goal earlier with a wrong-side blocker save which costs me comfort in my right thumb.

It wasn't 6-6 .... C'mon! Do I warp the score to self-serve when I lose? No. I tell it like it is. So don't rob my Red boys of the W.

Gord Wallace - he knows .... he knows ... he should not of scored that one goal on a pass from Harry K (he says it was from Tommy, who was playing up tonight). I should of moved over more aggressively.

Ed had a hum-drum night as did David Merner, although David did buzz a bit. That's good; let's let sleeping lions sleep. Lots of hooking but the Oxford jersey begged for it.

46 hours and the puck drops again at Oak Bay Rec on Thursday, October 22, 2009, WHA presiding. A mere thirty years before we get into Oak Bay Lodge - for some Breakers, make that twenty.

But for now, it's still hockey.

Back!

2009-10-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

First game in five months on Tuesday, October 13, began with a thud: of the 4 goals in 4 minutes variety. I had not even found my skate blades yet on the ice. It felt like the bottom of Mount Everest. But then followed a decent middle and end game, and bowed out a respectable 6-1. It should of been closer but for Nelson's marvelous display at the other end. Shoulder survived but then I pulled it in the shower after the game and limped home with the pain that has been my bane since Mat 09.

Then last night, the ice titled the other way, and I walked out with a 12-3 victory. No crappy goals which is simply evidence that my left shoulder behaved thanks to 400mg of Celebrex, and I was able to be combative with the little black puck.

It's so nice to be back out with the boys.

The other team's lineup appeared fearsome with Ed, David Merner and Mark Taylor all on the same team but they were never able to get it together while at the other end, the fishnet snapped back again and again.

Injured Goalie Bides Time on Track

2009-07-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

Third month in progress since rotator cuff sidelined Duhaime. Big dummy has yet to see doctor to get steroid shot which is the only way to shorten recovery time from eight months to two weeks.

That didn't stop him from running a 4km today in under 20 minutes, at the Oak Bay High School track in Victoria, British Columbia, just two days before his 50th birthday. This loudly answers a very public challenge made in the hockey locker room last week, and leaves other, younger East Coast runners ... err, joggers to nervously reach for the mark.

The 4000m is not a recognized running event and as such, there is no Masters World Record ... until today, where the bar was set at 19:49:60, thus humiliating Pictou.

Ignominious End

2009-05-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

Duhaime Law announced today that Lloyd Duhaime, the founder of the prestigious law firm behind duhaime.org, and Canada's #1 Just-Under-50 ice hockey goaltender, has been placed on injured reserve and is unable to play ice hockey until August, 2009.

Half-way into an excellent game against Oldtimers run by the Glenn and Dave Secco (and including a few local lawyers), he was mostly worried about his lower back pain. Making quick work even through the pain, of the old fogies who dared prowl in front of him and shoot the little black puck, it was a night of zeros and Vs.

But later that night, far from the spotlight, and especially the next day, an old enemy knocked on his door. His small left rotator cuff tear of circa 2003 (they never heal) had been somehow, sometime, somewhere, aggravated in the previous night's travails.

"It's a tragedy for the ladies, really, us and others who hang out behind the glass at Oak Bay Rec Centre," said a young female attendant at Oak Bay Rec Centre, where the robust goalie mostly performs.

The 40-something woman giggled and added: "Watching him play is like ... well ... I'd rather not say!"

As for the athlete, he'll be sorely missed as no other goaltender can keep the players as honest as he can. It'll be a feeding frenzy while he recovers but these are things which must played out and as he's not there: like the tree that timbers in the vacant forest.it never happened.

Eleven Angry Men

2009-05-12T23:35:00.000-07:00

Eleven angry men roam the streets of Victoria, mad at their wives and impatient with their children. A 7-3 manhandling by WHA Team Red will do that to you.

Just a week ago, Blue rode their high horse on a 11-6 victory with a myth of multiple goals by some of their players.

But when the siren went at Oak Bay Rec Centre in the late evening hours of Tuesday, May 12, 2009, Team Blue could only shuffle off the ice, shoulders slouched. There was their nervous talk in the change room while around them, Red cackled and roared.

It was a pitiful sight, a mirror of the saga of May 11th and yet another disappointing finish to a promising Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup drive.

Denied this way - then that way - by a goalie needing to redeem himself from the week before. Other times Team Blue literally could only skate far circles around the tightly held ground at the South end of the rink.

The Red offence came by way of lawyers and respiratory therapists.

Soon, time will bring these gentlemen happiness again but for the time being, they pay for the risk they voluntarily took in taking to the ice against a superior team.

Torrid pace continues. Hockey games so far in '09: 8 in January, 10 in February, 8 in March, 6 in April and, so far, 6 to May 13th.

What A Shame

2009-03-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

It don't matter. We took him out, pulled his sweater over his head - me, Johnny and Wayner - but he keeps on cheating.

With no time remaining, that illegal slap shot struck again. Like a Don Wilson interference or a Willie Fitterer offside, you don't want to call it but you know that ....

Eddie's tying goal was a fake, an illegal slapshot ... again ... and again .....

Polar Shift

2009-03-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

It was a Polar Shift game last night.

Savard was shut down - completely.

I never saw Regan or MacGregor or etcetera etcetera.

Taylor got a few but whatever - when that lovely fat lady sang, it was 6-5 for moi.

Harry K showed up to play but the poor guy had underachievers as wing mates. Still, he finangled. Our other line had another lawyer and it was flying. My defence were all gold.

Ed tried to take my head off with yet another illegal slap shot. Then, he had the gall, as I was recovering from my broken collar bone and bruised jugular vein, to say "you went down buddy".

It was a vicious attack one that, once Savard has been dealt with, will be fast-tracked for retribution.

I don't fight, of course (I can't - what with the recent death of Don Sanderson), but in my mind, I'm sending out George Laraque to hunt down that rat from Pictou and the mouse from the Museum.

This has to finish.

Bring It On!

2009-02-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

He's back!

No foolhardy monkey left on my back!

What was was and what is is.

But there's still no reason here ... just the way I like it!

8 games in 9 days: Doc Hockey last Thursday and Oak Bay Duffer on Friday (with Dan Savard and Ed Mac). Then, Doug Leach last night at Esquimalt Rec and today Oak Bay Duffer. Tomorrow, Breakers and Wednesday, Oak Bay Duffer followed by Doc Hockey on Thursday night and, finally, duffer at Bear Mountain on Friday. Whew!

Bring it on!

Monkey On My Back

2009-01-06T23:15:00.000-08:00

An F in Game 3 of 2009.

They say the mark of a good goalie is to let a bad goal, or bad game, exit your mind except as to correcting errors, so that the goalie is up for the next round.

Some goalie coaches even tell their protégés to not watch the score; that the battle is always just between the goalie and the puck; that since the goalie can't score, the score is irrelevant.

There's some merit to that.

But even on that basis, while good tonic against a 3-11 drubbing at Breakers tonight, it doesn't explain the ten weeks of intermittent garbage goaltending I've been putting out.

Is it time to go? Is it time to hang up the skates and do something else? Have I entered the Twilight Zone; at just 49?

One thing is for sure; if this monkey doesn't get off my back soon, I'm going to take a long break; perhaps permanent. I will not go out there with DUHAIME on my back and let in 8, 10 or 11 goals every second game.

I'm a team guy. I care about the score and though I know it's just for fun, to see pucks go by me resulting in a huge hole for my team just kills me.

Let's hope this prolonged slump is over soon. I have some suspects and I'm honing in on them.

Good Duffer: C-

2009-01-05T15:31:00.001-08:00

Good duffer today but I'd give myself a C- only. I actually played OK but I was having difficulty once Casey's shot somehow went under my right knee pad and bang! I hurt everytime I went on my knees but it doesn't seem like it'll keep me off the ice. Then my skate lace came undone and I had to use up 4 minutes to take the pad partially off and retie it. That made me popular! I played against Tatoo-Man and his CZECH jersey. He's very wobbly and just by being crazy, he managed to stop a few pucks. That happens but the odds are stacked against him. Robbie the complainer scored a beauty off a shotpass; he just tipped it in as it fluttered over my shoulder and I was unable to stop it. But ear;lier, I stopped him on at least two breakaways and a nice blocker save.

Dude! Give it a Rest!

2009-01-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

8-1 trouncing tonight at Esquimalt Recreation Centre with Doug Leach Hockey. Once again, far too many bad goals - three by my count. Dave Merner and - surprise- Brad Bryan was out tonight - neither scored and I poke-checked Brad nicely on his one breakaway. What an awesome player and a smooth skater he is. David tried a wrap-around but I was over on time.

The weak goals are frustrating because they are sprinkled with many good saves so it's just a matter of adjusting a few things:

- Get out farther, to the top of the crease at least, to face shots;

- Get a better grip in my glove and get it higher;

- Stand up just a bit more although this has to be adjusted to the calibre of players; and

- Fight-fight-fight always. Any let up will result in bad goals, sooner or later.

My constant working-out seems to be tightening me up too so it's hurting rather than helping my game. I'll need to stretch more in my workouts.

Oak Bay Duffer tomorrow where I can't hide and I'll have to be good or the boys'll let me have it! Then, it's off to watch the gold medal game of the 2009 World Juniors at Ed's place - Canada v Sweden. What a semi-final against Russia. That'll be impossible to top.

Ferae Naturae Cup

2008-12-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

Savard got cut up damn good and took the stitches while on the bench; Don Cherry would of been proud. But his pants were down, again. And anyway, it sewed up - no pun intended - a 4-4 affair.

A brilliant see-saw hockey game which saw three non-defencemen play ... well ... defence. Blake, Parsons and Demonceaux - I never saw them.

Obviously, the guy in charge, Captain Brad Bryan, was in over his head and got trounced. His better-half ran the goalie twice; the 2nd time, while he was otherwise occupied with goalie interference. She'll definitely be invited out again next time.

Gordon Bryan could not take the pressure and bailed at half-time. It was a humiliating end to a hockey career.

Yellow stunk but for their goalie (moi), unable to lift the puck over Mister Knees, the inimitable Dale Kitchen. But let us be honest - it was a historic performance for Kitchen, a ringer if I ever saw one. Having not let me win, he'll not be re-invited.

Leather leathered two in as did his fellow College member, John Sun, although but I and Soleil know that the pads should of been stacked. Even Yoneda might (I said might) of got in on the action were it not for a nice backcheck by fast Eddie who took the puck the other way and scored the tying goal.

The teams: BLACK, Dale Kitchen (G), Brad Bryan (C), Gordon Bryan, Deborah Curran, Ron Dumonceaux, John Sun, Darryl Parsons, Evan Blake, Andrew Kain, Travis Allnutt, Bruce Yoneda and Rick Leather.

YELLOW: Lloyd Duhaime (G), Ed MacDonald (C), Rick Nyren, Dan Savard, Jeff Tancock, Mike Simmons, Harry Kope, Chuck Groot, Bert Buckley, Dan Evans (D), Dave Haines (D), Russ Pym (D) and Tommy MacGregor (D).

The Sequel Continues

2008-10-24T01:25:00.000-07:00

A bit miffed at hurting my left quad last Wed working out and then a good jog with Ed; all on a hockey-off day.

I'm not able to play much tho I did the Thursday 10 PM doc hockey last night (dumb move) and again tonight (not as dumb). Canceled a few duffers in between, tho, as one good tug on the quad now and I'll be out for weeks.

The only issue re playing on the sore quad is that once down, I can't get up easily. It's sore for that.

Anyway, we skated to a 7-6 win tonight. Eddie double-headered as I had done in the past.

I've played 99 games so far 2008, in spite of losing half of February to Mexico and all of March to Europe:

2008: 122 games (113 in 2007)!
January: 14 games
February: 6
March: 0
April: 12
May: 17
June: 9
July: 10
August: 6
September: 15
October: 13
November: 11
December: 12

Duhaime Cup XVI!

2008-06-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

It comes to this.

13 games in January, 6 in February (Mexico), none in March (Europe), 12 in April, 17 in May and for this, my 5th game in June of 2008, a balmy June day with a clear sky but a good breeze outside the Oak Bay Recreation Centre, venue for the XVIth Duhaime Cup.

A gorgeous, quiet Saturday midday; a perfect setting for the drama that was to unfold, historians remembering MacDonald's dramatic goal to win the Cup in December of 2007, when he was part of Team Duhaime; or the 6-6 deadlock of June 2007.

Before the puck was even dropped, bravado was worn on many a sleeve.

This salvo from the captain of Black:

“(Y)ou're going down ... This is no friendly match buddy. This is hockey. If you want 'friendly' take up cricket.”

And from the Black’s 1st pick overall, 8 hours before face-off:

“I understand from Ed that you're not sure if you ... are going to join us at the Victoria Victory Party tonight. In order to attract the Duhaime ... clan, Ed's not just organizing live music and a BBQ, but he's also instituted a 'no gloating' policy at the great event. I want to assure you that I, for one, will not make any comments this evening about this afternoon's Great Victory or Ed's amazing drafting prescience, turn of speed and rocket shot. I also undertake not to mention, in the presence of any of your family members, particularly your father, the number of goals we scored, how beautiful our goals were....”

In the result, Black hit hard, initially, in the form of three goals.

One was a bank-in off Dave Haines, a Yellow defender.

An anomaly.

In the depth of the old arena, from the workout area to the tennis bubbles, all could heard the whispers of Wide Mouth Mason's song Sugarcane reverberating.

"There's a big old moon. Dying moon. Tonight."

But whose moon?

"Old adversaries. When we meet again. As familiar as two old friends."

The other Black flash started with a sharp left pad save by Duhaime ... but the rebound went right to MacDonald.

His one-timer potted it – smack ... against the plastic lining of the bottom of the net.

Who saw Mac there?

Who ought to have been there?

I want names!

The finale of the initial Black foray, which gave Black a handsome 3-0 lead, was a neat saucer pass from MacDonald to Don Wilson who was right in his office.

Duhaime was sloppy on the play but the Commissioner doesn’t take prisoners, or grant appeals.

Later, MacDonald shoveled the puck in close quarters over the right shoulder of an otherwise nicely squared Duhaime while Bartel flashed the leather at the other end, and even threw in a few uncharacteristic pad-stack saves.

But this was Black's moment, testosterone flowing freely on the bench along with the hi-fives.

Alexander the Great won many a battle by waiting through the opponent's initial euphoria of a team cranked-up and wanting victory right away. Lay back ... wait out the early hits and then ... bring in the cavalry.

Dan Evans deserved his high draft pick. All night long he was a wall for Black with smart passes and hustle that broke up plays in the corner and in back of the net. One of his well-chosen rushes resulted in a goal, showing what a slick defenceman he is.

Pym threw his body at every Yellow jersey within earshot and Savard tried a few forays into the offensive zone.

Let’s be truthful here: in every hockey game where the score is close for a long time, as in this one, the pressure is constant on both pairs of defencemen.

Often, both team’s defence were under assault. The defence must absolutely cover large territory without error, all the while battling a bouncing small black puck and enthusiastic rivals.

Defencemen, almost as much as a goalie, pay for their mistakes with a bright red right that goes on behind their net.

MacDonald chose to throw Hamm back on defence which had to be a controversial decision.

Hamm – who held his own on D - is usually the offensive tonic to Eddie’s patented hustle. To have him on defence seemed like a waste but Ed would probably ask the rhetorical question “who else could I put back there?”

Cue the dramatic bongos ...

Yellow clawed back.

Kope struck on a nice individual effort, shorthanded, where he cut in sharply on Bartel and roofed it.

In fact, it seemed like all that could beat Bartel in the 1st half was roof jobs.

But chipping away, Yellow tied it up 5-5 at the half-time buzzer as prime Yellow draft picks Brad Bryan, Todd Hatfield and Bryan Giglio began to come alive, although it was Classen-Buckley-Kope that kept Yellow on the scoreboard to the midway buzzer. Classen was his timeless self with forecheck that was critical. Buckley skated like ... well, the decade can't be named as he'd likely take offence.

Perhaps the hidden story of this hockey game was already written.

Nyren and Turner, especially when they play together, are good for multiple goals any game. But already, by half-time, they were on the brink of a breakthrough if only....

What is said at half-time on any sports team?

What can motivate grown men in a team sports context to actually make a difference?

1:25 to 1:35 .... Duhaime went for a lonely stroll into Dressing Room C, while his colleagues stayed on the bench even as the noisy Zamboni circled.

What they said is known only to them and to God. MacDonald, Merner, Turner, Nyren et al cackled on their bench with well-justified confidence oozing and brimming, as MacDonald’s parapazzi friends snapped pictures of the ready victors.

Then, in a quiet corner of the arenas, the Duhaime patriarch arrived.

The 85-year old, Joseph Harvey Duhaime or Port Colborne, Ontario, quietly took a seat, having not seen his only son play hockey for 40 years.

He was soon joined by Gary Kilgour, the WHA/Breakers vet not in uniform.

It was a quiet and discreet moment what with the son alone in the dressing room fuming over the first-half score.

Few but the most spiritual would see the poignant - and pivotal - event for what it really was.

Some, dismiss it as a crude neanderthal exercise but as amongst the doctorates on the ice, we beg to differ.

Once the ice cleaned, referee Bob blew his whistle and helmets were tightened for the finale of this clash of well-matched old bastards, the score yet a perfect mathematical match.

Again, Black struck first, with Hoskins electing to shoot on a 2 on 1. A wise choice as it glanced under Duhaime’s blocker arm. It should of been stopped and in any other game, the goalie might have been pulled: 6-5 Black.

But that was it.

Yellow started the comeback, goals coming nicely and dirty.

It was tied, then 7-6, then 8-6 then boom! ... 9-6 and 7 minutes left, Yellow cooing from the players bench and from their crease.

Brad Bryan is a hockey artist, waving, weaving, criss-crossing, cycling, poke checking and bringing the puck to his partners in crime, Bryan Giglio and Todd Hatfield.

After the game, Bryan spoke fondly of taking shots at his son the day before as a warm up. And then, of the graduation of his daughter from regular player to the elite position of ... goaltender. A machine, nothing less, and if not by letter than by performance: the leader of Yellow.

Hatfield was a workhorse, losing few battles in the corners and catching any pass within range of his blade; the Ying to his line-mates' Yang. He unmasked the crowd.

The younger Giglio (Bryan) was a revelation in his first hockey game in four years and by the 2nd half, look out! In fact, it was his play in the 2nd half that may have tipped the balance.

Then Merner got in close and Duhaime went down awkwardly. The puck bounced out to Wilson again and he made no mistake.

But 9-7 with time running down.

Merner’s like a shark; always circling, looking for any bits and pieces he can convert.

Another scramble gives Black an open net, with players falling over Yellow's goalie and a shot sails true ... but the goalie gets the glove out, causing MacDonald to fill the air with invective.

Turner gets caught up with Groot in back of the net, loses the puck and growls, raising the allegation that he was held.

But Groot is one of those players drafted by Duhaime for two qualities. One is hockey talent.

The other is the way he elevates his game with the scent of victory.

Right after that, with desperation filling the air, Merner gets a breakaway as Giglio falls on his ass but he dekes Duhaime and then makes the cardinal sin.

When it’s athlete against athlete, the fat lady must sing.

She doesn’t.

The goalie makes the save and takes out the wind from the Team Black comeback sail.

The Black goalie Bartel is pulled for extra attack and with 13 seconds left, Yellow tries to clear the puck from their zone. MacDonald lunges for it but it clears over his right skate.

The soft sound but clear voice of a fat lady filled the rafters of the old arena as Yellow jersey met Yellow jersey in an embrace that Black could only yearn for.

The Duhaime Cup remains with Team Duhaime.

In the tumult of victorious hockey players jostling for showers after the game, the sounds of locker room B could be heard over the commotion of the winning dressing room, as the Cup was passed around, beer-filled.

Accusations of “ringers” and "re-match”, the typical refrain of a team bested, rose and sifted through the corridor, landing nowhere until, anyway, the absent Michael Simmons has his say on the matter.

How can they call me a ringer?

The analysts speak highest of the Yellow defencemen. Nothing but praise for the thankless job of defencemen. Never the profile of the goalie and rarely the red lights that the forwards get but this day, this hour, Haines, Gilbey, Giglio and Groot were a force. Not a single sloppy giveaway in two hours of old-timer hockey.

They call her Sugarcane.

She moves like rain.

But she's too proud to unmask the crowd that's gathered round as she cries.

Old adversaries.

When we meet again.

As familiar as two old friends.

THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE

2007-12-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

My sister Rochelle drew this pix of me as a goalie last Sunday. How cool is that! I super-imposed the head.

Done good; thought I was pretty solid tonight with the Doug Leach gang at Esquimalt Rec, aka Archie Browning Centre, 8:30 PM to ... uh ... well, we were finally kicked off at 10:20 PM!

11-2 first game went my way against another goalie “Karl”. Nice guy. We had the stronger team. Then we switched and went down 7-5.

Game #113 and that’s all she wrote for 2007!

Thank you God for the health needed to be goalie; for the ice, for all the boys who try to score ... and those who say "Oh! Nice save Lloyd!" ... even sometimes when it's not justified!

113.

That works out to just under one game every three days, not bad considering I hardly played from June 12th to November 6th.

The win-loss ratio ends at 112-76-10 or a cool winning percentage of 60%, if I have my math right (thanks Harry!) and eliminating tie games. I'll take it, to confirm the nickname this blog is getting from the boys, the "gloag", as in "gloat"!

No, but really, that's gotta hurt: to know going in right then and right there that because of the goalie you're facing - and the goalie alone - you only have a 40% chance of winning.

Ouch!

And to think I'm 48 .... only three years older than Bower when he retired in 1970 ....

Have I got a chance?

Can I still make it to "the show"?

Why am I wasting my time with unappreciative oldtimers?

Are all those goals that I shoulda coulda woulda stopped illusions?

Am I dreaming?

Will I ever wake up?

What was that? Did you hear that? I thought I ....

Editor's Note: at 12:19PM, Monday, December 31, 2007, a bright light was observed momentarily flickering from within a law office on Vancouver Street as a saucer-like object hovered overhead. From this point on, Duhaime's career was humdrum.

*** END OF BLOG! ***

DOUBLE-ENDING

2007-12-27T23:55:00.000-08:00

My 111th game in 2007, and third last of 2007, was a 7-5 victory of my WHA Team Blue, against Team Red reinforced by David Merner, joining fellow 40-something Ed MacDonald, and giving Red a good 1-2 punch.

Indeed, Merner, Buckley and Mario buzzed quite a bit tonight, although I had to settle Bert down early when he got a rare breakaway and ought to have scored if I hadn't been able to stretch and toe it.

David scooted in after a faceoff as I was having a drink of water. Pissed-me right off; I had to half-drag my mask down over my face, half-grab my blocker and try to see and set for him. I couldn’t do it and he just picked hi-blocker. How the hell did that happen?

But that was all for David tonight as I managed to foil him, especially one on a breakaway he had beaten me on but my hail-Mary paddle swipe managed to swat the puck out of harm's way.

Not much later, I lazily failed to deflect a Savard to MacDonald pass right through my crease and paid the price all goalies pay for carelessness or moments of nonchalance. Eddie one-timed it in.

Scottie’s good start stumbled eventually and though Red had a 4-2 lead, I wasn’t too worried, not with Kope (pictured, in full Prussian regalia), Hoskins, Hamm, Minnie, Fitterer and cast flying around nicely, including the Commissioner himself.

All at Oak Bay Rec Centre where I then played Game 112, in Game 2 of a double-header (from 10:15 PM to 11:35 PM), managing to get double-header spots for Ed and David on my White Team, as we skated to a 6-4 win with the Docs. D and E seemed to have great success together which surprises me not as they're both smart and generous with the puck.

It took me a while to figure it out, but it seemed they play four 15-minute “periods” as well.

I let in two on penalty shots as they played with the same ref we had on the 23rd, Bob, and they grant penalty shots on the penalty calls; so just two "normal" goals - not bad, if I dare say so myself.

As the rain poured down outside, upon a Victoria still in the delightful throes of the lazy days right after Christmas, it was a great night of hockey.

We’re almost done not only for 2007 but the Goalie Blog as well (one more game: Sunday night)!

Thanks so much for all the comments, guys. So many times, they made my day and brought a smile into a law practice that thrives on good cheer.

If I hadn’t of missed September and October with the Achilles thing, I’d of played close to 135 games. It wasn’t to be ... but 112 games (so far) rocks – an average of one every three days!

It has been very helpful to work-out on my days not playing and during the injury time-out, critical.

Broke in some key equipment. The Rbk arm and shoulder set went well but the skates required some cobbler magic and was, for a time, a debilitating situation. I toyed with Overdrives in May. I tweaked my right ACL in September 2006 and missed a month so what happened this August comes around.

The "game of 2007" for me may have been last Sunday not so much for my performance but to be a part of a huge comeback at a Duhaime Cup game, to have Ed score the winning goal, and then to be able to protect the win in spite of the final flurry.

The other beauty of this year was that I didn’t suffer a career-ending injury nor did my game drop to the level where, as will come some day, it’ll be time to pack it in. There's really only way for a goalie to know that: when he starts losing more games than he's winning. I'm almost done '07 at 111-75-10 to-date with some nice wins in December in a variety of games and skill levels so for now, going strong, I’m still playing hockey with les boys!

DUMAIS DUFFER

2007-12-24T16:44:00.001-08:00

It was a bad mix today at Oak Bay duffer (GAME #110) with White struggling even with Dan, to make hay against a far better Dark Team.

Yvan Dumais was with White as was I first the first game, which we ceded 10-5 before the 12:30 mark.

I was fortunate enough to switch sides with Nightingale and then - no surprise - won the second one, with Dark, 11-5; switching again and tying the last one 3-3 at the 1:15 PM buzzer.

I was lethargic today; no jump and special trouble with the along-the-ice shots, which the duffer boys quickly picked-up on. You can tell I'm getting sleep deprived.

Yvan scored on me on a breakaway in the second game so that'll go down in the family books. He scored two, actually, one against each goalie, and points out that he also had "deux passes".

If I've done my math right and there are no more call-ups, there'll be one more game in '07 and we'll be done!

DENOUEMENT INATTENDUE - LA COUPE REVIENS A DUHAIME

2007-12-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

Dénouement inattendu mais spectaculaire ce matin, ce dimanche, 23 décembre 2007, au centre sportif de Oak Bay dans le quartier riche de Victoria, en Colombie-Britannique a l'occasion de la Coupe Duhaime(PARTIE #109).

Dans une équipe renforcie avec ce que le Québec a de mieux a offrir aux animateurs de hockey sur glace, les Ors se sont doté d'un gardien Québécois, Lloyd Duhaime, ainsi qu'un avant mine de rien mais 'attention-la!', Yvan Dumais.

Mais ce fut un jeune thérapeute respiratoire de la Nouvelle-Ecosse, le 'super-pest' Edouard MacDonald qui a volé tant la vedette que la victoire. Son but est venu avec deux minutes a jouer donnant aux Ors une avance - et une victoire finale - de 6-5; une avance payée cher car les Ors perdaient 4-0 en moitié de la première période, et 4-1 a la mi-temps.

Duhaime n'en pouvait rien sur trois des quatre buts, sauf le deuxième de Mark Taylor, ou il a clairement mal jugé l'angle, jetant le jambière droit au bon endroit et à la bonne vitesse ... mais a presqu'un pied trop à gauche. Duhaime en a laissé passée un autre bizarre en deuxième alors que Michael Simmons est descendu l'aile droite et a semblé manqué son lancé et surprenant ainsi le gardien de l'équipe Or, la rondelle a glissé entre ses patins.

Les Noirs furent menés par leur gardien Nelson Bartel qui a repoussé plusieurs tirs difficiles en première, alors que Duhaime dut faire face a la ligne Simmons-Taylor-Craig Bentham, ces derniers allumant la lumière rouge malgré des arrêts époustouflants du cerbère. Deux des cinq buts contre lui - dont celui de Simmons - furent comptés en avantage numérique des Noirs. Les Ors, et Duhaime, ont due endurer quatre avantages numériques alors que sur l'avantage numérique, les Noirs ont finit la partie avec un taux d'efficacité de 25%.

Tout étaient sombres dans la vestiaire Or à la mi-temps et du coté des Noirs, ce fut l'euphorie d'une victoire qui semblait être dans la poche.

Mais le Ors ont attaqué dès la mise-en-jeu du deuxième période, Dumais finalement offrant un appui soutenu à l'aile gauche, après une première période désastreuse et dû à une blessure dite "importante".

Retournant aux Noirs la courtoisie d'une pression soutenue dont ils ont souffert en première, le mur Bartel a finalement commence à s'effondrer.

La fin est arrivé avec cinq minutes à faire alors que Keith Classens a compté le but égalisateur et MacDonald, quelques minutes plus tard, le but gagnant.

Après son but, MacDonald s'est précipité dans les bras de son ami Duhaime, en célébrant émotionellement ce revirement spectaculaire, un revirement des plus importants dans les annales du sport.

Les Noirs, dont le capitaine Simmons était choqué et enragé après la partie, ont soutiré leur gardien de but avec une minute à jouer.

Dans l'avalanche désespérée des Noirs, Duhaime a du arrêter deux lancers à bout portant et l'un avec le bout de la jambière. Taylor a pris son propre retour mais incapable de soulever la rondelle, Duhaime a encore une fois fait l'arrêt, cette fois-ci avec le bout du patin ... et la cloche a sonné donnant la victoire, glorieux, il faut le dire, aux Ors.

"Tabernouche, j'ai mal partout," a pu dire Dumais après le match, le sourire grand, mais en refusant de donner quelque éloge que ce soit à son beau-frère Duhaime.

"Hey, lui-là, y'était temps qu'il se l'amène sa game" de dire Duhaime, visiblement fier de son beau-frère, mais toujours incapable de parler sans joual."Mais soyons honnête. Si nous avions gagné ce matin, c'est grâce à John Betham, Edouard, Classens et l'inexplicable perte totale de momentum de la grande ligne des Noirs."

"Duhaime est un vantard," a répliqué Simmons, la capitaine et coach des Noirs, ce qui a faire sourire la galerie de presse, notant que très peu de sueur descendait du front du géant.

"Aie, Simmons", a lancé un des journalistes. "C'est quand-même une defaite difficile a expliquer?!"

John Woods, le joueur voté le joueur le plus utile aux Noirs, a été déchu de son prix alors que les organisateurs se sont rendus compte qu'il a tenté de drogué Duhaime la veille au Laurel Point Inn, avec un Cointreau contenant une substance aphrodisiaque.

La partie fut rude, Thomas MacGregor des Ors jettant Jean Sun lorsque ce dernier a osé toucher à son gardien après encore un autre arrêt, qui a provoqué un avertissement sévère de l'arbitre Bob.

La dizaine de spectateurs en sont sortis ébluois et c'est avec de l'anticipation et impatience pas vues depuis les années des Nordiques et les Canadiens que tous attendent la remise, prévue pour juin 2008.

HEADLINER HOCKEY

2007-12-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

It was headliner hockey tonight at WHA; Woodsie, MacGregor, Wilson, Kilgour, Dr. Dave, Turner, MacDonald, Brian, Billy Giglio, Bob and Dave on D as well as Russ, Gerry and Bert, Scottie, and the venerable Gord Wallace, sporting a new shepherd-style goatie.

And Mario who so graciously hosted our Christmas party at his house on Dalhousie Street where WHA mainstays J. Cameron, Murray and Chris W. were a welcome blast from the ever-so-recent past.

And one for the ages it was.

First highlight was Pym’s goal. I mean, it not everyday that .... oh, never mind.

Final was a brutal 13-3 win (GAME #108) including a controversial goal which relied on the eyesight of Mark T who was carousing.

I heard “ping” which necessarily means post and when I turned, the puck was rolling upright on the line but coming out.

The only part suspect, and that I didn’t see clearly, would of been the first bounce of the puck after it hit the post.

MT says it bounced inside the line (and must of then bounced out – a strange and improbable but not impossible sequence). Too many yelling that it went in - not to mention that MT is a credible witness - for my appeal to have any chance and in any event, it seems that in fact and in law, the puck may have crossed the goal line.

Anyway, the five-second dispute had the inadvertent effect of waking up M’s demons. That was a mistake. Before the end of his shift, he ended his statement with another one over my shoulder, for his team’s last goal.

Eddie put the first in for Red as he played nicely with fellow ice-dog Gord W, who was out after a long absence due to a Vancouver contract.

Woodsie was the monster for our Blue even though Turner-Connell-Nyren put in 6 and Wilson-Fitterrer-Dr. S, three on one shift.

That brings me to 6-3-1 on December; not entirely satisfactory as I look back on some goals which could of widened that spread, but it'll have to do. 107-74-9 on the year (including duffer's 10-goal mini-games) with one left to go....

DEEP REGRET AND SYMPATHY

2007-12-18T23:33:00.000-08:00

COMMONWEALTH OF CANADA
URGENT TELEGRAM

CONVEYOR: MARCONI INTERNATIONAL MARINE COMMUNICATION COMPANY, LTD.

LOCATION: SAVE-ON-FOODS MEMORIAL ARENA, VICTORIA, PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

DEEP REGRET AND SYMPATHY FOR 8-7 LOSS SUSTAINED AGAINST TEAM WHITE THIS EVENING. GAME #107. VALIANT COMEBACK BY RED LED BY KOPE, HAMM, MACGREGOR, TURNER AND THE DYNO DUO LINDSAY-REGAN. DUHAIME FALTERED TO FRENCH, NYREN AND KILGOUR. EIGHT GOALS AGAINST INEXCUSABLE. FREUD-COUNSELING ONGOING. EXPECTED TO BOUNCE BACK THUR. CALL OFF FARM.

DAVID! DAVID!

2007-12-14T12:16:00.000-08:00

17-12 final at Oak Bay Rec oldtimers duffer (GAME #106). Now, before you get all rattled up about my save percentage, know that the affair was a 105 minute game (8:30 to 10:15) and that, well, err, ok … maybe it was 8-6 for the evil Dark at half time.

But I hope I redeemed myself by letting just 4 get by me in the 2nd half! DM was out but his father was 3rd on a busy waitlist so no go. I thought we’d overwhelm with DS (who ended up being the difference), Pat, Krutz, Barry and another good defenceman.

All they had, really, was Glen, Tony, DM and Owen and a forward I don't know except that he had a black Miami-something jersey. I tried to heckle DM - to goad him on - but he was too involved in the slippery slope his team was stumbling on.

Oldtimer hockey lineups are often not worth the paper they are written on. It was a blast, though, as usual. I even slipped in a 20min wrkt after, which was tough but perfect.

KNIFE IN THE DRESSING ROOM

2007-12-13T22:57:00.000-08:00

No chance of a come-back tonight in a convincing 8-3 win of my Blues WHA Team against the Reds, the latter led by Taylor, MacDonald and MacGregor (GAME #105). Until he got hurt, we retaliated with Dr. C, who played with Ricky N and Hughbie T – a line of the some repute.

We also had Woodsie on D and Russ P played a great game, as did 2-goal scorer Dick I for Red. Willie F, a WHA mainstay, also managed to tickle Scottie.

Big Country (aka Big Smooth) had a game for the ages. Never saw him until he tried to knife me in the dressing room. If you see him, say hello (pictured).

The Commissioner, his Honour DW made a return to action tonight after three months in Phoenix.

I was very happy with my play and glad that contrary to Tuesday, I didn’t make the dumb mistake of working out before the game. It paid off as the will and the way met.

KISSING YOUR SISTER

2007-12-11T23:05:00.000-08:00

There’s the old saying that a tie is like kissing your sister. And I’ve done a fair amount of it this past few weeks, twice since November, coming to another inconclusive conclusion tonight at SOFA, a 4-4 affair White v Red Breakers (GAME #104).

White didn’t muster a hard shot until the 20 minutes mark and then the ice tilted in their direction such that they were in our zone too much in the last stanza. We could not hold 2-0 and then a 3-1 leads and even went down 4-3 having to rely on Hughbie’s roofer with about a minute to go just to salvage a tie.

A loss would of been a disaster after giving up a miserable goal on a providential bounce to Mark Taylor and then failing to cover the ice level on a Taylor to MacDonald pass which any telegraph operator could of predicted, and Eddie slid the puck precisely there ... under me. Gary K scored what was at the time the go-ahead goal for White, redirecting a goalmouth pass into the smallest opening I must of left as I scrambled over ... too late.

Again, I was blessed with great defencemen: MacGregor, Regan, Lindsay and Dick Izard, the call-up or "call-back", who had an excellent game.

A GREAT ICE TIME

2007-12-09T23:07:00.000-08:00

Archie Browning, the Esquimalt Arena, scheduled for demo in 2007 but on a one year reprieve, was where I skated out tonight at 8:30 PM, left ankle still nicely wrapped up out of an abundance of caution.

The rain was light outside and I hi-tailed it in quickly pulling my white-spotted hockey bag behind me.

The Victoria Cougars had just finished their practice and for the first 15 minutes of our game, the boys were jogging around the stands, doing stairs and push-ups.

Got a call from the No-Names (Doug) and my buddy Derek (aka Diggler) showed. Still a tortoise on defence but a very good guy.

I thought I played well but no fewer than 4 goals went in ricocheted off my equipment, all 2nd rebounds. Somehow, I faltered on the scoreboard although it seemed like I was doing my job and stopping a lot of tough pucks.

Before I knew it, the score was 8-2. Resigned to my fate, I “kept us in there” in my mind as such a divide puts a hockey game out of reach.

Well, we did it, even going ahead 9-8.

But then I let in a wrap around which I played too aggressively and in sprawling, the puck went in off me. Otherwise, it was going clear.

9-9 (GAME #103) final. The other goalie Paul was very friendly. Except for losing a school night with my girls, I wouldn’t mind another call up from these guys from time to time as it’s a great ice time.