roadhockey.net

Goalie passes time test

Pig Farming Goalie read the clock wrong, but it was his opponents who ran out of time, and legs, in Sunday's game, as the veteran shotstopper overcame a crisis of confidence to hang on for a 20-15 win.

With his side seemingly in control from the opening faceoff and nursing a lead they'd never relinquish, the agrarian goaltender suddenly found himself fighting the evil orange plastic ball. Fuke bounces eluded his glove hand, crazy deflections bounced off his leg pads into the net, and his side's 14-13 lead seemed in peril.

Thinking the game would end at 15, PFG battled to regain his focus to retain their his side's slim edge, stabbing at shots with renewed confidence, reaching across the crease with his big goal stick to prevent the sure-fire tying goal. But an earlier decision by the roadsters had pushed the game's limit to 20; the newly-invigorated goalie became almost unbeatable the rest of the way.

"I thought we were going to win game pretty quickly," said Pig Farming Goalie of his scoreclock miscue. "We didn't have the flow of the game very well, i think because I thought we were playing to 15."

Aware that their goalie was suddenly struggling, Pig Farming Goalie's teammates rallied to his defense.

"You just try to pick up a few sticks in front, play a better defensive game," said Elvis. "PFG is always an emotional player, he's gonna make some big saves and he's gonna give you hell when you don't come back."

Not wanting to catch the wrath of their creaseminder, defenders flooded the zone, tying up sticks, batting rebounds up the court.

"You talk to your players and hope they come back to play a bit of defense as well," said Pig Farming Goalie. "It was fast game, lots of back and forth, ball was being turned over so many times."

With the added time cushion and the renewed commitment of defense by his mates, the pig-slopping shotstopper was able to regain his focus.

"When everybody is giving it that much, it only takes that one bad goal to really change the tide of the game and get some momentum going," said Gump.

"You just have to relax," said PFG.

Posted by jaysuburb at October 23, 2006 08:18 PM