roadhockey.net

Doo-bleheader victories

Doo just wanted to ease himself into his first game after a summer of sloth. Instead, he may have established himself as the go-to back up goaltender.

The diminutive substitute, who strapped on the pads when Twizzler scratched with the flu, won both games in Sunday's regular season opening doubleheader, 15-5 and 10-8. It wasn't the script the offensive speedster had anticipated for his debut. Normally a play-making dynamo with a knack for timely goals, Doo conceded his lack of fitness motivated him to climb between the pipes.

"My cardio was way down in the dumps," said Doo. "You don't have to be in as good shape playing goal."

But in the close confines of the road hockey courts, you do have to be sharp. And Doo was, making a few key stops to win the confidence of his teammates, who went on to easily win Sunday's first game.

"After a few shots, it was pretty clear he was on top of his game," said Yak, making his second career Sunday Morning start. "If you have faith in your goalie you put three guys on the ball and get aggressive in the offensive zone. You know if you give one up, you've got a good chance you'll get a save and get the ball back."

The quick start was key said Doo. It allowed him to find his rhythm.

"After the first goal gets by you, you start doubting yourself," said the substitute shotstopper. "Fortunately our team put a few up before they could get one by me, so we could coast to the end."

The second game proved a little tougher. After the Living Legend put his side up early, the Colonel found his range and his mates Franz Beckenbauer, Holt Renfrew and Giebelhaus found their scoring touch. A three-goal run put Doo down for the first time.

"I was facing Franz and that was the game-changer," said Doo. "When he's on the other team you've really got to watch out for him."

In fact, Beckenbauer was a force in both games, bringing out the best in his linemates. He was unfazed when those linemates changed for Sunday's second game.

"When you play in the league for a couple of years, you get to know people's strengths, you know if you have a running team or a shooting team," said Beckenbauer. "You just have to understand your teammates."

But his side couldn't hang on, as Yak combined with Bam Bam to spark a late comeback, capped by the Living Legend's game winner on a scramble in front of a sprawling Chico.

"You've got to stick to the game plan, stick to your man, work hard and hopefully you get a few bounces come your way," said Yak.

"It was good that my team played well in front of me," said Doo.

Chico announced he'll miss next week's game as he's going to be out of town. It will also give him another week to recover from an apparent concussion he suffered when he took a Unabomber snapshot off the mask in last Sunday's Wink Classic.
The sophomore shotstopper said he was afflicted with a severe headache and nausea after last week's game. When it persisted into Monday, he stopped by a hospital where he was diagnosed with a low-grade concussion. The symptoms subsided as the week progressed, allowing him to play in Sunday's regular season opener.

Posted by jaysuburb at October 23, 2011 04:33 PM