"Totally worth getting changed in the car"

What's worse than NYC traffic on a Saturday night? NYC traffic the Saturday night before Christmas. GoalieHusband and I don't usually carpool to away games, because we live pretty far from the home rink (which is where everyone meets). But last night we were in the area anyway, so met up with a bunch of the team, and thank god for that. Because if I had been driving in that mess, there's no way my head would have been in the game. I think it took us about an hour and 15 minutes to get from Montclair to the GWB. There was Gionta182's car, with her, me and GoalieHusband, and another QCat's vehicle (some kind of insanely enormous SUV) with a total of 5 players and all their gear, with my pads perched on top of the pile of bags. When it became painfully clear that we weren't going to be at the rink anywhere near our scheduled ice time, the girls in the SUV decided to start getting dressed in the truck, and took turns digging around in the bags in the back for their gear. Evidently they even jumped out and switched places (half dressed in gear) at one of the toll booths, much to a policeman's dismay. Fortunately he knew better than to interfere. (One of our Canadian players pointed out that if this was Canada, the cop would have cleared the way and escorted us to the rink. Especially when he saw the goalie pads in the back.)

With GoalieHusband's knowledge of the area and Gionta182's creative driving (and liberal use of horn and middle finger), we got to the rink probably about 10 minutes after the game was supposed to have started. Since the majority of the team had been stuck, the game hadn't actually started yet, but the home team was already on the ice, as were a few of the early birds from our team. The ref started the game without us, which kind of pissed me off- you waited this long, and you see we've just gotten here, and NOW you're going to start? Whatever. I threw my gear on and got into the net with about 8 minutes left to go in the period. Evidently they'd scored 2 goals (and we had scored 1) during that time, but they were nice enough to keep the scoreboard at 0-0 until I and the rest of the team got out there.

After that kind of beginning you'd think we'd all be frazzled and out of focus. I guess it was the adrenaline that spurred us on because we played a GREAT game. We were up 3-1 by the end of the second, and were playing some of the best hockey we've played yet. Great passing, good communication, good pressure. I was pretty strong as well, though there was one dramatic moment when my D really saved my ass. I'd stopped a shot and knew it had bounced somewhere weird but had no clue where it was in the scramble. My D (the same one who fell on the puck and got us that penalty shot a few games ago) snagged it out just as it was reaching the goal line. WHEW.

But in the 3rd it felt like we let up just slightly. I let in 2 goals, neither of which I was too happy about, but one in particular pissed me off. The forward was coming down on a semi-breakaway, got me moving to the left and put it right through the 5-hole. Yes, I was moving. But jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick, why can't I keep my stick in front of my damn 5-hole when I'm going side to side?!!!? UGH. I felt like that goal negated all the really good work I'd done up until that point. The next one was a scrambly bouncy cluster-fuck, and I should have been able to freeze it. So with just a few minutes left we were tied 3-3 and I was really praying they'd be able to break the tie before the clock ran out.

And they did! With a minute left, we scored. I don't usually cheer for our goals, out of respect for the other goalie, but I let out a whoop and a holler for that one. Way to go teamwork. Naturally, they pulled the goalie to try to tie it up again, but we got the puck into their zone as she was coming to the bench, and she played it. With the 6th skater already on the ice. BUSTED! We finished up easily after that.

It was a fun game, but did get a little chippy toward the end. They started whacking at me late, and I was more than happy to return the favor. So was the rest of the team. When one player slashed at my back while I was covering a puck, one of our girls said something to the ref, who said "she was going for the puck". Oh really? The puck was on my back? That's a new one. But they all stood up for me and I stood up for myself pretty well. I think it's just one more indication that this team is really getting solid. Naturally it's the D I'm most familiar with, but I really think we have a great defensive unit and we work really well together.

Now on to the next game- tonight at 6:30. It's another away game, but not quite as far, so hopefully we won't have the same problem with traffic. Last night was our second win in a row. Definitely striving to extend that streak tonight.