So close, but yet so far.

I played my first playoff game with the Unknowns last night. We lost 10-9 (no that's not a typo) in a shootout. The game ended up being a battle of our ringers versus their ringers. The skill level of the ringers at the C2 level is much higher than the ringers at the D level. I would say that would be one of the biggest things I learned during this spring season. I'm proud of the way I played during the course of the season, and especially in last night's game. We went down 5-2 during the first period, but rallied for six goals in a row to take the lead. I had the primary assists on the second and fourth goals of the game. The Admirals battled back as well and had a 9-8 lead on us(with yours truly watching from the penalty box) in the dying seconds of regulation. The captain of our team scored with about 10 seconds left in the game to get us to overtime. I had two shifts in the five minute overtime period. Overtime had about 10 seconds left when I saw a teammate behind the net with the puck. I charged to the front of the net and shot the puck in the opening between the goalie's pads. My momentum carried me behind the net, and I eagerly looked down to watch the puck appear. It never did. The goalie somehow got it stopped, on the goal line, under his leg. I came up about an inch and a half short of delivering a playoff game winner. We then proceeded to get crushed in the shoot out. It totally sucked to be that tantalizingly close to winning the game. All the good things I did prior to that in the game were gone from my head, I couldn't stop thinking about what I could have done differently to get that puck in. Long story short, it wasn't my turn. The item that reads "Score a game winning goal in overtime" still remains on my hockey "to do" list.

My totals for the Spring season are: 0 goals, 5 assists, 4 penalty minutes. I wouldn't call that a rousing success, but I also wouldn't call that a failure either. I did get invited back for the Winter season if I want to.

My first season playing a higher level game was great fun. I learned a lot, and I'm hoping some of that extra knowledge and speed will translate to the D level game and allow me to be an even better D level player.

Have a great weekend.