Quote: Originally Posted by bethandlouis (original)
Ric do you think that you could keep an save percentage and a GAA facing that many shots? Vote for Olie!
Without a doubt!
Actually, I was smugly proud of myself after my game last night, I had the glove-hand working like nobody's business. Really wish I could figure what that magic ingredient is to gain consistency. Some nights I'm fighting every puck, every glove-side shot seems to be bouncing off the cuff of my trapper. Other nights, like last night, it's as if my trapper has some kind of massive tractor-beam going on, sucking everything in by itself. I swear, lasty night some shots found my glove all by themselves, I was just an innocent bystander. The glove was doing the work for me. Plus I got to taunt my buddy George (he was the short Rangers fan at my hockey party, the one who brought the six foot sub. Gotta have another one of those hockey parties after the holidays, I think). Every time George scores, he's shouting "YEAH!!" and pumping fists and doing a happy dance like he's Mike Eruzione scoring in the third period against the Soviets in 1980. A bit over the top sometimes. Me, I'm more low key, I don't showboat my saves or anything, I just get up, drop the puck, and clear the snow from my crease. But after George's last little post-goal happy dance, I told him the next time he shot on me I was going to give the big flashy Patrick Roy "Statue of Liberty" move, holding the glove hand high in the air to let the world know I had the save. Sure enough, last night he's set up right in front all by himself (thanks a lot, defensemen!), gets the great pass from behind the net, goes glove-side, I made the save, and immediately went into the Patrick Roy, holding up the glove right in his face. He cracked up. Good times. I can't decide what was my favorite play last night, that one or when Dan (guy who you met at the highland games, the one who didn't have a wife and kids) tried to set up a tight screen right on top of my crease for a shot from the left point and swiftly found himself deposited on his ass by my well-positioned stick. Man, it's such fun...
Anyhow, Olie did indeed have a great night, 48 saves on 50 shots. But I still gotta support my boy Timmy, he had 45 saves on 46 shots as the Bruins beat the Leafs 4-1 despite being outshot 46-23. In their past two games, Timmy has backstopped the Bs to two wins over the Leafs by stopping 72 of 74 shots. In the past two weeks, the Bs have beaten the Leafs by increasing scores of 2-1, 3-1, and 4-1. Over those three games, Timmy has stopped 96 of 99 shots. They play again next Thursday (12/7). Gotta think the Leafs are praying Toivonen starts that game!
-Ricardo
