25 May 2001 * LATER
We played our first game of the tournament tonight against the Spiders, and we tied. I thought it might end at 0-0, since that was the score through most of the first two periods, but our first forward line managed to convert on a scuffle in front of the net. We were up 1-0.

Up until I'd been playing Right Wing on the second line and Leslie, Ellen, and Kristine were switching on D. When our 10th player finally arrived at the third period, I was asked to move back with Leslie. I was OK with that, since I've now played D a couple times on Thursdays—enough to kinda have a clue about what I should be doing.

We started the third period with like a minute forty left on a penalty (Christina had been called for tripping when both of us tried to poke the puck away from an opponent at the same time, and she flew over our sticks).

Owen, our team mascot, in the locker room

We were busy trying to get the puck out of our own end for most of the penalty kill, and it seemed like we'd been out there forever (probably because we'd been doing 60-90 second shifts before that, or possibly because we were working so hard). As soon as the forwards gained possession and got to our offensive blue line, I skated off.

I heard Ellen say, "uh oh" as she went on, and turned to see the other team score a goal. I figured out right away that I'd fucked up, but I didn't know exactly what had happened. Leslie let me know a few seconds later: they got the puck back as soon as I turned to get off, and she was left with a 3-on-1. I should have waited until the puck was deep in the offensive zone before coming off. I felt pretty horrible.

Next shift I aimed to plan my line changes better, but apparently it was my time on the ice—not the act of getting off it—that wasn't quite right. When we headed for the bench, Leslie told me I wasn't covering a man, and that they were going to score because of it. I must've been following the puck carrier like a backchecking Forward would instead of tying people up in front of the net.

It was a little frustrating going from being a pretty decent forward to being the suckiest defender, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually if I keep playing D in the tournament. The good news is that they didn't score again, and it ended up 1-1.

Our next game's at 10:30am tomorrow; it's 1:46am now, so I'd better get to sleep...

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