Post by torontogm on Oct 6, 2012 22:55:21 GMT -5
Langley, BC - The General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Marlies played a game in the ASHL tonight, and after his performance was given the starting job for his club. Of course, it was not our AsHL, but rather the Adult Safe Hockey League at Canlan Rinks in Langley BC.
Playing for the E-Division [read: crappiest player division] Air Farce he backstopped his club to a 5-3 victory. It was only his 5th organized hockey game ever as a goalie - the first in over 10 years.
"It was a pretty surreal situation. I got to the dressing room and there was me and one other guy. We waited until game time and took the warm-up together. Looking down the ice the Brookswood Wranglers had 14 skaters and a goalie. At our end it was just me and Adam. The rest of our club was playing a D-division for the Langley Jets on the other sheet of ice. Their game was in overtime, but they sprang 4 skaters who came across to join Adam for the starting line-up," said the shocked goalie.
By the middle of the first period the club was up to a total of eight skaters. The Air Farce were a team that had their manager quit, so the player/manager of the Langley Jets assumed control of the re-named Air Farce and has been using it as a sort of farm team for the Jets. Since Graber has been their third-string goalie, and practice goalie for the past year, though he had no playing time in games, he was given a shot tonight. A solid effort earned him the starting gig indefinitely.
After an easy first period in which the Air Farce outshot the Wranglers 8-5 and came away scoreless, the fatigue set in during the second. After a series of tough saves the Wranglers finally got to Graber on a nice feed into the slot for a one-timer. On the next face-off the Wranglers broke down the right side and snapped a shot over Graber's glove on a shot he'd definitely like back. "I went down and thought it was going wide, so I just kinda waved at it. He just caught the post. Totally my bad," said Graber. Before the period was out the Air Farce allowed a powerplay goalie. Graber attempted to poke-check the shooter, but he slid it under the goalie, making him look bad.
In the third, it was all Air Farce. They stormed the Wranglers' net and scored 5 unanswered goals for the win.
"All in all it was a decent effort. I made a few real nice saves, and I guess I gave them enough to allow our boys to storm back. Not the recommended way to get things done, but a nice way to return to action," said the goalie, who stopped 22 of 25 shots for the win.
The Air Farce play again Wednesday night at 10:30 pm PST when they take on the 1-3 Wildcats.
--- Notta Sivafterall for the Langley Times
Playing for the E-Division [read: crappiest player division] Air Farce he backstopped his club to a 5-3 victory. It was only his 5th organized hockey game ever as a goalie - the first in over 10 years.
"It was a pretty surreal situation. I got to the dressing room and there was me and one other guy. We waited until game time and took the warm-up together. Looking down the ice the Brookswood Wranglers had 14 skaters and a goalie. At our end it was just me and Adam. The rest of our club was playing a D-division for the Langley Jets on the other sheet of ice. Their game was in overtime, but they sprang 4 skaters who came across to join Adam for the starting line-up," said the shocked goalie.
By the middle of the first period the club was up to a total of eight skaters. The Air Farce were a team that had their manager quit, so the player/manager of the Langley Jets assumed control of the re-named Air Farce and has been using it as a sort of farm team for the Jets. Since Graber has been their third-string goalie, and practice goalie for the past year, though he had no playing time in games, he was given a shot tonight. A solid effort earned him the starting gig indefinitely.
After an easy first period in which the Air Farce outshot the Wranglers 8-5 and came away scoreless, the fatigue set in during the second. After a series of tough saves the Wranglers finally got to Graber on a nice feed into the slot for a one-timer. On the next face-off the Wranglers broke down the right side and snapped a shot over Graber's glove on a shot he'd definitely like back. "I went down and thought it was going wide, so I just kinda waved at it. He just caught the post. Totally my bad," said Graber. Before the period was out the Air Farce allowed a powerplay goalie. Graber attempted to poke-check the shooter, but he slid it under the goalie, making him look bad.
In the third, it was all Air Farce. They stormed the Wranglers' net and scored 5 unanswered goals for the win.
"All in all it was a decent effort. I made a few real nice saves, and I guess I gave them enough to allow our boys to storm back. Not the recommended way to get things done, but a nice way to return to action," said the goalie, who stopped 22 of 25 shots for the win.
The Air Farce play again Wednesday night at 10:30 pm PST when they take on the 1-3 Wildcats.
--- Notta Sivafterall for the Langley Times
