During a regular season hockey game at the Dublin Chiller on Wednesday, I found myself involved in the longest game I've ever played in my 16 years in hockey, 12 of those as a goaltender.
My current women's team in the Columbus Area Women's Hockey League (CAWHL), the Blackhawks, found themselves with a 1-0 lead going into the 3rd period. A deflected shot trickles past me with about two minutes left in regulation which forces overtime. We go through overtime still tied at 1-1 and enter into a shootout.
For those who don't watch hockey, a shootout is when the teams alternate on a 1-on-1 between a single player and the goalie until someone scores. A "round" is each team taking a turn shooting on the opposing goalie. Think soccer penalty shots. On steroids.
By the time I reached the 17th round of this ordeal, I said to the referee next to me, "I think I just broke a personal record in shootouts." Before this, the two longest shootouts I've ever been in before (and won) that were 16 rounds (Playoffs in El Segundo, CA - 2000 - which also happened to be my very first game on ice) and 12 rounds (Tournament Championship Game, South Bend, IN - 2011).
It wasn't until the 28th round of this goaltending duel that the hockey game was called by the captains and we ended in a tie. So, for the time being the CAWHL Blackhawks and Red Wings possess the only tie game in league history. I was quite bummed when I had to stop blocking pucks, it was such a good streak? I wonder though, is calling the game like that even allowed? Regardless, it's another game that will be hard to replicate for a very long time, if ever.
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| A typical Wednesday night...I'm surprised I still bend like that at times. |
