I really do enjoy playoff hockey. After a long season, all my teams are either in playoff tournaments or have just completed them. One of my teams is already out, while 3 others are in for their various playoff tournaments. Back in the day, I was all about playoff hockey. It was a make or break time for me, and I had a lot of success in playoffs as a result. It wasn’t all me mind you. Mainly because I had great performances but I had a share of bad ones as well. You still remember the good times a lot more than the bad ones. This is true of any team sport I have ever played.
Yet, this time around I am more nervous than anything else. It has been a full year since I lifted a championship trophy. My team isn’t an odds on favorite to win, and being 41 doesn’t quite make things easier for me. While I am a decent goalie, I am by far not stellar, and there are many stellar goalies out there that can steal games better than I can. Being a little nervous is a good thing for me to be honest. It means I will be more attentive and focused on the puck. It also means that I will be very focused on my mistakes if I make any. Rebounding from those mistakes will be key.
Here is to hoping that everything falls into place for my first game tonight. If I play solid tonight, then I should be mentally ready for Saturday.