Week 14: St Joe vs. Stars 2

St. Joe 2 - Stars 4

So, you win some and you lose some. This weeks game will not go down as one of our better games. We could say that it was it was an evening game, and our boys are used to playing in the morning. We could say that it was because they out played us, but they didn't. We could say that their goalie was better than ours, but he isn't. There just really wasn't anything to say, other than this just wasn't our best game...

Normally, we do play in the morning, but I don't really think that had anything to do with us not winning. The boys were eager to get on the ice and looked good (or I should say GREAT!) warming up before the game.

Once the game got started, they continued to look good. The problem is, the Stars looked good too...

How cool is this?

But we still looked pretty cool!

This was actually a well matched game and someone had to win - unfortunately, it wasn't us... But, here are some of the highlights...

Alex was taking the puck away from the Stars player. I had this urge to yell down from the photo box where I was taking pictures but I had promised him that if I was close enough that I could yell and he could hear me, I would think twice before opening my mouth. Let's just say that I had to think more than twice this time because he fought with the player, and he won! He later told me he was glad that I wasn't yelling down on the ice to him. (apparently it isn't hip and cool to have your mom yelling to you during the hockey game - who knew?)

Eye on the puck

Alex was complimented by his coaches for a good game this week. Unfortunately, I was so busy taking pictures of his team mates, I only got a few of Alex - but this is one of my favorites from this game. He is skating over as the puck is in play.

Defensemen waiting to get back on the ice

Alex and Zach are in the players box waiting for their turn to get back out on the ice. I just thought this was a great photo op...

Even though it wasn't a win for us, the boys looked great and had a great time.

This week, they boys played the Outlaws twice - they won 1 game and tied the 2nd. NOT TOO SHABBY! Unfortunately, Alex missed both games because we were in Minnesota at a Minnesota Wild NHL game! They won as well - so it was a good hockey weekend for everyone!

Alex has a tournement the next 2 weekends, so be ready for some fun pictures, fun stories and more hockey excitement. As always, have a great week, and stay out of the penalty box!

KC Scouts vs. KC Saints Select Friendly Game - Happy New Years!

KC Scouts 4 - Saints 5

I hope everyone had a wonderful and fun New Years! We spent our New Years eve at the Independence Event's Center watching the Missouri Mavericks play - yes, you guessed it - HOCKEY! HA HA HA! Why only limit yourself to 3 games in a weekend when you can also go to a semi-professional game too? Sadly, the number 1 randed Mavericks ended up losing the game, but it was still a great time. Alex had a ball and got to see a fight that left blood on the ice - now that is some down home hockey!

Lucky for us, we were home before midnight because we had to be up pretty early to be be ready to take the ice for another hockey game New Years day. We were back at Link Creek to take on the Saints for a 2nd time in this friendly tournament. Both teams were ready to get on the ice and take control of the puck!

Alex played forward for this game and did a great job!

Alex takes the break away down the ice

The Saints have a strong team, but so do we! They played their strongest players in this game because they saw the kind of team we are in yesterday's game. They wanted to be ready for a blow out today. That isn't what they got...

We will take that puck!

Face to Face - who's gonna get it?

I was able to stand in the Penalty Box to take pictures, so I could see the faces of the Saints coaches who were a bit shocked at the number of goals our team was making against them. They weren't ready for our team to come out and control the puck the way we did!

Alex takes the puck again...

What ended up getting us in the end was simply time - their team got up 1 goal at the end of the 3rd period, and we simply ran out of time to make the goal back. But, it wasn't because the boys weren't trying! They did an amazing job!

After the game, I heard a number of parents talking about how impressed they were with our team - it kind of makes a mom proud...

We have 1 more game this weekend - so until then, stay out of the penalty box!

KC Scouts Friendly Game against the Saints - New Years Eve

KC Scouts 0 - Saints 1

It's New Years Eve! Can you believe it? While some of you are getting ready for a crazy night ringing in the new year, and others are planning a quiet night at home, we are plotting our hockey weekend! Alex is playing games all weekend long, and we wouldn't have it any other way! He will be playing both as a KC Scout (Friday and Saturday) and as a St. Joe Griffon on Sunday. So, get ready, there will be lots of pictures, lots of action and hopefully very little time spent in the penalty box!

Today, Alex played as a KC Scout! It was a GREAT game!

The KC Scout team is made up of players from 3 houses - St. Joe (Alex's team), The Outlaws and Pepsi Stars. It is an impressive team that has only played 1 other game together. This weekend, they are having a "friendly" tournament with the KC Saints. (This is Alex's former team). I'm not sure how friendly it will be, but it will be exciting!

We showed up at our old house - Line Creek - home of the Kansas City Saints. Alex played for this house for 2+ years before moving north to play for St. Joseph. It was kind of fun coming back to Line creek - getting to see faces we hadn't seen in a while and getting to see some of the boys that Alex had been playing with for the last couple of years. Once they got on the ice though, there was no memory of being former team mates - both teams were out to WIN!

Denny was nice enough to get me access to the Penalty Box to take pictures (seems fitting doesn't it...) so I was in the thick of it for the entire game. We only had 1 player in the box for the entire game! (But, I think I may have made the dad who was working the penalty box a little bit mad, because his son is who ended up in there. When he got out, I asked him if he usually spent time in the box (because lord knows my child does!) Needless to say the dad quickly responded "NO" and didn't speak to me the rest of the game. Note to self - don't ask that question tomorrow...

Even though I wasn't making friends or influencing people, I was getting some great shots of the boys playing their hearts out!

This was a great match up of skills - both teams had to work hard to control the puck and keep it on their opponents end of the ice, so the crowd was able to watch an exciting game all 3 periods.



Wyatt staring down his competition



The one thing the Saints team has in their favor is that their goalie is most likely the best in the city. Of around 100 shots on goal, he has only let about 6 in... this isn't good odds for our team...



That's what happens when you mess with a KC Scout!



Somebody is going to get the puck!

Alex even had time to pose for the camera...

Mom, stop taking pictures of me!

But most of the time, Alex was all business...

Here's how a hockey player really looks...

In the end, both teams did great - but the Saints did get 1 into the net. Hey, we will take 1 scored against us - this is an outstanding team. They just better be ready for us tomorrow!

That's all for now!

Happy New Years! And PLEASE... tonight of all nights - definitely stay out of the penalty box!

Week 10: St. Joseph Giffons vs. Carriage Club

St. Joe 0 - Carriage Club 5

Hi everybody! I kind of fell off the blogger planet and am finally back! It has been crazy busy at the Bowman house in the last 2 months but hockey has continued to be the mainstay of our weekends. I've even taken alot of pictures, but I've just not managed to get them posted out for the world to see...


This is Oliver the Pug - I don't have a good reason to put this up on the blog other than he is a cutie...

 Okay, so now that I have gotten back into your good graces by showing you a really cute picture of Oliver...
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday! Since I've been out of the blogger loop for the last couple of weeks, I should let you know that the St. Joseph Griffon's have been on the ice kicking butt and taking names! Well, except for this game. This game shall go down in Griffon History as the game that made men out of our boys...

Carriage Club is the 1 team in our league that has an outdoor rink. This is actually kind of cool because I've been told that real men play hockey outdoors. Well, our boys got to be real men in -22 windchill weather with snow...


Even the heaters in the box didn't help...

 Since our boys had to endure the cold and wind, we parents stood outside as well -each praying that our kid would be the one to come across the ice to sit by the fire, so we could sit by the fire as well... IT NEVER HAPPENED. I asked Alex about it at the end of the game and all he would say was that he wasn't going to be the 1st one to skate over... (As a point of interest, I would have been FINE if he has skated over first...)

So, they endured miserable cold and snow while playing the Carriage Club team. Neither team really wanted to be out there. And, with the challenge of being outside on top of not being equipped with face warmers and glove warmers, etc. our team struggled and lost. The Carriage Club team played a good game despite the adversity.



Alex with his cold face




Going after the puck




Can you see the snow?

 We are glad our 1 outdoor game of the season is over, but seriously, when it isn't so cold, it's a great place to be!
I'm cold all over again just looking at these pictures! Stay warm, and stay out of the penalty box!

Week 7: St. Joe Griffons vs. Independence Jr. Mavericks

Griffons 10 - Jr. Mavericks 0

Stats: 5 Wins - 2 Losses

It was quite the weekend for the St. Joseph Griffons! (Way back in November!!!) Hockey was on everyone's mind! It started early Saturday morning and didn't end until VERY LATE Sunday night when Alex and Denny got home from practice. In fact, here is the face I got from Denny when I told him when practice was on Sunday night...



I'm gonna get home from hockey practice when?



HA HA HA! I couldn't help myself!

Actually, thankfully, Denny took Alex to hockey Sunday night, because they didn't get home until after 11:00 PM - I was already asleep when they got home, but that is a different story for a different blog...

As I was saying, hockey started early Saturday morning...

Denny and Alex headed out to St. Joe to play another Stars team while I headed off to work. Don't be jealous that I got to go into the office on Saturday while all of you slept in... Alex and his team were rock stars who showed another Stars team from Pepsi who's boss on the ice in Kansas City Pee Wee Hockey. The Final Score? 6-3 St. Joe - Go Griffons!

Saturday Night, a number of the Griffon's players met to go watch the Missouri Mavericks play the Dallas Oilers in hockey at the Independence Events Center - home of the Missouri Mavericks! We stayed at a hotel so the boys could hang out  and swim before the game.



Hockey players in a pool is always a sight!



What you can't see are the parents at the table hanging out enjoying their beverages while the boys splashed and played. A good time was had by all! After pool time, we cleaned up and met for Mexican before heading over to watch the Mavericks win another hockey game!

It had everything - penalties, goals, fights, broken hockey sticks, more fights, cheerleaders, Alex on the jumbo-tron, more fights, Alex eating nachos, more fights, Alex eating cotton candy, Denny eating peanuts, more fights, Alex on the jumbo-tron a couple more times, and one last fight that got 2 players kicked out of the game. Hockey at it's best! Did I mention all the eating and Alex being up on the big screen? 

We got back to the hotel and the first thing Alex does is to walk into the hotel's pantry looking for something to eat. The only thing I could say was "REALLY?" and then walked to the elevator. He soon followed and crawled into bed. He was asleep before he knew it...

Sunday morning we were up and at them early again. I have to insert here that I should get to sleep in at least 1 DAY on the weekend! I'm just sayin...

We had breakfast - well, Denny and I had breakfast. Alex had more like a medium size pig. The breakfast was a buffet in the hotel. The amount of bacon that this child put on this plate and then consumed was incredible. We are working on teaching Alex about portion control - clearly it didn't work this morning...

After breakfast we headed to the rink and get ready to take on the Jr. Mavericks...

It was a great game! For the Griffons that is...

Alex scored his first goal as a Griffon! Way to go Alex!!!!



This is what you look like when you have just scored a goal...



Alex, in fact scored 2 goals and had 2 assists. He even got to play Left Wing instead of Defense for the 2nd part of the game! He looked GREAT!



The Mavericks have surrounded Alex...




Alex is taking him out...





They all go down - Alex is taking one for the team...

 


It seemed like a good idea at the time...



The Mavericks are a new team this season and while they didn't score, they played their hearts out. They may be green this season, but they are going to be a team to watch come next fall!



The Griffons watching the win!



 


It's good to have friends on the ice with you...



So, another great hockey weekend. I will be better about getting my blog updates out now that the holidays are past. Stay tuned for more exciting hockey adventures, and as always...

Stay out of the penalty box!

Week 5: St. Joe Griffons vs. Stars 4

Griffons 3 - Stars 1

Stats: 3 WINS - 2 Losses

It was a GREAT morning for hockey! I keep thinking that if I say it with enough enthusiasm, getting up at 5:30 AM to get ready for a hockey game won't seem so bad... sadly, getting up at 5:30 AM for just about anything is pretty bad.  BUT, getting up at 5:30 AM for GRIFFON's Hockey is a lot better than most other things I could be getting up for!

This was our first really cold morning for hockey - which means our first really cold game in the rink. The ice rink was FREEZING! I know - all of you reading this are probably thinking - of course it's freezing, it's an ice rink. But truth be told, the ice rink is usually not too bad, unless it's cold outside. I had on a sweatshirt and a fleece lined coat with gloves and by the end of the game (a really awesome game I might add, but I will get to that in a moment...) my hands were numb - which makes taking pictures a real challenge.I think maybe this may be an opportunity for me to go shopping for more appropriate hockey wear... more to come on this.

Now, for Griffons hockey!




Alex gets hit 20 seconds into the game

 


It puts him on the ground




The Stars player high tails it out of there because he realizes that Alex is going to get him...



As the mom of the player that just got nailed on the ice, your first instinct is to throw the camera down (Note that Denny wouldn't be very happy with this) and run across the ice to make sure that your child is okay. (note that Alex wouldn't be okay with THIS...) SO, really, I am in a no-win situation. So, I just stay where I am at and say very inappropriate things under my breath...Fortunately, Alex was up in a second and going after the player and was bound and determined not to be hit like that again. Happily, he wasn't.



Griffons know how to the keep the puck away from the Stars





The boys played a GREAT game! At one point, we had 2 kids in the penalty box (and shockingly neither of them were Alex), and the Stars still couldn't score on us!

In the end, we held them off and won the game! It was a great feeling coming off a loss last week.

Next week is a bi-week for us, so no game.

As for Alex...

Alex made his 2nd team - the Kansas City Scouts. He begins practice this week for them. So, he is going to be 1 busy hockey player! I will be in Phildelphia this week, so there won't be any pictures to post, but hopefully Denny and Alex will have some cool stories to share and I will be able to update the blog.

Until then...

Stay out of the penalty box!

Week 4: Griffons vs. Saints

Griffons 4 - Saints 8

Stats: 2 WINS - 2 Losses

So, we knew the day would come when Alex would have to play his old team. We were ready for it. Alex was a bit nervous - you can understand. It's hard to face the kids you have been playing hockey with for the last 3 years.... I was actually looking forward to seeing all of our hockey friends!
Well... strangely enough, I didn't recognize 1 person besides the coaches...

Alex knew a bunch of the players - they were last years travel team. So, the Saints have a really good team this year. BUT, so do the Griffons!


Alex doing what he does best... guarding the net.



 The Griffons came out onto the ice and did a great job of holding their own. The Saints were undefeated going into this game and our boys new they had their work cut our for them.  The good thing is that we scored against them - which surprised the Saints. They have had a couple of shut outs...



Nothing like a fist bump after a goal

 The Saints were a challenging team - but we gave them a run for their money. They knew when the game was over that they had to fight for the win...



Alex going after the puck

 All in all, a bittersweet game. We lost, but the boys looked great!