Winter Scrimmage 3

After playing a game earlier today in Kentwood, Drew and his Novi FireCats teammates travelled further north to Cedar Springs to take on the Rockford Rams, a Howe 2 team, in another scrimmage.

There isn't a lot that can be said for this game, because neither team was truly allowed to show what they are capable of, thanks to some truly atrocious refereeing. I'm sure that every coach and every parent has complained about the refs at one point or another if their kids are involved in sports - I've been known to get a tad agitated from time to time - but this absolutely takes the cake for what I've seen in my lifetime. The game devolved into a constant parade to the penalty box for both teams, starting just past the 11 minute mark of the first period. By the time was over, a whopping 29 penalties had been called. 29! To make things worse (imagine, worse than 29 penalties!), it wasn't like it was a dirty game with the teams take cheap shots at each other. No, these were calls that are rarely called over the course of the season... hooking and interference calls that might happen once a game were called repeatedly. Things got so bad that our coach sent his players off the bench and towards the door before reconsidering the negative repercussions that action would have had for the team.

As it was, there isn't too much to talk about regarding the play tonight. The FireCats lost 8-4, in a game that they really had no business losing. It seemed clear that the tough battle earlier had taken a toll on them, but being taken out of the flow of the game definitely hurt them as well. Time to put this one behind them and prepare for the next game...

Novi FireCats Winter Scrimmage #3 - at Rockford Rams
	Drew and the rest of the Novi FireCats gathered around the goal before the start of the game.
	The players lined up along the blue line for the playing of the national anthem.
	Drew in his defensive position for the games opening faceoff.
	Drew chasing after the puck.
	Drew keeping an eye on the puck from his defensive position.
	Drew keeping the puck in the zone.
	Drew skating with the puck before making a pass ahead.
	Drew reaching out for the puck.
	Drew lining up a shot...
	...and taking aim at the puck...
	...and sending it towards the goal.
	Drew lined up for another faceoff.
	A close-up of Drew on the ice.
	Drew reaching out...
	...and knocking the puck off of a Rams players stick.
	Drew looking across the ice during a faceoff.
	Drew firing the puck back into the zone.
	Drew playing the puck along the boards.
	Drew and the FireCats making their way through the postgame handshake line.
	The score sheet from tonight's game... showing a whopping 29 penalties, and an incorrect score!

Novi FireCats Winter Scrimmage #3 - at Rockford Rams

Drew and the rest of the Novi FireCats gathered around the goal before the start of the game.

The players lined up along the blue line for the playing of the national anthem.

Drew in his defensive position for the games opening faceoff.

Drew chasing after the puck.

Drew keeping an eye on the puck from his defensive position.

Drew keeping the puck in the zone.

Drew skating with the puck before making a pass ahead.

Drew reaching out for the puck.

Drew lining up a shot...

...and taking aim at the puck...

...and sending it towards the goal.

Drew lined up for another faceoff.

A close-up of Drew on the ice.

Drew reaching out...

...and knocking the puck off of a Rams players stick.

Drew looking across the ice during a faceoff.

Drew firing the puck back into the zone.

Drew playing the puck along the boards.

Drew and the FireCats making their way through the postgame handshake line.

The score sheet from tonight's game... showing a whopping 29 penalties, and an incorrect score!