Saturday was filled with wanting to kill, as Miss18.1's team played one of the dirtiest teams I've ever seen. Miss18.1's nose was broken by a vicious crosscheck to the back of her helmet, so hard it caused the helmet to rotate on her head and the forehead area of the helmet to come down on the bridge of her nose and break it. We've got photos of other girls getting the exact same crosscheck. Another girl on our team was run into the stanchion, ala Chara on Pacioretty. She's got a bruise on her shoulder, as she managed to lean away, but it went unpenalized. I've got a letter going to the league. Their coach was kicked out but didn't leave the building (photos of that too).
Sunday was a total contrast. Miss18.2 played her one scheduled game in net. She'd been totally dreading this game (calling it December turd instead of third). I told her to go out and have fun, and not worry at all about the score. She didn't.
We lost 9-1 to a very good team, but she had 22 saves and more fun than any player ever. She was belting out Christmas songs at the top of her lungs, dancing (even with the puck in her zone). No goals scored as a result, and as a matter of fact, her one glove save was more a result of her dancing than actually having her glove in the right spot.
Her teammates sang on the bench, the other team started singing part way through the third period. Even opposing parents started cheering her saves, and the opposing coaches said they had more fun watching her dance and sing than watching the game. We give out a hard hat award for the hardest working player. She won it unanimously, with me abstaining from the vote. Another kid on the team tried like hell to win it, saying he'd give it to her if he won it. It was by far the best team bonding event we could have had. Can't wait for practice tonight. And neither can Miss18.2, since she's back on D.