Alright, let’s talk about this Jeff Connolly hockey thing. It’s funny how names pop up, you know? I was digging through some old college hockey stuff online a while back, just killing time. Saw the name Jeff Connolly mentioned, UMass Lowell I think it was. Didn’t know much about him, honestly, but read he was one of those gritty guys, hard worker type. Nothing flashy maybe, but solid.
That got me thinking. My own game? Well, let’s just say ‘grit’ isn’t the first word that comes to mind. I play in a low-level league, mostly for fun and beers afterwards. But sometimes, you watch yourself on video (yeah, someone records sometimes, don’t ask me why) and you think, man, I really bail out of those corner battles quick. I avoid traffic like it’s the plague.
So, inspired by this vague idea of Connolly being a ‘hard worker’, I decided, okay, next game, I’m gonna try. I’m gonna go into the corners. I’m gonna finish my checks (well, legal bumps in our league). I’m gonna be that guy, just for one game, see what happens.
The Actual Attempt
So, game night comes. I get dressed, feeling kinda determined. Told myself, “Channel your inner Connolly,” which sounds ridiculous now that I say it. First period starts. Puck goes into our defensive corner. Normally, I’d hang back a bit, let the D-man handle it, maybe cover the point.
This time? Nope. I went straight in. Two guys were already there, battling. I just kinda… bumped into the pile? Didn’t really know what I was doing. Ended up falling over my own feet, puck squirted out to the other team right in the slot. Almost got scored on. Great start, right?
Tried it again later. Went into the offensive corner to chase a dump-in. Their big defenseman was there. I actually tried to initiate contact. Bounced off him like a rubber ball. He just looked at me, didn’t even break stride, and moved the puck out.
- Got tangled up along the boards more than usual.
- Felt way more tired by the second period.
- Didn’t actually win many more pucks, if any.
- Almost took an interference penalty trying too hard to ‘finish a check’.
What I Learned (Sort Of)
By the end of the game, I wasn’t really thinking about Jeff Connolly anymore. I was just thinking about how much harder it is to play that ‘gritty’ style than it looks. It’s not just deciding to do it. You gotta have the legs, the balance, the actual skill to battle effectively without just flailing around like I was.
So, the big takeaway? Reading about a guy’s style is one thing. Trying to copy it when you don’t have the foundation? Pretty useless, and kinda tiring. Made me appreciate the guys who actually can play that way, whether it’s Connolly back in the day or the better players in my own league. Takes more than just deciding to be tough.
Guess I’ll stick to avoiding the corners for now. It seems to work better for me, even if it doesn’t sound as cool.
