A season dedicated to Ben

[snlsmith]

For the past three seasons, i have played on a beginner team called the Fury. Why was I playing for them after winning a D championship? The new coordinator of my old team ditched me without saying anything* til it was too late and this team offered to pay my way.

This is a great group of guys and they never seem to give up. It was easy to keep playing for them, especially since the beginner league palys 3 month seasons, so those 3 seasons was just about the same length as a D-League season. The second season we went 5-5, without allowing any more than 2-3 goals any game. We just didn't have much offense and a couple really new skaters.

Now this past season, we kept the exact same team, the new players have come on quickly, and the scoring was up. We finished league play at 8-0, our only loss was against a team from another rink. I finished the season with a .87 GAA and a save % of .932 and 4 SO. We won the Inaugural Lochrann's Cup to finish off the season. Before the game, I formally announced it was my final game (coordinator already knew) as I was planning on moving up to the C-league at the beginning of the next season in September.

http://www.friscostyle.com/scp/fury/
http://www.friscostyle.com/scp/fury/images/_EF_0592.jpg

I knew Ben wasn't there, but all I knew is it was due to health issues. As great as it was, it would have been better to have the whole team. I once again thanked everyone for their efforts and headed home, temporarily teamless.

Two weeks later, the coordinator forwrded this e-mail to the team.


As some of you may have heard, I've been in Baylor downtown for a week now. We'd found another tumor behind my right ear before our championship game, and so I went to see an oncologist that following Monday. He ordered a PET/CT scan and a bone marrow extraction (DON'T do that if you don't have to!). I started getting nasty headaches on the 4th, and had a prescription called in for a migraine medication. That got me through the 4th, but by Saturday, I'd gone through the daily max of that med by 1 PM. Finally went to the ER at Frisco/Centennial Sat night, where they found a tumor in the lining of my left temporal lobe.

Monday was back to the oncologist, and he sent me down here. Got admitted, and sat around and waited. Tuesday was a lumbar pucture with an injection of mild chemotherapy into my spine, and surgery to have two tumors removed and chemo ports installed into my chest. And a catheter installed from my arm into my heart for another way of giving chemo.

Wednesday was recovering from surgery, Thursday was waiting, and Friday was diagnosis day.

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. Stage IV. Very aggressive, but ultimately beatable. On the downside, this lymphoma accounts for 2-3% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases, and I have the added involvement of cancer in my bone marrow and cerebro-spinal fluid. On the updside, I'm 33, and in (otherwise) good health. They can do some things with me that they can't do with the old farts! ;)

I'll be in and out of the hospital for the next six months. Chemo officially started on Friday, and the first cycle finishes up tomorrow(ish). They're going to install a chemo port into my head to allow for me to not have to have lumbar punctures all of the time, and to treat the cancer in my head.
After a few e-mails flying back and forth and then the first practice of the session, I received this e-mail this morning.



I’ve got a question/proposal for you and I’d appreciate it if you would really consider it. Normally it wouldn’t be a big deal because it’s I-League, but the team really wants to win this session for Ben and play for the championship at the AAC in September. We’ve changed the lines up some and I think our offense is going to be very good this session. Would you consider giving us one last session? Like I said, this one is for more than just winning.
There was no consideration to it. I replied with a YES right away. So this is the beginning of a season dedicated to Ben. I hope it does well, but even more, I hope he does even better.:)

[Cujo_64]

Awesome job steve-o

I wish him the best in recovery... If you ever cant make a game, let me know.... make sure that team is well taken care of in goalie dept ! :D



Rob

[TQLAwilly]

Great Job!

I have to say that us hockey players are a rare breed sometimes.


The groups I play with have had some unfortunate times lately, wives with cancer, fathers with lymphoma, parents passing away. It seems we are pretty caring as we always step up either emotionally, physically or financially.

W

[Eidolon]

Nice job. I'll try and remember to keep up with this regularly. Let us know what's going on.

[goalie41]

very nice job sir! i live in the general area as well so if you need a fill in, feel free to give me a holler as well 940 594 2267.

[DancesWithPads]

Kind of puts everything in perspective . Good luck to Ben and also to the team.

[snlsmith]

Well, we are three games into the season and I just played my first.

Game 1: won 7-3
Game 2: lost 3-1 (EN/PP goal, was 2-1), didn't play since I was in Santa Fe

Tonight
Game 3: won 4-2
First goal was a deflection off my D's stick then off my elbow floater as I was trying to rise up to get it. Second goal was a screened shot from the left faceoff dot. It was a very chippy game. I'm almost surprised things didn't escalate. The refs did a good job of containing things. In the locker room before the game the last two of us signed a picture frame that will hold a the celebration picture from last season's Finals win (pic in my first post I think). We are now 2-1 and we play the currently undefeated first place team twice later in the season.
http://www.pointstreak.com/players/gamesheet_full.html?gameid=754994

[Ryano42]

Wow Steve...

Please keep us informed. Sorry to sidetrack you with all the Santa Fe craziness, but I can tell you are one of the best "beginner" goalie's I've seen!

:D

[Cujo_64]

hes no beginner... hes been playing for a couple years now... tom u sucker ! that and he watches his kid do lessons at a goalie coach here.... not like he hasnt been exposed to the good knowledge ! :p congrats again steve.


Baaah humbugg ! :D

[snlsmith]

All of the team is sporting "22" (Ben's number) stickers on their helmets to show support. Got mine on Saturday before the game.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e183/snlsmith/Hockey%20Gear/Coveted/DSC08040.jpg

[goalie41]

nice! Keep up the good work!

[snlsmith]

Another week, another win. This one was special because Ben actually made it out to the game and was on the bench. Came down to the end as the other team (Project Mayhem) got within 1 with only 1:37 left. For somereason they never pulled the goalie, most of the time though because we kept pressure down on their end. Final score was 3-2.

We are tied for second with one game in hand. Tonight was important as we beat a team we are tied with in the standings now, giving us the tiebreaker edge over them as well as the Saints who we beat last week. We have two games against the current first place team later in the season, so those may be the deciding games.
http://www.pointstreak.com/players/players-division-standings.html?divisionid=21202&seasonid=3020

[snlsmith]

Time to play catch up.

Two weeks ago
We won 4-0 in my first shut out of the season against a team in the middle of standings. It was a game we should have one, but taking that and the fact that some of us were really looking toward the following weeks game, it was a bad recipe for an upset. Luckily that didn't happen, and it paved the way for a showdown the next week.

Last Week

First note: Ben was well enough again to be on the bench with us, to help coach and cheer us on.

This was the biggest game of the season so far, two 5-1 (10 pts) teams playing for a first place tie-breaker. There is also one 5-2 team (no bye week yet), but we aren't concerned about them, since we have already played, and beat, them. Although there are still two more games left after this one, it felt like a must win situation. Why? Because we play them again the following week in an odd home-and-home set-up in the schedule. This means that whoever wins this game has the momentum going into the next week. Also, it was important to win by as large a margin as possible, since in a tie-breaker, if we split the games, they look at goal differential.

The other team scored first on a deflection off my D man's shin pad mid way through the first period. As always, my team didn't get down on that fact, and played their normal game. We out-played and out-hustled them most of the game, scoring 4 unanswered goals by the end of the second period. A few minutes into the third they scored once again, this time on a rebound off my paddle. The puck was coming in midspeed on the ice, so I went paddle down with my glove above my paddle to prevent skip overs and to smother the puck since there was heavy traffic around. The puck hit my paddle at a 90 degree angle, and then shot off to the side, like a billiard ball trick shot. It shot right over to the unguarded side of the net where they kindly buried it, eliminating the need for me to use any extra energy trying to get over to block it. It sucked, but really didn't matter as we put the game away about a minute later with another goal. Although we didn't score any more, neither did they, so we walked away with a well earned 5-2 victory. The 5-2 team won tonight also, so they are 6-2, we are 6-1.

Last note: Someone asked Ben about being there next week and he said no. With his treatments he is only well enough every three weeks or so. He did follow that up though saying "That means I should be well enough to attend the championship game three weeks from now". Nice to see he has a positive outlook.

Today
The 6-2 team plays the last place team tonight, and their bye is the last week of the season, so they are virtually locked into no less than 2nd place, setting up a do or die for our opponent tonight.

This is the second game of the home-and-home, and is possibly a Finals game clincher. If we win tonight, we are guaranteed a spot in the Finals. If we lose tonight by less than three goals, we have to win next week against a mid-standings team. If we lose by more than three, we have to win next week, as well as hope this team loses to the last place team next week. Basically it is win-and-in, and thats all we are looking at. We could care less about next week.

Eight hours til game time. My dad and my brother (who just rode his motorcycle from Pittsburgh*) are supposed to be there.


* http://goalielife.com/showthread.php?p=21199#post21199


E-mail I got from Ben just now:


I am sorry to send another email regarding this, however a free kit is available online only until September 22nd. It usually costs $52.
Go to National Marrow Donor Program (http://www.marrow.org)
On the right side of the screen, under "Events" click on the link that says "NASCAR Foundation Drive" About 3/4 of the way down that page, click "Join online now" Fill in the online info and the Promo Code will automatically generate(NASC262101) YOU could help save a life, like maybe mine:)!

Through September 22, the National Marrow Donor Program is waving the normal fees for registration.

[snlsmith]

Well, last night ended with none of the scenarios I presented in my last post, a regulation tie. However that point was all we needed, and then the bonus point for the shootout win just made it better.

They went up 1-0 on a pass from the board on my left into the slot. They had two in the slot, we had one. My guy took the player nearest the boards and lifted his stick, unfortunately allowing the puck to go right to player 2. I came out aggressively with a blocking b-fly, but I made the mistake of centering on the player and not the puck. The shot went right past the toe of the left pad and just inside the post. if I had played it right, I would have had it.:(

With 1:42 I was pulled for the sixth attacker. For the first time since I have been with the team, it actually worked, with the goal coming at 1:03 remaining. From then on the chant was "just get to overtime". Overtime was scoreless, so it was on to the shootout.

Not only was the pressure of the season on me, I had to hold on to my status of "Santa Fe Day 2 Shootout winner". :p Their top scorer was first, and as he was coming in I started shaking my catcher. I guess he noticed cause he peeked up, and as he did he lost the puck. I stopped the next two shooters easily. Their fourth shooter was the next best scorer. He tried to make a move to my left and I shut him down. My guys scored on our second and fourth shots, so that final save (we shot first) secured the game and our place in the finals.

[snlsmith]

At our last game, before heading out to the ice, I stood up to talk to the guys. I told them that even though last week we joking around about taking it easy the last game since we were already in the finals, we owed it to ourselves and Ben to finish the season strong. The team we were tied with had a bye week the final week of the season, so we needed to give it our best to win, and therefore have sole position of first, rather than just getting it by tiebreaker.

The guys came through, winning by a sound 5-1 margin. There were a few issues, but luckily the other team was not able to capitalize on them. We just have to make sure we tighten it next week.

Speaking of next week, we have had it confirmed that we will be playing at the AAC on 9/27 immediately after the Stars game (7:00 PM CST). Rob (Cujo_64) and his son will be there as well as many other friends and family. Our team is currently at around 110 people coming. This should be fun, but I am already getting nervous just thinking about it. I mean, think about it. All those scout there looking for a 35+ year old beginner goalie to mold into the next NHL underdog superstar.:rolleyes::p:D

[snlsmith]

36 Hours to go until the big game, but need to keep my thoughts off of it so I don't get too nervous. We have played pretty consistent throughout the season, so I should expect nothing less.

I did get to sub in a couple games this past week, each quite notable for different reasons.

Last Friday I subbed for Team 4, a team that seems to have a hard time scoring. Last time I played with them early in the season, we lost 1-0 to a team who is now number 1 or 2 in the standings. The team we were playing this night was in a 4 way tie for first place at 5-1-1. Team 4 was in third to last (2-4-1) out of the ten teams. I was warned about this disparity when asked to play. I played with several of them one my first team, so I had no issue saying yes despite the odds. To keep it from getting much longer, I will just say the team played great, tied them in regulation, and then beat them 2-1 in overtime. The game winner was scored by a girl who has maybe three goals in four years, a most unlikely candidate for robbing the other team of a slot in their league championship game (also at the AAC). If they had won, they were in. Their whole bench became so quiet, their skate to console the goalie so slow, with heads hung low.

After the game I hung around for Josh Murray's game to take some action shots for him (using his camera). I also brought my video camera, but forgot the tripod, so he had to settle for still photos only.

On Tuesday, i got a call to sub in a D League game. I was nervous about this one, because it was for a 1st place team, playing against a last place team. After being the upsetter, I was worried about screwing up and being the upsetee. By the end of the first period, things were going as I feared and we were down 2-1, with our only goal coming 7 seconds before the end of the period. We scored a bit into the second to tie it up, but at the end of two, it was 3-2 them. I'm sure this wasn't impressing them much. The game began to turn 10:49 (of 15 minute period) into the 3rd period when I caught them in a line change and fired the puck to my guy sitting on their blue line. He tapped it to the guy racing down the boards who took it in for the score. OMG, the ref actually looked at me to get me number, so I am actually on the scoresheet (http://www.pointstreak.com/players/gamesheet_full.html?gameid=776315), :) Even more oddly, they gave me the primary assist. We scored twice more in the next 2:18 to seal the win. The other team never pulled the goalie. I was hoping they would so I could take a shot on goal since I've never had a two point game.

That is my last game before the Championship tomorrow, so I am going in on a good note. Hope ya'll can be there for the game tomorrow. Everyone will be allowed to move down to the lower level after the Stars game is over.

[snlsmith]

As promised, a post-game up date.

WE WON!!!!!!!:D:D:D

Not only that, I had a shutout as we won 2-0. I really wasn't tested that much aside from one guy who appeared to be a "sub" (read: ringer). Hopefully it won't take too long to get the pictures. The Captain made sure to get the game puck so he can bring it to Ben today, along with the trophy, which we are in posession of for the next two weeks.

[Terd]

I heard that was good game
Congrats Super Steve

[snlsmith]

A sad update to this thread. A few days ago I got a mass-email from his wife, asking for memories of Ben. I was like "WTF, memories???". I found his blog (lost the link in a computer re-image) and he died back in June. I somehow didn't get that e-mail from his wife, maybe it too went to the junk mail folder, but I just caught it this time. The kicker, the same day he was declared cancer free, he was diagnosed with viral pneumonia. This is what ended up taking his life 2 weeks later. I still have the #22 sticker on the back of my mask that was put there when he had to stop playing, and there it will stay. I barely knew him, but will miss him.

Coioncidentally, I started working with Team-In-Training, a sports fundrasier for the Leukemia-lymphoma society. Most competitors choose an honored hero that they 'work' for. I have decided to have Ben be my honored hero, as no matter how bad off he was, he never gave up, always had a smile, and ultimately crossed the finished line cancer free. If he can do that, I can surely cross my finish line.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e183/snlsmith/Hockey/Gear/Masks/Coveted-AcmeArt/DSC08040.jpg

[goaliejet128]

Sorry to hear this, very sad to know. My prayers and condolences to everyone. : (