I know I just covered this, but it bears repeating. Hockey players are different.
When my pre-school aged daughter takes a tumble, knocks her head, pinches a finger in a door, whatever, then shakes it off, we smile and say, "she's a hockey player." She says it, too. "I'm ok. I'm a hockey player."
That's no joke. The other day, I limped off the ice with three minutes to go in a game that was basically decided and I called it a night. A hard smack on my knee, and I'm still having trouble with stairs. Hey, it was a fun game, and no doubt worth it, but not going back on the ice calls my cred into question.
Our goaltender? (A different one, this time.) He's a hockey player. Three weeks ago, early in the second period, he's facing a 1-on-0, the forward rockets a shot high to the stick side, and our guy makes a sweet save, getting just enough of it to knock it down. But now it's dangling there, just beside him, as the forward speeds in, to tap it home. Our goalie does what any netminder would do, and dives on it, gloves first, making the second save. As luck would have it, he gets his finger stuck between his stick and the ice. Ouch. Sure enough, it's bleeding profusely and hurts like a mother. He comes to the bench, someone grabs some white athletic tape (no guaze or anything), and he tapes the blood in. A little later he has someone tape his pinkie and his ring finger (the bloody one) together, becuase he's having a hard time holding his stick.
He plays the remainder of the game, giving up only one more goal as we hang on for the win. Next stop, the hospital.
Move over Donovan McNabb -- you were getting paid big money to play that football game on a broken ankle. Our guy played two periods of REC HOCKEY on a broken finger and torn nail. For free.
He's a hockey player.
Speaking of Ringers and Fancy Sticks
Gotta love the Downholers . . .
Love the mixed-league softball reference, too. Classic.
Love the mixed-league softball reference, too. Classic.
Hockey Fan vs Hockey Player
Most recreational hockey players are hockey fans, too, but . . .
this is a hockey fan:
these are hockey players:
What's the difference? Fundamentally, there's one: hockey players like to watch hockey, but would rather play; hockey fans just watch.
My brother-in-law is Canadian. Grew up in Windsor, but the Leafs and the Wings were so bad, he became a fan of Les Habs. And what self-respecting Canadian isn't? Anyway, he's played shinny a few times in his life, but he knows the NHL. Knows it well. We talk hockey a lot, but the funny thing is we're mostly talking past each other as I know the game, but he knows the league.
Our old goaltender (and frequent sub -- bless him!) is a player. And he proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt this Spring. Our goaltender was going to miss the first two games of the playoffs, so we called our sub. He graciously played game 1, and played brilliantly, as we won 2-1. So on to game two. I give him a call, "hey man, our guy won't be back, can you help us out?"
Problem is, he's a season ticket holder for the Sharks and has playoff tickets to game 2 of their first round series with the Flames. Initially he balks, but he calls me back, "I've talked it over with [his fiance]. If that's the only game we get tickets to, then I probably wouldn't want to see it anyway. I'll skate for you guys." Now that's hard core. He turned down an NHL playoff game on the theory that if that were the only game he got tickets to it was because the Sharks blew their first round series, and who would want to see that, anyway? Turns out he was kind of right. The Sharks lost that game, but won the series. So he got to see another game (a win, I think) before he got to see them tank in round two.
And for all that, we rewarded him . . . by playing no defense in a 6-0 shellacking. "Hey, thanks for helping us out!" [Sigh.]
But he's a hockey player. He didn't mind . . . (I hope).
this is a hockey fan:
these are hockey players:
What's the difference? Fundamentally, there's one: hockey players like to watch hockey, but would rather play; hockey fans just watch.
My brother-in-law is Canadian. Grew up in Windsor, but the Leafs and the Wings were so bad, he became a fan of Les Habs. And what self-respecting Canadian isn't? Anyway, he's played shinny a few times in his life, but he knows the NHL. Knows it well. We talk hockey a lot, but the funny thing is we're mostly talking past each other as I know the game, but he knows the league.
Our old goaltender (and frequent sub -- bless him!) is a player. And he proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt this Spring. Our goaltender was going to miss the first two games of the playoffs, so we called our sub. He graciously played game 1, and played brilliantly, as we won 2-1. So on to game two. I give him a call, "hey man, our guy won't be back, can you help us out?"
Problem is, he's a season ticket holder for the Sharks and has playoff tickets to game 2 of their first round series with the Flames. Initially he balks, but he calls me back, "I've talked it over with [his fiance]. If that's the only game we get tickets to, then I probably wouldn't want to see it anyway. I'll skate for you guys." Now that's hard core. He turned down an NHL playoff game on the theory that if that were the only game he got tickets to it was because the Sharks blew their first round series, and who would want to see that, anyway? Turns out he was kind of right. The Sharks lost that game, but won the series. So he got to see another game (a win, I think) before he got to see them tank in round two.
And for all that, we rewarded him . . . by playing no defense in a 6-0 shellacking. "Hey, thanks for helping us out!" [Sigh.]
But he's a hockey player. He didn't mind . . . (I hope).
The Ringer
Player for player you're better than them. There's no doubt. You watch the play unfold: you own the ice, your goaltender's bored, the action is in their end, this game is yours.
But there he is. No facemask. Old skates. Tattered gloves. Mismatched old practice sweater. He intercepts a pass. He makes a quick turn away from the first challenger. He streaks up the ice, past your trailing centerman. He is challenged again at the center-line. A quick flick of the wrists and twist of the hips, and he's by the next man. He crosses the blue line, your defensemen converge on him, he winds up his blast from the face-off circle, your goaltender begins his butterfly, he . . . swings a deft pass to the slacker, untalented left wing skating unmolested to the far post, who taps in the open net goal.
He makes bad teams good, mediocre teams great, and good teams advance to the next division. Yes, friends, he's the Ringer. He plays at every level except the top (where they are all Ringers).
When he plays for you, you love him. When he plays against you, you fear him and despise his mates. "Why does he play for them?" "Sweet, he's playing for us tonight." "Isn't he bored?" "He gives us the edge we need." "He's an A player, he shouldn't be here." "Everyone's got one, who are they to complain?"
Now, there are two kinds of ringers. The one brought in for one game, and the one who is on your roster. The former is the more distasteful, to my mind. The latter? Maybe the team is just trying to get better. Of course, if he sticks around long enough and the rest of the team doesn't get any better, the resentment builds.
We play in an intermediate division. There are no true beginners in our league. Most teams have one or two guys who are truly playing below their level. The frustrating thing is that last season's "best" team really wasn't. Instead, they had the best two players, then a bunch of mediocre guys. Although player-for-player, they were probably the 5th best team (out of 6), they only lost 3 games all season. I take pleasure in the fact that in the end, they lost the finals (in a two-game sweep) to the team that really is, player-for-player the best in the league (and has one ringer of their own).
It's frustrating to lose to a team when you're beating most of their guys, but can't beat their best player. When you win with one of these guys, you justify it in one way or another: the reality is there is a range of players at every level. You play with the guys you do because you know and like them. So one guy played in college, one guy played in high school, one guy played shinny on local ponds, and one guy just switched over from a couple of years of roller hockey. That's just how it is. So, "My friend is a really good player. We play together because we're friends."
At lower levels, speed is the difference. A fast player can beat a tripod without much effort. The higher the level the less speed plays a role, the more hands do. Our last true ringer wasn't that fast. Probably five guys on our team were faster, some much faster, but he could make the puck dance, and find the open man or the back of the net with ease. Those are some of the most frustrating ringers. You can keep with them, they don't seem that great, but you just can't pry the puck away, which means you are always standing right there when the goal is scored. At least when they blow by you you know there was nothing you could do.
Love him, hate him, the Ringer is here to stay. If he's on your team, make sure you find open space in front of the opposing net, to give him options when the other team converges on him. When you play against him, get a big early lead to get him bored and frustrated.
What's going on in the mind of the Ringer? I've only been there a handful of times (playing in beginner divisions). It's fun, for a while, to skate around people and have your way with opposing defenses. It's fun to intimidate an opposing team, to have them fear you. But, at least for me, it gets boring and frustrating not having players you feel comfortable sharing the puck with. Yet again, this is probably less true the higher the level, the more challenge there is. I wouldn't know, I'm an intermediate player playing in an intermediate division.
Whether it's a bore or not, he's not going anywhere. The best defense is probably to find your own Ringer. Last summer we did. It was a great pleasure beating that team with the two ringers and hearing them gripe about our guy. Seriously, of all the teams to complain about ringers, they were the worst offenders. So, they got what was coming to them.
But it made me feel a little dirty. That's just how it goes, I guess.
But there he is. No facemask. Old skates. Tattered gloves. Mismatched old practice sweater. He intercepts a pass. He makes a quick turn away from the first challenger. He streaks up the ice, past your trailing centerman. He is challenged again at the center-line. A quick flick of the wrists and twist of the hips, and he's by the next man. He crosses the blue line, your defensemen converge on him, he winds up his blast from the face-off circle, your goaltender begins his butterfly, he . . . swings a deft pass to the slacker, untalented left wing skating unmolested to the far post, who taps in the open net goal.
He makes bad teams good, mediocre teams great, and good teams advance to the next division. Yes, friends, he's the Ringer. He plays at every level except the top (where they are all Ringers).
When he plays for you, you love him. When he plays against you, you fear him and despise his mates. "Why does he play for them?" "Sweet, he's playing for us tonight." "Isn't he bored?" "He gives us the edge we need." "He's an A player, he shouldn't be here." "Everyone's got one, who are they to complain?"
Now, there are two kinds of ringers. The one brought in for one game, and the one who is on your roster. The former is the more distasteful, to my mind. The latter? Maybe the team is just trying to get better. Of course, if he sticks around long enough and the rest of the team doesn't get any better, the resentment builds.
We play in an intermediate division. There are no true beginners in our league. Most teams have one or two guys who are truly playing below their level. The frustrating thing is that last season's "best" team really wasn't. Instead, they had the best two players, then a bunch of mediocre guys. Although player-for-player, they were probably the 5th best team (out of 6), they only lost 3 games all season. I take pleasure in the fact that in the end, they lost the finals (in a two-game sweep) to the team that really is, player-for-player the best in the league (and has one ringer of their own).
It's frustrating to lose to a team when you're beating most of their guys, but can't beat their best player. When you win with one of these guys, you justify it in one way or another: the reality is there is a range of players at every level. You play with the guys you do because you know and like them. So one guy played in college, one guy played in high school, one guy played shinny on local ponds, and one guy just switched over from a couple of years of roller hockey. That's just how it is. So, "My friend is a really good player. We play together because we're friends."
At lower levels, speed is the difference. A fast player can beat a tripod without much effort. The higher the level the less speed plays a role, the more hands do. Our last true ringer wasn't that fast. Probably five guys on our team were faster, some much faster, but he could make the puck dance, and find the open man or the back of the net with ease. Those are some of the most frustrating ringers. You can keep with them, they don't seem that great, but you just can't pry the puck away, which means you are always standing right there when the goal is scored. At least when they blow by you you know there was nothing you could do.
Love him, hate him, the Ringer is here to stay. If he's on your team, make sure you find open space in front of the opposing net, to give him options when the other team converges on him. When you play against him, get a big early lead to get him bored and frustrated.
What's going on in the mind of the Ringer? I've only been there a handful of times (playing in beginner divisions). It's fun, for a while, to skate around people and have your way with opposing defenses. It's fun to intimidate an opposing team, to have them fear you. But, at least for me, it gets boring and frustrating not having players you feel comfortable sharing the puck with. Yet again, this is probably less true the higher the level, the more challenge there is. I wouldn't know, I'm an intermediate player playing in an intermediate division.
Whether it's a bore or not, he's not going anywhere. The best defense is probably to find your own Ringer. Last summer we did. It was a great pleasure beating that team with the two ringers and hearing them gripe about our guy. Seriously, of all the teams to complain about ringers, they were the worst offenders. So, they got what was coming to them.
But it made me feel a little dirty. That's just how it goes, I guess.
"Girls"
This is the first season we haven't played with or against women. The first rec team I joined played in the beginner division. We had about five women. All of the women on that team were effectively beginners. One decided to practice a slapshot against our teammate's face during the warm-ups for a playoff game. The victim (with whom I still play) skated past the blue-line towards center ice when the slapper ricocheted off his eye socket. Twenty stitches and 5% of his vision later, he wears a cage.
We moved up a division and didn't have any women on our team, but still played against several. Then we moved up another division and we only played against a handful. In this league (an intermediate or, if I'm being kind to myself, advanced-intermediate league) there were two women on one team, and maybe one more on another? That was when the division had ten or eleven teams. With new management taking over and some personnel shake-ups on various teams, this season the team with a pair of women moved down a division, leaving our league estrogen free.
Last summer, with still -- I think -- one woman playing for a team now in the lower division, another woman subbed in for one of the other teams, then for us for a game or two. I met her playing pick-up hockey one Friday night. She's a solid skater, handles the puck well, and plays pretty solid position. On the other hand, she's about 5'2" and not built heavy. Her skill set and size play well in a pick-up game, but playing competively with a bunch of men? We played our summer league with a short bench. A very short bench. I asked her to join us for a game or two. She showed off some skill -- definitely better than a bunch of the guys in our league -- and helped us out.
Turns out she plays NCAA Div-III hockey. This season she was an alternate captain for her team, did her part, leading the team in scoring, and made the all-conference team. The team won their division, and will play in the NCAA Div-III tournament that starts this coming weekend. So she's pretty good in a competitive, if not the top, women's league.
What does this all mean? Several of the guys on our team would've been stars if they were women (or underwent "gender reassignment" surgery . . .)
More thoughts:
Women in the culture? We'd likely have to cut down on the off-color humor in the dressing room or the parking lot. Most hockey-playing women probably don't mind, but the men do. Got to pretend there's a minimum level of decency (there isn't).
Women in the locker room? I've played with some that changed in the locker room, going all the way down to the birthday suit. Most came dressed in some form of underclothing that they could keep on. There was the "turn to face the wall" when changing bras. Not sure how effective that was. Yeah, it's not a full frontal shot of "the girls," but it's not like you don't see them. The men? Try to be a little more subtle when stripping down for the shower, but still took showers, leaving it up to the women not to get caught staring. Never saw a woman hop in the shower in a co-ed locker room. On the other hand, they don't sweat, right?
Playing against women? Our team is pretty agressive along the boards for a "non-checking" league. Any different when playing a woman? Got to say yes. Maybe we shouldn't be, but the chivilrous (chauvanistic?) part of me says to pull up rather than grinding the woman out on the boards. If you do take her out, you answer for it on the bench. Then, when a woman beats you, especially if it's by going through you, you never hear the end of it. Good times.
We moved up a division and didn't have any women on our team, but still played against several. Then we moved up another division and we only played against a handful. In this league (an intermediate or, if I'm being kind to myself, advanced-intermediate league) there were two women on one team, and maybe one more on another? That was when the division had ten or eleven teams. With new management taking over and some personnel shake-ups on various teams, this season the team with a pair of women moved down a division, leaving our league estrogen free.
Last summer, with still -- I think -- one woman playing for a team now in the lower division, another woman subbed in for one of the other teams, then for us for a game or two. I met her playing pick-up hockey one Friday night. She's a solid skater, handles the puck well, and plays pretty solid position. On the other hand, she's about 5'2" and not built heavy. Her skill set and size play well in a pick-up game, but playing competively with a bunch of men? We played our summer league with a short bench. A very short bench. I asked her to join us for a game or two. She showed off some skill -- definitely better than a bunch of the guys in our league -- and helped us out.
Turns out she plays NCAA Div-III hockey. This season she was an alternate captain for her team, did her part, leading the team in scoring, and made the all-conference team. The team won their division, and will play in the NCAA Div-III tournament that starts this coming weekend. So she's pretty good in a competitive, if not the top, women's league.
What does this all mean? Several of the guys on our team would've been stars if they were women (or underwent "gender reassignment" surgery . . .)
More thoughts:
Women in the culture? We'd likely have to cut down on the off-color humor in the dressing room or the parking lot. Most hockey-playing women probably don't mind, but the men do. Got to pretend there's a minimum level of decency (there isn't).
Women in the locker room? I've played with some that changed in the locker room, going all the way down to the birthday suit. Most came dressed in some form of underclothing that they could keep on. There was the "turn to face the wall" when changing bras. Not sure how effective that was. Yeah, it's not a full frontal shot of "the girls," but it's not like you don't see them. The men? Try to be a little more subtle when stripping down for the shower, but still took showers, leaving it up to the women not to get caught staring. Never saw a woman hop in the shower in a co-ed locker room. On the other hand, they don't sweat, right?
Playing against women? Our team is pretty agressive along the boards for a "non-checking" league. Any different when playing a woman? Got to say yes. Maybe we shouldn't be, but the chivilrous (chauvanistic?) part of me says to pull up rather than grinding the woman out on the boards. If you do take her out, you answer for it on the bench. Then, when a woman beats you, especially if it's by going through you, you never hear the end of it. Good times.
Recreational?
There's 1:30 left in the third. It's a one goal game.
Do you shuffle your lines, or do you go with whoever is next? If there is a power play (for you if you are losing, against you if you are winning), does it change your answer?
Lately, I've been going the shuffle route. Is that unfair to the guys who aren't as good, but are paying just as much? Is one shift that big a deal?
Do you shuffle your lines, or do you go with whoever is next? If there is a power play (for you if you are losing, against you if you are winning), does it change your answer?
Lately, I've been going the shuffle route. Is that unfair to the guys who aren't as good, but are paying just as much? Is one shift that big a deal?
Short Bench
14 skaters on the squad. Scheduling isn't hard, we play once a week, the same night every week. So how do you end up short?
Two guys have been a little flaky the last two years. Still, that leaves 12 reliable skaters. At 3pm one of the flakes is coming; the other is down with a knee. 13. Another guy has a season ending injury (thankfully, not on the ice). 12. It's February in California, so one guy is skiing in Tahoe. 11. One guy's wife just had a baby. He comes to the game, but his head's not in it and he forgets his gear at home. 10. One more guy is out on a business trip. 9. And the kicker? It's flu season, and it's wracked the keeper something fierce. No goalie. So we call-up our standby sub and his team's already got a game that night. Still no goalie. Which means our 8th skater is now our goaltender. 8. With our 3rd string goalie (who would've been the starter 10 years ago, but now plays about twice a year, normally in this situation). A few minutes before gametime, flaky-guy #1, who was coming as late as this afternoon? Nowhere to be seen. 7.
What do you do? Well, one thing you do is lose. Even when the other team is missing their best couple of guys. Which is frustrating becuase it was a great opportunity to pick up two points. It never ceases to amaze how the numbers can change minutes before the game. Here, we had a solid 10, but with the flu and the lack of our normal sub-goalie into account, the flake, and hormonal pregnancy guy we stand little chance.
More importantly, who's got the beer?
Lucky for me, I was the guy on the business trip, but seriously, I sincerely hope someone brought beer.
Two guys have been a little flaky the last two years. Still, that leaves 12 reliable skaters. At 3pm one of the flakes is coming; the other is down with a knee. 13. Another guy has a season ending injury (thankfully, not on the ice). 12. It's February in California, so one guy is skiing in Tahoe. 11. One guy's wife just had a baby. He comes to the game, but his head's not in it and he forgets his gear at home. 10. One more guy is out on a business trip. 9. And the kicker? It's flu season, and it's wracked the keeper something fierce. No goalie. So we call-up our standby sub and his team's already got a game that night. Still no goalie. Which means our 8th skater is now our goaltender. 8. With our 3rd string goalie (who would've been the starter 10 years ago, but now plays about twice a year, normally in this situation). A few minutes before gametime, flaky-guy #1, who was coming as late as this afternoon? Nowhere to be seen. 7.
What do you do? Well, one thing you do is lose. Even when the other team is missing their best couple of guys. Which is frustrating becuase it was a great opportunity to pick up two points. It never ceases to amaze how the numbers can change minutes before the game. Here, we had a solid 10, but with the flu and the lack of our normal sub-goalie into account, the flake, and hormonal pregnancy guy we stand little chance.
More importantly, who's got the beer?
Lucky for me, I was the guy on the business trip, but seriously, I sincerely hope someone brought beer.
Karma: the New 1-Piece
I'd been holding off on buying a one-piece stick for a while. They're just so expensive. But, it has literally been two seasons since I broke a blade, and I don't love my current shafts (I seriously think I've been through as many shafts as blades over the last four years, but it's probably my fault for buying $5 demos off of ebay).
So there it was, nice and shiny in my favorite pro shop. A dazzler. Retail: $239. On sale: $109. The catch? Pro-return; this is the real deal. But: "NO WARRANTY." It's written there right on the side of the stick. As I understand it, most of these hot new numbers come with a 30-day warranty, or some such thing (as if getting 4-6 games out a stick will somehow take the sting out of losing a $150+ stick on day 31).
Anyway, I can afford it, and I haven't spent much money on sticks in a while, so . . . ring it up.
And it's sweet. Light as a feather, great kick point. I love it. Ok, I didn't score a goal with it in game one, but it still felt great, and in game two, I buried one on a breakaway. It's gotta be the stick, right? LOVE IT.
Karma. Game three with the sexy little number, and midway through the second period I kneel to block a shot coming from the point, and lay the paddle down. Hard shot hits twelve inches from the butt, and bam. Just like that, my new stick is now two sticks.
Ouch. Just shy of $20 per period.
Now, the guy who runs the pro shop has offered me another at a serious discount, which is cool. He certainly isn't obligated -- it was just bad luck for me. There's also the option of sending it out for repair with the SRS repair system (www.srshockey.com/usa). Maybe. Seems like a cool idea.
Either way, a dubious way to start my career playing with a 1-piece. And how to explain to the wife?
Even so, switched back to the old lumber, and sure enough, picked up another goal. Empty-netter, sure, but hey, I need the points.
So there it was, nice and shiny in my favorite pro shop. A dazzler. Retail: $239. On sale: $109. The catch? Pro-return; this is the real deal. But: "NO WARRANTY." It's written there right on the side of the stick. As I understand it, most of these hot new numbers come with a 30-day warranty, or some such thing (as if getting 4-6 games out a stick will somehow take the sting out of losing a $150+ stick on day 31).
Anyway, I can afford it, and I haven't spent much money on sticks in a while, so . . . ring it up.
And it's sweet. Light as a feather, great kick point. I love it. Ok, I didn't score a goal with it in game one, but it still felt great, and in game two, I buried one on a breakaway. It's gotta be the stick, right? LOVE IT.
Karma. Game three with the sexy little number, and midway through the second period I kneel to block a shot coming from the point, and lay the paddle down. Hard shot hits twelve inches from the butt, and bam. Just like that, my new stick is now two sticks.
Ouch. Just shy of $20 per period.
Now, the guy who runs the pro shop has offered me another at a serious discount, which is cool. He certainly isn't obligated -- it was just bad luck for me. There's also the option of sending it out for repair with the SRS repair system (www.srshockey.com/usa). Maybe. Seems like a cool idea.
Either way, a dubious way to start my career playing with a 1-piece. And how to explain to the wife?
Even so, switched back to the old lumber, and sure enough, picked up another goal. Empty-netter, sure, but hey, I need the points.
Help Clearing the Crease
Three more lessons?
(1) Sometimes you have to watch a lot of chaff to finally get to what you want;
(2) Opposing players in tip videos often aren't trying very hard;
(3) This has some good tips on how to help clear the crease on defense (some of which will make your opponent mad)
(1) Sometimes you have to watch a lot of chaff to finally get to what you want;
(2) Opposing players in tip videos often aren't trying very hard;
(3) This has some good tips on how to help clear the crease on defense (some of which will make your opponent mad)
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