Why do guys with half shields get mad

[LegoDoom 0]

Needles don't bother me too much. And you're right, getting sticked doesn't hurt (except for maybe my teeth hurting with every bite for a few days).

Getting everyone at work thinking I'm in a fight club is almost worth it.

[hamstercaster 2]

I can understand a guy getting ticked when he wearing a half visor or simply none at all if a stick gets close to his face.. but only if it's done on purpose. I personally wear a full cage and have been ever since Bryan Berard got hurt. I figured I wasn't making enough money playing hockey to justifiy risking injuries to my face... I actually made no money at all lol as I only play pickup or beer league hockey. There is a difference in on-ice vision without a visor or cage but is it really worth risking losing an eye or a few teeth? I've seen too many players get injured to even think going back to a half visor or no visor/face mask. One guy I played with had been playing with a full cage. Decided to try playing with a half visor. First game he fell face first as someone was trying to lift his stick... lost 4 teeth and over 2000$ in dental repairs. Two of my friends decided to wear a full cage the game after they got hit on the chin by a puck that deflected of their own stick after trying to block a shot. I see no reason for people playing in beer leagues to not wear a full cage but if you don't mind having a Gino Odjick smile, it's your choice.

[ddibrano77 0]

If its clearly an accident, I'll deal with it. Accidents happen. It's the people that don't control their sticks that make me mad.

Don't you think that's the case almost all of the time? That is my point. You have no control over what someone else does. Since you know this going in, don't get mad when it happens.

i am sure i do not want to know what league you play in...cause your posts just flat out scare me of what is out there skating around.

I played jr's and wore nothing and that is a pretty high level of play, there were minimal high sticks due to mutual respect for each other on the ice. I did get sloo footed once and the guy chopped me in the face where my eye instantly swelled shut...you better believe i chased him down the ice and threw. There is accidental and there is careless hockey and the last time i checked no matter accident or being careless its a penalty. Plus nice to think that guys dont really care for anyone's well being on the ice and its all just an accident.

[kukabuka 0]

I wear a shield with a bottom cage. And I still get pissed when someone whacks me in the shield. That darn thing cost me $60, and when you get hit hard with a blade, it leaves a scratch.

Better than stitches though. Anyways, when it happens, the person was either careless or dirty, so you've got a right to be pissed regardless the way I see it.

[althoma1 574]

I know this is an old thread, but felt the need to vent about a related topic and didn't feel it was necessary to start a new thread.

Last night I went to me beer league game and only ended up getting to play about 2 minutes of hockey before getting tossed for an accidental high stick. I was trying to lift a D-man's stick who had the puck and was wearing a half sheild...he moved his stick and my stick came up, clipped him in the mouth and cut him in the lip. It was unintentional and I felt bad, asked if he was OK and apologized. He said he was OK and it happens and accepted the apology. I went to skate over to the box, expected to sit 4 minutes for an unintentional highstick that drew blood and that'd be it.

Apparently this beer league has a rule that if you draw blood on a high stick it's a 5 minute penalty and a game whether it's accidental or not. I was fine with sitting 4 or 5 minutes for the accidental high stick, but feel it's not fair that I spent an hour of driving round trip to play 2 shifts in a game because I accidently clipped the guy. Even the guy who I high sticked and his team mates were telling the ref to let me stay. If I was swinging my stick around carelessly or was hooking up around the neck/mouth then I feel getting booted would be appropriate, but getting booted for a stick lift gone wrong was very frustrating.

I stayed to watch the rest of the game - the other team scored on their 5 minute PP (which is quite long when you're playing 10 and 12 minute periods) and ended up winning the game 3-2. What made things more frustrating was that the other team clipped one of our players who chooses to wear a cage on a very similar play in the third period. He only ended up with a 2 minute penalty and got to stay in the game. If the guy I had high sticked had chosen to wear a cage I would've ended up with a 2 minute penalty instead of 5 in a game...it doesn't seem fair to me that I get the gate and another guy gets 2 minutes for the same infraction simply because one player chooses to wear a cage and the other doesn't.

I just don't think it's a fair rule - intent to injure, hitting from behind, fighting. If I do any of those I expect to be tossed, but not an accidental high stick just because a player chooses not to wear a cage.

[Chadd 916]

I know this is an old thread, but felt the need to vent about a related topic and didn't feel it was necessary to start a new thread.

Last night I went to me beer league game and only ended up getting to play about 2 minutes of hockey before getting tossed for an accidental high stick. I was trying to lift a D-man's stick who had the puck and was wearing a half sheild...he moved his stick and my stick came up, clipped him in the mouth and cut him in the lip. It was unintentional and I felt bad, asked if he was OK and apologized. He said he was OK and it happens and accepted the apology. I went to skate over to the box, expected to sit 4 minutes for an unintentional highstick that drew blood and that'd be it.

Apparently this beer league has a rule that if you draw blood on a high stick it's a 5 minute penalty and a game whether it's accidental or not. I was fine with sitting 4 or 5 minutes for the accidental high stick, but feel it's not fair that I spent an hour of driving round trip to play 2 shifts in a game because I accidently clipped the guy. Even the guy who I high sticked and his team mates were telling the ref to let me stay. If I was swinging my stick around carelessly or was hooking up around the neck/mouth then I feel getting booted would be appropriate, but getting booted for a stick lift gone wrong was very frustrating.

I stayed to watch the rest of the game - the other team scored on their 5 minute PP (which is quite long when you're playing 10 and 12 minute periods) and ended up winning the game 3-2. What made things more frustrating was that the other team clipped one of our players who chooses to wear a cage on a very similar play in the third period. He only ended up with a 2 minute penalty and got to stay in the game. If the guy I had high sticked had chosen to wear a cage I would've ended up with a 2 minute penalty instead of 5 in a game...it doesn't seem fair to me that I get the gate and another guy gets 2 minutes for the same infraction simply because one player chooses to wear a cage and the other doesn't.

I just don't think it's a fair rule - intent to injure, hitting from behind, fighting. If I do any of those I expect to be tossed, but not an accidental high stick just because a player chooses not to wear a cage.

So it's his fault you didn't have control over your stick? You can not blame the victim for careless or reckless acts by another player.

[althoma1 574]

No, it's not his fault and I deserved a penalty. I just don't think I deserved to be tossed from the game for it. In addition, I don't think it's necessarily fair that the penalty is much greater because he wasn't wearing a cage than it would have been had he been wearing one.

So yes, I deserved a penalty, and no it wasn't his fault. I apologized, knew I had made a mistake and was skating right to the pentalty box. I just felt the penalty was too severe.

[sitzlejd 0]

I agree it's on you to control your stick, but unless it looks intentional to the ref I don't think you should get tossed. Kind of a strange rule if you ask me (and for the record I wear a visor).

[#44wannabe 4]

Ive never understood how you can get your stick into someones face when attempting to lift their stick, the long way between the two. Having said that ive only ever had one stick in the face and that was because i fell as someone went for the puck and they clipped me, total accident and my face was 2 inches of the ice so not exactly high sticks but still good for 6 stitches.

[Chadd 916]

No, it's not his fault and I deserved a penalty. I just don't think I deserved to be tossed from the game for it. In addition, I don't think it's necessarily fair that the penalty is much greater because he wasn't wearing a cage than it would have been had he been wearing one.

So yes, I deserved a penalty, and no it wasn't his fault. I apologized, knew I had made a mistake and was skating right to the pentalty box. I just felt the penalty was too severe.

Leagues have put those penalties in place to force players to be more careful with their sticks. I'm full in favor of these rules, as things like this happen far too often.

Ive never understood how you can get your stick into someones face when attempting to lift their stick, the long way between the two.

That's true if you try and lift the stick down by the blade, but a lot of people go a lot higher than that or go for a lift when they are too far out of position to have any chance of a legal stick lift.

[gxc999 7]

There is a big disconnect on calls occurring to players who are and are not wearing face protection, even when there are no injuries. So if I'm cavalier and not wearing anything it's at least 2 mins on the PP, and quite often 4, even when there was no cut or harm, but if someone scratches up my visor, it's nothing? It's one of by biggest hockey pet-peeves.

[jumtao 0]

I've wore a cage every since I started playing hockey and have adapted to it so vision isn't a problem for me. I have also tried visors and didn't notice a big difference in improved vision but felt the difference in air flow. However, I do know that for many people who grew up playing with nothing on, it is a drastic change from nothing to a full cage since they have to adjust to looking beyond the wires.

For me, I've never really understood why guys who've been wearing cages all their life anticipate the moment they can put on the visor. Maybe it's some sort of ritual to say that you've become a man :D .The way I see it is if you've been wearing a cage for X number of years, you must have gotten used to it so why switch to something that's less protective?

The cage has served me well by protecting my chicklets from high sticks, pucks, and collision. BUT! I do agree that people should have more control over their sticks regardless of what kind of facial protection you choose to wear.

[LivHockey84 0]

I wear a visor, and yes, I do get upset when some guy with a cage swings up high. Like previously stated, you are always in control of your stick. However, you do find those guys who wear cages who feel like there's a sense of invincibility because their faces are covered up, hence, don't understand when someone gets clipped.

I agree!

[Chadd 916]

For me, I've never really understood why guys who've been wearing cages all their life anticipate the moment they can put on the visor. Maybe it's some sort of ritual to say that you've become a man :D .The way I see it is if you've been wearing a cage for X number of years, you must have gotten used to it so why switch to something that's less protective?

I grew up in an area without organized hockey, never wore a cage.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

I think everybody should be required to play a few games with no visor or cage. The first time you go to the front of the net with nothing protecting your face is a little bit of an eye opener. You realize the repercussions of getting your stick up high.

I switched to a visor probably 4 or 5 months ago. I've taken quite a few sticks and pucks to the head region, but luckily nothing serious. If it's accidental, I brush it off because it's my decision to not wear full face protection. I do get agitated when people are careless with their sticks though. Now that I'm playing a little higher level hockey than when I had the cage, people are better about keeping their sticks down. If I see a guy winging his stick about, I'll make a mental note of it, especially if it's at pick-up. There's just no reason to have your stick above your neck, 5 feet away from where the puck is going to be.

[sectachrome 40]

I know shit happens, and I dont try and fight people if I get clipped. I do get annoyed if they hit you and then dont aplogize or ask if youre okay afterwards. And I definitely think Im more careful because I dont wear a cage (visor). Also the attitude of the OP that you deserve to get hit and its your fault is bull. You shouldnt get your stick up regardless.

[shotty 7]

I get hit in the face by a stick or glove or whatever about 2-3 times a season. I get an apology every time. what pisses me off are the guy who swing their stick around, narrowly missing my face, that get MAD when I tell the to

keep their stick down.

[Hockeyman11385 1]

I think the issue with the stick lift is that you're expecting resistance from the other guy's stick so you're lifting with the force to move his stick. When his stick suddenly isn't there it flies up much higher than expected. Another classic is the stick sliding up another stick and clipping in the chin.

As for my thoughts, I used to wear a visor up until Christmas. Unfortunately a deflected puck hit me in the mouth and snapped off both of my front teeth. The proceeding dental work cost me over $3,000 plus the annoyance of having to go to the dentist 4 times with 3 of those for more than 2 hours. In my view, it's just not worth it. I now wear a Bauer RBE VIII and it works perfectly for me. As a previous visor wearer, I am still very careful with my stick and have not clipped anybody yet (knock on wood). Accidents happen and it usually didn't get me too riled up. I have yet to see anyone get clipped that looked like anything flagrant. Visor wearers have to accept that they aren't playing with professionals and that there is risk in wearing a visor. I certainly learned my lesson the hard way.

[gxc999 7]

I'm a full shield/combo wearer and the only person I've ever clipped was a friend of mine that's actually a funny story. Okay, my buddy/former teammate was 6'4 290, and I was about 150 at the time, tried to stick lift him going into the corner for a loose puck, and he reversed it and stick lifted me, and hit himself in the face with my stick, and I took the minor for it. It was a good laugh in the end.

[Chadd 916]

I think the issue with the stick lift is that you're expecting resistance from the other guy's stick so you're lifting with the force to move his stick. When his stick suddenly isn't there it flies up much higher than expected.

We've all done that, but if the stick going up catches the guy in the face, you really weren't in a position where you should have gone for the lift.

[tareatingrat 4]

Accidents happen. I agree that you should be in control of your stick, but even the most conscientious player if going to make a mistake sometime.

I wear a cage because there is no good argument not to.

I really have no sympathy for those who decide not to wear a cage (or some type of facial protection) and get hurt.

You can prevent that injury EASILY. You can't guarantee a stick, or a puck, or a skate isn't going to go up.

Should the sticks stay down, yeah, ideally. But using that logic, you shouldn't need gloves, because nobody is going to slash you with a stick. You know what game you're playing, and to flip out on someone else for something that is part of the game is just placing blame on somebody else because you're too proud to protect yourself.

Also, I can't count how many times guys wearing visors or nothing have decided to give me shit for wearing a cage because I got under their skin. Every single time they get in my face about something, I'll take my helmet off and they tend to shut up really quick. For some reason, they think that because I wear a cage, I'm a pussy.

I'm not wearing my cage because I think I'm invincible. I wear it because I have to work the next day, and I'm not a huge fan of losing an eye or getting my teeth messed up.

[jumtao 0]

I'm not wearing my cage because I think I'm invincible. I wear it because I have to work the next day, and I'm not a huge fan of losing an eye or getting my teeth messed up.

+1

[mack 44]

I'm too pretty to have something like a shield or cage hiding it. That and I play maybe once a week now.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Accidents happen. I agree that you should be in control of your stick, but even the most conscientious player if going to make a mistake sometime.

I wear a cage because there is no good argument not to.

I really have no sympathy for those who decide not to wear a cage (or some type of facial protection) and get hurt.

You can prevent that injury EASILY. You can't guarantee a stick, or a puck, or a skate isn't going to go up.

Should the sticks stay down, yeah, ideally. But using that logic, you shouldn't need gloves, because nobody is going to slash you with a stick. You know what game you're playing, and to flip out on someone else for something that is part of the game is just placing blame on somebody else because you're too proud to protect yourself.

Also, I can't count how many times guys wearing visors or nothing have decided to give me shit for wearing a cage because I got under their skin. Every single time they get in my face about something, I'll take my helmet off and they tend to shut up really quick. For some reason, they think that because I wear a cage, I'm a pussy.

I'm not wearing my cage because I think I'm invincible. I wear it because I have to work the next day, and I'm not a huge fan of losing an eye or getting my teeth messed up.

Agreed. The only way I would wear a visor is if I was reffing

[dw91 0]

After taking a head check every game for the last two years (I'm 6'4", so evidently head checks don't count on me :P) I've grown very fond of my cage. I skate with a few AHL guys over the summer, and have gone to a number of junior tryouts with a cage on, and I never seem to stick anyone in the face. I've only skated twice or three times with a visor, and that felling of vulnerability stuck with me. Granted, if by some miracle I ever got paid any money to play hockey, the cage would go.