No Contact Senior League

[TBLfan 25]

There is a difference between no check and no contact.

I play in a no check league, but incidental contact is allowed (although I've been called for some BS interference calls)

We are allowed to hinder the opponent physically, so long as we don't line them up and actually check them.

Exactly, you'll normally find out by the end of the first period what the refs will let slide. I've checked a few people this season already. Last season a guy had his head down and I kind of headbutted him so he wouldn't run into my chin with his head. haha.

But honestly, I felt bad when he skated to the bench after laying on the ice for a few seconds. :(

Gee, I wonder if you wear a full cage. Not to mention that is a complete dick move and all, either way.

We both were wearing cages. It was pure instinct, I just lowered my head and he skated right into my forehead. I'm not a dirty player and I did feel bad. I even appologized to their captain afterwards as I wasn't sure who it was.

I didn't exactly paint a picture of what happened so here it is: I was crashing the net and he was skating around the back of the net. He was a little lower than me and coming full speed into my chest, I lowered my head and *boom* he hit the ice. Take that as you will, I didn't even realize what happened until he hit the ice.

[jimmy 194]

This is exactly why no-check is not really hockey, it's just basketball. There is no reason for no check. If you don't want to check or be checked, skate faster or don't play hockey. Hockey is a checking sport. Whomever ruined the game by making no-check should be shot. Ten year old kids check. Get over it. Nothing worse than a good skater who just bangs the pucks on the boards and goes arounf the defense. That's not hockey.

[DamnLocust 0]

Nothing worse than losing time at work or even losing your job because some bonehead in a beer league thinks he's scott stevens and sends you to the hospital.

[DarkStar50 679]

Right on DL, too many Knuckleheads in no check willing to kill you. The secret to playing D in no check is cutting off angles, passing lanes, and using the poke check as your secret weapon. Keep your stick close to your body and then a quick lunging poke check will screw up the puck carrier every time. It is an acquired play by old fogies that is very effective. I advise learning it ASAP.

[chippa13 1844]

We all have to work in the morning and nobody gets signed out of beer league. No check doesn't mean no contact. You can still play the body, you just can't put a guy into next week.

[Chadd 916]

This is exactly why no-check is not really hockey, it's just basketball. There is no reason for no check. If you don't want to check or be checked, skate faster or don't play hockey. Hockey is a checking sport. Whomever ruined the game by making no-check should be shot. Ten year old kids check. Get over it. Nothing worse than a good skater who just bangs the pucks on the boards and goes arounf the defense. That's not hockey.

I live in an area where 3/4 of the guys who play are Flyers fans. It's bad enough with them knowing they can't throw the body.

[TBLfan 25]

I completely agree with non-checking leagues, although it would be nice to have the option. But like it's been said, most of us have to work in the morning. Aaand there's always someone that just wants to see how hard they can hit someone.

[ramensandwich 1]

i play midget aa so plenty of checking there. but our rink lets me play in the adult league too, and i'd recommend it to anyone. playing in a no-contact league really helps your stickhandling and positioning skills. then, you can get around the big bullies that just know how to hit. no-contact will definitely give you a "smarter" game.

[GoalieGirl 0]

I'm currently playing in a no-checking rec league with High Schoolers, and as a goalie it bugs the hell out of me to see my defensemen undressed by the opposition merely because they can't use any type of physicality. Well, we found a bit of a loophole.

Technically, a hit is an extension of the arms that causes the opponent to fall or deviate their course by a great extent. If you get on the person, stand in their way and kinda bump them, that's totally different. When you get in the corners, try tying them up first and taking the puck since you can exactly hit them hard enough to knock them down. When going on the defensive side of the puck, stand in their way. It's not interference if they have the puck. In no-contact leagues their usually more lenient with the interferences and what-not anyways, so try to take advantage of that.

You just gotta find a way to work within the system that works for you. With no checking, and if you aren't a great skater, it really becomes a lot about positioning. Try to position yourself in a way that you can easily get to the puck and block the other person out.

Hope that helped some :)

[mack 44]

I remember when I played this, but we called it soccer.

[mrusse01 0]

I've never even heard of an adult 'beer' type league that isn't non contact...what's the point of like 30 year old men running around hitting each other in open ice? 9 times out of 10 you can still ride guys off into the boards, or pin someone, you just can't bodycheck somebody. Anyone who can't tell the difference is just an idiot.

That hip punch move sounds pretty effective, but around here you'd probably get a punch in the head if you tried it too many times, and for a better player you better punch them pretty hard in the hip if you think you are going to knock them off the puck.

[Powerfibers 8]

Thanks for all the comments so far, keep it coming.

[willy0314 0]

I play in one of the senior leagues here in buffalo....I hate it. I don't mind the non-contact because playing defense in a non-contact league is pretty easy, just stay in front of him. He can't skate over the top of you so you just stay infront of him, slowly close the gap and then just take the puck and transition the other way.

What I hate are the players who have never played contact hockey before, (the guy blasting up the side boards with his head down, trying some bullshit spin-o-rama move only to loose the puck and swear at his linemate he skated into because he never looked where the hell he was going...ya know that guy?) who feel the need to cross check and hook the shit out of you because "its part of the game". If you can't skate then fine, but dont be busting up my wrists just because your pissed you didn't make the NHL.

[DamnLocust 0]

I find that the hooking and stick work are more prevalent in lower levels of hockey- or at least more vicious. A friend of mine was playing goal on a low-division team, and asked me to play on the team. Every time I beat someone to a puck or skate around them, I receive a nice 2 hander or blatant trip/hook. Guys simply stop skating and look to make the stick do the work for them.

[kosydar 0]

We all have to work in the morning and nobody gets signed out of beer league.

Joey Kocur.

[Wolfpack_1986 147]

make people skate into you... get into a lane where you know they'll be coming establish your position and let people run smack into you.

[Chadd 916]

make people skate into you... get into a lane where you know they'll be coming establish your position and let people run smack into you.

Do that more than once in the same game and you're going to have to defend yourself.

[JR Boucicaut 3764]

We all have to work in the morning and nobody gets signed out of beer league.

Joey Kocur.

Who still skates in that same contact beer league here in MI.

[Wolfpack_1986 147]

make people skate into you... get into a lane where you know they'll be coming establish your position and let people run smack into you.

Do that more than once in the same game and you're going to have to defend yourself.

obviously you shouldnt go and do it on every play... personally, i dont do it, i can catch most anyone and just play the puck... but theres the few boneheads that need to be leveled in every league.

[Bmplam 1]

We can't check, but we can play the body on the puck carrier and the D can keep the crease clear, to a point.

We are playing in a beer league tournament next month that is "no contact". After a few clarifing emails, apparently it is just that, no contact. We were hoping it was just another way of describing no checking. We have a good mix of flashy players and grinders (me). Should be an interesting adjustment for all teams involved.

[chippa13 1844]

We all have to work in the morning and nobody gets signed out of beer league.

Joey Kocur.

Not a "no check" league, he wasn't.

[mack 44]

See, that's why words like "specific" exist.

[Kevin 5]

Joey Kocur's profile on the IHB:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=2767

I assume he was playing beer league in 96-97 after already having played in the NHL.

[iceholes 0]

I believe the Rochester Amerks signed a goalie from a rec league for a few games a few years ago...had some injuries and were desperate.

[Flack38 0]

This is exactly why no-check is not really hockey, it's just basketball. There is no reason for no check. If you don't want to check or be checked, skate faster or don't play hockey. Hockey is a checking sport. Whomever ruined the game by making no-check should be shot. Ten year old kids check. Get over it. Nothing worse than a good skater who just bangs the pucks on the boards and goes arounf the defense. That's not hockey.

I live in an area where 3/4 of the guys who play are Flyers fans. It's bad enough with them knowing they can't throw the body.

What area/rink do you play at Chadd?