Checking in Non-Contact Leagues / Open Hockey

[Bnatural 0]

I play at a respectably high level of hockey now, and I have played most of my life so to reiterate what Steve said "I expect to get hit in certain situations." That doesn't mean hitting someone who can not or IS not in position to take a hit is acceptable though. Every single person who plays this game and loves it as much as I do should play with the respect that each player (good or bad) deserves. If your having fun with a friend and wanna play a bit rougher than normal so be it. If your trying to hurt someone, don't play. I hate to sound like a goof but hockey is supposed to be FUN. I love this game, but it is not what I do as a career (Everyone has to go to work in the morning). I don't know about you guys but the rink is where I go to "get away" so to speak, not to get hurt or start a fight.

[sickwilly 37]

Can't agree with you more, Bnatural.

Because I'm in a remote area without a lot of hockey (on the US side) a couple of "college teams" play in our beer league (non-check). For some reason (probably due to lack of knowledge of hockey) a few fans show up for our games against the college teams. Every time there are a few people in the stands, it seems like at least a couple of the college guys start really trying to push the rules, throwing elbows, etc. 2/3 of my team are in their late 30's or older. There are way too many fights and well-deserved suspensions in the league (seems like one every couple of weeks). A couple of the refs can't control the game, either. They tend to call the result of the play (he fell, it must be a penalty), and don't do much to protect people from cheap shots.

[Chadd 916]

A couple of the refs can't control the game, either. They tend to call the result of the play (he fell, it must be a penalty), and don't do much to protect people from cheap shots.

A ref can't do anything to prevent a cheap shot, only call penalties when they happen.

[sickwilly 37]

A ref can't do anything to prevent a cheap shot, only call penalties when they happen.

True.

I could have worded that better. I think that if the refs did a more consistent job of calling the chippy stuff like hacks, slashes and intentional body contact early on, it might set an entirely different tone for the games. IMO, that might deter some of the uglier stuff that happens so often as the games go on. Players are ejected after 3 penalties, so having a call or two against you might make some guys play a little more cautiously.

[MyBoxersSayJoe 133]

Players are ejected after 3 penalties, so having a call or two against you might make some guys play a little more cautiously.

Those guys are great. Get them wound up and kicked out of the game in the first or second period, and the rest is usually smooth sailing. I don't even do anything physically, just once they start running their mouths you know you've got them. I can take a punch, that's what the equipment's for, it doesn't hurt and I'd rather he get kicked out of the game and us have a powerplay than swing back. My game next week is against a team full of them.

[BushLeague44 0]

I was just having this conversation at the rink last nite over beers. I play in a "no contact league" and find that it has gone past the point of no contact. I dont mind a physical game with some bumping or clearing a guy from the net. On the other hand I mind a game where you get a Yahoo out there that thinks he is in the NHL and you are not expecting to get sent airborn and you get up with a cracked rib. I dont care either way as long as I know what kind of game we are going to play. I found others in the league felt the same way and the yahoo now has a bad rep and has a target by other players.

[Chadd 916]

True.

I could have worded that better. I think that if the refs did a more consistent job of calling the chippy stuff like hacks, slashes and intentional body contact early on, it might set an entirely different tone for the games. IMO, that might deter some of the uglier stuff that happens so often as the games go on. Players are ejected after 3 penalties, so having a call or two against you might make some guys play a little more cautiously.

I'll agree with you there. My feeling when working a beer league game in this area was always to come out very strict and loosen up if the players deserved it. If they could handle a bump and give a bump back, things were fine. If they took a bump and two handed the other guy, then we had to stay strict.

[WSjo22 1]

Secti0n31,

You should probably go over what I said before you jump to conclusions. I don't recall saying I Scott Stevens anyone with their head down

[All Flash 49]

Here in Vancouver BC most teams play with some respect but others play like its NHL 11.

Im ok with some contact but when i guy drills another player with his head down with no obvious play at the puck then he should be thrown out at the very least.

I am currently finishing a suspension because a guy dropped one of our guys on a 1 on 1 and was allowed to stay in the game because the ref called the penalty on the result. Our player got up after a few mins so the culpirt was allowed to stay in the game. Later he hit me from behind and when i turned around from smashing my face off the glass he was smiling at me so, i dropped him with about 12 bombs.

know where you are and whos playing always be aware of your surroundings so as to not put yourself in bad situations is how i try to keep it.

i play in the Adult Safe Hockey League if you can wrap your head around that. lol

[goaliemanshark 6]

No checking in any of the leagues over here in Northern Cali. Some guys play the body a little in pickup, but they are quickly chirped.

One thing which i have a problem with is if you weren't trained how to take a hit, checkingis even more dangerous. I was messing around with some of my teammates on some free ice last night and we started checking. I almost died, because i have had no formal training on how to take a hit. Its like learning how to "fall" in karate or how to take a tackle in football. Im lost when someone hits me.

[shotty 7]

Here in Vancouver BC most teams play with some respect but others play like its NHL 11.

Im ok with some contact but when i guy drills another player with his head down with no obvious play at the puck then he should be thrown out at the very least.

I am currently finishing a suspension because a guy dropped one of our guys on a 1 on 1 and was allowed to stay in the game because the ref called the penalty on the result. Our player got up after a few mins so the culpirt was allowed to stay in the game. Later he hit me from behind and when i turned around from smashing my face off the glass he was smiling at me so, i dropped him with about 12 bombs.

know where you are and whos playing always be aware of your surroundings so as to not put yourself in bad situations is how i try to keep it.

i play in the Adult Safe Hockey League if you can wrap your head around that. lol

ASHL is probably the worst in terms of violent acts. i guess because its so big and there are so many teams, they are bound to get idiots. the game before mine on sunday one of the guys got a blatant high stick to the nose... blood everywhere, nose totally broken, but ZERO call.

last night, in a different league at UBC, during the first shift of the game i stopped the puck with my skate just inside the blue line and as i kicked it onto my blade i got nailed by a guy who came in put his shoulder into my head. cut me about 1-2 mm from my eye. today its black and blue, swollen and my eye is red. i went down and all i heard was the ref saying "what happened?"

brutal.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

ASHL is probably the worst in terms of violent acts. i guess because its so big and there are so many teams, they are bound to get idiots. the game before mine on sunday one of the guys got a blatant high stick to the nose... blood everywhere, nose totally broken, but ZERO call.

last night, in a different league at UBC, during the first shift of the game i stopped the puck with my skate just inside the blue line and as i kicked it onto my blade i got nailed by a guy who came in put his shoulder into my head. cut me about 1-2 mm from my eye. today its black and blue, swollen and my eye is red. i went down and all i heard was the ref saying "what happened?"

brutal.

You know, I really am looking forward to my first season in the beer league..God this'll be interesting.

[shotty 7]

if you ever want to come out and play a game on our team just for fun, let me know.

[JDeezy 0]

I throw at least 1-2 hits per game in a non-checking league. Its good to put a little fear in your opponent and make him think twice before he put his head down and dangles the hell outta your team with the same rehersed toe drag he's practiced in open hockey. But then again, last season I lead the entire league in penalty minutes so... *shrug*

[Jason Harris 31]

If you said, "There's one guy in our league who's such a sandbagging dangler, he gets on everyone's nerves and I find myself hitting him," I think a lot of us would understand that. But if there are so many danglers in your league that nightly compel you to lead the league in penalties, maybe you're skating a level too high?

[NuggyBuggy 0]

There was this one idiot who was absolutely huge and was running around trying to kill everybody in sight. This is in a no-contact league. He gave one of our guys a concussion and was trying to line up guys half his size, and was screaming more trash than I have ever seen anybody dish out in that particular league. This was all in front of his wife and little kid. Well, after a few weeks somebody keyed up his car good. He'd been doing this to every team he was playing against so he had no idea who did it or what was going to come next. The guy disappeared shortly after that. Sometimes justice doesn't have to come in the expected ways.