RETALIATION.......

[NOVECHKIN 3]

I play in a over 40 NBC league. Our first playoff game was tonight, and a guy skated right through me, while I was standing in front crease! In return, I two handed him across the back of the legs as he skated away. He then threatened my life, I told him to go "pleasure" himself....and then the game went on etc..etc..etc..!!!!! I'm not know as a dirty player, and I usually don't get into these "dust ups"!!!! Why did I re-act the way I did!!! Should I have gone about it differently???? Just wondering on everybody's thought on "payback" are????

[bolt91 31]

Everyone gets heated. A good clean check or scoring a goal goes a long way.

[Chadd 916]

I don't normally play dirty but I'm usually better at it than the guys who try to stir up trouble in our games.

[sickwilly 37]

If it was a clear cheap shot, I probably would have done the same thing (not that it would change anything with some pricks). If it might be an accident, I generally let it go but make a point to tell the guy to be more careful next time.

[wrangler 157]

What's "NBC" in this context?

[giogolf 9]

It depends on the situation, if it was an accident then I brush it off. If its intentional I will confront the guy and question his play. How he responds next determines if it gets heated or resolved.

[Scopes 4]

What's "NBC" in this context?

No body contact?

I'd say that's a part of hockey - people get fired up for short bits and everyone gets on with their lives. You give a cheap shot, expect to get one back. Living by the golden rule on the ice treats me pretty well: "Do to others as you'd have others do to you."

[beedee 227]

The smart thing to do is to let it go. I've gotten a lot better at letting that kind of stuff go. I used to get pretty heated and wait until late in the third period to freight train the guy. This often led to a major for "roughing". I felt better that I was able to return the favor, but if my team needed me, then I would think twice about lighting the guy up.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

The smart thing to do is to let it go. I've gotten a lot better at letting that kind of stuff go. I used to get pretty heated and wait until late in the third period to freight train the guy. This often led to a major for "roughing". I felt better that I was able to return the favor, but if my team needed me, then I would think twice about lighting the guy up.

For me, its all about my teams perception of what I do. If I whack the guy and get 2 (or worse, 5) mins in a close game, even if they dont say anything, I know what my teammates are thinking. If its not a close game and one guy has been a complete douchenozzle the whole game, i'd probably get a pat on the back for doing the exact same thing. So when I'm on the ice and provoked, I usually try to decide whether ill get yelled at or congratulated, and act accordingly.

I know the right answer is "no matter what you should keep a cool head and shrug it off", but it is what it is.

[scorer75 9]

He ran you, you got him in the back of the legs, life goes on. Just make a note of it if it happens next time you play them. It's hockey, these things happen.

[Backyard Hockey 4]

This happens in our beer leagues as well...in these leagues, different guys have different outlooks. For some guys I play with and against, Tuesday night hockey is the only time they get out of the house, and they treat it like Game 7 of the Cup Finals. Others were enforcers back when they played competitively, and carry that stupid approach over to the non-check beer leagues. Ultimately you need to decide what's best for you -- is it worth it to scrap, get bloodied a bit, and have to explain to your wife/gf/parents/whatever that you got in a beer-league fight? Or do you just let it go? I'm not immune...and have almost had to drop 'em in a beer league game because I ran my mouth to a guy who was taking liberties with everyone (he was an ex-enforcer for a ECHL team...as if that mattered in our local barn that night). I'm glad it didn't come to blows because ultimately it isn't worth it, but hey, we're all hockey players, and you need to stand up for yourself once in a while. You just need to ask yourself how far you're willing to take this little spat.

[interpathway 9]

Go for the pinkies on gloves. Hard lift check on their lower hand will send their glove and mouth flying off. Casually shrug your shoulders and return to your bench.

[NOVECHKIN 3]

Thank you for all the replies everyone!! Lot's of good points!! 24 hours later....I've ran it through my head, over and over, and, .......you know what??? I would do it again!!!! The guy had me by 4 inches and 60 pounds!!!! For some reason, the ref's had put away their whistles!!! , He decided, he was going to take "certain liberties" towards us!!!! This was my way of saying "pound salt"!! Hence the slash!!! Hey, 2 refs saw nothing wrong with what I did, because I did not receive a penalty!!!....My lesson learned is...... keep my "HEAD UP"!!!!

[Apes44 7]

As a ref, when someone goes down hard away from the play I always look for the reltaliation penalty. Best advice I ever got was get his number for later when the ref's not thinking why something would happen. Also if you're in front of the net and you two are battling, bring your stick down hard on laces of his skate, hurts bad and hard to get called for something like that

[hunt3rsean 44]

As a ref, when someone goes down hard away from the play I always look for the reltaliation penalty. Best advice I ever got was get his number for later when the ref's not thinking why something would happen. Also if you're in front of the net and you two are battling, bring your stick down hard on laces of his skate, hurts bad and hard to get called for something like that

This. I really try not to retaliate immediately. Especially when parked in front of the net. Usually I take a number and wait for an opportunity later to return the favor. Now...I never go out to injure anyone, but I do let them know I did not appreciate their action towards me earlier. Then, at the end of the game, I shake their hand in the hand shake line respectfully and with no lingering anger. It's a game. Tempers sometimes flare and people do dumb things. But I was taught you leave it on the ice and be done with it.

Also, another note to the stick down on the laces. Another good one is to extend the butt end of the stick outside of your top hand a bit and rake down the side of the ribs. This was a trick taught to me in roller hockey and I've used it very sparingly. Usually saved for guys who board and cross check heavily from behind.

[wrangler 157]

Retaliating later, and not so obviously, is old school. It reminds me of Gordie Howe and Wilt Chamberlain.