"Stick and puck," "Stick time," and getting more practice in

[MrData 93]

Hi everyone,

I've been playing hockey for about 2 years now. I've played only in adult leagues during the winter and summer, and this winter I'm playing in two different leagues, one 5v5 and the other 3v3, which means two games a week. I can say I've definitely improved my overall game, but there are some things that are tough to try out or practice during a game.

I've heard the terms "stick and puck" and "stick time" mentioned many times on this forum. From what I can infer, it's a period of ice time at an arena where people can skate around, shoot, etc. without having to play a game. Basically practice time. I live in Quebec and I've never heard of this at my local arena or at any arena around where I live. How does "stick time" or "stick and puck" usually work? Is it something organized by the arena/municipality or is it organized by a person renting ice and charging people for access? I'd really love to have some ice time to practice skills such as shooting and skating without game pressure, and so far that ice time has only been on pretty bad outdoor rinks (which only become available in late December / early January) or during warmups before games.

Hopefully I can figure out a way to get some non-game ice time in an arena, because I would like to work specifically on my backwards crossovers (which I don't have the balls to try out during a game, as I play defense and would get ripped apart) and general stick skills such as wrist shots and harder passing.

I'd appreciate any info or advice you can share. Thanks!

[Beleafer 14]

It's usually organized by the rink. I'd call all the rinks near you and see if they have a schedule or something. My local rink has it once a week for an hour and a half. Just two nets set up, bunch of pucks, and everyone doing their own thing.

Maybe ask people on your teams as well if they know anything about stick and puck in your area.

[Stewie 721]

Hi everyone,

I've been playing hockey for about 2 years now. I've played only in adult leagues during the winter and summer, and this winter I'm playing in two different leagues, one 5v5 and the other 3v3, which means two games a week. I can say I've definitely improved my overall game, but there are some things that are tough to try out or practice during a game.

I've heard the terms "stick and puck" and "stick time" mentioned many times on this forum. From what I can infer, it's a period of ice time at an arena where people can skate around, shoot, etc. without having to play a game. Basically practice time. I live in Quebec and I've never heard of this at my local arena or at any arena around where I live. How does "stick time" or "stick and puck" usually work? Is it something organized by the arena/municipality or is it organized by a person renting ice and charging people for access? I'd really love to have some ice time to practice skills such as shooting and skating without game pressure, and so far that ice time has only been on pretty bad outdoor rinks (which only become available in late December / early January) or during warmups before games.

Stick and pucks are very common around me here in southeast Michigan. They are entirely organized by the rink in "offpeak" hours generally, as a way to make some extra bucks.

In terms of quality, If i go to any stick and pucks after school is out for the day, I'm crowded in with a ton of wanna be Crosbys, and have to find a small patch over to the side to work on stick handling etc.

I have, however, found one during the day that I can attend a couple of times a month and is adults only. Last time I went, it was just me. Best 6 bucks i ever spent.

Heres how they work.

Usually you go to the front desk much like you would some drop in, and pay the fee. Around here its between 5-6 bucks for between 1 hr and 1hr 30 mins of ice time. I have a separate gear bag i bring with stick and puck gear, its my pond hockey bag with skates, a few pucks, wax, helmet, and gloves. They all require helmets generally and gloves, but you may or may not want to go full gear based on what your doing.

Most of these sessions require you bring your own pucks. Some will allow for goalies but thats mostly age dependent, the all age ones dont want a 10 year old going against a full gutted bear leaguer slappy. Find your little niche on the ice, or skate around. Make sure you go into these sessions with a few different ideas in mind of what you want to work on, because you cant always line up pucks and work on your slap shot, or have the space to dangle it all up and down the ice.

[Harv 86]

This is how it really works..

They'll be a local group of kids in the 16-18 year old range who do nothing but take slapshots from the slot. They'll have a full cage helmet, gloves, and skinny jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. Chances are they'll have no respect for anyone there and usually try to break out into some kind of 2 on 2 pickup game with no goalie.

You should really be wearing full gear anytime there are sticks and pucks involved. All it takes is one bad edge to fall on an elbow and it to swell up the size of a baseball.

[wrangler 157]

Depending on the area, you can find that most, a few, or no rinks have stick and puck. It can even vary by parts of a large metro area.

[Larry54 243]

I see you're from Montreal. I don't know what hours you're available. But at the YMCA arena on Hochelaga, they have open practice from 11:30AM to 1PM Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It's free for YMCA members but I think it's $4 per session for non-members, free for goalies. On some days there are enough players who end up playing 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 for part of the session. But there are days last year when I was alone on the rink. Today I was alone on the rink with a goalie so we practiced a few things. It's not a convenient time slot for most people, but if you can make it, it might be worth it.

2 years ago, I used to go to the open hockey at Aréna St. Louis. It's from 3pm to 4pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday for $5 per session. There are days when it was full up but there are a few times when it was deserted. It was unpredictable, but there may be one of those 4 days that's typically less busy than the others. Maybe the people at the rink could tell you.

[ibeck 38]

Hopefully I can figure out a way to get some non-game ice time in an arena, because I would like to work specifically on my backwards crossovers (which I don't have the balls to try out during a game, as I play defense and would get ripped apart) and general stick skills such as wrist shots and harder passing.

I'd appreciate any info or advice you can share. Thanks!

I'm from montreal as well and around here we call it shinny or drop in. If you check local arena websites, they usually have times reserved for shinny. for example the link below is for 4 glaces in pierrefonds on the west island. If shinny time is at 10pm, registration opens half an hour before at 9:30pm, you pay, sign up, get changed and off you go. After 20ish minutes or so people will try to get a game going. You can obviously refuse and work on the stuff you want to work on. If people yell at you to join the game or get out, simply say you paid just like them to use the ice and there are no rules regarding you have to participate in a game.

http://www.sportplexe.ca/Sportplexe/webadmin.nsf/Hockey_Libre.xsp

Bonne chance!

[MrData 93]

I'm from montreal as well and around here we call it shinny or drop in. If you check local arena websites, they usually have times reserved for shinny. for example the link below is for 4 glaces in pierrefonds on the west island. If shinny time is at 10pm, registration opens half an hour before at 9:30pm, you pay, sign up, get changed and off you go. After 20ish minutes or so people will try to get a game going. You can obviously refuse and work on the stuff you want to work on. If people yell at you to join the game or get out, simply say you paid just like them to use the ice and there are no rules regarding you have to participate in a game.

http://www.sportplexe.ca/Sportplexe/webadmin.nsf/Hockey_Libre.xsp

Bonne chance!

Neat, they have "hockey libre" at my local arena, but I thought that was a game, not stick time. I think I'll take your suggestion and check it out.

I see you're from Montreal. I don't know what hours you're available. But at the YMCA arena on Hochelaga, they have open practice from 11:30AM to 1PM Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It's free for YMCA members but I think it's $4 per session for non-members, free for goalies. On some days there are enough players who end up playing 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 for part of the session. But there are days last year when I was alone on the rink. Today I was alone on the rink with a goalie so we practiced a few things. It's not a convenient time slot for most people, but if you can make it, it might be worth it.

2 years ago, I used to go to the open hockey at Aréna St. Louis. It's from 3pm to 4pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday for $5 per session. There are days when it was full up but there are a few times when it was deserted. It was unpredictable, but there may be one of those 4 days that's typically less busy than the others. Maybe the people at the rink could tell you.

I'm from the North Shore, so that's probably not the best option for me, but thanks for the suggestion. There is shinny at my uni though, so I might try that as well.

Thanks a bunch for the tips guys, you've all been really helpful!