Beer league mistakes and tips

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Kidding aside, put two layers of tape on the blade or even three and you'll get that wood feeling on your passes. If you don't believe me, play composite without any tape and I can guarantee the horrible "ping".

But composites don't have a ping feeling and are just like wood though... ?? (j/k)

BladeTape is the best product I ever bought. It makes any composite blade feel like wood and even rocket passes stick to your blade like glue (even better than wood).

I suggest anyone who wants that "wood" feel for their composite try it out. It makes a huge difference.

 

[Danrik]

I had someone buy me some blade tape but I haven't used it. Won't the bottom and the toe of the stick get trashed?

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I had someone buy me some blade tape but I haven't used it. Won't the bottom and the toe of the stick get trashed?

The toe and bottom get trashed no matter what tape I use, so it is a moot point for me.

My stick blade is actually in better shape than it has ever been since I started using BladeTape. So I dunno...

 

[pfloyd75]

Obviously you would like the feel of some brands better than others, but unless you were told which stick was a high end one, I doubt you would be able to tell.

Going on my somewhat limited experience, high end composite sticks weigh significantly less than low end composites. There is enough of a difference in weight to make an easy judgement between "expensive" and "cheap".

That said- I have never once thought of any stick as being "too heavy" while playing.

 

[josra33]

Improve anticipation

Anticipation is what separates good players from avg. ones. When you are on the bench, imagine you are on the ice and place yourself in a teammate's skates - what would you do if you were him on each particular play?

- If he makes a mistake, learn from it and figure out what you would have done differently.

- If he makes a good play, keep it in your memory banks for when you are in a similar situation.

Improve your on ice vision

Most avg. players can see one teammate and one defender at any one time. To improve your on ice vision, get in the habit of scanning the entire ice every shift. You should be able to quickly glance around the ice and anticipate where everyone is going, without having to take your eyes off the puck.

It sounds simple, but very few people can see the ice very well. This skill alone will make you a much better player.

Train with your opposite hand

Almost every player, including pros have a weaker skating side.

If you are lefty, skate around with a right handed stick or vice versa. Practice your stops and crossovers on your weaker side this way. It will dramatically improve your weaker skating side when you do it consistently.

You are essentially training your brain to make your weak side a strength.

I am like the original poster. I have been playing Ice now for only a couple years and came over from roller. The change was tough for me and I am still getting better. I think my mistake was playing in a level thats too high for me. I play Gold when I should be playing upper silver. The only reason I play Gold is a buddy of mine brought me over when they changed rinks.

These are great tips and things I have been taught little by little but I never seem to grasp them. Putting them all in one post makes it helpful for me. Well I have a game tonight well see if any of these stick.

Hope the OP finds this helpful. It sure has helped me.

 

[CanadaBacon]

I would be nice if HF68 had a reading comprehension over a grade 3 level.

Sorry, i was unaware two beers gets you mangina buzzed.

 

[droller*]

Make sure one forward comes back on the back check to prevent 3 on 2s...

PS - the key to winning in beer league is to have more 3 on 2s than the other team

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Kidding aside, put two layers of tape on the blade or even three and you'll get that wood feeling on your passes. If you don't believe me, play composite without any tape and I can guarantee the horrible "ping".

They make blades now that are more shock absorbing and this isn't needed. They are the foam injected blades and are pretty much common place now.

My Harrows are like that, my prostock RBK blade and my One90 Bauer blade.... they don't ping. Don't try to explain it to someone though who insists composites are not made differently than just 5 years ago as Mr.Jiggyfly did earlier in this thread.

Originally Posted by <Mr Jiggyfly>
Obviously you would like the feel of some brands better than others, but unless you were told which stick was a high end one, I doubt you would be able to tell.

This is completely inaccurate, don't bet on it as you will lose your money. You could at least pick up a few in the store that are high end and then pick up a few that are low end. The difference is huge and not very subtle in weight. This is also why the high end sticks are more fragile by the way.

The cheap composites by the way lack feel I might add. I mention that because of your statement about taking passes is more difficult with a composite. It really isn't with a good stick these days.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Going on my somewhat limited experience, high end composite sticks weigh significantly less than low end composites. There is enough of a difference in weight to make an easy judgement between "expensive" and "cheap".

That said- I have never once thought of any stick as being "too heavy" while playing.

I'm not talking about the difference between a $40 composite and a $300 one...

When I say cheap I mean $100-150.

Can someone tell the difference between a $300 stick and a $50 one... obviously, yes.

I'm saying very few people can tell the difference between a $100+ stick and a $300 one.

They make blades now that are more shock absorbing and this isn't needed. They are the foam injected blades and are pretty much common place now.

My Harrows are like that, my prostock RBK blade and my One90 Bauer blade.... they don't ping. Don't try to explain it to someone though who insists composites are not made differently than just 5 years ago as Mr.Jiggyfly did earlier in this thread.

They were using foam in composite blades way longer than 5 years ago. Easton had applied for a patent for this as far back as 1993.

How you think it is something new and cutting edge is beyond me.

This is completely inaccurate, don't bet on it as you will lose your money. You could at least pick up a few in the store that are high end and then pick up a few that are low end. The difference is huge and not very subtle in weight. This is also why the high end sticks are more fragile by the way.

I don't have to worry about losing my money, because I have see it happen dozens of times.

Like I said already, I've seen elite players not be able to tell the difference on many occasions.

Is there a difference between a high end and a low end composite? Sure.

Is there a $200 difference? No.

The cheap composites by the way lack feel I might add. I mention that because of your statement about taking passes is more difficult with a composite. It really isn't with a good stick these days.

You are the only one in this thread who thinks that. And as I said, everyone I know has mentioned composites are harder to takes passes with (until you get used to them). Even Crosby mentioned it as a reason he didn't want to use a one piece, but finally relented to help with his snap shot.

Perhaps in your garage league people flutter passes to you?

That would explain a lot...

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I am like the original poster. I have been playing Ice now for only a couple years and came over from roller. The change was tough for me and I am still getting better. I think my mistake was playing in a level thats too high for me. I play Gold when I should be playing upper silver. The only reason I play Gold is a buddy of mine brought me over when they changed rinks.

I think the hardest thing for roller players is stopping. Have you learned how to use all four edges yet on the ice?

Also, with many roller hockey players, there is this "hot dog" mentality. Many roller players love to carry the puck and don't pass as often.

No one can move faster than the puck.

The best tip I can give you is to dish the puck. Your teammates will love you and it will make you a better player.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

I'm not talking about the difference between a $40 composite and a $300 one...

When I say cheap I mean $100-150.

Can someone tell the difference between a $300 stick and a $50 one... obviously, yes.

I'm saying very few people can tell the difference between a $100+ stick and a $300 one.



They were using foam in composite blades way longer than 5 years ago. Easton had applied for a patent for this as far back as 1993.

How you think it is something new and cutting edge is beyond me.



I don't have to worry about losing my money, because I have see it happen dozens of times.

Like I said already, I've seen elite players not be able to tell the difference on many occasions.

Is there a difference between a high end and a low end composite? Sure.

Is there a $200 difference? No.



You are the only one in this thread who thinks that. And as I said, everyone I know has mentioned composites are harder to takes passes with (until you get used to them). Even Crosby mentioned it as a reason he didn't want to use a one piece, but finally relented to help with his snap shot.

Perhaps in your garage league people flutter passes to you?

That would explain a lot...

Hey if you are done hijacking this thread for your own argumentative purposes why don't you continue this in a thread made for a wood vs composite compare. I'm sure you will find my informative comments there fascinating about the subject. *sarcasm*

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=721061&highlight=wood+vs+composite

Hopefully a moderator can delete a few replies from this thread since it is now ruined.

.... and no I am an experienced player who plays a lot every week.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Hey if you are done hijacking this thread for your own argumentative purposes why don't you continue this in a thread made for a wood vs composite compare. I'm sure you will find my informative comments there fascinating about the subject. *sarcasm*

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=721061&highlight=wood+vs+composite

Hopefully a moderator can delete a few replies from this thread since it is now ruined.

.... and no I am an experienced player who plays a lot every week.

First off the thread is far from ruined. Save the dramatics. Almost every thread on these boards goes a little off topic.

Second of all, you made a little stupid remark about what I had said in another post AFTER you said you didn't want to beat a dead horse. Then you went back and edited it before the mods could see it.

Then you still couldn't leave well enough alone and made yet another remark about our argument.

So apparently you are the one concerned about keeping this argument going. I already know composites have a different feeling than wood and some opinion of a random guy I never met and don't really care about, won't change what I know is a fact.

But you do play hockey every week, so you are obviously an expert.

 

[Pog Form]

Dude, half the thread is you two arguing about this. Go play somewhere else.

 

[nystromshairstylist]

Oh my, I went to a political forum and a hockey fight broke out...

Calm down people or I'll sick Brashear on you.

 

[boompuffboom]

bring beer. the rest is irrelevant.

 

[kenny #9]

the most important tip I can give is be confident, if you are not confident, how can you get better. Being confident that you will improve is the best tip I can give.

 

[BadHammy*]

Best advice is to keep an open mind and always be willing to learn.

 

[CanadaBacon]

Dont slash a dude in the head if he whacks your hand

Dont goon it up on a guy with the rest of your dbag team because he scored on you when you are already getting destroyed.

 

[knifer]

One thing that i find playing in beer leagues that pisses me off is when i have the puck and im looking to make a pass everyone seems closed. By that i mean they arent ready to accept the pass, heck sometimes they arent even looking at the puck carrier. Open up to the pass and you will get the puck a lot more.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

One thing that i find playing in beer leagues that pisses me off is when i have the puck and im looking to make a pass everyone seems closed. By that i mean they arent ready to accept the pass, heck sometimes they arent even looking at the puck carrier. Open up to the pass and you will get the puck a lot more.

Yeah no kidding that happens a lot! From a defenseman's point of view here it makes serious problems.

Then if you just gain the redline and dump it in you get looks like why did you do that?

Ridiculous. ... not to mention even getting a look for dumping it in to begin with ... too lazy to forecheck maybe???

It can be irritating at times playing with some people who have never played any organized hockey or were never coached. Pond hockey players in beer league are a tough lot to play with.

they either hold onto the puck too long trying to beat everyon e on the ice or they do not know the basics like gap control or puck pursuit.

 

[Savante]

the most important tip I can give is be confident, if you are not confident, how can you get better. Being confident that you will improve is the best tip I can give.

Agreed completely. It will come. At first, I took confidence in my aggressiveness and compete level, knowing that "okay, I may not have the most skill, but I'll forecheck the hell out of you". Then I started learning how to crash the net.. neither of those are difficult skills. Once I started potting some goals based on creating turnovers and tapins, my confidence grew. The whole time, I worked on my skating and passing, which now are plus level. And as I saw the play open up for me easier because of my skill level, I learned how to shoot. Step by step.. nobody is good when they go out for the first time, hell, maybe even the first 100 times.

Play within yourself and take pride in what you're good at. Listen to your teammates who know what they're doing and take their advice, and you'll get better.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Canadabacon - Dont slash a dude in the head if he whacks your hand

Dont goon it up on a guy with the rest of your dbag team because he scored on you when you are already getting destroyed.

Canadabacon - I would be nice if HF68 had a reading comprehension over a grade 3 level.

Sorry, i was unaware two beers gets you mangina buzzed.

At least in the 3rd grade I knew how to spell Canadian Bacon.

Smells like Bacon in here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CErapf79rqM

 

[CanadaBacon]

Thats great? congratulation?

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

At least in the 3rd grade I knew how to spell Canadian Bacon.

Smells like Bacon in here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CErapf79rqM

Last edited by Hockeyfan68: Today at 12:50 AM. Reason: It didn't make an embedded Youtube video like is supposed to.

The irony...

Fixed it up for you there Sparky... that user panel can be really tricky.

 

[dynamoovechkin]

Back to the regularly scheduled broadcast...

Lead the player with your pass
After you make a pass, don't admire your pass- skate hard to open ice
Recognize when the opposing team has a guy that is running around- go to the open area of the ice
Don't criticize or feel free to coach the other guys on your team
Know who you are substituting for- no too many men penalties
On a delayed penalty- don't be the first guy to jump over the boards. Know to nominate a scoring forward to come on- as long as his last shift didn't just end
Support, encourage and prop up your teammates after a good shift
Go hard to the net with your stick down, but don't get in too deep to the goaler
Come back and help your D- be available for the outlet pass
Know where the other team's best player is on the ice at all times
Be hard on your stick
When playing D stay square to the onrushing forward
Keep your head up and take what the goalie gives you
When you are in close, lift the puck, the goalie takes away the bottom of the net
Get your shot off quick- no need for a giant windup
Stay emotionally on an even keel- keep yourself from going ballistic because you got hit, no penalty was called etc.
Stop crying and berating the refs
Have fun in the room- poke fun at guys- enjoy the camraderie- we are not doing this for a living- hockey is supposed to be fun- you'll miss it when you are too old to play anymore!