Body-check/board hit is coming. What do you do?

[umpft]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice.

I play non-checking hockey, first season, RW.

Sometimes, during practice, I am chasing a puck close to the boards at full speed. I get there first, left wing of the opposite team arriving just behind me, most of the time trying to hook me with his stick, so I'm already losing my balance.

As I touch the puck, the guy slams me into the board.

Very often from behind, sometimes even before I have the time to touch the puck (that'd be interference I'd say... anyway we should be playing without contact! Plus I'm new, it's not that hard to poke-check the puck away from me... :/ )

It is equally annoying and painful. I've tried to talk to this guy but it's no use. I can't drop my gloves on him (he's a team mate) and anyway after a hard check I struggle to get up, I would not be able to get into a fight with a heavier guy. The others (coach included) say he's an as-shole and that I should defend myself. Thanks but how?

The point is, I'm inexperienced and I don't know how to handle the situation. Recently, I'm skating in the opposite direction of the puck, so he won't hit me, then I do a quick turn and chase him... probably it looks hilarious...

What should I do? What do you recommend in a situation like this?

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[Dubi Doo]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice.

I play non-checking hockey, first season, RW.

Sometimes, during practice, I am chasing a puck close to the boards at full speed. I get there first, left wing of the opposite team arriving just behind me, most of the time trying to hook me with his stick, so I'm already losing my balance.

As I touch the puck, the guy slams me into the board.

Very often from behind, sometimes even before I have the time to touch the puck (that'd be interference I'd say... anyway we should be playing without contact! Plus I'm new, it's not that hard to poke-check the puck away from me... :/ )

It is equally annoying and painful. I've tried to talk to this guy but it's no use. I can't drop my gloves on him (he's a team mate) and anyway after a hard check I struggle to get up, I would not be able to get into a fight with a heavier guy. The others (coach included) say he's an as-shole and that I should defend myself. Thanks but how?

The point is, I'm inexperienced and I don't know how to handle the situation. Recently, I'm skating in the opposite direction of the puck, so he won't hit me, then I do a quick turn and chase him... probably it looks hilarious...

What should I do? What do you recommend in a situation like this?

First of all, that guy really is a *********.

Now...You want to keep your skates moving when he's coming in for a hit on you. A moving target is harder to hit than one standing still. You also want to skate through the hit. Sorta like football. If you're just standing still you're taking the blunt of the impact. Don't be a dear in headlights!!!!

Also, you want to bend your knees a bit. This gives you the best balance so you can take a hit (center of gravity, blah, blah blah, but it works). Lower your shoulder so the 'hitter' isn't hitting you in a soft spot; make him feel it a bit, too.

The truth is, if this guy is a few levels ahead of you, you'll be getting the worst of the hit everytime. The coach should be a coach and do something about it. I would tell you to throw down the gloves, but if he really is a lot better of a skater and bigger, then you're just going to lose a few teeth. Switch teams next year.

Edit: I would slash him in the back of the legs everytime he threw a hit in practice. It's a no hitting league, anyways! Does this guy have something mentally wrong with him? I know the teams I've played for wouldn't take that ****. An advanced player taking runs at a beginner? Hell, I don't even skate hard against beginners let alone throw body checks. If you can't handle it yourself, perhaps one of your teammates should step up to him.

 

[blueberrydanish]

Seems like an extremely odd situation to begin with...all I can suggest is brace yourself for the boards while protecting the puck with your feet....and make sure you get your elbows/buttend of your stick high or in a rib height area and maybe throws a jab/elbow when he comes in. If you do it right he will definitely think about it before coming at you.

Now I say this as just a resort to stand up for yourself as a last resort....if you talked to him...and the coaches wont bother....like I said kinda an extremely odd situation to begin with.

 

[Jarick]

I'd hook the crap out of him on the way in and have a word with him the next time he pulled that stunt in practice. Teammate running you from behind in PRACTICE? No thanks. That's one of the few situations I would take off the helmet and gloves and ask him to dance.

 

[canuck44]

A little dangerous, but just turtle down when he's about to hit you. If he's got no problems hitting you into the boards from behind, I'd say you shouldn't have any problems letting him fly over you head first into the boards.

 

[Briere Up There*]

Get low and throw your shoulder. Explode with your legs when you do so.

See if he likes that.

 

[umpft]

First of all, that guy really is a *********.

Now...You want to keep your skates moving when he's coming in for a hit on you. A moving target is harder to hit than one standing still. You also want to skate through the hit. Sorta like football. If you're just standing still you're taking the blunt of the impact. Don't be a dear in headlights!!!!

Ok. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the advice.

The truth is, if this guy is a few levels ahead of you, you'll be getting the worst of the hit every time. The coach should be a coach and do something about it. I would tell you to throw down the gloves, but if he really is a lot better of a skater and bigger, then you're just going to lose a few teeth. Switch teams next year.

Edit: I would slash him in the back of the legs everytime he threw a hit in practice. It's a no hitting league, anyways! Does this guy have something mentally wrong with him?

I think he has a couple of screws loose and he's quite unpleasant to be next to. He's around 45yo (I'm 26) and likely weighs around 200lbs (I'm 5ft10, 150lbs), he has a better technique than me, but not *that* much, and he definitely enjoys playing dirty.

He's been told hundreds of times to cut that **** (only once by me, I tend to shut up and play) but still he seems not to get it. One of my (experienced) team mates got run in a board by him and cut his chin open (4 stitches).

Every one of my team mates get some hits from time to time, and some get furious, but being a better and faster skater than him limits the times they get hit. The truth is, if your skating is not that great - like mine isn't - you're an easy target for a more experienced player looking for a dirty hit, as my ability to change direction quickly is limited.

I'm going to have a chat with him next practice.

 

[umpft]

Get low and throw your shoulder. Explode with your legs when you do so.

See if he likes that.

It's quite an advanced move for me (coming to a sudden stop requires my attention ATM) but with a bit of concentration I should be able to pull it off. I'm going to try that.

 

[Gino 14]

Get low and throw your shoulder. Explode with your legs when you do so.

See if he likes that.

I agree with this. At a minimum, get your butt out and down, lower your center of gravity and it will be harder to knock you over. The added bonus being that with you low like that, it tends to screw with his balance, almost like a hip check.

 

[johnnyvegas]

If he is running his own team mates and not listening to the coach, how is he still on the team?

 

[Dump and Chase]

1. Skate to the boards at a 90 degree angle
2. With stick in your top hand only, place the toe of the blade perpendicular to the boards
3. Adjust the height of the butt to a few inches below his solar plexus
4. Step aside
5. There with be no need to rinse and repeat

 

[Fleuryoutside29]

If you can lay him out once I'm sure that'll put an end to it. Make it look like you're going to play the puck like you normally do then explode with a shoulder to the chest. That should stop him

 

[Dump and Chase]

OP is a first year player who has difficulty stopping and getting to his feet after he falls.

I am willing to wager that he lacks the balance and confidence to pull off a big hit and would just make himself look and feel silly.

 

[doobie604]

stop in to the puck and brace yourself against the boards for the hit, most likely he'll pin you against the boards, but thats where board play comes in and where your teammates give you support. might not with the puck every time, but it will protect yourself against injuries.

 

[ponder]

This guys sounds like a total d-bag, throwing hits on his own teammates in practice in a beginners non-contact league?

In general a wide, low stance will make you much harder to hit, and much more stable on your skates. Knees and ankles bent, butt low, head up (that's probably the most important thing of all) feet shoulder width apart and even wider when gliding and bracing for the hit. Watch how someone like Sidney Crosby plays, he has an absolute textbook super-wide stance, and is almost impossible to hit effectively because of it.

My guess is you're skating upright and reaching for the puck along the boards in these situations, which leaves you very vulnerable. Also, if you see the hit coming you can counter hit, exploding into him, this is especially effective if he's throwing the hit weakly. When I used to play contact hockey I wasn't a big time hitter, but I was pretty strong on my skates, can't count the number of times I'd lay guys on their butts when they'd come in at me half-assed on hits. This guy sounds like he's in serious need of a good hard lesson, if he was repeatedly doing this to me in practice I'd do everything possible to rock him with a counter hit, might even go shoulder to head, ring his bell once and he's not likely to try this again. Normally I would never suggest targeting the head, but this guy sounds like he deserves it.

However, if you're a fairly inexperienced skater all of this is gonna be easier said than done. Best thing in your situation is probably just to talk to him, remind him that it's a non contact, beginners league practice, and to take his midlife crisis BS elsewhere. Doesn't mean you shouldn't practice the low, wide stance with your head up, you absolutely should, but in the short term you'll likely have to resort to talking to the guy if you're a new skater.

 

[Ribosome]

Depending on how willing the OP is-- could always give the old butt end of the stick to the guys stomach. Take the boards at a slight-ish angle and leave the butt end of your stick out so he takes a full one in the chest.

IMO I am an experienced player that can avoid those hits so *I* would not resort to that -- as it could be potentially dangerous. However, this guy does not seem to be taking the hint, and if I were in your position of weakness I would get a bit dirty. I don't like to goon it up, but this guy already gave one teammate stitches, and could do some more damage soon.

 

[ponder]

Some examples of wide, low stances and counter hitting:






Again, this is not a short term solution as you're likely not gonna be strong or confident enough on your skates to pull this off, but it's something to work towards.

Also, here's a good example of how bracing yourself right against the glass can work in your favour.

 

[Badger36]

Get as low as you can, widen your stance a bit and brace for impact. If possible, change speed or direction to hopefully make him miss you and crash into the boards.

 

[NDiesel]

I'm around the same height/weight as you kind of (5'7 135lbs), but I've been playing since I was 3 and am only 18. One thing is that any single person can knock over another eventually.

Sometimes I come in to hit someone that has 70 lbs on me, you have to go low. Or when he comes to hit you just stop short and let him hit the boards. That'd be funny.

 

[Holy Jokinen]

This guy needs to not be on your team. End of story.

 

[Moncton man]

If it is a non-checking league then there must be some league rules in place (someone must be running the show). If addressing your concerns to the player does nothing about it then take them to the league.

Why wait until you get hurt to do something more about it?

 

[XweekendwarriorX]

If its really bothering send a message give him a cheap shot while he is least expecting it. you got some height at 5'10 put the shoulder right into him and just tell him cut the garbage. one of your tea mates should help you out if he does try anything after. just my suggestion. people hate being hit in hockey once they get a taste of it in a non contact league it stops fast.

 

[umpft]

OP is a first year player who has difficulty stopping and getting to his feet after he falls.

I am willing to wager that he lacks the balance and confidence to pull off a big hit and would just make himself look and feel silly.

I've been on the ice 70-80 times this season, counting practices, (very) few matches and some stick & puck sessions. I skate like somebody who has that experience, and that only.

About getting up, can get up without problems (I think that is the first thing you learn, I fell many, many times... just now I'm falling less often, but still happens that I do a backwards crossover, trip in my feet and fall like an idiot with everybody far away from me...) but just after a hit I find that the harder the hit, the worse is my balance.

That said, yes, the only hits I've laid where unintentional contacts with opposite team players (keep your head up...) And I was the one falling down anyway.

You are correct saying that I probably wouldn't be able to pull off a big hit. Honestly, I play because I have fun. I don't have much interest in hitting anybody... but this **** needs to end.

 

[umpft]

Some examples of wide, low stances and counter hitting:
Again, this is not a short term solution as you're likely not gonna be strong or confident enough on your skates to pull this off, but it's something to work towards.

Also, here's a good example of how bracing yourself right against the glass can work in your favour.

Thanks for the videos, they are good! The second one is unbelievable.

It's quite difficult that I can do something like that - and that well! - but I can surely widen my stance, lower myself a bit and counter-push with the back leg... better than nothing.

 

[Sticks of Fury]

Take Power Skating or Figure skating lessons and become the better skater and avoid those hits. Once you have confidence skating like a pro he won't mess with you. He is just picking on the lightweights.