Men's League Last Night

[Slats432]

So I am playing men's league last night. With my boy playing C and me RW.(If you don't know from previous threads, he played U18AAA, played a bit of Jr A, and a pretty good player.)

Since I lost the 50lbs this spring, my footspeed is good, my hands have always been pretty good.

Playing a team we have played in other years, and generally beat, so they get pretty salty when we play them. Last couple times they have been bringing out at least one young high level player. Last week vs another team, https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/325973/jake-lee for a men's div 11 game. Last night it was an 18 year old that played U18AAA last year.

They have a couple other decent players, but nobody crazy and we just seem to have their number. Was 3-3 going into the 3rd and I had our 3rd goal. Since my boy and I are in really good shape, we can generally skate teams into the ice in most 3rds.

We get a couple to go up 5-3, I score to make it 6-3, we get another to 7-3.

They get a late PP, and my boy and I are on the PK. On a clear it goes to the blueline and the dman fumbles, and although late in the PK, I poke it and start on the breakaway. In my head, I am probably caught from behind, but still going to go. I end up not feeling a stick and go shelf for the hat trick, on the PK, and tired, and I do a small double fist pump....nothing crazy.

Their captain starts chirping me about the celly on the 8-3 goal. After the game I try to go explain that at 52, you don't get many hattricks but he blows me off. On the way off the ice he continues to chirp me. I uncharacteristically start chirping back hard, and tell him to STFU, and tell him to bring more (Meaning young guys), and that I am going to score more next time. "Whoooo!!!!". I am so embarrassed.

Click to read more...

 

[Dough72]

that was great was pretty fun to read

 

[lorwood]

Your 52 and you feel embarrassed, that's called wisdom. You get lots of it with age.

 

[Slats432]

It isn't getting any better....lol

Last night 10 skaters on olympic ice. We start the game, a few guys are huffing and puffing after one shift. My 2nd shift, I actually get blindsided body checked. I was standing still. Into the crease I go, goalie almost falls on top of me. I look at the stripes and he has nothing. I feel the sharp pain in the middle of my back (long ongoing issues).

For the most part, I am lumbering all game. Wind is good but no power in the stride. After being down 3-1 and 4-2, we crawl back to 4-3. With about for minutes to go, I drop a pass to my son who puts it back to the point. Dman takes the shot, and as the shot is going, I get blindsided AGAIN from behind and knocked over. I stay down for a second because I am already banged up. I get up slowly and ask my guys, "Who the F hit me, I need a number." My teammate says 88 did it. I skate over and say "If you want to make something of it, we can." he just skates to the bench.

So for some dumb reason, we stay out for the draw. Play goes back in their zone. In my head, I have decided that retribution in necessary to the first person that I get close to. Puck goes to the corner, our guy goes for it, and goalie is out to the top of his crease and his dman and I skate behind him.

I decide this will be the moment of justice. I push the dman who is a little smaller than me into the post. I am just under 6' and 180 and he is probably 5' 10 and 160. He turns with the WTF, and we start pushing and shoving. His huge dman comes in. Probably 6'4 and 275lb. Comes to defend his teammate. My boy who is 6'4 and 240 comes in and grabs their big guy, and there we are pushing and shoving. My kid grabs a bit of jersey and gives a couple light chin pops. (Probably not harder than you would wrassle with you little brother), but the pushing gets a little harder so my kid grabs the guys quick release visor and pulls it off.

All of a sudden things stop, and the guy I pushed into the post asks my kid, "Is the reason you came in so quick because I'm his Dad? My kid says. "Yeah." so the guy actually fist bumps my kid. I apologize to the guy on the way to the box. So tied 4-4, the kid and I are in the box, my wife and two older daughters are in the stands, laughing a bit, while the guy is still in the box asking my kid...."are you going to buy me a new visor?" I close the penalty gate and say.."Be quiet, we're done with you."

After the handshakes, I go back to the guy I pushed and apologized again. Saying, I don't know why his guys were bodychecking me and why the two stripes didn't call them but he didn't deserve the shot. (It wasn't nothing that could hurt, but was still a poor move on my part.)

We play them in two weeks, so I think the kid and I are going to drop a case of beer off to them before the game and try to make peace. My body can't take anymore body checks. #stillembarrassed

 

[BoardsofCanada]

Why are you playing full contact hockey at your age?

The skill level in recreational hockey is still high; some guys are lower level but some can absolutely dangle. But the difference is there is nothing dirty, no tempers flare and no one cares what the score is.

My days of playing in leagues ended when I turned 40.

 

[Slats432]

Why are you playing full contact hockey at your age?

The skill level in recreational hockey is still high; some guys are lower level but some can absolutely dangle. But the difference is there is nothing dirty, no tempers flare and no one cares what the score is.

My days of playing in leagues ended when I turned 40.

It is non contact hence the reason for my reaction.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I like these stories lol, more of them please!

I remember one occasion at a roller hockey game, our team was up 5-3. We came into the opponents zone, with about 10 seconds left. I got the puck with no pressure, and took a slapshot at the blue line. Guy from the other team began chirping me and complaining it was unsportsmanlike to take a slapshot when the game was practically over.

 

[HansonBro]

Oh we've had some wicked dust ups over the years. Thats what happens when you play the same damn 6-7 teams for 10 years. Also didnt help it was Friday nights *glug glug

 

[Slats432]

So I ref in the same league. (Not allowed to ref family or same division)

Last night after a quaint Div 13 game, I get ready to ref a division 7 game. I don't notice much other than the one team only has 7 guys and a goalie out for warm up. Not totally abnormal, especially for summer season.

The one team skates up quick and scores one about a minute in. Then get another in 45 more seconds. These guys are up Four-Cobb (4-0) in just over 4 minutes of play. I know both teams since I have reffed for a long time, but there are a couple outliers in div 7. I usually go chat up the good players, find out what kind of guys they are, (Here for a little skate, keep in shape, maybe just hotdogs looking to light the other team up.)

So I say to the one kid, "When you aren't slumming around here in Div 7, where to you play?" Kid says.."The Dub."(Western Hockey League...you know, like where Kirby Dach played ....)

What I say to players like that when they come out, in lower divisions than they should, "I don't care how many goals you score, but don't be a dick and I will protect you out there." Seemed like nice enough kids, but a little hotdoggy, trying to score every time on the ice, but nothing dirty. (I am sure no one wants to see Robbie Schremp like moves when they are down 9-2)

I was talking to their captain and since the guys are just subs, they lost a couple games and got moved down a division. Likely not a good move. To my surprise the other team held it together until late in the third, but this one was a fire keg that could have exploded with the two young superstars getting hacked, whacked or worse.

My advice, if you play in the WHL, don't play division 7 rec league.

 

[Yukon Joe]

@Slats432 that's just all kinds of BS (not you - the Dub player in rec league)

My league (In the lower divisions where I play) has a "fair play" rule. If you're of a much higher skill level you're supposed to have some sense of sportsmanship. I think you're limited to 3 goals and not supposed to show other players up. I've seen it where some highly skilled player decides to wind it up, proceeds to skate with the puck all 200 feet through all 5 skaters and blasts one top shelf. Whistle goes, goal is disallowed, and with a 2 minute penalty to boot for unsportsmanlike conduct.

On my lower ranked team we have one guy who did play Junior A. I'm pretty sure he could score multiple goals per game - but what's the fun in that? He knows how good he is. Instead he plays D and is fabulous at distributing the puck. If he has to take a shot on net he keeps it low and slow.

And if the other team really pisses him off? Well he can always turn it on and go 100% if he needs to.

Because yeah - I'm a really mild-mannered player out there, but if you're just blowing by me every shift and I have no other way to stop you I'm going to start using my stick...

 

[tarheelhockey]

@Slats432 that's just all kinds of BS (not you - the Dub player in rec league)

My league (In the lower divisions where I play) has a "fair play" rule. If you're of a much higher skill level you're supposed to have some sense of sportsmanship. I think you're limited to 3 goals and not supposed to show other players up. I've seen it where some highly skilled player decides to wind it up, proceeds to skate with the puck all 200 feet through all 5 skaters and blasts one top shelf. Whistle goes, goal is disallowed, and with a 2 minute penalty to boot for unsportsmanlike conduct.

On my lower ranked team we have one guy who did play Junior A. I'm pretty sure he could score multiple goals per game - but what's the fun in that? He knows how good he is. Instead he plays D and is fabulous at distributing the puck. If he has to take a shot on net he keeps it low and slow.

And if the other team really pisses him off? Well he can always turn it on and go 100% if he needs to.

Because yeah - I'm a really mild-mannered player out there, but if you're just blowing by me every shift and I have no other way to stop you I'm going to start using my stick...

The way I see it:

Under most circumstances, a player who has a much higher skill level than the competition should be looking to pass unless there is just no option at all. At least that will somewhat justify his presence as he works on his playmaking, and you can still have a fair game if you play disciplined team defense.

I don't have an issue with that player getting the greenlight to score a goal in a tight game, especially if he's subbing for one of the other team's better players. That guy who's absent would probably have scored, so the guy replacing him isn't creating issues if he scores. Especially if his team is playing from behind.

If he's out there scoring a handful of goals to turn a tight game into a blowout, that's just BS. Especially if it's in the first period so the rest of the game is just a non-competitive formality. I don't understand why anyone would want to be that guy, or why a team would want to win that way.

 

[Slats432]

The way I see it:

Under most circumstances, a player who has a much higher skill level than the competition should be looking to pass unless there is just no option at all. At least that will somewhat justify his presence as he works on his playmaking, and you can still have a fair game if you play disciplined team defense.

I don't have an issue with that player getting the greenlight to score a goal in a tight game, especially if he's subbing for one of the other team's better players. That guy who's absent would probably have scored, so the guy replacing him isn't creating issues if he scores. Especially if his team is playing from behind.

If he's out there scoring a handful of goals to turn a tight game into a blowout, that's just BS. Especially if it's in the first period so the rest of the game is just a non-competitive formality. I don't understand why anyone would want to be that guy, or why a team would want to win that way.

Young guy. Not wise enough to know how to play against lower levels.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Wear a helmet cam next time and post it

 

[Slats432]

Wear a helmet cam next time and post it

I don't know if we are allowed. At one time there was a rule against it.

But not last night, but the game before, our game got cancelled due to bad ice, but at the last minute they said we could go. 9:45 start which isn't bad for men's league but still a little late. I played like absolute garbage. Ran out of sock tape, socks were falling down, no energy. I must have fumbled 10 passes. It was a amazing we were in it an lost 5-3 to an empty net.

Last night, I could tell in warm up I was feeling it. Me and the kid were dynamite. (Well he is dynamite and has a strong enough back to carry me around the ice.) We have the family chemistry, and we played a team that was moved a division up because they were doing well. They were oddly a perfect match for us because they just play. I knew a bunch of the logos on the pants and realized they had at least 3-5 Junior B guys on their team. (So, these guys played actual rep hockey growing up and then not good enough to play in AJHL, but pretty good) I couldn't understand why they weren't taking us out past the woodshed and laying the boots to us. Our team is 5 x 50 year olds, a few guys that never played organized hockey and a few mid thirties guys that are decent and skilled, and my kid.

I guess they just didn't want to try that much (Although a couple of the Jr B guys wound up a few times.) and winning is better than losing. Dad was 4-2 for 6 and kid was 3-3 for 6, and he didn't even try that hard. (I knew there was a reason we put him in all those camps and personal training. He joked last night for the first time..."Best beer leaguer money could buy. $100K well spent."

 

[The Crypto Guy]

It isn't getting any better....lol

Last night 10 skaters on olympic ice. We start the game, a few guys are huffing and puffing after one shift. My 2nd shift, I actually get blindsided body checked. I was standing still. Into the crease I go, goalie almost falls on top of me. I look at the stripes and he has nothing. I feel the sharp pain in the middle of my back (long ongoing issues).

For the most part, I am lumbering all game. Wind is good but no power in the stride. After being down 3-1 and 4-2, we crawl back to 4-3. With about for minutes to go, I drop a pass to my son who puts it back to the point. Dman takes the shot, and as the shot is going, I get blindsided AGAIN from behind and knocked over. I stay down for a second because I am already banged up. I get up slowly and ask my guys, "Who the F hit me, I need a number." My teammate says 88 did it. I skate over and say "If you want to make something of it, we can." he just skates to the bench.

So for some dumb reason, we stay out for the draw. Play goes back in their zone. In my head, I have decided that retribution in necessary to the first person that I get close to. Puck goes to the corner, our guy goes for it, and goalie is out to the top of his crease and his dman and I skate behind him.

I decide this will be the moment of justice. I push the dman who is a little smaller than me into the post. I am just under 6' and 180 and he is probably 5' 10 and 160. He turns with the WTF, and we start pushing and shoving. His huge dman comes in. Probably 6'4 and 275lb. Comes to defend his teammate. My boy who is 6'4 and 240 comes in and grabs their big guy, and there we are pushing and shoving. My kid grabs a bit of jersey and gives a couple light chin pops. (Probably not harder than you would wrassle with you little brother), but the pushing gets a little harder so my kid grabs the guys quick release visor and pulls it off.

All of a sudden things stop, and the guy I pushed into the post asks my kid, "Is the reason you came in so quick because I'm his Dad? My kid says. "Yeah." so the guy actually fist bumps my kid. I apologize to the guy on the way to the box. So tied 4-4, the kid and I are in the box, my wife and two older daughters are in the stands, laughing a bit, while the guy is still in the box asking my kid...."are you going to buy me a new visor?" I close the penalty gate and say.."Be quiet, we're done with you."

After the handshakes, I go back to the guy I pushed and apologized again. Saying, I don't know why his guys were bodychecking me and why the two stripes didn't call them but he didn't deserve the shot. (It wasn't nothing that could hurt, but was still a poor move on my part.)

We play them in two weeks, so I think the kid and I are going to drop a case of beer off to them before the game and try to make peace. My body can't take anymore body checks. #stillembarrassed

Why are you playing in a goon league like that at 52? Also a league that brings in WHL ringers? It's probably better to just join an over 40 league, guys there actually just have fun and know they aren't in the NHL and try to hurt each other..

 

[cowboy82nd]

Why are you playing in a goon league like that at 52? Also a league that brings in WHL ringers? It's probably better to just join an over 40 league, guys there actually just have fun and know they aren't in the NHL and try to hurt each other..

Because he wants to play with his son.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Because he wants to play with his son.

Missed that

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Why are you playing in a goon league like that at 52? Also a league that brings in WHL ringers? It's probably better to just join an over 40 league, guys there actually just have fun and know they aren't in the NHL and try to hurt each other..

Funny, my experience is the senior division in my league is actually chippier than the standard ones.

I'm hanging onto my 20's and the senior one is 30+, they let me fill in for a couple buddies teams in the Senior div, and just always seems to be fights and chippiness in those games. The standard divisions, especially the higher tiered ones like A and B are usually more chill.

Older guys taking out aggresssion when they get out of the house away from the kids, and after their jobs they hate...idk.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Keep em coming please, great read.

 

[Mattb124]

Haha, I heard a pre-COVID story where Dan Boyle played in division 4 game (league is 1-9 with 1 being best) here in San Jose and skated through the entire team and scored the GWG. Ex-NHLer on a mid-division team.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I had a very similar situation this past weekend with a former pro on my (very very low level) beer league team. He just moved to the area and hadn't been on ice in a couple of years, so it was about getting back in the saddle and meeting some people. He kept an otherwise one-sided game even by setting guys up and scoring a couple of effortless goals to bring us back within 1 a couple of times. Could have very easily tied/won the game, but he toned it down late and the other team squeaked out a win.

That's pretty much the perfect way to handle playing down multiple levels. Made for a good competitive game where everyone skated hard till the end, and even if the other team was having salty thoughts he didn't give them a reason to actually make an issue of it.

 

[noupf]

I had a very similar situation this past weekend with a former pro on my (very very low level) beer league team. He just moved to the area and hadn't been on ice in a couple of years, so it was about getting back in the saddle and meeting some people. He kept an otherwise one-sided game even by setting guys up and scoring a couple of effortless goals to bring us back within 1 a couple of times. Could have very easily tied/won the game, but he toned it down late and the other team squeaked out a win.

That's pretty much the perfect way to handle playing down multiple levels. Made for a good competitive game where everyone skated hard till the end, and even if the other team was having salty thoughts he didn't give them a reason to actually make an issue of it.

curious where you play?

A few years back we played a mens leauge game here on Long Island where Keith Kinkaid skated out. He could pretty much slice and dice his way through most of us. Had a pretty nice shot too. It was clear as day he was no "amateur".

 

[tarheelhockey]

curious where you play?

Locally here in Raleigh. This guy isn’t an ex-NHL’er or anything, but he was more challenged by the cardio of skating up and down the ice with the puck than he was by anyone attempting to stop him.

 

[Slats432]

A few nights ago, pretty crazy game for the first game of the playoffs. I ref in the league, but we aren't allowed to ref our own divisions.

So I ref this team in Div 13, and they are quite young, average age of early 20s. They really skate circles around the other team. A few games later, they get re-tiered into our division.

I was pretty concerned about how young and fast these guys were. Their number one C who is late 20s, is a dandy. Nice hands, but even when I refffed him he seemed to not be going full out all the time.

So their goalie shows up late. No warm up so right into the game. He let's in a weak one 30 seconds in. Another weak one a minute later. We add a 3rd and are up 3-0 just over 3 minutes in. Looks like this one is well in hand. They only have 7 skaters so I am not sure if they will be able to come back.(As an aside, I get run over again by a 20 something. I don't know if he is a dick or not yet so I sluff it off. Although not happy.)

One of their players comes in on a rush a short time later and we have this dman who is 6'6. Their guy collides with our guy and gets knicked up. In our league any head contact drawing blood is 4 min and game ejection.

They promptly score two within 45 seconds. 3-2.

The second period is much worse for us, me and the kid pop a couple but they get several easy ones. Our goalie who is normally a Div 1 skater, likes playing goal in our division but is having a rough go, and after two we are down 8-5. I skate over to our goalie because we are going to have a flood between 2nd and 3rd. He says, he is "fing garbage tonight" And I say, sure, you have been crap up to now....but don't let in the next one.

We head into the room. And I am a talker and I remind the guys, they are 7 guys. If we come out hard, we can get back in it.

We come out of the room, and they are taking a long time coming out. I mention it to the refs. They finally get out and we start the third. 40 seconds in, the kid and I set up our line mate for a quick one. Then a few minutes later a puck bounces off my helmut to the kid and he pots it to make it 8-7.

We keep pressing. 1:30 we pull the goalie. We have no control and the seconds tick by until about 20 seconds left. We skate it up the ice, I put it to the kid, and he passes it to one of our other 6 and he scores....with 1 second left.

We go to the shootout. Oddly enough both the kid and I were stoned, but our goalie decided that he wouldn't waste the comeback and shut them down for the 9-8 SO victory. Fun game to play.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Oddly enough both the kid and I were stoned

Feels like you kinda buried the lede on this one