To retaliate or not to retaliate? How do you handle dirty players?

[MD56]

Thought this would be something interesting to talk about.

Every team has that guy likes to slash, throws a bad cross check, takes a few extra whacks at the goalie, sticks his leg out, est... est...

My question is, how do you deal with it when you're the recipient of his *************?

The reason I ask is because I got slew-footed for the first time last night and it was by a guy who has a rep for being an ass. I was setting a screen in front of the net and the guy came up behind me and just totally took both of my feet out. i went ass over tea kettle and ended up slamming pretty hard. I'm pretty sure i bruised a rib and am probably going to be walking with a limp for the next few days. I remember sitting on the bench afterward and trying to figure out if I should take a shot back to let him know that hs BS wasn't going to fly... or just let it go so that I didn't run the risk of taking a penalty and hurting the team.

So how do you guys handle this stuff?

Click to read more...

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

That's why I don't play anymore, assault charges would have been pending...

 

[CanadaBacon]

Depends, what type of league? What level?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Eh, my opinion is you give it back within reason. Don't go overboard and injure the guy, and don't do something at an important junction that could cost your team. But a stick in a soft spot, or a hard rub-out along the boards is totally fair game when someone wants to play like that.

 

[UnknownNasty]

It depends what type of league you play in. If you play in a league with body contact, I say nail him with a hard, but clean open ice hit. When you hit him, hit to hurt, but remember to not hit him in the head.

 

[Savard18]

That's why I don't play anymore, assault charges would have been pending...

Jesus. Did you not know you were in a hockey game? It's not tennis or soccer. Assault charges for a slew foot? It's THAT kinda stuff that made me wanna quit. Grow a pair. - Every situation/player is different. What age, level you play at is important too. A slash on the pads or a moderately hard cross check isn't gonna send you to the hospital. I dig playing those games against guys who are gritty and a LITTLE dirty. Boarding, knee on knee and stuff like that isn't cool at any level or at any time. If you play a real clean game then the dude shouldn't be messing with you much if at all but there's always "that guy". I'd step up and expect my teamates to back me up along the way. That being said, when you take that approach it's a signal that it's gonna "be on" every time you guys face each other and you need to decide that. If you're a guy that plays clean and doesn't mix it up then you should have someone on your bench who'll open his mouth and defend you. All the way up to dropping the gloves.

 

[jazzykat]

If you know who it is and you are (almost) sure it is on purpose, I would verbally warn them and see what they have to say. If they do something again or they act like a jerk about it, tell them that you are going for them and then get them back viciously (but ideally cleanly). If you need to get them back in the next game or period make sure they know why they are being punished.

You need to balance being a reasonable human with not allowing yourself to become a victim. So in my opinion, even in beer league retaliation is necessary for repeat offenders.

You may also want to let the referee know what the other guy did but I honestly am not sure how well crying to the ref is going to go.

 

[Outl4w]

I had a guy knee on knee me last game. He then said that is checking hockey it would not have been called. I laughed because it was roller hockey and stated I played travel roller/ ice and ice/roller high school hockey. That knee on knees are not allowed. Checking is not using your knee, and he tried to argue with the ref and I about the penalty being called. We scored on the power play. The ref said" I don't know where you have thought you played hockey at, but knee on knee hits are never allowed." + 1 Ref

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Jesus. Did you not know you were in a hockey game? It's not tennis or soccer. Assault charges for a slew foot? It's THAT kinda stuff that made me wanna quit. Grow a pair. - Every situation/player is different. What age, level you play at is important too. A slash on the pads or a moderately hard cross check isn't gonna send you to the hospital. I dig playing those games against guys who are gritty and a LITTLE dirty. Boarding, knee on knee and stuff like that isn't cool at any level or at any time. If you play a real clean game then the dude shouldn't be messing with you much if at all but there's always "that guy". I'd step up and expect my teamates to back me up along the way. That being said, when you take that approach it's a signal that it's gonna "be on" every time you guys face each other and you need to decide that. If you're a guy that plays clean and doesn't mix it up then you should have someone on your bench who'll open his mouth and defend you. All the way up to dropping the gloves.

Not sure if you know what a slew foot is or the damage it can cause, the very fact that you mix it with "clean" play tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

I played for 30+ years, and have no problem with body contact, but when it comes to stupid plays that are only designed to hurt people, I have no patience for that, if you want to slew foot someone, then you get what is coming to you, it's pretty simple.

 

[MD56]

So in this instance, it was in a no contact adult roller league. Now "no contact" means no outright checking, but you can definitely clear guys out of the crease, stand guys up on D, mix it up in the corners, est... so it does get physical.

Obviously this type of league makes retaliating a little tougher. You cant just rub some out out or catch them in open ice... Whatever you do needs to be a little incognito unless you're willing to take the penalty.

 

[American in Paris]

I used to retaliate but over time I learned that nothing good ever comes of it. It usually leads to an escalating cycle of violence that forces you to pay more attention to goonery than playing hockey.

Now I just take my lumps, keep my mouth shut and focus on playing good clean hockey.

Usually guys pulling that dirty stuff suck anyways. Just outwork them and make'em pay up on the scoreboard.

Also, I've found that goons respect players who take punishment without whining. Clean, hardworking players tend to be targeted less in my experience.

 

[Nibbler]

If it's something like a slew foot and I don't get hurt I usually give the guy a whack in the ankle and yell at him, as a warning. 90% of the time the guy keeps skating away and barely says anything back, and it doesn't happen again. Sometimes it will turn into a shoving match, but that's it.

I will start throwing punches if you stick me in the nuts though.

 

[The Tikkanen]

If I feel like somebody is purposely trying to injure me then I would drop the gloves. If you let people cheap shot you it will continue, I feel like you need to establish there will be an immediate reaction that helps you avoid being a target in the future. If the guy is simply a goon and doesn't help the other team I wouldn't bother with him and instead target their best player. And I'd make it clear to that player the reason why I'm giving him special attention is because of their goon who can't play. I'm not getting involved with the guy who can't play hockey so instead he tries to draw penalties and distract the other team, waste of time.

 

[Goonzilla]

I like like a little physical play and have no qualms with being checked or someone trying to knock me around even if the rules say no checking, but I have zero time for dirt or dirty players. I'm there to play hard, have fun and stay in shape.

Anyone trying any garbage on me will get a warning. If they don't take it on board and have another crack then they are going to get crunched big time when the opportunity presents; and if they then want to carry it on then good luck to them, because they are going to get one giant face period after their helmet comes off, but that's the advantage of being bigger than probably 99% of other players.

I'm happy to stick up for others too if the need arises.

Fortunately though, I find most of the dirty players or the ones who get in all the tangles are generally small angry people who pick on other smaller guys. Generally get on with other bigger guys on the ice who have nothing to prove and are just there to play as well.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Give it back when it won't hurt your team. I've laid solid body checks on people in a no-hit league when they're being inappropriate, but only when we're comfortably winning or have no chance of catching up.

 

[Goonzilla]

Give it back when it won't hurt your team. I've laid solid body checks on people in a no-hit league when they're being inappropriate, but only when we're comfortably winning or have no chance of catching up.

..yeah..most definitely, that too. Don't hurt your team.

 

[nystromshairstylist]

1st game of championship 3 game series, the other team's captain elbows me as we go for the puck on the side boards, then cross-checks me with my back to him at the point.

Before this happened I didn't even know who he was.

I ignored the elbow, but after the cross-check I turned and had some choice words, so the guy said "bring it". I started to approach him and was going to punch him in his head but stopped myself because it was the championship series, and if we both got sent off it would not be an even trade-off.

He's an example of a player thinking what happens in the NHL on TV is acceptable in lower level rec league. What was really aggravating was the ref was right there, having seen both the elbow and the cross-check, yet called nothing.

HOWEVER - and this is the best part - the WHOLE INCIDENT is on video, as I tape most of my games to analyze after the fact.

As a courtesy to a friend of mine on the other team, I sent the clip and told him he had a choice, either we deal with this "in-house", or the league head and his boss will get a copy, which would lead to a suspension of the player - and I would have pushed for a penalty of some kind to the ref for not making a call for either the elbow or the cross-check.

Here is the video:

 

[Sitka]

1st game of championship 3 game series, the other team's captain elbows me as we go for the puck on the side boards, then cross-checks me with my back to him at the point.

Before this happened I didn't even know who he was.

I ignored the elbow, but after the cross-check I turned and had some choice words, so the guy said "bring it". I started to approach him and was going to punch him in his head but stopped myself because it was the championship series, and if we both got sent off it would not be an even trade-off.

He's an example of a player thinking what happens in the NHL on TV is acceptable in lower level rec league. What was really aggravating was the ref was right there, having seen both the elbow and the cross-check, yet called nothing.

HOWEVER - and this is the best part - the WHOLE INCIDENT is on video, as I tape most of my games to analyze after the fact.

As a courtesy to a friend of mine on the other team, I sent the clip and told him he had a choice, either we deal with this "in-house", or the league head and his boss will get a copy, which would lead to a suspension of the player - and I would have pushed for a penalty of some kind to the ref for not making a call for either the elbow or the cross-check.

Here is the video:

I'm sorry bud, but that was a pretty nothing nothing play.

 

[Goonzilla]

Annoying maybe, but hardly a menacing looking or dangerous infraction.

 

[Sleepy]

1st game of championship 3 game series, the other team's captain elbows me as we go for the puck on the side boards, then cross-checks me with my back to him at the point.

Before this happened I didn't even know who he was.

I ignored the elbow, but after the cross-check I turned and had some choice words, so the guy said "bring it". I started to approach him and was going to punch him in his head but stopped myself because it was the championship series, and if we both got sent off it would not be an even trade-off.

He's an example of a player thinking what happens in the NHL on TV is acceptable in lower level rec league. What was really aggravating was the ref was right there, having seen both the elbow and the cross-check, yet called nothing.

HOWEVER - and this is the best part - the WHOLE INCIDENT is on video, as I tape most of my games to analyze after the fact.

As a courtesy to a friend of mine on the other team, I sent the clip and told him he had a choice, either we deal with this "in-house", or the league head and his boss will get a copy, which would lead to a suspension of the player - and I would have pushed for a penalty of some kind to the ref for not making a call for either the elbow or the cross-check.

Here is the video:

Sorry bro. That was not much.

 

[nystromshairstylist]

I'm sorry bud, but that was a pretty nothing nothing play.

Really? Can I cross check you in the back when you're not looking, on the other side of the ice away from the play? This is lowest level beer league...

 

[ccarrigan]

Really? Can I cross check you in the back when you're not looking, on the other side of the ice away from the play? This is lowest level beer league...

I mean, if it's like that, sure. I kind of see your point but it's really weak. If that gets to you, I wouldn't move up a league for sure.

 

[MD56]

Not sure if you know what a slew foot is or the damage it can cause, the very fact that you mix it with "clean" play tells me you have no idea what you are talking about.

Exactly, i've been playing for a couple of years and have had plenty of bumps, but this was something else. Having your feet taken out and all your weight just coming down at once was pretty crappy. Especially a day or two later when realize your wrist and ribs took most of the impact. Probably going to miss my game tomorrow because of that A-hole.

 

[Malarowski]

Really? Can I cross check you in the back when you're not looking, on the other side of the ice away from the play? This is lowest level beer league...

Those were bumps at best. This is still a contact sport mind you, even when it's non-checking.

 

[Goonzilla]

I believe the best response in that situation is to turn and ask 'is that the best you can do girlie man'?

..or 'I hope your boyfriend's #%^* gets harder than that for you'/ 'your mother ikes it harder than that'.

The possibilities are endless.