educate me please, this thing called hockey is really foreign to me

[MissVelvetDress_75]

seeing that i am from the south and all my knowledge base of this sport is pretty limited and i am not ashamed to admit it. and even though i have dated a guy who played hockey, my understanding of this sport is pretty rusty. and yes i know there are many links like hockey 101 for the ignornant gal that i am, but i am hoping that all you hockey lovers can shed some light and provide me with some basic understanding of the rules and of the sport.

please

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Well, Miss Velvet, what exactly would you like to know. Ask me anything. I thought you were quite the expert though!

 

[Chizip]

Hockey is a game played on a field of slippery, frozen water; although it is actually a form of ritualistic combat where men tie sharp metal knives to the bottom of their boots and arm themselves with hooked clubs with which to beat, slash and maim their opponents. The name itself is probably derived from the verb 'to hack'. In addition to giving the combatants great speed, their sharp foot-blades also serve to inflict deep dueling scars, sever digits and generally disfigure the opposing team members.

As a minor handicap, the combating players are required to propel a small, hard, black disc across the ice field while engaging in mortal combat, and between forays, attempt to flick this circular disc into a net protected by an armed guard.

This is of little interest to the spectators who are far more amused by such tactics as 'boarding' whereby one player attempts to crush all the bones in his opponents body by slamming him into the wooden barrier lining the ice field. The wildest cheers, however, are reserved for the moment when all the players remove their gloves and try to force each other into the net.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

lol apparently i can fool many with my knowledge. let's see. i guess start with the basics of the game. you know, like rules, # of players, equipment stuff like that.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

That's a good overview.

 

[Chizip]

michael, commenting on how hot 19 year old guys are doesnt constitute hockey knowledge.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Well, just because he's hotter than the Devils who should know all about "heat", doesn't give you the right to be jealous.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

ok, i understand you need a stick to reach into the curves of the boards so when you shoot do you need to put all of your weight into it?

 

[Chizip]

oh man, this sounds like to big of a task for me

good luck with it mikey

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Man, i can't quote tonight! What was the question? lol

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

oh man, this sounds like to big of a task for me

good luck with it mikey

what do you mean? do you not know how to explain the game?

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

The wildest cheers, however, are reserved for the moment when all the players remove their gloves and try to force each other into the net.

how about when the puck goes into the net. isn't that more exciting?

 

[Chizip]

ok, 25 players suit up for a game

5 players for a team on the ice at a time, plus a goalie

3 forwards and 2 defenseman

a left wing, a center wing, and a right wing form "a line", lines are changed every 1-2 minutes, hockey is unique as you can change players while the game is going on, called "on the fly"

so if you hear the term "line change", that means they are changing players

there are 4 different lines, 1 or 2 are usually scoring lines, than a defensive line and a big goon line

it is kind of the same for defense, but they are called pairs, because there are 2 of them

there is only 3 pairings of defensemen, and they change the same way the offensive lines do

so 4 lines * 4 players = 16

and 3 defensive pairings * 2 = 6

so thats 22 players there, there is then 2 goalies which makes 24 players, and then there is usually an extra defenseman, sometimes an extra forward

and that makes up the 25 players

that is your first lesson

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Yes, that is much more exciting. But in order to get to that goal, you need the right projectile and you do have to put significant weight into the bullseye. Otherwise, there's no way you can get in, whether you are shooting to score, or simply assisting someone else get into position. Sometimes, it requires one to make the perfect pass. In such a case, you hardly need to worry. It's usally a done deal.

 

[Chizip]

here is the hockey rink

they key lines are the red line in the middle, the 2 blue lines inbetween the red line and the goals, and the 2 goal lines.

you can never pass the puck over 2 lines, if it is it's called a "2 line pass" and whistled dead.

also, a player can never go past the blue line into the offensive zone before the puck, that is known as "offsides," and is whistled dead again.

and lastly, you cant shoot the puck from behind the center red line, past the goal line, or that is called "icing," and the faceoff goes all the way to the other end of the ice.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

a big goon line?!


that is what i thought scoring is better than a fight

alright, so is it better to score on fresh ice or ice that has been played on for awhile?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Chizip, which zones respond better to an aggressive forecheck, and which ones require more finesse -- would you say?

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

is the crease the goalie box? can anyone of his team mates enter that or does the goalie have to protect the crease on their own?

 

[Chizip]

any teammate can go in his own goalies crease, he just can not "freeze the puck", that means putting his hand down on it, or any body part really so no one else can get it.

if you go into the other goalie's crease, that is usually goalie interference, and a penalty.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

alright, so is it better to score on fresh ice or ice that has been played on for awhile?

Well, it depends what your aim is. if you want to go for a long pass, you need the right lubrication, hence a fresh sheet. We know a fresh sheet would come in handy between line changes, but unfortuanately, the zamboni will only cover the sheet once. We all know an explosive line can't be overused. This is why the best players use their time cautiously to get into the groove.

 

[Chizip]

a big goon line is necessary in hockey

why you ask?

because hockey refereeing is usually very bad, and so players must police themself

if an opposing player does something bad to one of your star players, than the goon line will than go out and take care of business, usually by beating the crap out of the other team

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

any teammate can go in his own goalies crease, he just can not "freeze the puck", that means putting his hand down on it, or any body part really so no one else can get it.

if you go into the other goalie's crease, that is usually goalie interference, and a penalty.

can his teammates hit it with his blades?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

is the crease the goalie box? can anyone of his team mates enter that or does the goalie have to protect the crease on their own?

Chizip did a good job, but just to add...the crease is very much the goalie's private area. He does require protection, otherwise he'll end up giving rise to precarious situations. Sometimes, after someone crashes his crease, he ends up swimming around looking for the puck. The puck is always hard to find in such sticky situations. It's a dangerous place to be. Thank God he has a shield to protect himself with!

 

[Chizip]

it is easier to score on fresh ice, because you can skate faster on it, the puck doesnt bounce up and down, and its easier to make passes

so the skill players can show off their skills a lot more, with great puck control, skating faster, and making nicer passes on clean ice

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

oh ok. i see. sorry for the random questions.

now about the hockey stick. are they made of wood? and is there a size limit on how big they can be?

 

[Chizip]

a teammate can hit the puck with anything in their own crease, even their hand. they just cant stop the puck and hold it, by sitting on it, or using their hand, or anything like that, they have to keep it moving. stopping the puck is known as freezing it, and usually onl the goalie can do that. if a player does it in his own crease thats a penalty shot for the other team.

 

[Chizip]

they were made of wood, but more and more players are using graphite sticks these days. its just the new technology that makes your shots harder.

im sure there is a rule on how long they can be. i know there is a rule on how much curve the blade of your stick can have. that is because the more curve there is the easier it is to shoot the puck high.

also, goalie sticks are different, the blades are much thicker, and i know there is a rule on how thick they can be. they are shorter as well.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

so they (not the goalie) can use their hands to touch the puck?

 

[Chizip]

yes, players can catch the puck, but they have to drop it right away and than use the stick.

also, if the player is lying on the ice, he can use his hand to push it away somewhere.

but, you can not intentional use your hand to pass it to a teamate, that is a "hand pass" and that is a no no.

but using your hand can be helpful if the puck is in a dangerous spot and you just want to clear it out.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

oh ok. i see. sorry for the random questions.

now about the hockey stick. are they made of wood? and is there a size limit on how big they can be?

Don't worry about the random questions. It's much like hockey, often requiring a full load of blanks before hitting the mark.

Hockey sticks come in many different sizes, the shaft is often the area in which the player can feel the vibrations of the game. It's an extension of his body. It is here that, with the right grip and right momentum, he can use his force and aim to find the corners of the meshing. Some sticks explode on contact, however, and this has been a growing problem for some time now. This spring we have seen many stick explode with, if not over zealousnes, a definite frustration.