Beer League Etiquette

[Synergy27]

I feel the need to get some feedback because I’m legitimately at a loss. I am an old guy (40s) who has played since my teens and am now playing in a somewhat but not very competitive, non checking roller hockey beer league.

In my last game, I attempted a play where I took a defenseman wide, and after I beat him outside I attempted to cut back inside and across the slot/top of the crease to score a goal.

The defenseman who I beat instead decided to hit me creating a pretty bad collision with his own goalie. I was hurt pretty badly on the play and the guy that hit me was penalized by the ref.

That said, as I was limping back to the bench, I was getting chirped by several players on the other team saying that the collision wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t do the outside/inside move. I am apparently known to do this move all the time, and therefore am somehow at fault for getting hit into the goalie.

Is attacking the top of the crease/cutting across the net just not allowed in beer leagues? I’ve been playing forever and have never heard a criticism like this, and having no interest in beefing with people I am trying to take what they are saying seriously. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Here’s a video of a similar play for better visual:

Click to read more...

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I feel the need to get some feedback because I’m legitimately at a loss. I am an old guy (40s) who has played since my teens and am now playing in a somewhat but not very competitive, non checking roller hockey beer league.

In my last game, I attempted a play where I took a defenseman wide, and after I beat him outside I attempted to cut back inside and across the slot/top of the crease to score a goal.

The defenseman who I beat instead decided to hit me creating a pretty bad collision with his own goalie. I was hurt pretty badly on the play and the guy that hit me was penalized by the ref.

That said, as I was limping back to the bench, I was getting chirped by several players on the other team saying that the collision wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t do the outside/inside move. I am apparently known to do this move all the time, and therefore am somehow at fault for getting hit into the goalie.

Is attacking the top of the crease/cutting across the net just not allowed in beer leagues? I’ve been playing forever and have never heard a criticism like this, and having no interest in beefing with people I am trying to take what they are saying seriously. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

No that's not a thing, at all. You played a bunch of losers. Like, even in shinny or casual pick up game would that not be bad etiquette...

And chirping someone who beat you 1on1 and drew a penalty after getting hit into your goaltender is a choice.

Sometimes there are dickheads in beer league, like any other facet of life. I'm like you, I'm not looking for trouble, some guys are.

I've had to defend myself a few times over the years and fight because of assholes and losers in the league.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

It's a good move in beer leagues because it's a lot harder to defend against in non-checking leagues. As a goalie, I can't stand it, primarily because it's usually when I get an elbow in the head as I make my save manoeuvre to follow the puck carrier across (and they're usually deeper in my paint than they think they are).

I've also never heard in 30 years of beer league a complaint that it's not allowed to be done.

 

[Synergy27]

No that's not a thing, at all. You played a bunch of losers. Like, even in shinny or casual pick up game would that not be bad etiquette...

And chirping someone who beat you 1on1 and drew a penalty after getting hit into your goaltender is a choice.

Sometimes there are dickheads in beer league, like any other facet of life. I'm like you, I'm not looking for trouble, some guys are.

I've had to defend myself a few times over the years and fight because of assholes and losers in the league.

Appreciate the note. Still interested to see if anyone can explain the other opinion.

It's a good move in beer leagues because it's a lot harder to defend against in non-checking leagues. As a goalie, I can't stand it, primarily because it's usually when I get an elbow in the head as I make my save manoeuvre to follow the puck carrier across (and they're usually deeper in my paint than they think they are).

I've also never heard in 30 years of beer league a complaint that it's not allowed to be done.

Yeah exactly. I was much more hesitant to do this in my competitive ice days when a massive hit was to be expected. I’m also not a “hands” guy, so I’ve always relied on speed and power to get around defenseman. I think these guys think that we should only be shooting from the dot in? It’s weird because this isn’t a casual league at all. It’s the “A” league and the guys I was playing against are mostly much younger.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I'd ordinarily say that A league skaters should know better but my best experiences with the A league around here are that some folks don't take it seriously enough and hate when others do (as opposed to, say, C and D leagues where some skaters take it way too seriously).

A level in beer league is the most recent time I've started to go to the bench for an extra attacker and had to turn around because there wasn't anyone on the bench.

 

[Snuggs]

Lol, went to school with one of the players in the video... wild when I heard the name!

I mean, it's a dick move in our league. The best skaters are out classing everyone if they do it and the guys that do it often cause injuries...

I'm 36, we all try hard but aren't reckless. I'm in a nice league where there are 3 pretty big guys that actually kind of keep everything in line too between the 8 teams... tough guys get dealt with and thank goodness those 3 guys are nice because they could have made the league for me unplayable. I only talk to one of the three guys and he's in his upper 40's but he's 6'3 and in the 240's... I'm 5'9, 144lbs. lol. He knows he can't pull crazy reckless moves around me, or I'll go flying.

I'm not in a competitive type league either.

 

[Summer Rose]

Not remotely bad etiquette for beer league in my opinion. Others have already said what I’d otherwise say, in that it’s harder to defend against in a non-checking league, and I hated it as a goalie.

If anyone had bad etiquette in that situation, it’s the guy who hit you.

Edit: it’s only bad etiquette if you’re outclassing everyone else, which is a situation I’ve found myself in before (I was basically a low B/high C level player but I once joined a D league team because I wanted to play with a bunch of my friends). However, if it’s A league, it’s not like you can skate up a level.

 

[KingRichard]

I feel the need to get some feedback because I’m legitimately at a loss. I am an old guy (40s) who has played since my teens and am now playing in a somewhat but not very competitive, non checking roller hockey beer league.

In my last game, I attempted a play where I took a defenseman wide, and after I beat him outside I attempted to cut back inside and across the slot/top of the crease to score a goal.

The defenseman who I beat instead decided to hit me creating a pretty bad collision with his own goalie. I was hurt pretty badly on the play and the guy that hit me was penalized by the ref.

That said, as I was limping back to the bench, I was getting chirped by several players on the other team saying that the collision wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t do the outside/inside move. I am apparently known to do this move all the time, and therefore am somehow at fault for getting hit into the goalie.

Is attacking the top of the crease/cutting across the net just not allowed in beer leagues? I’ve been playing forever and have never heard a criticism like this, and having no interest in beefing with people I am trying to take what they are saying seriously. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Here’s a video of a similar play for better visual:

That's not a bad or dangerous move at all. Dangerous moves are when you run out of room close to the goal line and cut across it with no where to go

Sadly, in men's beer leagues there's alot of monkeys who want to act tough.

I played in Div 2 NCAA and could clean anyone's clock in these beer leagues but choose not to. Even after being crosschecked head first into a post on a breakaway (it was so bad the goalie let the puck go in and tried to protect me (lucky I didn't break my neck, and those wonderful refs didn't even call a penalty), and have had my shoulder dislocated, bicep and pec torn from a hit from behind, (and i got a penalty lol, not the guy who did it). Which is why I stopped playing, as I promised the next guy who tried that crap with me would have his head driven head first into the boards (and the better part of me said, just stop before you hurt someone).

Anyways, I digress. There's too many morons in beer leagues who don't get it..sadly. Rent an arena, find 20 guys, buddies who respect each other and just want to keep in shape, that's what we do. No garbage, still competitive but respectful and safe.

 

[Synergy27]

That's not a bad or dangerous move at all. Dangerous moves are when you run out of room close to the goal line and cut across it with no where to go

Sadly, in men's beer leagues there's alot of monkeys who want to act tough.

I played in Div 2 NCAA and could clean anyone's clock in these beer leagues but choose not to. Even after being crosschecked head first into a post on a breakaway (it was so bad the goalie let the puck go in and tried to protect me (lucky I didn't break my neck, and those wonderful refs didn't even call a penalty), and have had my shoulder dislocated, bicep and pec torn from a hit from behind, (and i got a penalty lol, not the guy who did it). Which is why I stopped playing, as I promised the next guy who tried that crap with me would have his head driven head first into the boards (and the better part of me said, just stop before you hurt someone).

Anyways, I digress. There's too many morons in beer leagues who don't get it..sadly. Rent an arena, find 20 guys, buddies who respect each other and just want to keep in shape, that's what we do. No garbage, still competitive but respectful and safe.

Yeah I have other outlets as well. This league is generally tight knit and respectful. That’s part of the reason why I am so confused by this.

 

[WhiteTiger]

I found the beer league experience to be horrendous. Joined a team with a few buddies I’d played youth with for a decade just after turning 18, and none of us even stuck around for 6 months. Endless chirping. Guys trying to start fights. Had one dude run my friend from behind, and another threaten to fight me in the parking lot after I responded to his trash talk. Just stupid and completely unenjoyable, and it’s not as though we went into it with any intention of stirring things up.

It’s always surprised me that a level (or levels) somewhere in between beer league and minor pro doesn’t really seem to exist nowadays. Something akin to Tier 2 youth hockey, but with less of a time commitment. Pay for play, 12-20 games a year and 2 practices a month, or something along those lines. Hell, the teams could be an extension of the youth programs, creating a bit of a pipeline, both for those who don’t go the junior/college/club route, and those who do, but want to keep playing somewhat competitively even after.

There’s some senior leagues scattered around the US, but they are few and far between. More in Canada, but nothing like it was back in the day where seemingly every town with a population of 100+ had a local senior/intermediate club. I don’t know, maybe the demand doesn’t exist nowadays, but my buddies and I definitely would have enjoyed playing meaningful hockey (on some level) into adulthood.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I feel the need to get some feedback because I’m legitimately at a loss. I am an old guy (40s) who has played since my teens and am now playing in a somewhat but not very competitive, non checking roller hockey beer league.

In my last game, I attempted a play where I took a defenseman wide, and after I beat him outside I attempted to cut back inside and across the slot/top of the crease to score a goal.

The defenseman who I beat instead decided to hit me creating a pretty bad collision with his own goalie. I was hurt pretty badly on the play and the guy that hit me was penalized by the ref.

OK, so couple provisos here:

-I have never, ever played roller hockey
-I play "competitive", but very very low level ice hockey (competitive as in we do care about winning and losing, non-competitive in that no on else on earth does and we know it)

As primarily a d-man, if you beat me wide and get a great scoring chance - good on you. The first time.

The 8th or 10th time that game? f*** off. Thats where I start getting called for penalties because what else am I supposed to do - it's not like I'm going to suddenly get any faster.

So that's where I don't know how to answer your question, because it's all a matter of degree and proportion. Nobody wants to get shown up repeatedly in a beer league game. And I certainly have seen more skilled players deliberately hold up or pass to a less skilled player so as not to show anyone else up.

And 100% there are whiners and complainers out there too looking for any excuse, so you can't automatically take any complaint out there as valid either.

Now I guess this does change if it's literally the highest level of hockey - if you want to play at that level then you have to risk not being good. But that kind of level is not what I associate with the term "beer league".