Men's League Last Night

[Slats432]

He should have gotten suspended. It doesn’t matter who starts it.

Goes back to the discussion of the refs and them knowing you and how you play. They know the kid isn't the sort to start anything and got attacked? Yeah, we'll let the first one slide.

Funny thing is that as a Ref myself, that was certainly worth more than a 4 minute minor. Probably a major head contact at best. But that being said, you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I'm of two minds.

One, if the refs know "the kid" as someone who doesn't get involved in any shenanigans, and the other guy started it, I can maybe see not giving the game suspension.

But two, if you're 6'4", 240 lb, recently played AAA and Junior A, in a league with a bunch of old guys, it's really kind of on you to not hurt anyone out there no matter what.

 

[ChuckLefley]

Goes back to the discussion of the refs and them knowing you and how you play. They know the kid isn't the sort to start anything and got attacked? Yeah, we'll let the first one slide.

Funny enough that is exactly the stuff that pisses off NHL fans about the refs.

 

[Slats432]

I'm of two minds.

One, if the refs know "the kid" as someone who doesn't get involved in any shenanigans, and the other guy started it, I can maybe see not giving the game suspension.

But two, if you're 6'4", 240 lb, recently played AAA and Junior A, in a league with a bunch of old guys, it's really kind of on you to not hurt anyone out there no matter what.

This times 100%. Always the peacemaker, but if someone punches you square in the beak, (and not lightly) you get what you ask for. I am always of the mind that I will never slash, crosscheck or do anything aggressive or dirty to anyone...first. Maybe he gets the "I will always defend myself." from his old man.

 

[Aces89]

A compilation of funny stuff from this past year with my beer league team

 

[Yukon Joe]

This times 100%. Always the peacemaker, but if someone punches you square in the beak, (and not lightly) you get what you ask for. I am always of the mind that I will never slash, crosscheck or do anything aggressive or dirty to anyone...first. Maybe he gets the "I will always defend myself." from his old man.

Even there though... I remember one time I thought a guy (who was much better than ) was getting kind of physical with me, though I can't say it was a penalty. I got upset and slashed him - right across his shin pads. It was dumb on my part because not only did I get a penalty, but what did I think that was going to do to the guy?

He laughed it off, but if he took the "well I won't do anything first" approach he could have really hurt me. Which is why I do think the bigger, younger, more skilled guy has a even higher responsibility in beer league to be careful.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Even there though... I remember one time I thought a guy (who was much better than ) was getting kind of physical with me, though I can't say it was a penalty. I got upset and slashed him - right across his shin pads. It was dumb on my part because not only did I get a penalty, but what did I think that was going to do to the guy?

He laughed it off, but if he took the "well I won't do anything first" approach he could have really hurt me. Which is why I do think the bigger, younger, more skilled guy has a even higher responsibility in beer league to be careful.

To me it's pretty simple, if you're both bigger and more skilled than the opposition then you need to be an absolute wallflower. You're out there for the calisthenics, no other purpose. If you want a competitive game, go find someone at your own level.

For that reason, if some shit starts between other guys, the guy who's playing down needs to get out of that situation. Beating a guy up in that context is a bad look and reason enough to be invited not to return to the league.

 

[Slats432]

Not men's league but kids' league. Was rink manager/reffing a tournament this weekend. 3 on 3. There was a particularly rough game where the refs seemingly were calling almost everything. It was still rough because one team was getting pumped pretty good and going be eliminated in U18.

Parents were yelling in the stands and I am sure one comment led to another and two grown assed men starting pushing and shoving and I believe it ended after one guy tried to knee the other in the balls and it was subsequently broken up.

I went up there but it was pretty much done at that point. Apparently no blood, no foul?

 

[tarheelhockey]

As always -- if you're going to play the sort of game where you go around slashing people away from the play, expect to get slashed back in response.

I'm not even saying don't play that kind of game. But don't get bitchy when the guy you just slashed responds in kind.

 

[DaveG]

As always -- if you're going to play the sort of game where you go around slashing people away from the play, expect to get slashed back in response.

I'm not even saying don't play that kind of game. But don't get bitchy when the guy you just slashed responds in kind.

Yep, and the ref isn't always going to call the retaliation if a player has a rep for it.
Hell I'm pretty sure we were on the same team when it happened but there's only been one time I laid someone out in rec league. A bigger guy (probably 6'4/250 or so) on another team was running around starting crap all through the first period and laid a hit on one of our better players that took him out of the game and gave him some pretty bad shoulder issues the rest of that season.
Well, second period comes and he and I are going for a loose puck in the offensive zone. I'm not quite as big but not exactly a small guy myself (think more "damn, Kevin Shattenkirk really let himself go"). And given that I'm not a great skater to put it lightly and the leverage advantage I had it turns into a pretty big open ice collision, and he goes down. Hard. To the point that he has to leave the game with a concussion. The other bench was yelling holy hell about it to the ref who just goes "he made a play on the puck". Pretty sure if that had been literally any other guy in the league that I knocked out (aside from maybe one or two) and that if I didn't have the rep I had that would have been it for my season, or at least a few weeks.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Yep, and the ref isn't always going to call the retaliation if a player has a rep for it.
Hell I'm pretty sure we were on the same team when it happened but there's only been one time I laid someone out in rec league. A bigger guy (probably 6'4/250 or so) on another team was running around starting crap all through the first period and laid a hit on one of our better players that took him out of the game and gave him some pretty bad shoulder issues the rest of that season.
Well, second period comes and he and I are going for a loose puck in the offensive zone. I'm not quite as big but not exactly a small guy myself (think more "damn, Kevin Shattenkirk really let himself go"). And given that I'm not a great skater to put it lightly and the leverage advantage I had it turns into a pretty big open ice collision, and he goes down. Hard. To the point that he has to leave the game with a concussion. The other bench was yelling holy hell about it to the ref who just goes "he made a play on the puck". Pretty sure if that had been literally any other guy in the league that I knocked out (aside from maybe one or two) and that if I didn't have the rep I had that would have been it for my season, or at least a few weeks.

Poor guy. Thoughts and prayers.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

Tried to play a drop in game after taking several months off over the summer

I was so out of shape it was embarrassing. I was so tired I kept falling. Slightly tweaked my surgery repaired shoulder because I was so gassed I was all over the place.

Very embarrassing showing

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Tried to play a drop in game after taking several months off over the summer

I was so out of shape it was embarrassing. I was so tired I kept falling. Slightly tweaked my surgery repaired shoulder because I was so gassed I was all over the place.

Very embarrassing showing

Happened to me back in June, took few months off, was active - mtb, hiking, hit the ice, disaster, 2 longer shifts to start the game and i was gone, gassed. It's jungle out there.

 

[Slats432]

I have played the last two games since coming back from a back injury that has kept me off skates since May (A couple big crosschecks in playoffs put me on the shelf for almost two months.). First game couldn't skate since was just over the hump of the injury, but Tuesday I could actually move. Was nice to get out and skate with the boys again.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

Happened to me back in June, took few months off, was active - mtb, hiking, hit the ice, disaster, 2 longer shifts to start the game and i was gone, gassed. It's jungle out there.

I’m going to an open public skate tomorrow and working this out.

Shoulder feels much better today. So game on!

 

[Dueling Banjos]

I’m going to an open public skate tomorrow and working this out.

Shoulder feels much better today. So game on!

Yeah you need few sessions and you're back, hard to play the game if you can't think straight from exhaustion. But this is the fun obstacle to overcome, few skates and you're back.

I find the 2nd plateu much more annoying. You come back, play 2-3 times/week, feel comfortable again but all of a sudden the progression stops. You get annoyed, try to force things, become frustrated and less relaxed. Often happens to me during the mid-season. Hockey becomes routine, less fun cause it's there all the time, same schedule, same faces. I usually take a week or two off and come back hungry agaain.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

I’m shifting gears this year and am accepting I’m 43 years old. Usually I have it in the back of my head I’m trying to get better each year and gain ground on the other guys in my C league. I started playing hockey around 33 years old. Try as I might I just can’t close the gap on people that played youth hockey. No amount for f dry land practice on shooting mats or physical conditioning can replicate the hours my competitors have spent on the ice in their formative years that I have not


So I’m just going to get myself back into shape in the next couple weeks. have fun on my d league team and sub for c when they need a body…. After I’m back in hockey shape

 

[HansonBro]

At least you guys are playing. I havnt touched the ice in like 5 years. Just havnt had the itch. Got to the point where I sold my goalie gear. I shouldn't have done that cause if I did go play again I'd want to be in the crease rather than skating. If anything it was cool to look at.

Backstory, I'm soon to be 39. I've played since I was 3. All positions. Was a hockey instructor for a couple years. I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished over the years. So unless that itch comes back, I might be done boys. And maybe I should be content with that

 

[beedee]

At least you guys are playing. I havnt touched the ice in like 5 years. Just havnt had the itch. Got to the point where I sold my goalie gear. I shouldn't have done that cause if I did go play again I'd want to be in the crease rather than skating. If anything it was cool to look at.

Backstory, I'm soon to be 39. I've played since I was 3. All positions. Was a hockey instructor for a couple years. I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished over the years. So unless that itch comes back, I might be done boys. And maybe I should be content with that

I understand where you may be coming from.

I'm 47, born and raised here in SoCal. I started playing in PeeWee's up through Junior, house-league. Then Beer League off and on since I was 20. Right now I'm having fun, but don't really look forward to playing per say. Our team is full of great guys (most in the their late 30's and up), despite one hot-head. I kind of feel like I'm only playing to get my money's worth with recent new gear acquisitions. Might have to give the private pick-up I got in a more consistent go. League fees continue to climb ($480 here for 15 games plus two playoffs, guess that isn't too bad when you break it down per game, )

 

[DougKnowsBest]

We are currently (with fee new increase ) 250 for 12 games plus championship if you make it

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

At least you guys are playing. I havnt touched the ice in like 5 years. Just havnt had the itch. Got to the point where I sold my goalie gear. I shouldn't have done that cause if I did go play again I'd want to be in the crease rather than skating. If anything it was cool to look at.

Backstory, I'm soon to be 39. I've played since I was 3. All positions. Was a hockey instructor for a couple years. I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished over the years. So unless that itch comes back, I might be done boys. And maybe I should be content with that

Man, reading this I can draw parallels to you.

I graduated High School in 2011 - used to play pick up hockey sessions 3-4 days out of the week. The two rinks that were in adjacent cities had 'merged ownership' with one another and they changed their hockey schedule. Now, it was even earlier in the day, and I started to show up less and less.

I think even between covid 2020 and now in 2022, I've skated a total of 5 times (if that) and I'm 'bored' after being out there for an hour. I'm in three different messenger/group chats and none of them have offered a pickup session - even when others have asked. Not skating on ice has made me lose the 'desire' to get out there.

I've been ice hockey since I was 7 years old. So much time invested on travel teams, development skills camps, pick up hockey play and it's just gone to 'waste' (not the right term probably, but the fire just isn't there.)

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I understand where you may be coming from.

I'm 47, born and raised here in SoCal. I started playing in PeeWee's up through Junior, house-league. Then Beer League off and on since I was 20. Right now I'm having fun, but don't really look forward to playing per say. Our team is full of great guys (most in the their late 30's and up), despite one hot-head. I kind of feel like I'm only playing to get my money's worth with recent new gear acquisitions. Might have to give the private pick-up I got in a more consistent go. League fees continue to climb ($480 here for 15 games plus two playoffs, guess that isn't too bad when you break it down per game, )

Where were you playing at in SoCal, we are in the same age frame to have played against each other....

 

[tarheelhockey]

I've been ice hockey since I was 7 years old. So much time invested on travel teams, development skills camps, pick up hockey play and it's just gone to 'waste' (not the right term probably, but the fire just isn't there.)

That's a really good illustration for the parents in the room. By age 24, hockey is either your moneymaking profession or it's your expensive hobby. For 99.99% of us, it's category #2, and no amount of training and development is going to determine whether you still enjoy playing the game or not.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

That's a really good illustration for the parents in the room. By age 24, hockey is either your moneymaking profession or it's your expensive hobby. For 99.99% of us, it's category #2, and no amount of training and development is going to determine whether you still enjoy playing the game or not.

The latter (if I’m saying that correctly) is what it is - Ice is just too expensive to play and join on a team for me. It’s why I made the jump to play Ball/Dek Hockey.

IIRC it was 200 to play on an ice team. Plus 50 for a jersey and matching socks. For my Dek League, it was 50 bucks.

The only ‘tough’ thing I find playing Dek Hockey is that I’m not playing often enough where I’m getting used to the stick.

 

[HansonBro]

I understand where you may be coming from.

I'm 47, born and raised here in SoCal. I started playing in PeeWee's up through Junior, house-league. Then Beer League off and on since I was 20. Right now I'm having fun, but don't really look forward to playing per say. Our team is full of great guys (most in the their late 30's and up), despite one hot-head. I kind of feel like I'm only playing to get my money's worth with recent new gear acquisitions. Might have to give the private pick-up I got in a more consistent go. League fees continue to climb ($480 here for 15 games plus two playoffs, guess that isn't too bad when you break it down per game, )

$32 a game? That's ridiculous (not counting playoffs). Even if both teams were rostering ONLY 10 players thats $640 per game to rent ice and pay one, two if you're lucky, referees $30.

Plus you'll probably end up being the guy on beer twice so there's another $100