Proper Warm-up

There are a few specific things I always like to do during a warm-up in order to get ready for a game. Every player is a little different though. In men's leagues you don't have practices, so the warm-up is really your only time to get ready for the game. The time available is usually too short to attempt specific plays, so I prefer to just get myself ready.

First thing I do is jump out onto the rink to get myself pumped up. It's an easy way to get yourself psyched up for a game when you rush out onto the rink. Once I'm out there I look at whether or not anyone has setup the goals and it's pegs. The last thing you need is a goalie with all his pads on trying to fumble around digging spikes into the ice. If it's not setup, I'll skate over and do it first.

Once that's done I like to make a lap or two of my team's end of the rink. I then do some forward-to-backward transitions, and practice my backwards c-cuts and backwards cross-overs during additional laps around my zone. Finally I start practicing my stops, making sure I can get a good deep cut with my skates. I find it important to go through all the skating techniques I use during the game.

Once I'm done with my skating elements, I go over to the side and do some streches. The last thing you need is a cramp during a game. Just a few light streches like calfs bends, thigh extensions, and rotating your torso should be enough.

I then grab a puck and practice some shots into the boards. This includes wristers, backhands, and slapshots. But the most important part of a warm-up is getting shots on the goalie. Not for yourself, but to make sure the goalies is all set to go.

Many guys attempt "shootout" attempts on the goalie to warm him up. I suppose this is fine, but it really doesn't replicate what the goalie will face at all. The best things to do are slapshots or throwing wristers at him so can get some positional practice in. Attempting to guess at where or when you'll deke isn't exactly the average shot he'll face in-game.

Now you're all ready to go for the game. If you still have some extra time, pull another guy aside and practice passing. Besides skating this is the most frequent thing you'll actually do during the game. You can also practice setting up some one-timers to your teammates as well, as that is the regular shot you'll get on the powerplay. Some guys like to practice deflecting shots in front of the net too, but I prefer not taking a puck to the groin until at least the start of the game.

Roller Hockey Stop

Doing a hockey stop is a key fundamental to skating. You go from a fast speed to a dead stop very quickly. This is fairly easy to do thanks to the sliding nature of ice, but when on roller it can be a little tricky. It's really only tricky because everyone is used to the motions of the hockey stop on ice. Roller requires a slight variation.

Inline skates have a higher amount of friction compared to ice no matter which surface you're playing on. This means when you attempt to do a hockey stop similar to how you would in ice, then you're really just going to fall flat on your face since the wheels will grip the surface quicker.

When I perform a hockey stop in roller I'm actually doing a wide semi-circle turn, then pivoting my hips similar to how I would on ice. After I turn I dig my wheels hard in the mid-heel section to come to a full stop. If the surface is wood with really good grip, then I come to a screeching halt. If the surface is something with less grip though, such as asphalt, then I slide a bit.

If you're having difficult picturing this, think of a regular ice hockey stop as a straight line where you pivot your hips to keep in that straight line, and scape the ice to stop. But in roller hockey you start off in a straight line, make a quick semi-circle, then dig in your mid-heel and return to the straight line direction to stop.

Here's a video of myself doing this at the rink. Notice I'm doing a semi-circle turn before I go into the stop.

Style Design Tape

Thanks to the great deals icewarehouse.com ran for Black Friday, I picked up a few items. Mostly it was just some extra pucks, a wood stick for outdoor roller, and some tape. Tape is one thing you really tend to blow through since it gets scuffed up regularly.

I always am a bit stylin' with my two-tone tape jobs, but this time I went all out and bought some kick-ass new tape they had in stock. That's right, skull & bones! True, it's not quite as stylin' as the guy who shows up to the rink in Coach loafers, but it's the best I've got going for me.

Now in order to keep the design obvious, putting this tape on requires a slightly special method when putting it on the stick. Rather than just wrapping around, which is actually what I did for the first part, you need to individually tape on strips. You can see I applied a strip from the top of the blade while aligning the design, and wrapped it around the bottom. Very important that you wrap around the bottom, since that's what is touching the ground and will get the most wear.



As you can see this leaves a lot of excess. But similar to taping the rounded end of the blade, you simply cut it with a scissor. Here's the sweet finished product when all is said and done.



Now there's only one thing left. That's to show up with this flask to the rink with my water instead...

Gatorade Water Bottles

Now this may be a silly thing (probably is) but man these bottles are great! There was even an epic thread discussion on them on the gsbb forums. Usually I don't care for this kind of stuff but having a bottle with a 1 way valve is a huge thing especially for goalies who don't get a lot of breaks/time to drink.

So lets take a look at these bad boys. Pretty good construction, thin bottle with a 1 way valve cap. The importance of this is, you don't waste time taking off your gloves, lifting your mask to open and drink. Just pick it up and squeeze for refreshment. Hasn't leaked in the few times I have messed with it and when squeezed you get a super soaker like stream of water. This is definitely a time saver, especially at some pick up games where there are only 2 goalies and all the out players just want to skate non-stop. You can grab these at Modells or Dicks if you can find them for about $3 a pop and cheaper on Ebay. You can also order them direct from Gatorade like I did for about $8.99 for a 6 pack.

Skate Collection

Skates are the most important piece of equipment you wear. They effect everything to do with your ability to play. Because of this it's very important to spend time and think about which skates to use. My skate collection is pretty comprehensive, and not quite ridiculous. At least once you consider I play on 3 different types of surfaces. Thanks to upgrades, most of them are fairly new. Here's a run down of the current skates I use. I'll spare you from reading about my old terrible skates. That's for another post on what happens when you DON'T spend time thinking about what you strap on your feet.

Outdoor Skates

These are the Bauer Vapor XVR Lite's. I bought them off of inlinewarehouse.com about 2 years ago mostly because they were on sale. They're no longer made, so you would have to get a newer model. Not that you would want these anyway, as I mostly got them because I was still new to playing and wanted to get things on a budget.

The bearings they came with were ABEC 7 and the wheels were Hyper Razors, which are multisurface 78A hardness wheels. Once I joined the indoor roller league at Hot Skates earlier this year, I swapped out the bearings for ABEC 9s. I highly suggest this for any roller hockey player. You don't want to be left in the dust because of your bearings when in a league.

Right now the wheels are Rink Rat Hot Shot XXXs, which are soft wheels for indoors. This is strictly because I had used the skates indoors earlier this year for my roller league. Once I bought a new pair of skates specifically for the indoor league, the Vapor XVRs became my outdoor only skates, but I didn't care if the wheels wore down so I kept them in there. The downside is I can really feel these wheels sliding. It might be because they are so soft. Once I wear them down a bit more, I'll change out the middle 2 wheels with my old Hyper Razors for a more balanced hardness.

Indoor Skates

As mentioned above, I previously was using my Bauer Vapors for both indoors and outdoors. Once I got sick of switching the wheels every week, I decided on purchasing a new pair specifically for the indoor league. After a long study of what was out on the market, I purchased Mission Solder SEs for a few reasons.

Originally I was thinking of purchasing another Bauer Vapor skate since I'm a real big fan of their design, both lightweight and aggressive stance. But Mission was recently purchases by Bauer, confusing since Bauer is also in-turn owned by Nike. Back on topic though, this model of Mission skates were the first ones made using similar molds to that of Bauer. Even the sizing is the same, whereas previously Mission skates using a different sizing model. Because of the similarity, I was willing to switch over.

The Soldier SEs are right in the middle of Mission's skate line. Even at the mid-tier though, they still come with ABEC 9 bearings and Rink Rat Hot Shot XXX wheels. These were the same specs of what I had in my Bauer's, so it would be an easy transition.

Ray has also recently purchased these skates too the previous season. His opinion of them being a pretty good skate and a great deal was enough to convince me. If you want a more detailed review, you can also check out this video from inlinewarehouse.com.

Oh one other big reason I got these too. These skates had just gone on sale! At the time the newest model of Mission skates, the Axiom line, were just announced. The price for these skates dropped by $30, so I figured it was worth getting.

Ice Skates

Being the fan of the Bauer Vapors I already owned for roller, I figured I would get the same for ice. I had read that Bauer Vapors were the most popular skate in the NHL. After seeing that I knew what I was going to buy when I upgraded my skates for ice hockey.

I ended up getting the Bauer Vapor X:30s. These are also mid-tier skates, ranging about $180 currently. Ice skates tend to be a little more expensive than inline skates. I'm not exactly sure why, but I suspect it's because they have to be a bit more stiff. For an in-depth look, you can check out the video from icewarehouse.com.

The Vapors are a great line. They're ultra lightweight, so you'll get that quick jump when in a foot race. They also have a very aggressive stance which you can slightly notice. These skates are made to be worn when you're in the forward leaning position, the typical stance to balance yourself when skating.

All Bauer skates come with Tuuk blade holders since they make them. These are also extremely popular holders, although I can't find an article on their popularity. You'll notice many players in the NHL switching out their skate holders with these all the time. The main reason they're popular is because they have a higher rocker number. In laymen's terms, the blade is more curved. This allows for quicker and sharper turns, which are very important in hockey.

Conclusions

If there's anything you should take away from this is that you really need to spend time and consider what skate to get. I highly suggest reading reviews online and even trying different types on at the store. It's ok to get a starter skate when you're first joining, but don't be surprised when a few months later you decide to check out something else. Also be sure to have a skate for each surface you play on in regards to roller. It's just too annoying to constantly be switching back and forth.

Lock Down at Harvey

I mentioned it in the comments of my George Harvey Park post, but the news deserves its own small update. The rink at Harvey is in lock down mode. Previously just the bench doors were chained and padlocked, but they added another chain and lock onto the end boards door behind the goal. Also there's additional fencing between the rink boards and the bench boards, where thin people used to be able to slip though. That mean's no way to get in.

I'll give Eric Goetz of the Parks department another call. I had spoken to him previously in September when the benches were first locked. For anyone else wishing to leave him a message, please dial (718) 539-6657. He's the park manager for Harvey. Hopefully the additional fencing and chains are a good sign in that the rink will be fixed soon. Otherwise it's going to be a long lonely winter for pick-up roller hockey.

NHL Center Ice

Over the last few weekends I have come to really appreciate the Center Ice TV package. For those unaware it allows you to watch almost every single game of the NHL. I'm a fan of the Rangers of course, bit I also like to follow the league in general. That way I can see who's doing good and never miss any of the action. Also it almost always guarantees there's a game on to watch.

Now here in New York we're already pretty spoiled with hockey coverage. We have three local teams, and a great weekly analysis show done on the MSG channel for recaps. Add-on the games from Versus and we get even more. But if you're a maniac like me, then that's not enough.

I previously would catch some games through unofficial internet streams, but I found the coverage to be pretty lacking. You aren't guaranteed every game like Center Ice + local coverage does, nor is the video quality very good. Also if the game is very popular, then the stream might get bogged down and slow from all the traffic.

I was sold on Center Ice during October when they run the free 3 week preview. It was great to be able to follow the Calgary Flames and Iginla, or hear the voice of Bob Miller doing the LA Kings play-by-play (still waiting for a time where he can pull the line "and here comes the flying v!" from Mighty Ducks 2). And how can you go wrong with getting home late, but still being able to tune into a west coast game at 10:30pm for the drop of the puck?

I had been thinking about getting their internet package instead, but learned streaming for you phone was a separate deal from your computer. I already have a slingbox at home to allow me to stream TV to my phone, so getting the cable package was the best option for full access at home and remotely. Being able to catch games during a long commute on the train or drive home is clutch.

Which brings me to the best part I have really started to enjoy. There's nothing like a relaxing night at home watching the game in a big comfy chair. There is something better though, and that's being able to watch 3 games straight. Especially in this information age where you can follow all players and can root for them to play well. If you're a big fan of hockey, then I highly suggest signing up for this.

Lasker Rink at Central Park

Ever wanted to win a hockey championship emblazoned with Donald Trump's name? Play under the stars in scenic Central Park? Haul all your hockey gear on a subway? Well, you're in luck, because New York has the place just for this! Located all the way uptown in Central Park North is Lasker rink. They have a pretty snazzy website you can check out here.

Although the rink is located pretty far north in Manhattan, it's very easy to get to. There is a 2,3 subway station right at Lennox ave. and 110th street which is across the street from Central Park. If you drive in, there's usually street parking around the entrance, but give yourself about 15 minutes extra. You can actually see the rink from the street. If you listen quietly, you can even hear hockey games going on. I would estimate the rink is about a two blocks distance from the entrance.

During the warm weather months the rink is converted to a pool. But between October and the end of March they turn it into two mini-rinks. There's actually a good video showing both the pool and the rink on the Parks Department website.

Now you'll notice that I just said mini-rink. It's quite considerably narrower and shorter than a regulation 200x85 foot rink. They make up for this with pond hockey rules of 4-on-4, no icing, but blue lines are kept. The size seems to mess with goalies the most. There are two benches, but no penalty box. If two games are going on at the same time, one plays with two whistle blows for stoppage, and the other with one whistle blow.

Lasker is an outdoor facility. This means you'll be outside in the cold and games can be cancelled due to bad weather. Also this can make for tricky ice conditions during the early and later parts of the season when the weather is warmer. Even during perfect conditions the ice isn't exactly NHL quality. Don't be surprised to find leaves embedded in the ice, lots of dark spots, and big grooves in it. It's still fine to skate on though, and you won't even notice once the game gets going and everyone chops up the ice with their skates.

Lasker provides lots of hockey options: open hockey, stick-and-puck, adult house leagues, youth house leagues, and youth travel teams. They also have the usual stuff rinks have, such as public skate and even some figure skating lessons. Be sure to check out their website mentioned above for scheduling information, as it tends to vary a lot.

This is a USA hockey facility, so all players in the leagues need to be registered (insurance purposes). USA hockey registration runs to $33 this year. Cost of playing in the league is $325 this season, which is the cheapest you'll find for an ice league in the city. Goalies play for free.

There's only 1 season a year from the beginning of November until the middle of March. The divisions in the league tend to shift around every season, but usually it's 5 divisions total for the adult leagues. Players are allowed to join up to 2 adjacent divisions. Each division plays on a different night of the week. All the divisions are co-ed. The last few years I only saw a handful of women players spread across the entire league, but this year there are even 2 full teams made up of entirely women. Don't be surprised when they beat you, because they all appear to have played in college.

Both men and women's locker rooms are on-site. Each has complete bathrooms with showers. These are the only indoor portions of the facility. As with any public park, the rest rooms are sort of...meh. Goalies can also store all their equipment on-site for free during the length of the season. There's a back room they lock up specifically for this. Be advised though, if you don't pick up your equipment before the end of March, then it becomes house equipment for next year!

A few weird things with the locker room though. Obviously it's going to smell. The staff does a good job cleaning it though. That means it'll either smell like bad BO or bleach. Children change in the same room as well, so you're actually not supposed to go buck naked in there. This year they also converted one of the small rooms, which is technically inside the men's locker, into a women's locker room. Yes, that means women walk into the men's locker. Just another reason not to go full nude. And let's all be honest, even if it was all grown men inside, the last thing we need is for guys waving their junk around while they change anyway.

All that's great, but what about the most important park of a rink? What about the atmosphere?! The players who show up tend to range from guys recently out of college, all the way to men in their 50's. I feel there's a bit more maturity with the players attitudes and speech with each other, and it translates to the ice. You'll notice it with the short shifts most guys take. Most of the teams come back every year, and they're kept organized by a captain on each team. Each team has their own attitude, but everyone is pretty well past their prime playing days and is simply there to have fun.

Overall the facility is decent, and definitely the best priced option. The location is very easy to get to, but sort of far north. If you're strictly keeping to Manhattan, then this is the only facility which will assign you as a free agent no matter what (no tryouts). The one thing Lasker offers which you won't find any where else in New York though is the ability to play under the stars in Central Park. When the weather is clear, it can be really beautiful to skate ice with that backdrop. And who can resist the chance to get a Trump branded hockey jersey?

The Beer League Goalie

So this year I decided to playing hockey again. At first I was playing defense our first two seasons in the roller league we play at. Our goalies were not bad but not spectacular either. During our second season our goalie could not make it to a game. No one really wanted to use the house pads as they are pretty gross. So I sucked it up and put on absolutely putrid equipment just so we can play a game. I absolutely loved playing goalie even though I had no idea what I was doing. We have just wrapped up our last roller season where we were eliminated in the semis. I had a 5.1 GAA in 11 games during this season, my first as a goalie. It isn't a great GAA but for a first timer I think it is pretty good considering. I also have to give credit to the team in front of me. They played very good defense and there was always someone there to clean up my rebounds. I have learned a great deal about the goalie position after my first full season. The mental and physical aspects of playing goal can take its toll on a person. I was definitely not fully prepared for a lot of it, especially the mental part. More on that type of stuff in my future posts!

Taping a Stick

Putting tape on your stick is one of the fundamentals of the game. It's not actually required, and the amount varies from player to player, but I highly suggest it. Tape allows people a better feel of the puck when on their stick. At the very least it will protect the blade of the stick from wear.

Certain players do very simple tape jobs, just wrapping the middle portion of the blade. Look at old pictures of hockey from the 60's and 50's, and you'll rarely see the entire blade taped. These days though, a mummified version of a hockey stick is very popular through out the game. That means all parts of the blade are taped, even the rounded edges. This is how I tape up my sticks, and I'll show you how to do the same.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, you'll need a few things. As you can see here, I have a few items: a hockey stick (duh), tape, a magazine (any paper will do), and finally scissors.



Let's start off with the stick I cut recently. You'll notice that since this is a composite stick, it's actually hollow on the inside. I like to put a little piece of tape on the top to cover this up. It just help create some grip if I hold the top, and also so nothing gets inside.



Now that's done, let begin taping up the butt end of the stick. The tape on this will will provide better grip for our top hand. We'll also put a knob at the end to make it easier to know where the stick ends, and make it harder to slip through the glove. Many players choose to just wrap tape around the butt end to make the knob, but there's a better way which uses less tape, and therefore less money.

Simply take some pages out of the magazine, fold them up to a width you like. Place one end of the folded paper on the stick and tape it there, then wrap the remaining paper around the stick so it's nice and tight, then tape the other end to the stick so it's completely wrapping it. That makes a nice knob, and uses little tape.

Once that's done, you can start applying tape to the top part of the stick and move downwards. You're moving down in a swirl or spiral pattern, similar to a candy cane, except overlappying on each twist for full coverage. Try to have each layer cover about half-way over the previous layer. The finished product will looks like this (bear in mind I use a very very thin knob on my stick).



Next is the blade of the stick. As I mentioned a big benefit of tape is to protect it from wear. The part of the blade which has the most wear is the bottom. In order to provide really good protection while saving on tape, I like to cut a strip of tape which is just long enough to cover the bottom. This will provide an extra layer of tape specifically for this section.



Once that's done, let's begin with the rest of the blade. I always start off from the heel section, just about where it begins to curve. Like you did with the butt end, use a spiral pattern with each layer overlapping the previous layer.



Now when you come to the rounded end of the blade, you'll notice you have some extra tape stick out. As you get to this section, simply pinch the excess tape coming off the blade flat. This will allow you to cut it off once fully wrapped. Here's a look at the blade completely taped up with the excess tape pinched.



All you have to do is take your scissors and cut around the edges to get rid of that excess tape.



The blade is complete...almost. You're all set if you want to be just a regular player, but I prefer a little style and flash. I always put a two tone setup of tape on my sticks. This is the same way Youngblood taped up his stick in the movie with the same name. It helps you see where on the stick you have the puck, but really is just all flash and show. Also allows you to match colors of your team. My favorite team is the Rangers, so here it is in Rangers red and blue.



There we go, we're all done and stylin'. Some guys like to tape up an area for their lower hand, but I'm not one of those people. Be prepared to have to unwrap this when the tape eventually rips from game use. That process is less finesse, and more brutal ripping. For now though, let's get outside and take some shots!

Eliminated

Last week was pretty rough. There were no insane double-headers like the other week, but Ray and I had 3 games in 4 nights. First was the last game of the regular season at Hot Skates on Monday. Wednesday was a late night game for our ice league at Central Park. Finally, we finished it off with the semi-final playoff round at Hot Skates on Thursday.

I was going to write up the anticipation for the playoffs at Hot Skates, but decided not to so I wouldn't jinx it. Didn't do any good as we lost 5-3. Expect a season summary soon.



I was pretty amped all week long. Honestly, I would sit on the train during my commute and think about it. Although it's just a beer league, and the lowest rung, it was the first time in two years since I had last made the playoffs. First time ever since playing at Hot Skates. Hell, it was the first time in two years where the team had more than 1 win.

It just wasn't to be, and we lost. We were down 5-0 with about 10 mintues left before we even scored our first goal. Losing stinks, but usually I can shake it off easy and look concentrate on the next game. We actually lost the first two games last week. Whatever, no biggie. Those were just regular season afterall. The game at Hot Skates didn't even matter since we clinched our seed for the playoff rounds.

The tricky part is when it's the last game of the season, and you're on a good team. We legitimately had a chance of going all the way, and even came close to tying it up when we were down by 5. But losing with no more games on the schedule leaves that empty feeling. It's not the end the world obviously. Like I said, just a beer league which I practically use as a glorified gym membership.

Bear in mind that this isn't a team we put together. It was thrown together by the league from free agents. It gives it almost like a pro level feel, because you know not everyone will be back next season. Even Ray and I are skipping next season at Hot Skates since the Central Park league conflicts with the days. That means next time might drop you back to mediocrity real quick. That's the tough part of crashing out of the playoffs. You just never know if you'll make it back.

It's also an impetus to get better. Actually the entire reason I started at Hot Skates was because I wanted to continue playing hockey after the awful season I had last year at Central Park. Of course it wasn't my play which made the team lose, but being better certainly could help us win.

That's another difficult thing with losing. I'm no Wayne Gretzky, and the 1 goal I scored this season was my all-time season high. Oddly enough though, the first game at Central Park a few weeks ago and I score on a breakaway (my career highlight). When that's the case, you know you need to contribute more and be a big game changer. The biggest play I was apart of in the playoff game was drawing a penalty for taking a big check when my head was down carrying (more like juggling) the puck.

Regardless, time for the offseason. That's the best time on working fundamentals I lack. Except Central Park is already in full swing. But as luck has it, I have a 2 week break before the next game. It'll be hell though, because the schedule for the next few weeks just came out, and it's back-to-back games to start it off. I thought last week was tiring, yet Ray and I seem to explore new ways to get exhausted.

The Invisible Man

Frequently in hockey if you don't play well, people say you "disappear" for the game, or become "invisible". This is because you weren't apart of any big or noticable plays. But sometimes there's another meaning, one in which your teammate literally disappears for the season.

You know the type of guy I'm talking about. Everyone signs up for a rec. league and gets put on a thrown together team. Someone shows up to the first 3 or so games, then suddenly stops appearing. It's like the guy in the movie Summer School who asks to go to the bathroom on the first day of class, and isn't seen again until the final exam.

By the time the 7th game rolls around, everyone barely remembers him, and may not even notice he is gone. Only if you're lucky he might show up for the final game of the season, which doesn't really count anyway cause your team invariably tanked due to low turnout.

For a rec. league you might actualy think this is a good thing since you end up getting more ice time. In reality though, it's always better to have more guys on the bench for you. The shorter the shifts you play, the harder you play them, and the better the team typically does.

It's sort of a catch-22 with this as well. The worst the team does, the less people show up. But to have a better chance of winning games, you need people to show up. I've never been on a winning team which didn't have a full roster almost every game, and I've never been on a losing team where at least 2 guys didn't stop showing up.

This past summer was definitely the worst. By the end of the season, we must have played 3 games with only 5 skaters, and at least 4 others with only 1 guy on the bench. Contrast that to this season at Hot Skates where we're in the playoffs. Except for a few occassions where people were out of town, we've almost always had a full roster.

This is why the first few games in a season are vital to a new teams success in a rec. league. A lot of people sign-up cause they think it will be fun and they can score some goals every so often. But if that's doesn't happen, and you start getting beat down, well then don't expect the guy who only recently picked up a stick 2 weeks before the season on a whim to show up anymore. It really sucks.

Don't worry though if you see me on your team. Through thick or thin, I'll be there. Not only cause of my heart in playing, but also the fact that I paid for this league. Seriously, why do people not show up when they paid hundreds of dollars for this?

George Harvey Park

Situated next to the Whitestone Expressway in the northern most part of Queens is the best pick-up roller hockey game in all of the New York metro area. George Harvey park is a medium sized public park with several basketball courts, a playground, two baseball fields, and impressively a full sized hockey rink INCLUDING two goals. People come as far as Long Island and New Jersey to play here on the weekend.

I'm not sure of the exact date, but the rink was built around 2000. The pavement is still smooth and it was previously used for a youth hockey league up until several years ago. These days it's all pick-up hockey though. There's a scoreboard for leagues, viewing stands, and also lights which are occassionally on depending whether or not anyone submits work for a permit that season. The fact that it has two goals is the real kicker for putting this at the top of public rinks.

The most common times to find a pick-up game is on the weekends at around 10 or 11am. It usually runs until about 1:30 to 2pm depending on how many people show up. Regularly there are about 20 people on the weekends, and upwards of 30 if the weather is perfect. I've even gone there in the winter when it was 5 degrees outside (dangerously cold), and in the spring when it was in the high-80's (dangerously exhausting), and there were enough for 5-on-5 games with a guy on the bench. Goalies vary, but expect at least 1 on the weekend. If not, then you'll be shooting on elevated garbage cans, which is actually difficult to score on unless you have precise shooters.

During the week there are some games at night, assuming the lights are on. Otherwise you can regularly find guys going down there to skate by themselves and shoot the puck around. Every so often I head over there with some cones and practice drills. I suggest searching facebook for the George Harvey Park Hockey group to see if anyone plans on heading there for a game.

Important to any rink is the atmosphere and people it brings. Since Harvey is a public park, it runs the gamut of talent and personality. You'll see the usual group of park regulars, as well as new guys who show up. Everyone is welcome, but expect to hear the usual things you do in a hockey rink.

Since this is a public rink, you're not required to wear any pads. Most guys don't wear helmets, some guys don't even wear leg pads, but everyone has gloves. Due to the lack of padding, I have seen people lose a tooth or get cut. Because of this most of the play is finesse, meaning don't attempt to block any shots with your body or bodycheck anyone. That doesn't mean people aren't playing hard though. Quite the contrary, the teams are there to win and the score is important. Expect to be yelled at to end your shift if you mess up.

As great as the place is, all is not right with Harvey though. Near the end of this summer a mysterious hole showed up overnight in the penalty box boards. It's large enough where someone could fall in, and you need to be extra careful by it. Probably due to the large hole, the parks department came by and also removed the duct tape on 2 other sections which have some of the wood paneling stripped. Couple this with the usual dirt and leaves, which are copious in the corners, and the rink overall can be quite dangerous.

I actually was checked into the corner where the wood is stripped about a month ago, and when I came home I found I had a big laceration in my side. The important part is my Iginla jersey didn't get ripped in the process. You do need to be very careful though with the lack of padding and dangerous boards nearby. Even in a game where you're not hitting each other, accidental contact does happen. Sometimes I find myself playing tentatively because of this, but don't worry, eventually someone will yell at you for playing like crap and you'll snap out of those worries real quick!

The parks department is scheduled to fix the rink, but so far no one has heard a timeline. I wouldn't expect anything done until next year at the earliest. Until then, I suggest you wear ample padding, or just do what Ray did, and turn into a goalie. Just kidding, don't do that unless you like spending money like you're addicted to white powder.

Cutting a Stick

Stick length is personal preference depending on the player. Some guys like their sticks excessively long, whereas other perfer the tiniest little twig they can find. The old adage is defenseman want long sticks for reach, and forwards want short sticks to control the puck better. These days the general consensus for stick length is as high as between your nose and your eyes when in shoes, and between your chin and mouth when in skates. But like I said, it's personal preference.

I prefer my stick to be at the top of my eyes when in shoes. I highly suggest you try different lengths of sticks to figure out what you like. It took me about 2 years to really find out the length I like. I have quite the collection of wood sticks, as you might have guessed.

Unless you're a pro player getting customized sticks, or that guy who happens to buy a stick with the perfect length, you're probably going to need to cut down the length of the stick you buy at the store. Even manufacturers make different stick lengths depending on the model. Cutting a stick if very simple though, but there are a few things to consider.


First, here you can see a brand new Easton Stealth S19 stick I bought. I'll post up a review later (it's sweet). It's a composite stick, but cutting a wood one is done using the same process.


Here's a side-by-side look at the new S19 with an existing S3 that I have cut down to size. Notice the S3 is about my eye level as I attempt to stand up straight, just the place I like it.


Now an interesting thing about the S19 is that it lists the flex rating depending on where you cut it. I bought a stick with an 85 flex, specifically because I knew I was going to cut it. When you cut a stick shorter it increases the flex rating, as a short stick is more stiff. You can see that it's going to be just under 85 flex once I match the length of the S3.

If you're not familiar with composite sticks, then you probably have no idea what the hell I'm even talking about in regards to flex. The flex rating is determined by how much force is required to bend the stick. The higher the flex rating, the more force you need since it's stiffer. Pretty simple too, right?


To actually cut it, I head on down to the dungeon, aka the basement. Here's where not everyone will probably be able to cut their own stick. Obviously you need something to cut your stick. I don't have a power saw, and do it really old school with a hand saw. This is an intense process and you need something to hold it down tightly, so I put it into a vice grip and cinch it down. Once that's done, it's time to get to work!


Here's a final photo with the butt end of the stick cut off. Now the stick is all set and at a perfect length! All that's left is to go out and shoot some pucks.

Hockey Double-Header

There are many great journeys through out history. Magellan's trek across the world, Moses crossing the desert, and what happend last week when Ray and I had a double-header in two different rinks.

Now most people are willing to travel at least 30 minutes to get to a rink. Hell, it sometimes feels that long just walking from the subway to the Chealsea Piers rink. But few people are usually up to the challenge of riding for 45 minutes right after a game straight to another game.

It was a lucky combination of things that even allowed this to happen. Think of it like the stars and moon aligning for one special night of hockey...yeah. For some odd reason our roller game at Hot Skates was early last Thursday, with a 7pm drop of the puck. That's the one and only time this season we have a game that early. If you think about it, that's early enough where it's actually difficult to get home on-time and then to the rink with your stuff.

It also just so happened to be the first game of the season for the Central Park ice league at Lasker rink. The drop of the puck for that game was scheduled for 9:30pm. That was perfect! There would be just enough time to make it from the end of one game to another. According to Google Maps it would only take about 40 minutes total.

Of course our first game was a tight match against a team we'll likely see in the playoffs. It ended up going into OT and we were running a bit behind getting out of there. Luckily by this time there was little traffic on the road. Due to the rush hour traffic we ran into on the way to Hot Skates for the first game, it was actually quicker for us to go from Hot Skates to Central Park than it was from Bayside to Hot Skates that night. I cannot emphasize accurately in words how much I hate rush hour.

We made it with more than enough time to Central Park. The only thing I get worried about is parking, but there was a spot right in front. I have to admit, I was a little gassed the second game. But that's a bad excuse, especially since I barely played the second part of our game at Hot Skates earlier. Long story short, we got railroaded on the ice that night, 14-4.

We finished our game around 10:30 and finally got back to Bayside at 11:30. That's about 6 hours total for our hockey marathon. Bear in mind we both had work the next day. The real downside of the trip was going from the high of the OT game we had at Hot Skates, to the first game of the season shellacking we received at Central Park.

On the trip back we went through the usual motions of dissecting our performance. And as bad a taste the second game left in out mouth, we did bring up the fact that the first game was great, and the second game was a new team. In fact, if you don't count the first period from the game at Central Park, then the final score would only have been 6-4.

Overall the entire trip was worth it. First of all we already paid for both leagues, so might as well get our money's worth. I also feel it's important to make it out for the first game of a new team to meet the rest of the guys. Either way, who the hell wouldn't want to play more hockey anyway?

Blocked Shot

BOOM! is what you hear when a shot comes in from the point. OUCH! is the thought you have if it's blocked. Notice the ouch part isn't an actual sound. That's because no self-respecting hockey player would fathom to even admit they're hurt. In fact, expect them to immediately look to gather the puck and skate it back out the zone immediately.

Such is the case with me tonight. I regularly look to block shots. Probably more so when on wing, and covering the point, rather than on defense protecting the crease. That's most likely because when shots come in from the point, they take time to setup and you know they're coming in early enough to block them.

Nonetheless, I ended up with a nice puck mark on my leg tonight. It's stings a bit, but certainly not the worst pain I've had. Althought it's a decent shiner for an indoor roller puck. Certainly nothing like Ray has been getting though.

The only awful part is the shot of course hit me in the one place my girdle doesn't cover. In fact, upon further inspection, why the hell doesn't my girdle cover that portion of my thigh? That's the prime location to get hit by a puck.

Blocked shots are a pretty big part of the game these days. Since hockey has become less clutch-and-grab, one of the few big things you can do on defense is give up your body for a block. Hell, guys even make their whole career off of it. Overall a lot of blocked shots by both teams from the game tonight. We came out with the W, and maybe I didn't score (par for the course), but I'm glad I did my part with at least a blocked shot. It's going to be hell fitting into tight pants though.

Bag Stench

Hockey players stink. Seriously, they do. Think about it, you're wearing all that padding every game and sweating profusely in it. The smell can sometimes be unbearable. The only way I can describe it is like that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry's car smells like BO. Don't be surprised when you walk into a locker room or rink and get a whiff of that.

It's one thing to be that kids team who walks off the rink and smells awful. I mean, what can those kids do? They rely on their parents to know their equipment needs to be cleaned. Of course they're going to smell like a homeless person. The worst though has to be when you're on the rink, and as soon as you skate nearby a grown man, you can smell him coming. You definitely don't want to be that guy.

Now you're just in luck, as over the years I have found some easy to follow tips on keeping bag stink down.

First, after every game when I come home I throw things like my jersey, undershirt, jock, socks, roller pants and any other clothing piece into the hamper for a wash. Those are the things soaking up most of my sweat, and they're going to definitely need a full wash.


Second, I spray down all the equipment with a some anti-bacterial Febreeze. It's important that it's anti-bacterial, as bacteria is what actually causes the smell. That also means smelly equipment can even be dangerous since it's a sign it's full of bacteria, which can cause infection if rubbed against an open cut on your skin.

Third, I keep my bag open with the equipment facing up to air out. You need to let everything dry. Preferably do this in a breezy and dry place. Usually I just keep it on the floor in my room located underneath the ceiling fan. Good enough.

Fourth, do wash you pads occassionally. I try to wash all my pads at least once before each season. It's as simple as putting everything in your bathtub with some woolite overnight to soak, or what I do, throw them into the wash. If this equipment is tough enough to stand up against hitting boards, it probably can take the agitation of a normal wash cycle. One caveat to this though, I haven't washed my gloves since those actually are a bit vulnerable to wear.

And that's it. Four simple tips which should keep you from smelling. Finally you'll be able to invite people to your games, and not be embarrassed about how you smelled, and rather just on how terrible you played. Everyone at the rink will thank you for it.

Relics of Hockey's Past

Few things remain from my childhood as a hockey fan. The sticks I used as a kid were flimsy Franklin wood with plastic blades. They barely lasted a few weeks of use. My inline skates weren't even for hockey, just recreational models my mother likely found at the local Toys 'R Us. I remember still having them in high school, but no longer fitting anyway.

I actually did have two hockey goals, presents for my 11th birthday, hanging up in my family's garage up until around 2006. That was just 2 years shy of rekindling my hockey fandom. I had barely paid any attention to hockey in years, so of course I figured they weren't worth keeping, and agreed to throw them out. They were made of PVC anyway though, perfect for kids playing ball hockey in the street, not so great for a grown man taking slapshots with pucks from 10 feet away.

Other than a Ranger sweater from 90's, and an XL Rangers '94 Champions shirt my dad still has, the only thing which remains is the beauty seen to the right. Yup, surviving many years in my room was a rod hockey set. And this is no ordinary rod hockey table, it's ROLLER ROD HOCKEY! You'll notice the clear marking of roller hockey: a black top surface, EXTREME neon jerseys, and the hard knocks chain fencing.

I believe this survived sheerly because it was under a pile of stuff in my room up until I cleaned it after college. Since then it has held a high place in my personal items, literally...I keep it all the way in the top of the closet. It's brought out fot the special occassions, such as drinking outside, and challenging others to competitions at family events. Although there are better rod hockey tables, like ones with wingers being able to wrap around the net, certainly nothing beats the uniqueness of rod roller hockey. I sense a family heirloom. I'll have to superglue some weak parts first though.

My Sweet Goal Setup

As you'll notice from the current background of this swank new blog, I have a pretty sweet hockey goal setup in the ol' backyard. A less blurry version is shown on the left (click to enlarge). It's a pretty simple setup.

I never really thought about buying a goal before since I could easily go down to the roller park and shoot there, or even just go to a handball court and tape a goal to the wall and shoot on that. Which, by the way, is interesting just to see reactions from the other park goers to me taking loud slappers in a park. You feel like a circus act since everyone is amazed that someone actually plays hockey, or even annoyed that I'm taking up park space. But over the summer I really felt that I had stepped up my game enough to not be a defensive liability, and it was time to finally improve my shot since it was pretty weak and off-balance.

The goal is an E-Z Goal with backstop. I bought this for two primary reasons: the fact that it folds up so I can move it to my garage or car, and it was dirt cheap as far as goals go. Also it's quite a conversation starter when people look out the kitchen window. Even with the backstop, total price came to $150. That is an unbelievable deal, since most metal goals cost well over $200. I bought it from Hockey Shot, but I know there are other places with even cheaper shipping. It's full regulation size, although the metal isn't as thick as a pro level goal. Regardless though, it takes a pretty heavy shot at close distance to even dent this sucker. I've found this to be an excellect buy, and really simple to fold for transport or storage.

The only downside would be putting it together. That took about 6 hours total by myself. I bought this at the end of August, and was therefore outside with the mosquitos since I live by a bay. Whatever though, having it setup was worth being grimey. The diagram was pretty intuitive, perhaps not IKEA-level, but I made sense of it. The only suggestion I would have it connect the top crossbar last. Originally I had mine too tight, and I couldn't get the top shelf connected correctly. Also you'll definitely need a rubber mallet for this. For a full on review, you can go to How To Hockey.

The second item would be the shooting pad. I don't really have a smooth surface in the backyard, and needed something proper to rocket pucks off of. I bought the HockeyShot Extreme Passing Kit since it was pretty damn big and rolled up. The price tag is a bit hefty though, $140 total. A really nice feature is the bungie cord at one end, allowing you to practice passes and, my favorite, one-timers.

There are a few downsides though. It's really friggin' huge, and a chore to tie-up yourself, although still do-able. Additionally you need to let it lie flat for awhile so it flattens itself out (not an issue if you become lazy like me and leave it out all the time). And if you have it on an uneven surface, it can develop bumps where passes will cause the puck to bounce and roll. Bear in mind those are issues you'll find with most any shooting pad, and not specifically this one. Either way, when you have it setup, it makes for a great surface to shoot from.

Both items can be easily stored and moved. With the garage being jam packed with other crap, and it being autumn with grass to move, I have of course decided that reason enough to be lazy and leave out in the backyard. I'm not too worried about someone running off with it. Everything is positioned perfectly and it can't be seen from front, and also it's huge enough that I doubt anyone would be running off with a regulation sized goal. So if you are in the area, feel free to drop by and take a few shots. I like to imagine random passers-by taking shots on it while I'm not there.