Apr
12
2010
Veteran Training Loves Hazel:
Tags: Hockey
Mar
24
2010
Congratulations for the EHF 98 AAA Championship Hockey Team!
Great job to Jack, Trevor and Chris for winning the EHF AAA Championship for the 2nd year in a row!
The 53-8-3 NECDL Classics 98 AAA team capped off their tremendous season with an exciting 3-1 win over the tough Boston Jr. Rangers.
Proof that teamwork pays off!
Feb
21
2010
Pro Hockey & the Olympics:
Although it’s called the National Hockey League, a more fitting title for the NHL would be the International Hockey League. Did you know that only one in five NHL players hails from the United States? More than half of the league’s roster call Canada home; the remaining 25 percent come from 18 countries around the world–primarily cold-weather European nations such as the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Finland.
While the NHL icemen collaborate across international lines to represent major U.S. and Canadian cities each season, many of them take up sticks for their home nations once every four years. Traditionally, the NHL suspends seasonal play to allow athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics. Visit the NHL site for complete coverage of the 2010 Vancouver games, including national team rosters, and daily news
Tags: Hockey, NHL Hockey, Olympic Hockey
Feb
21
2010
Winter Ice Hockey: Explained
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Player Equipment
The Backhand
Some Fouls
The Rink
The Mens Tournament
The Light Signals
The Slap Shot
The Sin Bin
The Players
New System
Contacts
The Match
In Case of a Draw
Face Off
New Rule: Points System
The Goal
The Endline
Womens Tournament
The Puck
The Sticks
Technique
Play After Red Circles
Goaltender
Wrist Shot
Off-Sides
A Few Rules
Feb
21
2010
What is Olympic Ice Hockey?
The Competition
- Objective
- Teams field six players at a time on an ice rink 60m x 30m from a squad of 23 (men) or 20 (women) and try to put the puck in the opposing goal as many times as possible. The game is played over sixty-minutes, divided up into three 20-minute periods. Overtime may be played in case of a stalemate.
- Two tournaments
- 1 for men and 1 for women
- Venue
- Canada Hockey Place, UBC Thunderbird Arena
- Competition dates
- February 13 to February 28
The Tournament
- Men
- The teams will compete in a 30-game schedule, including 18 preliminary-round games, four qualification playoff games, four quarterfinal games, two semifinal games, bronze-medal game and gold-medal game. The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four, and each team will play the other three teams in its group in the preliminary round. After the preliminary round, the 12 teams will be ranked and the top four will advance to the quarterfinals. The bottom eight teams will each play one qualification playoff game, with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals.Preliminary-round pool groups (number rankings based on IIHF world rankings after 2008 World Championships or other qualifying tournaments):
• Group A: 1. Canada; 6. United States; 7. Switzerland; 12. Norway.
• Group B: 2. Russia; 5. Czech Republic; 8. Slovakia; 11. Latvia.
• Group C: 3. Sweden; 4. Finland; 9. Belarus; 10. Germany.Overtime rules: If a game is tied at the end of regulation, a 4-on-4, sudden-death overtime period will be played (five-minute OT in preliminary round, 10-minute OT in playoff round and 20-minute OT in gold-medal game). If the game is not decided in overtime, it will go to a shootout.In the preliminary round, the IIHF three-point rule will be followed:
• 3 points for the winning team at the conclusion of regulation time.
• 1 point for both teams at the conclusion of regulation time if the game is tied,
• An additional point earned for the team winning the game in a 5-minute overtime period, or the game-winning shots procedure if the teams are still tied following conclusion of overtime.
• 0 points for the team losing the game in regulation time.How the rankings will be determined after the preliminary round (1D – 12D):
• Higher position in the group.
• Higher number of points.
• Better goal differential.
• Higher number of goals scored.
• Better 2009 IIHF world ranking.The top four teams will receive a bye for the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, in the qualification round, the four winning teams will advance to the quarters. The losing teams will be ranked 9-12. Here is the format for the qualification games:
• 5D vs. 12D (Winner becomes E1)
• 6D vs. 11D (Winner becomes E2)
• 7D vs. 10D (Winner becomes E3)
• 8D vs. 9D (Winner becomes E4)Here is the format for the quarterfinals:
• 1D vs. E4 (Winner becomes F1)
• 2D vs. E3 (Winner becomes F2)
• 3D vs. E2 (Winner becomes F3)
• 4D vs. E1 (Winner becomes F4)If three or more teams are tied on points, the IIHF tie-breaking formula will be applied. This process will continue until only two teams remain tied. The game between the two remaining tied teams would be the determining tiebreaker.
- Women
- The eight teams that qualified for the tournament have been divided into two groups:
• Group A: Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia.
• Group B: United States, Finland, Russia, China.Each team will play the other three teams in its group in the preliminary round. In the preliminary round, the IIHF three-point rule will be followed:
• 3 points for the winning team at the conclusion of regulation time.
• 1 point for both teams at the conclusion of regulation time if the game is tied,
• An additional point earned for the team winning the game in a 5-minute overtime period, or the game-winning shots procedure if the teams are still tied following conclusion of overtime.
• 0 points for the team losing the game in regulation time.Overtime rules: If a game is tied at the end of regulation, a 4-on-4, sudden-death overtime period will be played (five-minute OT in preliminary round, 10-minute OT in playoff round and 20-minute OT in gold-medal game). If the game is not decided in overtime, it will go to a shootout.The top two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals. The bottom two teams face off in a playoff round, competing for 5th-8th place. The winners of the two semifinal games play for the gold medal; the losers play for the bronze.If three or more teams are tied on points, the IIHF tie-breaking formula will be applied. This process will continue until only two teams remain tied. The game between the two remaining tied teams would be the determining tiebreaker.
Important Dates
- 1500s : A form of hockey is played on frozen fields in England.
- 1800s : Hockey is played for the first time in Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 1893 : Montreal AAA win a cup awarded by Lord Stanley: the Stanley Cup.
- 1903 : The first professionals take part in the Pro Hockey league created in Michigan.
- 1908 : International Ice Hockey League (LIHG) is founded in Paris
- 1917 : The National Hockey League (NHL) is founded in North America.
- 1920 : Ice Hockey competition held at Summer Games in Antwerp before becoming a winter event at the 1924 Games in Chamonix.
- 1930 : First world championships.
- 1954 : The LIHG becomes the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
- 1998 : Women’s tournament features at the Olympics for the first time in Nagano and is won by the United States.
Tags: Hockey, Ice Hockey
Feb
21
2010
Olympic Winter Ice Hockey: Training
Training
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Most high-performance ice hockey players (men’s and women’s) train and compete for separate club teams. National teams are then formed through a series of selection camps.
In contrast to men’s professional hockey, women’s teams generally have fewer games to play during the competitive season, giving women more time to practice individual skills and the ability to train during the season. In the weight room, strength and conditioning consists of basic endurance exercises, upper and lower body strength work and explosive power exercises such as single leg squats, power cleans and jumping exercises. Often teams will incorporate agility work with flexibility exercises into their warm up.
Given their professional playing schedule, the balance of men’s training is spent on the ice during game time. Rest and recovery is also vital as men’s teams may not be able to train as much during the competitive season.
Components
As hockey is a full body sport, players need strong legs, hips and abdominal core. The whole body must be trained and maintained during a long season as they need the strength to be able to skate in a low position, and powerful speed and agility when chasing a puck.
High performance athletes will often work with certified athletic trainers to develop a training program specific to their needs. As every hockey player requires a high level of fitness, they will continually work on the general strength and conditioning components, but will focus on the specific areas that will enhance their own personal natural strengths as well as key areas of weakness. Some of these key components are overall strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility, agility, and hand/eye coordination.
- Forward players need a high aerobic endurance and the ability to recover quickly. They also need balance, core and leg strength. Women specifically like to maintain upper body strength in dry land training.
- Defensive players spend a great deal of their time skating, especially when the opposing team is in their end. The ability to stay strong throughout the game is key.
- Goalies put in as much time training and increasing their physical fitness as the rest of the team. Many national teams also hold goalie-only camps to work on individual skills and drills geared towards taking more shots. As goalies require mental and physical strength to outlast the other players, they rely on the long hours of training to see them through.
Sports psychologists can work with individual players to improve personal performances. One of the challenges faced by Olympic ice hockey players is the ability to come together quickly and form a team. It takes great leaders and coaches to build a team that plays and communicates effectively.
Veteran Training provides the Best Coaching & Athletic Training Services in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts
Feb
21
2010
Olympic Winter Event: Hockey Sports Glossary
Sport Terms
Assist
The last two players to handle the puck prior to the scoring of that team’s goal are credited for assisting the goal scorer.
Blue-line(s)
Two foot-wide lines marking the separation of the zones of play. The area from a blue line to the boards behind the goal is the “defensive end” for the team defending that goal, and the “offensive zone” for the team trying to score on that goal. The blue line is used to determine offside calls.
Boards
Hard plastic walls and glass that surround the rink to keep the puck and players contained.
Boarding
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player has been bodychecked with excessive force into the boards by an opposing player. This can result in a two-, four- or five- minute penalty, depending on the severity of the infraction.
Bodycheck
A tactic used by a player to physically remove an opponent from the puck or the play. A bodycheck is legal only if the player being checked has the puck or was the last person to touch it. The bodychecker may only use the hips or shoulder, and must make the hit above the opponent’s knees and below the neck.
Breakaway
A one-on-one scoring opportunity between one player with the puck and the opposing team’s goalkeeper.Butterfly Position
Used to cover a large area of the crease along the ice, the goalkeeper performs this position by dropping to his/her knees and pointing his/her toes outward to create a V-shape with the goal pads.
Centre
The player responsible for leading the line’s offence and taking faceoffs.
Charging
A penalty called by the referee when a player skates more than two strides in order to intentionally bodycheck another player.
Changing on the Fly
Substitution of players without a stoppage in play.
Clearing the Puck
To get the puck out of one’s own defensive zone.
Crease
The 6-foot semi-circle area directly in front of the goal. The goalie must be allowed to make plays and saves in this area without another player interfering.
Cross-Checking
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player hits an opponent with the shaft of the hockey stick with arms extended.
Defensemen
The two players on a team whose primary job is to protect their own net from being scored on. Also know as the defensive line or defensive pair.
Elbowing
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player checks an opponent using his/her arms or elbows instead of body.
Faceoff
At the beginning of each period and after any stoppage of play, the game resumes when the puck is dropped between two opposing players at one of the five faceoff circles or four blue-line spots on the ice, while the rest of the players position themselves around the faceoff pair.
Forechecking
An attempt to regain possession of the puck, forechecking involves aggressively checking the opponent when they have control of the puck in the neutral or defensive zone.
Forward
This player leads the offense, tries to capture the offensive zone and score, or passes off to an open winger or centre.
Hat Trick
Three goals scored by one player in a single game. A natural hat trick is scoring three goals consecutively without any other players scoring to in between.
High Sticking
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player uses their stick on and strikes an opponent above the waist with their stick.
Holding
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player uses their hands to grab an opposing player or his/her stick.
Hooking
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player uses the blade or shaft of their stick to impede an opponent’s progress.
Icing
The act of intentionally sending the puck to the far end of the ice. The puck must be sent from the defensive end of centre ice and cross the goal line before a player on the opposing team has a reasonable chance to gain possession.
Ice Resurfacing Machine
A machine that cleans and smoothes the ice surface before and after the game, as well as in between periods.Interference
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player impedes an opposing player who does not have the puck.
Neutral Zone
The area of the ice surface between the two blue-lines.
Offside
Attacking players cannot legally enter the offensive zone ahead of the puck. If they do, the play is considered offside. The position of the player’s skates determines the offside. If the play is whistled down, a faceoff occurs at the place where the infraction occurred.
One-Timer
Occurs when a player meets a teammate’s pass with an immediate slapshot, without any attempt to control the puck on his stick.
Penalty
Penalties are punishment for rule infractions.
Penalty Box
An area where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty.
Penalty Killer
A player who minimizes the chances of the opposition scoring while on a power play. See power play
Penalty Shot
A shot of the puck awarded to a team when deprived of a clear scoring opportunity because of a foul committed by an opposing player. The penalty shot is one-on-one, goalie against shooter.
Periods
The three 20-minute segments that make up a hockey game. Periods are separated by two 15-minute intermissions.
Poke Check
A check in which a defender uses the blade of the hockey stick to push the puck away from the stick of an opponent.
Power Play
When one team is allowed to have more players on the ice than the opposition because of a penalty called against the opposing team.
Puck
A round piece of vulcanized rubber — three inches in diameter and one inch in height — used to play hockey. Pucks are frozen to reduce the bounce of the rubber.
Pulling the Goalie
In a last-ditch attempt to score (usually near the end of a game), a team trailing by one or two goals may take its goalkeeper off the ice and replace him/her with an extra skater.
Red line
The center line that divides the ice rink in half.
Short-Handed
When a team is at a manpower disadvantage due to players serving penalties.
Slapshot
Travelling at speeds of more than 160 kilometres per hour, this is the fastest of all hockey shots. A player draw back his stick above the waist before slapping the puck with a hard, fast, slicing shot.
Slashing
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player swings their stick in an attempt to hit an opponent. It is not necessary for contact to be made — the act of the slashing motion itself is a penalty.Spearing
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player jabs an opponent with the tip of the stick blade.Tripping
An infraction or penalty called by the referee when a player uses an arm, foot, leg or stick to knock down an opposing player.
Winger
A forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is along the outer playing area of the ice.
Wrist Shot
A highly accurate shot taken on goal that involves a quick flicking or snapping motion of the wrist in the direction the player wishes the shot to go.
Feb
21
2010
Olympic Winter Game: Hockey
About the Sport
The word hockey comes from the old French word “hocquet,” meaning “stick.” The British most likely brought the idea of using a stick to propel a snowball along the ice of a pond or lake to North America in the 1600 or 1700s. In 1879, college students at McGill University in Montreal organized competitions and developed the first known set of hockey rules.
While men’s ice hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1920 Summer Olympic Games in Antwerp, it was moved to the Winter Games since the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix. Women’s ice hockey debuted at the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
How It Works
During the Olympic Winter Games, eight women’s teams and 12 men’s teams compete in round-robin tournaments. Top seeded teams from round robin play advance to the playoff rounds.
A team must not have more than six players on the ice while play is in progress. The object is for one team to get the puck (a hard black rubber disc) past the other team’s goaltender and into the net, similar to soccer.
A regular game consists of three 20-minute periods, with a 15-minute intermission after the first and second periods. If a tie occurs in a game in which a winner must be determined, a sudden-victory overtime period is played. During the gold medal game, a 20-minute, sudden-victory period is played. In the event of a tie after a sudden-victory period, a game-winning shoot-out determines the winner.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games ice hockey tournaments are played on a North American ice surface which is four metres narrower than international rinks.
Competition EventsMen’s Tournament |
