Ice Hockey

dotty. | 20:27 Sat 13th Oct 2012 | Sport

24 Answers

Been to watch the Blackburn Hawks play against Sutton, it was 2-2, but the level of violence between the players hocked me, I understand that it is a contact sport and there is a certain amount of barging and shoi ving, but I was shocked at how many times the players used their hockey stick as a weapon and one player even deliberately kicked one of the sutton players with his skate, the sutton player was already lying on the ice at the time. All they get is a 2 minute sit down in the box, except the sutton player that stuck a finger up at the crowd, which included small children, and then started a virtual riot and being chased into the players entrance by some of the blackburn supporters. it was so aggressive. grandson and son loved it though!

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EcclesCake

Sounds about right. It is physical and has all the drama of WWF, and a similar amount of acting.

dotty.

Question Author

ahhh, that might make sense actually, the music they play in short bursts wholst they're faffin about is odd. maybe it is acting, if it had been a football match the ref would have had arm strain from raising the red cards and the ice would have been empty. one player was pounding another one with his fist as they both lay on the ice, how is that sport?

Slapshot

It's not playacting I can assure you of that. I played from the age of ten till a couple of years back about 35 years or so (please see nickname)! It is the best team game on the planet, it's addictive and playing is an incredible sensation. The players are generally fitter than in any other sport I've ever attempted.

There is some violence in the sport depending which level you are watching, that sounds like an National League game probably between two grudge teams. They can be violent but the violence is only a small part of the game, it's also a game of huge skill both skating and stick handling skills. Like every sport it has it's thugs but they are in a minority. Games are pretty closely managed by the officials, my son is one of our top refs in Scotland after playing for 18 years...he started at the age of 2.5.

You get a choice though, if you didn't like it you don't have to watch but try and see a game at the elite level in the UK before you damn the game for all eternity, the skill level and pace of the game is exceptional!

EcclesCake

I completely agree with you slapshot, but the 'violent' attacks are largely meaningless because little damage can be delivered due to the amount of protective wear worn. And many players do play to the crowd, most teams have a bad boy who likes to egg the crowd on.

It is a fabulous sport and a great high octane spectator sport but there is an element of performance to it, as there is in most sports.

DTCwordfan

wait to you watch Canadian University Hockey..........not for the faint-hearted.

dotty.

Question Author

i think these are semi-professionals according to my son
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Hawks

but it was violent compared to any sport i have watched, how is it possible that they are allowed to use the hockey stick as an attack weapon? i played hockey for my school and the rules stated we couldn't raise it above shoulder height. also, wouldn't kicking out at a fallen opponent with an ice skate be classed as assault? If they have such skill and talent why do they need to bring the aggression and abuse in? The sutton player that was involved in a confrontation with supporters had put a finger up to the crowd as he skated to the penalty box, as i said, children were watching, he was banned from further match play and i hope he gets fined by whoever control the league. my grandson enjoyed it purely because of the aggression and incidents of brutality, how is that a god thing? I'm not going again, but my grandson and son will be going.

tonyav

dot, Sutton ?, Sutton in Surrey or Sutton colefield ?

EcclesCake

Actually I do remember going to a match in Swindon and our team coach had some windows put out by some Swindon fans. We spent a long time sat outside Swindon Police Station in a very draughty coach.

dotty.

Question Author

i don' know, hang on i'll try to find it
this is them because they had that logo on their shirts
http://www.suttonstin...mation/join-the-sting

dotty.

Question Author

danny wild was the player who made tha busive gesture and then kicked off with the spectators

Slapshot

As I've said i played fro the age of ten and in all my years and over 1000 games I've had three fights two of them were handbags at dawn kind of thing but one was a proper gloves and helmet off job. We class them twofold, respectful or not. If you respect your opponent but the fight is inevitable you do it right. I think 3 fight in 1000 games is pretty good odds.

As a coach I never sent players into fights but always told them to play hard aggressive hockey, you have to because it's how the other team come at you. It's also a passionate game, you put everything into it!

As for the padding, it's only there for one reason to protect players from the puck and on the odd occasion a stray blade.

Think of it this way, you step on the ice for a shift, you are skating at up to 30mph wearing another 30lbs of kit, it's practically impossible not to be aggressive! I suspect you got a bad game tonight, they are not all like that.

I'm just waiting till the day I become a Grandad so that I can teach my grandkids the discipline and skills that the game gives you

gness

Can't speak for UK but loved the game in Canada...even played a little for fun. Strict rules against using the stick as a weapon I seem to remember. Nothing but admiration for the skating and control skills. It was a great family outing there. Would like to think it was here because it's a fantastic sport.

dotty.

Question Author

oh yes gness don't get me wrong, my grandson loved it, but really only because of the aggression, the crowd were booing the opponents by the end and it wasn't m sort of night out with the family, lots of little tots running around enjoying the mascot and the noise and so obviously for all ages.

gness

It doesn't really sound like a typical game Dotty. The play can look more aggressive than it is.....I know because I was playing before I learned to stop other than by skating into an opponent. Rude gestures and nastiness aren't good. Try one more game perhaps? Things may have changed since my daughter's days watching MK though.

tonyav

Oh Lordy, gness on skates lol.

gness

And I kept my blades so very sharp Tony. x