I watched an ice hockey game today

[Winston]

Originally posted by notyoueither

Oh, and Nabokov poke-checked him.

Nabokov

[Fake Boris]

ice hockey lol

[Solly]

Re: I watched an ice hockey game today

Originally posted by LordShiva
I watched an ice hockey game today

What a waste of time

[Flubber]

Re: Re: I watched an ice hockey game today

Originally posted by Doddler


What a waste of time

I iften wondered if it was the incredible speed that dazzles you or the sheer violence of the collisions

[LordShiva]

TBH, the speed and skill were cool - kinda like two sports in one. And the fancy strategy, or what looked like it. But I found that the goals were sort of disconnected from the strategy - they were either potshots from way out, or messy scrambles 50cm from the goal-line.

Also, it seemed as if the players were starved for width, and kept skating into each other on the sides. Kinda scrappy, albeit with cool sound effects. They should consider increasing the width of the court/field/whatever you call it by x1.5.

[Solly]

Re: Re: Re: I watched an ice hockey game today

Originally posted by Flubber


I iften wondered if it was the incredible speed that dazzles you or the sheer violence of the collisions

Violence of collisions? They look worse than they are because the players fall over due to lack of surface friction. If you want to see real hits, watch some rugby league.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by LordShiva
But I found that the goals were sort of disconnected from the strategy - they were either potshots from way out, or messy scrambles 50cm from the goal-line.

The number and quality of these "potshots" and scrambles depends strongly on how well you play the rest of the game. It's about getting it to the right man at the right place in the right half-second for him to take a shot. Puck control and movement are behind virtually every goal. Occasionally you see a really ugly goal, but most of them are direct results of hard work, skill and team play.

Also, it seemed as if the players were starved for width, and kept skating into each other on the sides. Kinda scrappy, albeit with cool sound effects. They should consider increasing the width of the court/field/whatever you call it by x1.5.

Grinding along the boards is a time-honoured tradition. Winning those battles is another key element.

[Pekka]

Well, the reason why the scoring is like it looks is because the defensive strategies of a team are good. It's difficult to break into scoring area, inside the other team's blue line. So it gets more interesting when you know what they're doing, or trying to do, so you know how other teams are countering that, so then it's not all about scoring anymore.

If you want to score, you need to start your offense from your own defensive zone, that's the traditional scoring. These days, the best opportunities are created with quick turnovers, stealing the puck from the other team in their own defensive zone, or during the early time of their offense etc. You might get those 2 on 1s, or even break aways. That's what a good team manages to do. But it's always aggressive style if you're stealing pucks like that, so you have to work hard, pressure the defense in their own zone a lot, skate a lot, but at the same time not give any openings, since they have the puck and they could easily capitalize if you just skate like a chicken without a head.

So think of it like a.. set of parts, functioning together, and you need all parts at all times.

Also, the goalies today are so good, that there's no point of shooting from a bad spot, unless there's going to be your guys going after the puck in front of the goal, getting the rebounds, creating a chaos. That's what you see often, just bunch of people fighting in front of a goal.

Single shots, without mask, the goalies are very good at getting them, so you need to create better opportunities.. the quick turnovers, capitalize on the mistakes of the opponent, capitalize your power plays, and create mask in front of the goal, so the goalie can't see.. one-timers (straight shot from a pass), make the goalie move.

It gets down to science man.. you have to play every 1 on 1 very tight, you have to win those pucks. You have to be able to hang on and create momentum. All lines must be working. Every single time it starts from puck being dropped by the ref, so you need to win that puck. You need to win the situation, what ever it is. One of the MOST difficult things especially today in modern hockey is to create those good scoring opportunities. So usually a player who is able to create those opportunities with his wits, skills and intelligence is even more valuable than the one who scores from those opportuntieis created. Think Gretzky, he was a mastermind, created opportunities for others.

Good playmakers, like today, #1 in points, Crosby. He makes a lot of good quality passes, creates those scoring opportunities, it is valued because it is very difficult and people who can do it night after night.. well, they are superstars.

And sometimes you just need to beat the crap out of your opponent in a boxing match too.

[Flubber]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I watched an ice hockey game today

Originally posted by Doddler


Violence of collisions? They look worse than they are because the players fall over due to lack of surface friction. If you want to see real hits, watch some rugby league.

I actually quite enjoy rugby and admire the players for the pace of the game and playing such a rough sport with no equipment

But hockey players collide at much higher speed and land on much harder surfaces-- For sheer force of collisions there is nothing that compares unless you get into machines (auto racing, smash-up derby etc)

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by LordShiva
TBH, the speed and skill were cool - kinda like two sports in one. And the fancy strategy, or what looked like it. But I found that the goals were sort of disconnected from the strategy - they were either potshots from way out, or messy scrambles 50cm from the goal-line.

Also, it seemed as if the players were starved for width, and kept skating into each other on the sides. Kinda scrappy, albeit with cool sound effects. They should consider increasing the width of the court/field/whatever you call it by x1.5.

Try to tune into games involving Canada, Russia, the Czechs, the Swedes, Finland, and the USA (playing each other) during an international competiton. It might be more to your liking with larger ice surfaces and concentrations of high skills players.

[notyoueither]

Or tune into NHL games involving Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, Nashville and maybe Anaheim or Atlanta (Washington and Tampa Bay sometimes). These are teams that can really turn on the offensive jets. Calgary lately and Los Angeles can also be nice to watch.

It doesn't happen every game, but more often than not they are good examples of good offence.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by LordShiva
TBH, the speed and skill were cool - kinda like two sports in one. And the fancy strategy, or what looked like it. But I found that the goals were sort of disconnected from the strategy - they were either potshots from way out, or messy scrambles 50cm from the goal-line.

Also, it seemed as if the players were starved for width, and kept skating into each other on the sides. Kinda scrappy, albeit with cool sound effects. They should consider increasing the width of the court/field/whatever you call it by x1.5.

European rinks are wider, but the defence will still move in to cut off the other player, which, in a good game results in lots of bone-crunching hits.

[ZEE]

Originally posted by Tingkai
bone-crunching hits.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Calgary lately and Los Angeles can also be nice to watch.

I hear that Toronto is a much better team than Calgary, though.

[Asher]

Such ridiculous statements are too obvious a troll.