Hawks Mag Issue 8 22/23

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THE FASTEST SPORT IN THE WORLD...

ICE HOCKEY, predictively, is played on an ice surface known as the Rink. This Rink is divided into three sections which are separated by blue lines; a middle section usually referred to as the ‘neutral zone’; And then a section called the ‘defensive zone’, which is, for each team, the section closest to their own goal; the other end section, at the opposite side of the rink, is referred to as the ‘offensive zone’ which is, in turn, the section of the ice which is furthest from each teams own goal. A horizontal red line runs through the centre of the Rink, parallel to the blue lines separating the zones and equidistant to each of their own goals. In front of each goal there is a red line known as the goal line.

THE AIM OF THE GAME

Simply put, the aim of the game is to put the puck into the opposing teams goal; players work together to negotiate the obstacles presented by the opposing teams Forwards, Defencemen and finally the Netminder.

If the puck has been propelled into the goal by a players foot or anything other than his or her hockey stick the goal will be disallowed. The team which has scored the most goals by the end wins unless it is a tie.

THE PLAYERS

Each team is comprised of approximately 20 players, although only six players maximum will represent each team on the ice at any given time. Players will swap on and off the ice during the course of a game. The fastpaced nature of ice hockey makes it is usual practice for the substitutions to occur frequently; sometimes as often as every couple of minutes.

Each team has three Forwards whose primary role is to attack the opposing team goal and two Defenders who generally focus on defending their teams goal from the other team and then the Netminder who is the final line of defence for each team. They stand between the goalposts wearing plenty of padding attempting to stop the puck from crossing the goal line.

MATCH PROCEDURE

A Match begins when a player from each team goes to the centre of the ice to take part in what is known as the ‘face-off’ the players stand facing each other in the centre of the rink and the referee drops the puck onto the ice between the players. A game typically lasts one hour which is divided into three 20 minute periods.

IMPORTANT RULES

The Offside Rule - a player is not permitted to enter the opposing teams defensive zone before the puck has passed over the blue line separating the sectors, this rule is designed to ensure that players do not wait in the offensive zone waiting for an easy opportunity to score a goal.

If a player is judged by the referee or a linesman to be offside a face-off is held at the site of the violation. Icing refers to a situation in which a defending player propels the puck towards the opposition goal from behind the red centreline. The situation is settled by a face-off in the opposing team's defensive zone.

PENALTIES

All minor penalties in ice hockey are punished in the same way; players are ordered into the penalty box for a fixed period of time. For the period of time defending player is condemned to the penalty box, the team must continue playing without him or her. It is possible for more than one player from the same team to be punished for penalties but a minimum of three players from each team must remain on the ice and defend the goal.

There are four principal punishments the referee can place upon players:

• Minor penalty - punishable by a two minute stay in the penalty box.

• Misconduct penalty - violent, aggressive or otherwise inappropriate or unsportsmanlike behaviour is usually punished by a 10 minute stay in the penalty box.

• Match penalty - in exceptional circumstances, a player may be banned from participating in the rest of the game. A player punished with a match penalty does not sit in the penalty box but is ordered to leave the ice altogether.

Minor penalties are called for obstructing an opponent, the infractions include;

• Tripping – with a stick or knee

• Holding – with a stick or hands

• Hooking - with a stick

• Interference - checking or impeding a player without the puck.

Penalties can be called for dangerous use of the stick including; Slashing, Spearing, High Sticking i.e hitting an opponent in the head or face, CrossChecking i.e hitting an opponent with the shaft of the stick.

Penalties are also called for dangerous physical fouls including Elbowing, Checking from Behind, Kneeing, Roughing which is broadly defined and usually involves a wrestling or a physical altercation.

POWER-PLAY

When a team is penalised and depending on the severity of the penalty the opposing team is rewarded a power-play; meaning the other team will be shorthanded for a distinct amount of time refer to balances. If the team on the power player gets a goal the power player is now over if the shorthanded team scores was killing trying to kill the power-play the power-play remains live.

PENALTY SHOT

A Penalty Shot is awarded to the offensive player if he or she is skating towards the attacking goal and that player is obstructed by the opposition defender enough so that they do not manage to shoot on goal. Obstructions such as Hooking, Slashing, Tripping and Holding also if the Netminder throws his or her stick at the puck or the players to prevent a goal, the player will be awarded a penalty shot. On a penalty shot the shooter starts from centre ice and is only allowed one shot even if there is a rebound.

BLACKBURN HAWKS - FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS10

HUDDLE COACHES HUDDLE

HEAD COACH - DOMINIC OSMAN

October 2nd vs. Solway

IThis game I was away for back in the States visiting family so have to thank Ollie and Steve for taking over. I watched the full game and it was evident that we needed more work defensively if we wanted to stay with the top teams in the league. I feel we got a bit overwhelmed with the speed and how clinical the champions of the league can be. They have a great hockey team and our effort we put in does not reflect the score line. I felt we battled hard and skated with them at times but shut down a few times mentally and we cannot do that against a team like that as it’s clear they can make you pay. They have beaten most of the teams in the league bar one by that score line so far this season. I thought both of our goaltenders that played that game were great and continued to improve seeing shots from some very very good players. The goal was to use this as a learning experience, put it into practice for when we saw them at the end of the month to see how far we have come. All and all not happy with the result and neither were the guys but the effort was there.

October 16th Away to Sollihull

Going into Sollihull I thought we might have had the best first period we played all season. We really took it to them in their own building and had a good score line going into the 2nd. The game unfortunately took a bit of a turn as we only had two refs and the game got away a little which is completely understandable. We ran into a bit of penalty trouble and a few cheap shots on us that I feel needed to be dealt with. Devids stepped up to the plate and had a great fight that I feel could have turned the tide but we ended up shorthanded out of it which we have no idea how happened. This is where the growing pains of a young team with a young coaching staff came to light. Sollihull are a good team and when you give the opportunity they can capitalize and hurt you. We got a bit down in the 2nd after a couple goals scored.

We got away from our positivity and started to lose it a bit mentally on the bench starting with myself being emotional about calls not going our way even though the refs did the best they could in a two-man system. It was a learning experience for all of us. We regrouped in the room going into the 3rd and set out to change our mentality. We came out and played much better and focused a little more mentally and ended up getting our calls but were not able to take advantage on the scoreboard. We hit posts and missed chances that I feel if would have capitalized on would have turned us around. We lost a bit of belief in each other and ourselves and was ultimately the straw that broke our back that game. We gave sollihull that game by not being strong enough mentally and getting away from what we have to do to be successful in the second period. The positives to take away are that it was Broadie Kay’s first game with us and he played very well and immediately knew we were going to be stronger when he is available to play for us from the Kestrals. Another is if you don’t learn you can’t get better and we had plenty to learn from about becoming more of a team and less of individuals with the wrong attitudes. The last thing is the effort.

I don’t think any of us were happy with the result and we had a good chance the following weekend to bring it back with two games.

WE LEARNED THAT EVEN THOUGH THINGS DONT GO OUR WAY SOMETIMES EFFORT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE THE ISSUE WITH OUR BOYS AS WE STILL BATTLED.

Ocotber 22nd Billingham

Going into Billingham we knew it was going to be a challenge. They are an experienced faster team that plays unbelievably well in their own building. We really worked on a few things going into the weekend systematically in the defensive zone. We also had a bit of a gut check on how our attitude towards everything needed to be the weekend before. Starting with myself and the coaching staff we decided to leave things alone that were out of our control. I know deep down we have to not waste energy on things you cannot control and it was up to us as a coaching staff to lead this. We decided we needed more video and more practice on specifics and as soon as that was introduced I am so happy with what I saw. The boys had an unreal training session on Thursday we slowed it down and it carried into the weekend. Now to add to the effort we started to really come together as a team and push each other the right way and positively. We saw a lot less individualistic attitudes. Anything that Billingham got they earned, as I don’t feel we gave them anything. I thought we took it to them all night long and gave ourselves a chance to win from Alex on out. We were really unlucky to have come away with no points out of that game but the best thing about the game is everyone stayed up and positive ready for the next night. Now this is where I feel we have hit a checkpoint and a bit of a turning point as a team. It showed in the room the guys are devastated not to get anything out of it, as they wanted to win so badly and as a coach it devastates you when they are giving so much. They may not see it but us as a coaching staff saw how close we were in every aspect. We just needed to filter the belief in them for the next night starting with the Leaders.

October 23rd, Vs Deeside

This is a game that I’m sure a lot of people were looking forward too. We had a lot of players on their side that had played with us the year before. Having said that we played the night before I don’t feel it showed. We had no stop and no quit and all belief. The boys knew that if we stuck to what we have been working on and came together we would pull the win out at home. The fans were amazing all night long and I think gave us that energy to play the second game of the weekend. We had guys leading from the front and guys pushing from the back it was really great to see it was an easy game to coach. I think we started to see a bit of our identity come forth that we have been trying to find. These things take time especially when your only able to train once a week on our league with a younger team. Our import Devids missing the night before with a fever wanted to play and battled so hard until myself and Beth our trainer had to take him out, as he would have kept going but just had nothing in the tank and I think the boys rallied for him. My stand out player that game was Jake Lutwhyche as every time he hit the ice he made it terrible for Deeside then scored a massive goal to lift us and gave us that edge in the third. Having said that I will say that our Leaders turned the tide that night and the boys did such a great job to follow. They played a simple game and so well defensively. We competed again all night long and just don’t think that Deeside could stay with us. With Keddie making the timely saves we were able to hit the gas in the 3rd period and really took it to them. We were all on the same page systematically and mentally. This is where I feel the boys started believing if we play better defensively and stronger on the little things we will get our chances and have the puck more which will help us turn teams over. Needless to say was our best game of the season by a long shot as a team.

October 29th Away to Sloway

I cannot describe how happy I was with this game. Missing a few key players every guy on the ice stepped up and bought in. I feel our identity had showed its face for one of the most challenging games we were going to have this season. We set the goal of going into Solway to play a simple, ugly, nasty away game and try to cause issues for them. I think at first we were a little overwhelmed with the speed they came at us with but we were not hesitant and brought our game up to their level and went right back at them. I thought we played very well defensively and gave up the shots from the outside, which is what we set out to to do more of. Ben was equal to the challenge when he was tested as we gave up much less grade “A” chances than we have in the past games. I believe if our guys can see the puck they are going to stop it. We started to really believe that the little things were working for us. We worked on specifics to the rink that we were playing in, as it’s awkward when the neutral zone is nearly non-existent. I never seen anything like it to be honest and then add in the National and League champs who play so well in their building, it was a task that the boys handled so well. They stayed positive and stuck together. We outplayed them at times and they outplayed us and was a just a great game of hockey to watch. It just goes to show what we have to learn throughout the season. We were going into the 3rd period against I would say the best team in the league up 2-1. We will find ourselves in this position more often if we keep doing what we have been and will learn how to close out the final frame. That’s when you’ll see Blackburn start to climb the table. We knew it was going to be a hard game to close out. We continued to take it to them at times and felt unlucky we didn’t take advantage of a couple opportunities we had which could have put us up 3-4 to 1. Credit has to go to Solway as they are a team who know how

to pull out wins from behind but they had to battle for it. I don’t feel we gave them too much but the chances they did get were definably the grade “A” like we were talking about. They got into the areas with a couple of players that have the opportunity to change the game all by themselves and it turned it for them. The only thing we need to do at this point after this game is keep our heads held high for the constant effort and how well we played. Again being as short as we had been with a few key players out I have to give credit to all the guys who contributed to an incredible performance against the League Champs. Its all a learning curve for us but there is light at the moment that we have seen and the guys are starting to see it as well. Slow start to the month but massive steps were taken and we have a big month coming in November where we should be able to take points but only if we play like we started to in the middle of the month of October.

OSMAN’

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