Reading Between the Blue Lines: the Neutral Zone

In some domination hockey games I’ve watched there seems to be one common factor. The team that is playing well, seems to control the neutral zone.

For example there are 2 teams, almost identical on paper, even and fair. At the end of the 2nd Team A could be winning 5-0 and have 20 shots on net. Team B only has about 5 shots on net. This may be because of the neutral zone and/or Team A’s defense is really good. Yes there could be other factors for the score line but if a team isn’t breaking through the neutral and not crossing the blue line into the attacking zone, chances won’t be made. If Team A is keeping the other team to the boards, intercepting passes, playing a good defensive game which leaves Team B to either 1) dump it in and chase it, or 2) get some fresh legs out there because that line isn’t doing shit. Hockey is a game of chances, but its a matter of increasing the chance of getting a goal, or increasing the chance of the not letting the puck go in against your team. A team creates their own chances. You will never see a team give the opposition a clear path to the net or a 2-on-1 or 2-on-0. Both teams need to work to get what they want and if they are doing something that isn’t working, have a think about what you can do you work around it. Their style of play may work great against one team, but they might need to shake it up a bit against another to get a better chance or opportunity.

I believe play in the neutral zone is one of the most important elements in the game as break-ins, break-outs, centre ice face-offs and offside face-offs are taken in this zone. This zone can ultimately decide the outcome of a game. If a team don’t win face-offs, they don’t have possession, and if they don’t have possession they can’t score a goal and goals win games.

It’s a team effort

A common question that’s asked to players is, “Did you have a good game?”. But really everyone’s game is different. On a team you would have roles such as scores, playmakers, power fowards, checkers, maybe even a goon player. But when a critique asks if they had a good game or not, it really depends on who they’re asking. It all comes down to what the player wants from his own game and what he wants to achieve. For example, if the media asks a “sniper” if he had a good game or not, look at the score sheet. Snipers are meant to score! and of course they are going to have good and bad nights but scorers want and are being paid to get points on the board. Whereas if you asked a third-line checker and a key PK player if he had a good game, he might  say yes, even though he didn’t get a point in the game or didn’t get into a fight, but he might of killed of a penalty and blocked 5 shots. Yes he did have a good game, but in the eyes of some media, he didn’t score so he didn’t do well.

But why ask someone if they had a good game or not? Does it really matter? The game is already over and of course players make mistakes but we’re all human. Fans and the media often forget that it is a lot harder than it looks. Having a small town/city/state/country expecting the team to win is often pressuring. And if the team is going through a bit of a rough patch, it makes it that little bit harder. Ice hockey is known for its hard hits and the fighting aspect, but people often forget that it is a very emotional sport as well. A team of hockey players is more than just a group of guys or girls. It is more like family. And when the team loses, it can not be blamed on just one player, its everyone. If the goalie had a bit of a rough night and people were blaming him/her for a loss, what about the fowards? Aren’t they meant to be scoring? People just need to remember that its a team game and when a team loses, its also hard if not harder for the players than it is for the fans. Who cares if a certain someone had a bad game and the team lost. You can’t blame a player for a team’s lost.

I could talk about shootouts but that is for another day.

My introduction to hockey

A couple of years ago someone introduced me to a brand new game that I had never heard before. So before I knew it, we were going to watch the Brisbane Blue Tongues play a few games. I had never even heard of ice hockey in Australia, let alone there was a whole league devoted to it. Then after watching one or two games I really liked it, became fascinated by it. The next season the team re-located to the Gold Coast and got some imports from overseas. One even played in the NHL, only for 3 games but still 3 games is 3 games. We attended some home games and got too watch 2 notably goon hockey players. While I was only new to the game, the hits, fights and the chirping that went on was what we came to see. Some fans were disgusted by their behavior and I couldn’t understand why. But after a couple of years watching and understanding the game, I now know there is more to hockey then the big hits, chirping and the fighting. Even though that is still apart of the game, its not THE game.

I have tried to get into sports but I’ve never really stuck with one for a long period of time so at the time I was looking for a sport to play. So after watching a few games I went to a “Come and Try” session at the closest rink. It was taken by some former Blue Tongues members which I had really looked up to. At this session I had never skated before but the coaches were so encouraging I wanted to keep trying.

Something that I learnt pretty quickly was that the hockey community is quite small and it relies on one or two people to do most things as people think that they are better then everyone else, or they want their child in the best leagues even if they aren’t good enough. There was much debate about me playing in a Division 3 adult league because I was 16 and new to the sport, however this league was the lowest league the governing body had and there was no junior league whatsoever. Someone suggested that because I have chosen not to play junior and play senior hockey, I was never allowed to represent my state ever in my hockey career. This was my first year of ice hockey! I wasn’t going to try -out for my state just because I play hockey. I wanted to try-out when I felt I was ready, and ready enough not to make a fool of myself to the other states. I wanted to help my state win. I also noticed that many people that play this sport never watch the NHL, they don’t even know half the teams. They mainly just know the Mighty Ducks because of the movies. So when I would ask someone about the Flyer’s game the other day, I would get “who are the Flyers?”. Even though I knew hardly anyone that knew anything about NHL or any sort of hockey I went score-keeping one night when the Blue Tongues weren’t playing, and I met someone there that is heavily involved with the Blue Tongues, Ice Hockey Queensland, Ice Hockey Australia, AIHL and NHL teams. I had seen her at Blue Tongues games running around trying to organise a lot of things but that was mainly it.  I quickly learnt that this woman knew what she was talking about and even though she is very intimating for her like 5 foot height, I had finally found someone to talk hockey with.

One year on I still talk to this woman and she is part of the reason why I still play hockey. There is an incredible amount of politics involved in this sport in Queensland, and having parents that are heavily involved doesn’t make it any easier as they get the shits over things and I continually go back to hockey and she is the one person that actually listens to me about hockey. I have a lot to learn, but I am slowly getting there. And one day I plan on playing for the Blue Tongues and one day represent my country. But after coming back from a national tournament recently I now know the level I have to be to get to where I want to go.