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You may spend a lot of time and effort practicing your ice hockey skills and learning better techniques, but goalies and players alike should be aware of how their environment can impact their game as well as their skills. The primary aspect of the environment in ice hockey that can affect your game is the condition of the ice. There are few things better for an ice hockey player than a hard, fresh sheet of solid ice. However, all ice hockey players understand that this type of playing condition is not available in most situations. Ice can be slushy, snowy, chippy and more.
When you have considerable experience with ice hockey, you may notice that you seem to play at a faster rate on some days. You may think that this is all in your head, but the reality is that smooth, hard ice that is flawless is easier for your skates to glide across. In fact, it may be possible for a player to reach his destination, which is usually the goal, a full second or two faster. Timing is everything in hockey, and this means that ice condition can actually affect your speed, and thus your ability to get to the goal and score. For goalies, it can affect how fast you need to react.
At Rick Heniz Goalie School, we spend a great deal of time focusing on scoring and saving techniques, but a player's technique at lining up and firing off a shot is not all that it takes to knock the puck into the back of the net. Ice conditions can have a significant impact on the puck. Just as choppy or snowy ice can affect how your skates glide across the ice, it can have the same affect on the puck as it sails across the ice. In addition, patches of rough ice can cause the puck to fly upward or to alter its course.
Skill and technique are important when playing ice hockey, but you can see that there is much more to the game than the players. Pay attention to how ice affects your game, and you may find that you can readjust your own efforts to accommodate different playing environments.
Want to be ready for any ice condition? Sign up for our Hockey & Goalie Schools .
