The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
This happened a few years ago but I just want to know what you guys would have done.
I don't recall the score of the game, but I'm pretty sure it was close. Anyways our best player (call him Blue) ends up drilling their best player (call him Red 1) into the boards, right by our bench. As the kid on my team is skating up now with the puck (in the middle of our bench area now), a kid (Red 2) on the other team checks him, puck ends up getting knocked away. At this point, Red comes and starts throwing punches at Blue from behind. Then Red 2 instantly jumps in and and third kid (Red 3) comes in and and tackles Blue. So it's pretty much a 3 on 1, with everyone on the ice. The players from my team were down the other end, and for some reason, just gliding back casually, and I wasn't going to let them do that to him. So I'm on the bench, I grab one of their kids by his facemask, and hit him 3 times with my right hand (gloves on), the kid falls down. By this time, the solo referee is able to come over and pull Red 1 and Red 3 off of Blue.
I got suspended from the league for this, the reason being "fighting isn't allowed", even though Red 1, Red 2, and Red 3 all were allowed to play again, with Red 1 being the only one getting a couple game suspension. Did I do the right thing in your opinion? Would you have done the same?
It's hard to judge what I would have done without all of the other info, like what level of play this is, they physical qualities of Blue, so on and so forth. You did what you thought was right, and from your description I would certainly be on your side in the argument, but it's your job to explain it to the league officials.
I have a hard time believing "fighting not allowed" as a reason for your suspension. It had everything to do with you being on the bench.
I don't know what jurisdiction you are playing under, but as a referee (Hockey Canada rulebook), I would have given you a Bench Minor and 2 Game Misconducts, plus a Roughing penalty for the punches you threw and a Match for the grabbing of the facemask to gain an advantage over your opponent (that seems like a lot, but that's the rule in Canada for what you did, and the Match penalty would get you minimum 3 games up here). The 2nd and 3rd opposing players to get in on your teammate would get Fighting Majors and Game Misconducts, with the 2nd player getting an extra Game Misconduct for being the 3rd man in. After that, it's up to the league to issue supplementary discipline.
As a coach, I would be upset with you as well. It's not up to anybody on the bench to get involved with a situation on the ice. The guaranteed supplementary discipline isn't worth the risk.
Did I do the right thing in your opinion? Would you have done the same?
Great, Ah No! You got suspended for third man in. Yes it was 3 on 1. But you need to have the discipline and stay out of it. When you got this suspention from the league, how were you able to help your team then? By watching them from the stands? How did you feel when you were watching and not playing?
Did it put a nice warm fuzzy feeling in your gut, watching your team mates play and you sitting the stands? My guess is that it ate you up and you were pi**ed you weren't playing.
Remember, the way you get back at a team is by filling their net with puck. That's how you get back. Not by grabbing the guy and punching his lights out. If you do that, will that win the game for you? Do you get a point each time you land one? Nope! It would even count on the score board.
The only thing it will do is place you in the box or out of the game and the other team will take advantage of this mistake you made.
Discipline! You can't help your team in the box or...."out side looking in"!
The extra man in always becomes the scapegoat... I can understand why you'd want to protect your teammate, but it's not worth it unless it's high level hockey. I myself had to learn how to control my temper the hard way.
This is just me. If I was on the ice game on but since you were on the bench I have no respect for that at all. Earlier this season we had a guy just destroy our goalie and a big scrum and two fights started. Im am the instigator/goal scoring type but I was on the bench and our teams big guy ( i mean big 6'7 280lbs) was on the bench also well he went to jump the boards and get involved and I basicall tackled him and would let him up. Leaving or fighting on the bench isnt allowed and its an unwritten rule man.
Head coach is right fill the net with pucks thats the best way to get back. I will not let another player take shots at me or my other teammates but the line cant be crossed.
with one ref hes awfully lucky that the other team didnt clear the bench and it would of been way out of control. the best thing you could of done was score on the next shift or level someone and take a 2 min penalty. but thats just me. I get lots of pims.
It's just hard to sit there, 1 foot away from everything and pretty much watch your team (he probably had AT LEAST a third of the goals) get triple teamed. And to tell you the truth I think me not playing was not as harmful to the team as him not playing from an injury.
What league do you play in? Everyone posts their tales of woe in this forum asking for advice yet don't tell us if they're playing youth, in house, juniors, or beer league. It matters.
But still the punishment fits the crime. You can't expect to punch people from the bench and not get suspended. However the situation could have resulted in an a pile-up or an injury to your team mate.
about four years ago( in men's league "a" division) some clown swung his stick at our bench(one of our guys was relentlessly yapping at him). and i gave him the beating of his hockey life right there and then. he was a bloody mess. i got suspended one game, he got three.
to anwers your question... i would have definitly gotten involved in the scrum. bottom line..... protect your teammates. and if it was a 3 on 1 . i'd be pissed at whoever didn't help.
This was High School, I don't know why the kids on the ice weren't helping. But they weren't in any hurry to do anything so I figured I'd step in.
Its high school hockey dude happens every time thats why they make you wear cages and pads so when someone punches you in the cage you can still smile and say yous punch a cage. we all understand that your buddy was being roughed up but in my years of hockey i see it almost every game just let it go 3 guys on 1you would of had a great PP but like everyone has said your on the bench could kinda count as 3rd man in and like someone said before you dont leave the bench
Its high school hockey dude happens every time thats why they make you wear cages and pads so when someone punches you in the cage you can still smile and say yous punch a cage. we all understand that your buddy was being roughed up but in my years of hockey i see it almost every game just let it go 3 guys on 1you would of had a great PP but like everyone has said your on the bench could kinda count as 3rd man in and like someone said before you dont leave the bench
ever had your cage grabbed. suddenly your neck is getting yanked around at will. and when it opens, your face is exposed and his isn't. bad situation.
Its high school hockey dude happens every time thats why they make you wear cages and pads so when someone punches you in the cage you can still smile and say yous punch a cage. we all understand that your buddy was being roughed up but in my years of hockey i see it almost every game just let it go 3 guys on 1you would of had a great PP but like everyone has said your on the bench could kinda count as 3rd man in and like someone said before you dont leave the bench
Yeah but he was on the ground. 3 kids were piled on top of him throwing punches, not just at his cage. Your neck is also exposed and I'm sure a couple shots definitely was hitting him there, I mean 3 people punching you at once can't be that accurate. Besides your head/neck still gets messed up from getting hit in the cage.
Yeah but he was on the ground. 3 kids were piled on top of him throwing punches, not just at his cage. Your neck is also exposed and I'm sure a couple shots definitely was hitting him there, I mean 3 people punching you at once can't be that accurate. Besides your head/neck still gets messed up from getting hit in the cage.
You can try and justify what you did any way you want, it still was stupid and the wrong thing to do. We also know that you really wanted everyone to say you were right and the suspension was wrong but that's not going to happen.
