Category Archives: Advice

Sharpening your blade removes knicks and makes the edge of your blade even so that you can stop and dig into the ice at speed and with fewer falls. Are you a hockey player wondering how often you should sharpen your skates to improve your game? As a good rule of thumb, you should sharpen […]

Ever hear the phrase OTL and wondered what it really means? Here’s the simple answer. OTL stands for OverTime Loss – which means a team looses the game after going over regulation time and into extra known as a ‘sudden death’ overtime period of 5 minutes. (20 minutes during playoffs). What is Overtime? In hockey, […]

Ever wondered why hockey players are always spitting, on the bench, on the ice, between shifts, literally everywhere. Wherever you look they seem to be spitting! The truth is, when you do high-intensity exercise in cold air, saliva and mucus build up making you want to spit more to clear your airways – that’s the […]

Ever wondered, “what exactly are those players sniffing on the bench? Are they doing drugs or what? It’s got to be legal… right? (It sure is). Those players are sniffing ammonia laced smelling salts. The theory is that they give increased alertness, energy levels, extra strength, speed, open nasal passages, elevated heart rate, increased brain […]

Ever wondered how long an average hockey game really is? & how long before the start of the game should I arrive? Expect hokey games to average a total time of around 2 hours and 20 minutes, they can and do go longer if there are injuries or lots of stoppages. The official period of […]

Every wondered how much money an NHL referee makes? For all that abuse and the high-stress that comes with the job, it must be worth it when payday comes, right? Well, yes the pay is pretty decent. NHL referees on average make between $165,000 and $360,000 per year, while linesmen make $110,000 to $235,000. While […]

Ever heard the phrase ‘one-timer’ or wondered exactly what the definition is in hockey? A one-timer in hockey is a when a player passses the puck to a player who then immediately fires a shot (usually a slapshot) into the net without stopping the puck. It’s a powerful quick-release shot.  It’s called a one-timer because […]

Every heard the word ‘fight strap’ and wondered what it’s for and why most players wear one during a hockey match? The fight strap is the name given to the attachment on a hockey jersey which keeps it on during fight. It was introduced to prevent players from ending up with jerseys covering their heads […]

Interested to know what the official regulation ice hockey goals are that are used in all top leagues like the NHL or AHL? Under NHL rules, hockey nets are 6′ x 4′ (foot). The opening of the goal is 72 inches (180 cm) wide by 48 inches (120 cm) tall, and the footprint of the goal […]

Recently got a new pair of mitts? If you’re wondering if and how you need to break in your new hockey gloves – read on. Most players don’t need to do anything specific to break in their gloves other than wear them while playing. You’ll naturally break in your gloves over your first few games […]