Report by Ross aged 14 from Woodway Park School, Coventry
Hi, I'm Ross. I play for the Coventry Blaze Junior Ice Hockey Club.
In England hockey isn't very big but is growing in popularity. In America and Canada you see people playing it in the streets, like kids play football in the streets over here.
Ìý| Ìý |  | Coventry Blaze junior player
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You play ice hockey with a hockey stick and you try to hit the puck into the opposition's goal using your stick. It is a very physical game and the puck can reach speeds of almost 150 mph. In ice hockey you have 3 periods all 20 minutes long, but the clock stops every time play stops, so games take about 2 and a half hours.
ÌýThere are 6 players in a team; the goalie called the netminder, 2 defence men and 3 forwards. Players are not substituted like in football.
Players are allowed to come on and off when they want, and as many times as they want. Normally players are swapped in lines. Players are grouped in lines. Lines have 2 defence and 3 forwards. They are normally grouped in ability; line one is the best, line two is second best.
Ìý| Ìý |  | Coventry Blaze players
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If a player commits a foul he will be put in the penalty box for 2
minutes unless it's a more serious offence and can be put in for
longer, or even be sent off.
The other team has a man advantage and they are on the powerplay until the player's time is up or the opposition score. The team with the penalty against them are on the penalty kill.
You are allowed to check (skate into a player to try and knock him down) and board people (skate into somebody and knock them into the edge of the ice rink) if you keep your elbow and stick down. Fighting is allowed as long as you "drop your gloves" but you will be put in the penalty box.
ÌýThe 2 main rules are icing and offside. The offside rule is different to the one in football. You are offside if you cross the oppositions blue line before the puck. Icing is when the puck is hit inside your half and crosses the opposition's goal line.
ÌýBecause ice hockey is such a physical game you need to wear a lot of armour to avoid injury. You need a helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, hockey pants (shorts with padding), leg guards and the most important bit, the trusty jock strap.
Your helmet can have no face protection, a visor (see-through plastic that covers the eyes) or a full-face cage (metal grill that covers the whole face, under 19's have to wear these).
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| Ìý |  | Coventry Blaze players in action
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Coventry Blaze is one of the newest teams in the league. It has brought hockey to people in Coventry and the junior team has given kids the chance to give the sport a go.
This is now the Blaze's 3rd season and they have done well. In their first season they finished 4th, in their second season they finished 2nd and for this season they have high hopes for the championship.
The junior team does not have such high hopes, because we are the newest junior team in the league and for us to win would be a massive shock.
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| Ìý |  | One of the Coventry Blaze players
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You can see Blaze play their home games at Coventry's Skydome Arena.
For more information about games you can visit the Coventry Blaze website which on the left of this page in weblinks.
If you want to play go to the Junior Blaze website also in weblinks. You have to be under 19 and girls can play too.
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