Ice to Roller Advice?

[estogoalie]

The last time I played roller was circa 1996, since then it's only been ice. This summer I decided to play some roller with some teammates who I used to play ice with. They play at an indoor ice rink where the ice is melted and it's just a smooth concrete-type floor there. The two things I remember from the 90's was that with no ice you can't slide and it's very hot. Afterthe first time playing with them, these still hold true I discovered I also remembered not to spill water on my head in the crease, after I did that my rollerblades were slipping all over the place

Movement overall was problematic, but one big issue I had today was when the play was behind the net. On ice I'm used to sliding back and forth post-to-post, but in roller there is none of that happening. What do you do in roller when play is behind the net?

Also, when someone would skate in down the wing, then pass over to the other side, it's hard to move laterally, you can only t-push basically and hope for the best it seems. Lack of sliding hurts there (or maybe I should just play deeper in net to avoid the need to move laterally? Hmmm...). One good thing, is that since most of the players are also mainly ice players, they are also kind of blowing some plays because they aren't so fluid on the rollerblades Theres one or two guys who play roller regularly, and you can see the difference, they know how to maneuver in the roller environment much better.

Any, if anyone has some tips, I'd be grateful. I'll be playing once a week for the next few weeks. Nothing serious, not a league or anything, just killing time until the ice returns in August.

[cuprajake]

Rollerfly

Your body will love you

[estogoalie]

14 minutes ago, cuprajake said:

Rollerfly

Your body will love you

Elaborate

[mr_shifty1982]

Don't do it, find ice

[dreadlocked1]

Google rollerfly.  It's a set of premade slide plates with your choice of either metal or plastic balls in the plates that allow you to slide.  If playing on concrete, get metal.  Next best option is purchasing or building your own slide plates.  Last option is adding Velcro or hmwpe tape to the sliding surface.

[loki1416]

Rollerfly: https://www.rollerfly.com/index.html

Slide plates:

Passau Pro Iceskin: https://passauhockey.com/en/boutique/dek-hockey/ensemble-de-iceskin/

Passau Iceskin: https://passauhockey.com/en/boutique/dek-hockey/ensemble-de-iceskin-2/

Kenesky also has some slide plates but I can't seem to find them on the website.

As for your behind the net problem. I play that standing up on the goal line with one foot on either post. That way I can collapse to the side I need to with a leg there and prepared.

[dreadlocked1]

Kenesky sliders:

https://kenesky.com/proddetail.php?prod=001010

Uhmw tape:

https://www.mcmaster.com/uhmw-polyethylene-tape/

[cuprajake]

out of all of them the best is the rollerfly

[seagoal]

Mind your sweat and your water drippage.   The surface can be slippery on rollerblades and this can be very dangerous.

[tubby34]

Remember you need to lunge more in roller, and to install a plastic attachment or something to the inside of the pads to give you an inch or two of sliding.

But on those plays across the crease, you need to lunge across and get into the midset of beating them to the post. reach for the post, its the farthest distances between the shot and the eventual goal and it'll give you a fraction of a second.

I attach plastic slide plates that i cut from a plastic abs sheet from home depot into the shape of the pads. It protects the pads and gives a little slide action. I attach it with velcro, and remove th eplates when i play ice but leave the velcro attached to the pads.

You can also hunt down a cheap pair of pads and attach kennesky's plates, but my option is about 35 bucks and a hour worth of time.

[dreadlocked1]

Do you have a link for the material you used?  How long have you used them? Have you taken alot of direct shots to them?  I'm curious on their history of durability.  I used my slide plates for 7 years after installing with no issues, other than the occasional tightening.  I thought it was due to the uhmw sheet used, as it can take major abuse.  On the GSBB, the roller thread had lots of different methods, and uhmw was the best, if you could put in the time.  I laced in my plates a long time ago on an older set, but would encourage your suggestion of using Velcro to adhere the plates to the pads. That's what I did when I got my G2's and set of rollerfly about 4.5 years ago.  I believe I may have used duct tape on the jenpro before attaching the Velcro adhesive strips (possibly superglue to the duct tape).  I took off the plates when I moved and began to strictly play ice so I don't recall at the moment. 

[estogoalie]

On 6/12/2020 at 3:00 AM, loki1416 said:

Rollerfly: https://www.rollerfly.com/index.html

Slide plates:

Passau Pro Iceskin: https://passauhockey.com/en/boutique/dek-hockey/ensemble-de-iceskin/

Passau Iceskin: https://passauhockey.com/en/boutique/dek-hockey/ensemble-de-iceskin-2/

Kenesky also has some slide plates but I can't seem to find them on the website.

As for your behind the net problem. I play that standing up on the goal line with one foot on either post. That way I can collapse to the side I need to with a leg there and prepared.

 The rollerfly thing looks interesting, but $180 is kinda expensive for a piece of plastic  But Ok, I get the idea, maybe I can make something. If I was playing roller regularly it would make sense to buy something good, but I'm just gonna play a few times over the summer (with old pads) and then back to ice.

...you can stretch enough to reach one foot on each post?  Jesus, I wish I was that flexible   

[loki1416]

While standing? It's not that hard and you don't have to be that flexible. I'm 5'9", the goal is 6', and I can easily get a foot on either post. Only downside with street hockey is that the nets are not pegged, so it may move on you.

[coopaloop1234]

1 hour ago, loki1416 said:

While standing? It's not that hard and you don't have to be that flexible. I'm 5'9", the goal is 6', and I can easily get a foot on either post. Only downside with street hockey is that the nets are not pegged, so it may move on you.

I think that really depends on how long your legs are man. I've got some short legs for a guy who is 5'10" and I can only reach each post if I'm on my knees. And despite being relatively flexible, it's still a stretch for me.

[estogoalie]

After playing a little more, I noticed I'm letting in more direct  stoppable shots than usual I think in part due to the lack of contrast with the puck. I notice now how the black puck really stands out so much more on a white ice rink. Here the cement we play on is grey and I notice puck visibility is not as good as on ice. I'm also wondering if the weight of the puck makes any difference? We play with a plastic black puck with little wheel/balls on them. It's for sure lighter, and maybe shoots faster than a regular rubber ice puck?

One other strange thing, is that I noticed some guys who are so-so on ice are now much better at roller, and guys who are usually good on ice are not so great at roller. Nothing really dramatic, I don't mean sucky guys are suddenly playing like Crosby or anything, it's more subtle differences....but still noticeable. I guess people adapt differently? Or maybe it's just lack of effort because they don't care really about roller?

[MovesLikeJagger]

50 minutes ago, estogoalie said:

After playing a little more, I noticed I'm letting in more direct  stoppable shots than usual I think in part due to the lack of contrast with the puck. I notice now how the black puck really stands out so much more on a white ice rink. Here the cement we play on is grey and I notice puck visibility is not as good as on ice. I'm also wondering if the weight of the puck makes any difference? We play with a plastic black puck with little wheel/balls on them. It's for sure lighter, and maybe shoots faster than a regular rubber ice puck?

One other strange thing, is that I noticed some guys who are so-so on ice are now much better at roller, and guys who are usually good on ice are not so great at roller. Nothing really dramatic, I don't mean sucky guys are suddenly playing like Crosby or anything, it's more subtle differences....but still noticeable. I guess people adapt differently? Or maybe it's just lack of effort because they don't care really about roller?

My experience playing roller hockey (in Switzerland) is, that puck movement is a little bit different. Not only visually but also that the lighter puck is behaving differently in the air. I dont think that you can shoot a lighter puck harder, because of physics. 

There are definitely players who play more roller hockey that know how to move and how to use their wheels as well as their body. Normally in rollerhockey you cant use your body as an advantage that much as in regular icehockey. So you have more time and space.

[dreadlocked1]

I can guarantee you that you are seeing faster shots now.  Move to ball hockey and everyone has a 90mph curving shot.  Ball is lighter than an inline puck, which is lighter than an ice puck.  I used to mainly play inline and when I would play ice, the overall shot speed was slower and everything was easier to track.  But it's the force that is greater with an ice puck.  What pulls your arm back towards the net on a glove save.  It'll rarely if ever happen in inline and would never happen in ball hockey. 

[estogoalie]

2 hours ago, MovesLikeJagger said:

My experience playing roller hockey (in Switzerland) is, that puck movement is a little bit different. Not only visually but also that the lighter puck is behaving differently in the air. I dont think that you can shoot a lighter puck harder, because of physics. 

There are definitely players who play more roller hockey that know how to move and how to use their wheels as well as their body. Normally in rollerhockey you cant use your body as an advantage that much as in regular icehockey. So you have more time and space.

Hey, where in Switzerland are you? I'm playing in the Freiburg/Bern/Burgdorf area.

[cuprajake]

People often criticise inline till they play it.

Theres alot of skilled players, and the release is very quick

I find ice alot easier. Visually

[estogoalie]

51 minutes ago, dreadlocked1 said:

I can guarantee you that you are seeing faster shots now.  Move to ball hockey and everyone has a 90mph curving shot.  Ball is lighter than an inline puck, which is lighter than an ice puck.  I used to mainly play inline and when I would play ice, the overall shot speed was slower and everything was easier to track.  But it's the force that is greater with an ice puck.  What pulls your arm back towards the net on a glove save.  It'll rarely if ever happen in inline and would never happen in ball hockey. 

Yea, exactly, shot dynamics are very different with ice vs roller.

[kudot]

i havent played Roller since the early 2000s.  My main rink was a melted down outdoor rink on polished concrete.  Between the sweat and the spilling water I kept a full size bath towel inside my net to dry things off after whistle. Back then I played a lot more standup style so I have no idea how I would play again after almost 20 years of only playing ice.

[MovesLikeJagger]

10 hours ago, estogoalie said:

Hey, where in Switzerland are you? I'm playing in the Freiburg/Bern/Burgdorf area.

This year Im playing in Switzerland second highest league due to corona our team isnt in the league this season. Im normally playing for the current swisschampion aswell as the junior national team.

[SaveByRichter35]

On 6/11/2020 at 9:56 PM, dreadlocked1 said:

Kenesky sliders:

https://kenesky.com/proddetail.php?prod=001010

Uhmw tape:

https://www.mcmaster.com/uhmw-polyethylene-tape/

Thank you for this!!  I might be playing in a high school alumni tournament in September and it would be the first time playing inline in about a decade.  I've been trying to find the "slippery tape"(as known from the GSBB) not only for a little extra movement while playing but also as a little protection for my pads from the sport court.  

On 6/15/2020 at 1:53 PM, loki1416 said:

While standing? It's not that hard and you don't have to be that flexible. I'm 5'9", the goal is 6', and I can easily get a foot on either post. Only downside with street hockey is that the nets are not pegged, so it may move on you.

On 6/15/2020 at 3:50 PM, coopaloop1234 said:

I think that really depends on how long your legs are man. I've got some short legs for a guy who is 5'10" and I can only reach each post if I'm on my knees. And despite being relatively flexible, it's still a stretch for me.

I'm with Coop on this one.  I am about 5'10" and I can't really get my feet post to post when standing unless I really spread myself out.  It would be too much to be able to maneuver myself for a save.  I guess my legs are also on the shorter side or maybe you're lucky enough to have longer legs.

[dreadlocked1]

Slippery tape is great wherever your main sliding accessory won't cover, unless you're going all out tape, then definitely get the widest possible you can afford. It's a bit stiffer than any regular old tape so it can be somewhat difficult to work with around bends and curves.  Heat helps.

[SaveByRichter35]

On 6/28/2020 at 1:19 PM, dreadlocked1 said:

Slippery tape is great wherever your main sliding accessory won't cover, unless you're going all out tape, then definitely get the widest possible you can afford. It's a bit stiffer than any regular old tape so it can be somewhat difficult to work with around bends and curves.  Heat helps.

It is going to be a one time thing.  I don't plan on playing inline long term again.