RiverBlades captain Eric Long answers YOUR questions!

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR

ASK ERIC 11/29/02
Question: I am impressed with not only the quality of play all of you are demonstrating this year, but the quality of character as well. I think it is great all of the work that you guys do for local charities, particularly for children. Great job guys. My question: what is the penalty "boarding"? If it relates to roughing, how is it different from other similar penalties? Thanks. (Lee)

Answer: Thanks for the compliment, Lee. Boarding can be described as an overzealous bodycheck. The ref has discretion if it is too aggressive, or could possibly injure. Roughing is usually just when guys are punching and pushing each other during play or after the whistle. A match penalty is the most serious, and involves intent to injure, again at the ref's discretion. You usually get kicked out of the game for a match penalty, and sometimes suspended.

Question: I have seen this before, but seeing it in Jackson reminded me to ask - one of our players laid on the puck, then picked it up and dropped in over in our box directly after face off. Why did he do that and why was he not called for delay of game? Thanks for taking the time of answer all our questions!! (Puck)

Answer: Your welcome! I am more than happy to answer your questions. As for this question, if you are falling on the puck, and a player falls over you, the ref has to blow the play dead. As for throwing the puck into the box, I really have no idea why anyone would do that, but he wasn't called for a delay of game, probably because the play was already whistled down.

Question: Besides hockey (and golf), what do you guys like to do in your free time? Also, it warms my heart to know that you guys do benefits/community services. Keep up the good work!! (Du Bois)

Answer: Thanks a lot! We do enjoy the time we spend around the community, especially at Children's Hospital. Every guy is different, but a lot of guys, like myself, have pets that we love to spoil in our free time. The pet-less players enjoy XBox and going to the movies. An important thing to remember is that hockey players use their bodies so strenuously, that a lot of our free time is spent recuperating with very necessary naps.

ASK ERIC 11/28/02
Question: Is the ECHL just right below the NHL, like Minor League Baseball is right below Major League Baseball? Did you guys on the RiverBlades play hockey in college and then get drafted or something to play for the Riverblades or did some come from the Junior League in Canada? (Logan)

Answer: Like minor league baseball there are different levels of determining skill and quality of play. The NHL is the obviously the top league, then there is the AHL(American Hockey League) and then the ECHL. There are other leagues comparable to the ECHL, but the ECHL is regarded as the top league below the AHL.
Players are called up to the NHL from the AHL. Players called up out of the ECHL go to the AHL.

All the players on the RiverBlades played either college hockey or major junior in Canada. This years team has more college players than junior players. There isn't a draft into the ECHL, but players are recruited to come play. All rookie players coming out of college or junior can go to whichever team they choose. Returning players from last season's team were property of the RiverBlades. They are offered a qualifying offer over the summer. If they don't want to return they must either be traded or released. I guess you could compare it to being recruited to a college program!

Question: I have two questions. First, why do players hide the puck? In Jackson, the puck got lost (we saw where it went) and the ref had to get a new one. We have seen this done before. Why? Second, what are the rules concerning the goalie and his mask? At a home game, a player on the opposing team knocked his own goalies mask off, and then the goalie push his net off in order to stop the game. What are the rules concerning this? It looked like a delay of game penalty would have been called. Thank you for answering everyone's questions!! It is nice! (Cindy)

Answer: This is a good observation about the hidden pucks! I have never noticed this happening so I can't give you an answer?

As for the second question: You are correct in thinking it should have been a delay of game penalty. A few reasons why it might not have been called could have to do with the angle the ref is watching the play. He might not see it as a blatant attempt to stop play. Also, if it is not obvious the goalie knocked it off, the ref uses his discretion (score, time remaining in the game) to make, or not make, the call. Finally, if a goalie loses his mask the play is supposed to be blown down.

Question: Eric, when you get a hat trick, what really happens to all the hats that are thrown on the ice? (Simone)

Answer: To be honest I have no idea???? :) They are picked up off the ice and they disappear? As far as I am concerned it is magic!!

ASK ERIC 11/26/02
Question: Hello, I recently went to a RiverBlades game with some fellow students of the University of the Ozarks against the Pensacola Pilots, and I was wondering what the name of the song that the Riverblades came out to was?? I have heard it before, just never knew what it was called. Thanks for your time. (David)

Answer: Ask Eric is stumped! I have no idea. SORRY!

Andy Haskell (RiverBlades Front Office): The name of the player intro song is Summer Song by Joe Satrianini. (Thanks Andy!)

ASK ERIC 11/25/02
Question: Do you guys have a day job also or is hockey your job? Like the pros? Thanks. (Logan)

Answer: That is a good question. None of the players have a day job during the hockey season. Almost all the players have a summer job in the off season. The pay scale ranges from player to player depending on past performance and experience, but the minimum salary for a player is $350 per week with a fully furnished apartment for the entire time they are with the team. The ECHL salary cap is $10,000 per week, per team.

Since the hockey season is only a little over six months long depending on your playoff success it is necessary to find work for the summer months.

The level of hockey we are playing is "professional" since we are payed to play!

Question: I have been to many games this year. I would like to know if it is true that Jimi St. John has the best hair cut is all of the ECHL.

Answer: If you have been to that many games you would know that the answer is yes!!

Question: Hey Eric - If a goalie starts a game but he doesn't finish, which goalie gets the win or the loss? (Kandy)

Answer: It depends on the score of the game when the starting goalie leaves the game. If Jason left the game and was losing, but we came back to win with Jimi in goal, Jimi would get the win. If the situation was reversed the same would be true. Their individual stats would still be counted.

Question: When a team is on a penalty kill with one man in the box and then loses a second player on an unrelated penalty, which player comes out of the box first if the power play team scores before the first penalty expires? (Doug)

Answer: The first penalized player would be let out of the box. The remainder of the second penalty still must be served.

Question: Eric, I know the officials in the NHL decided to change how they called games this year - I forget how...was it going to make the games more wide open or tighter? Are they doing something similar in the ECHL? Thanx. Signed, Your Number One Fan. P.S. Green hockey pucks would be cool too! (Jon)

Answer: Hi Jon! The crackdown is on obstruction in the NHL and they are trying to do it in the ECHL as well. Another change is the hurry up face-off rule which speeds up the time in between whistles! Both of these changes are making for a faster, more exciting brand of hockey at there respective levels! Keep the great questions coming!!

ASK ERIC 11/20/02
Question: Eric, how do players on the ice know when to switch with players on the bench? And how do they know who to switch with, when some players play more than one position? Just curious.(Tina)

Answer: When the play is going on and you change, it is usually because you are tired or winded. The average shift is between 45 seconds to a minute. The general rule used to change in this situation is that you wait until the puck is in the other teams end. You never want to change when the puck is in your own zone. You also don't want to change when the other team is rushing up the ice towards your zone. When the play is stopped the change is up to the coach. Sometimes he is trying to match lines against the opposing team. Other times it could depend on the where the face-off takes place.

The players are told who is going on every shift by the coach. If a player is going to play a position other than his usual one he is told directly. This is just another responsibility for the coach to handle. Every shift is important in hockey and if you have a "mismatch" ( i.e. Buddy Smith playing against a tenth forward on another team!!!) it usually results in a scoring chance!

ASK ERIC 11/18/02
Question: Eric, If the Captain and Assistant Captains are the ones that are technically allowed to talk to the refs during the games, why is it fairly often that a "non-lettered" player can be seen talking to the refs, even though the "C" or "A" players may be on the ice, too? Shouldn't they be the ones to mediate the discussion? (Simone)

Answer: That is the general rule, but some refs will talk to anyone!!! The only time a "lettered" player is required to talk to the ref is if after a fight or when more than one penalty is called. It is all the referee's decision on who he speaks too! Sometimes he chooses not to talk to anyone!

Question: How many games will rookie back-up goalie Jimmy St. John play thus season, with no injuries to the starting netminder?

Answer: There is no set amount of games Jimi is going to play this season. Jason will play more than half the games unless he is injured, but Jimi will see quite a bit of action between the pipes this season!

Question: First of all I would like to congratulate you and the team on an excellent start. Besides the fact that Chris was able to bring back several of you from last years team why is the team so successful this year. I hope that I didn't just jinx the team by making that compliment. (Lyncho)

Answer: The main reason for our success so far has to do with the effort put forth by EVERYONE! The players from last year are doing what they do best and the "new" players fill in the weaknesses we had last season. The best part of the this year's team is that everyone is scoring, hitting, fighting, and playing hard every night! Every game has a different number one star!!

ASK ERIC 11/9/02
Question: I love the column. How come Hockey is the only sport with three periods? Most have quarters or halves. Is it because there are three sides to a Hockey Puck? Keep up the good work! (Critter)

Answer: Critter, thanks for the great compliments. I am enjoying the column, myself. Now back to your question. You've stumped me! My educated guess would have to be, that three periods of hockey evolved out necessity because of the ice surface we play on. Imagine if the Zamboni had to come out 3 times (for quarters)--the games would be too long and drawn out. And if we only played halves, the ice would get too choppy and chewed up, and the quality of the game would suffer. I think three periods is a happy medium. This is just a guess, so I invite all fans of hockey to jump in if you know the real answer. Thanks Critter!

Question: Eric, What factors decide if and how far the defensemen are going to press in the offensive zone. It seems that the Riverblades are pressing more this year. (Barry)

Answer: The defenseman must determine if the forward is a good position to back him up when the defenseman "pinches". It may seem like we are pressing more this year, because most of the team has returned from last year, and the D-men know that our forwards are defensively responsible. But it is a moment by moment decision, and not a set game plan.

ASK ERIC 11/6/02
Question: Does the order that the players enter the ice for warm-ups actually indicate anything? (Greg)

Answer: There is no set order for the players entering the ice. But, there are some superstitions that may make it look that way. If you look closely there are some guys who go out first, last, behind a certain guy, etc.

ASK ERIC 11/5/02
Question: I keep hearing everyone talk about "the trap." Can you explain what that is and why everyone seems to dislike it?

Answer: The trap is a game plan used by many teams to disrupt the offensive flow of the opposition. There are a few variations to the trap, but the main idea is to try to force the play before the offensive team can gain the red line. An example is when a team sets up behind there own goal, the first forechecker doesn't attack the defenseman behind the net. He lets him go one way or the other. By letting the d-man skate with the puck unharrassed he thinks the trapping team is conceding the zone, when they are actually letting him skate into two defensive players ready to force him to make a quick decision. If the trap is done correctly the offensive team can't generate speed in the neutral zone and either dumps the puck or makes a mistake that results in a turnover.

The reason it is disliked by players is because the games seem to lack "flow" and it looks sloppy to the fans.

I don't want to sound to biased against the trap so I guess I should say some positive things about the dreaded "trap". Teams with less offensive punch can perfect the trap and compete, and often beat more skilled teams. Case in point the Florida Panthers going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals a few years back!!!

Question: Keep it going Eric! Just wanted to wish you and the boys luck this year, although it doesn't look like you need it. Keep it up and I will see you guys soon. Tell the boys I said Hello! (Blingy)

Answer: Great to hear from you Bling Bling and we BETTER see you soon!!

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR