Hockey question

[detlef]

In listening to the guys who seem to know what they're talking about break down the Carolina-Boston series, I noticed they made a big deal about the home ice luxury of getting the last shift change and the toll that the particularly long defensive shifts in the 2nd period took on Boston's short-staffed defense.

 

What is the story with either of these? I've now watched enough to understand most of the rules and can appreciate the game play on the ice. However, as far as I can see, the shift changes happen at the same time so I don't understand how the home team can dictate this to get the match-ups they want.

 

In this case, they were talking about how Mo was able to keep Staal away from the big dude who's apparently playing like crap anyway in Wednesday game where Boston was able to make it so dude was on the ice every time Staal was in Boston.

 

Oh, and why would they say the shifts are longer in the 2nd period?

 

Would someone mind breaking this down?

Edited May 8, 2009 by detlef

[SeductiveNun]

I'll take a stab at this.

 

Home teams get the final shift change in the event of a stoppage of play. When the whistle blows, both teams can change their lines, however the home team doesn't have to put theirs out there until their opponent has their line out there already, thus allowing the home team to exploit various matchups, or in the case of the Canes to make sure Staal isn't out there on the ice when Chara is. While lines can still change on the fly, this advantage to home ice and the last shift change applies after a whistle. Granted, when you change on the fly you can't exploit this advantage, but after a stoppage of play in can make a hugh difference, especially if you have the faceoff in your opponent's end of the ice, depending on the game situation.

 

As to your second point about the long shifts, that had to do with Andrew Ference's injury. Most teams have 6-7 defensemen, and rotate them in on a regular basis. When you're down to 5 like the Bruins were that game, everyone has to play more minutes. And if the other team is constantly pressing and controlling the puck in your own end, you can't make a change on your defensemen at a time like that. So it's a combination of each defenseman having to pick up extra ice time for the injured player, and if the opponent controls the play then the D-men can't get off for a regular change and end up with longer shifts. Ultimately they wear down over the course of the game and that's when they start making the big mistakes that can cost you a series.

 

Maybe in the 3rd period of the game, Boston balanced the puck control a little bit so they could make more regular changes and their defensemen weren't playing long shifts. If a guy plays about a minute at a time, that's a pretty long shift. Most of the time a shift is around 45 seconds. If you look at total ice time during a game, 25 out if 60 minutes is a logging a lot of ice time.

[Tford]

I'll take a stab at this.

 

Home teams get the final shift change in the event of a stoppage of play. When the whistle blows, both teams can change their lines, however the home team doesn't have to put theirs out there until their opponent has their line out there already, thus allowing the home team to exploit various matchups, or in the case of the Canes to make sure Staal isn't out there on the ice when Chara is. While lines can still change on the fly, this advantage to home ice and the last shift change applies after a whistle. Granted, when you change on the fly you can't exploit this advantage, but after a stoppage of play in can make a hugh difference, especially if you have the faceoff in your opponent's end of the ice, depending on the game situation.

 

As to your second point about the long shifts, that had to do with Andrew Ference's injury. Most teams have 6-7 defensemen, and rotate them in on a regular basis. When you're down to 5 like the Bruins were that game, everyone has to play more minutes. And if the other team is constantly pressing and controlling the puck in your own end, you can't make a change on your defensemen at a time like that. So it's a combination of each defenseman having to pick up extra ice time for the injured player, and if the opponent controls the play then the D-men can't get off for a regular change and end up with longer shifts. Ultimately they wear down over the course of the game and that's when they start making the big mistakes that can cost you a series.

 

Maybe in the 3rd period of the game, Boston balanced the puck control a little bit so they could make more regular changes and their defensemen weren't playing long shifts. If a guy plays about a minute at a time, that's a pretty long shift. Most of the time a shift is around 45 seconds. If you look at total ice time during a game, 25 out if 60 minutes is a logging a lot of ice time.

 

Pretty bang on. The other term you'll hear thrown around is "long change". What that means it that your team's bench is closer to your opponent's zone than your own, making it more difficult to change unless your team has quality possession (ie. not just flipping the puck deep). Usually happens in the 2nd period and OT when teams switch ends but do not switch benches. What you will see happen though is that defensemen will always sit at the end closest to their goalie whereas forwards will sit closest to the opposition's goalie.

 

Another home ice advantage that is rarely talked about is faceoffs. When a faceoff happens, the visiting team always has to put their stick on the ice before the puck is dropped whereas the home team does not have to. This allows the home team center to "swipe" at the puck with a full motion instead of just pulling back with his stick on the ice the whole time. Seems minor but it is a HUGH advantage on things like attacking zone draws on powerplays etc. Allows for much better puck possession for home teams on average.

[Hugh 0ne]

Good info from 2 of the smarter hockey fans here at the huddle.

 

Home ice gives you several advantages. Faceoffs, matchups, home crowd. Boston wants Chara on the ice against Stall. After a play stoppage in Boston, when Stall comes out, so does Chara. After a play stoppage in Carolina, Carolina waits to see who the Bruins send on the ice, when they see it's not Chara, they send Stall, and Boston will have a matchup disadvantage until they can make a line change which they will try to do as quickly as possible but it's not always possible depending on where the puck is. I guess I'm kinda regurgitation the above mentioned, but hopefully it provides additional clarity.

 

And when you're down to 5 defensemen and have to make long changes it becomes extremely difficult to have your already over worked defensemen get off the ice when they have to skate even further.

[detlef]

Wow, thanks guys. That totally clears it up. In this case, it appears, perhaps the 2nd period fit into the "long shift" on two levels. #1) Carolina owned that period, so Boston's defensive shifts were likely long. Perhaps this was magnified by the side they were playing during that period.

 

The stoppage makes total sense. I now see that the home team really only gets to control some but not all the changes but understand how that can make a pretty big difference. Also how that advantage can be completely undone if they fail to win face-offs. You get a face-off in your opponents zone and bring your star front line after the other team brings out their scrub back line, they can just switch back if they win the draw and take the puck to your end. Well, I'm guessing at this last part.

[Azazello1313]

only 5 D is extra tough too because you really have to juggle the rotation. typically you have 3 pairs that, for the most part, come on and off at the same time. 5 is only 2 pairs, plus an extra guy....so you end up with a lot shifts where your guy only got one shift off the ice. getting caught on long shifts in that scenario can be brutal.

[detlef]

only 5 D is extra tough too because you really have to juggle the rotation. typically you have 3 pairs that, for the most part, come on and off at the same time. 5 is only 2 pairs, plus an extra guy....so you end up with a lot shifts where your guy only got one shift off the ice. getting caught on long shifts in that scenario can be brutal.

Sucks for them. Go Canes!

[Menudo]

Great questions and answers. I've had an idea about those answers, but, didn't know all the details that these guys provided. I was an occasional hockey fan until about three years ago, and I've become more and more of a hockey fanatic over these last three years. I'm really learning to love the sport. It will never get to football levels for me, but, the excitement of playoff hockey is right up there.