Ice-Less Hockey
The top international inline hockey teams will play in Orange County this week, with the International Ice Hockey Federation championships July 20-25. Here’s how inline hockey, one of the fastest growing sports in the country, differs from ice hockey:
ICE HOCKEY
Known for its speed and physical play, fewer goals are scored in ice hockey games.
PLAYERS: Five skaters and one goalie
TEAM Size: 20 players
PUCK PLAY: Blue lines limit passing. Penalties for offsides, two-line passes and icing.
NET: 6’ x 4’
PERIODS: Three 20-minute periods
PHYSICALITY: Checking and body contact allowed. Fighting part of the sport.
RINK SIZE: 85’ by 180’ to 100’ by 200’
PENALTIES
Minor: Two minutes
Major: Five minutes
INLINE HOCKEY
Not as fast and less physical than ice hockey with more emphais on playmaking and scoring.
PLAYERS: Four skaters and one goalie
TEAM SIZE: 14 players
PUCK PLAY: No blue lines so no penalty for offsides, two-line passes or icing.
NET: 6’ x 4’
PERIODS: Four 12-minute quarters
RINK SIZE: 85’ by 180’ to 100’ by 200’
PENALTIES
Minor: One and a half minutes
Major: Four minutes
*
Setting Up
How the rinks at Arrowhead Pond and Disney Ice will be converted into roller hockey courts in about 14 hours:
1. Approximatley 1” of ice
2. Six-millimeter plastic sheeting rolled out over ice.
3. Two layers of 4’ by 8’ by 1/2 inch compressed paper sheets
4. Up to 20,000 interlocking squares of flooring laid to form skating surface
Floor Characteristics
The key element of the in-likne floor is te plastic one-foot square interlocking tile.
* Honeycomb infrastructure: Adds stability while providing lateral and vertical “give.”
* Surface engineered to provide right amount of friction, more speed, reduced skate vibration and less puck chatter
*
The Jofa speed puck
The same size and slightly lighter than the ice hockey puck, the Jofa speed puck has 6 hard-plastic balls on each side which keep the puck stable by allowing air to flow underneath. The balls also help the puck from catching an edge of a tile.
Joffa speed puck: 3.5 ounces
Ice hockey puck: 5.5 ounces
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Pool A: World rank
United States: 1
Russia: 4
Finland: 5
Italy: 8
*
Pool B: World rank
Canada: 2
Switzerland: 3
Germany: 6
Austria: 7
PRELIMINARIES - ALL GAMES AT DISNEY ICE
Today
Russia vs. Finland 10:30 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Germany 1:30 p.m.
Canada vs. Austria 4:30 p.m.
U.S. vs. Italy 7:30 p.m.
*
Tuesday
Switzerland vs. Austria 10:30 a.m.
Russia vs. Italy 1:30 p.m.
Germany vs. Canada 4:30 p.m.
Finland vs. U.S. 7:30 p.m.
*
Wednesday
Austria vs. Germany 10:30 a.m.
Italy vs. Finland 1:30 p.m.
Canada vs. Switzerland 4:30 p.m.
United States vs. Russia 7:30 p.m.
*
SEMIFINALS - ALL GAMES AT DISNEY ICE
Friday
Group B third place vs. Group A fourth place 10:30 a.m.
Group B fourth place vs. Group A third place 1:30 p.m.
Group B first place vs. Group A second place 4:30 p.m.
Group A first place vs. Group B second place 7:30 p.m.
*
FINALS- ALL GAMES AT THE POND
Saturday
Game 14 loser vs. game 13 loser 10:30 a.m.
Game 14 winner vs. game 13 winner 1:30 p.m.
BRONZE MEDAL: Game 16 loser vs. game 15 loser 4:30 p.m.
GOLD MEDAL: Game 16 winner vs. game 15 winner 7:30 p.m.
U.S. NATIONAL TEAM*
* Goalies
Name: Team**
Joe Bonvie: Columbus Hawks
Rob Laurie: Bullfrogs
* Defensemen
Name: Team
Joe Cook: Team Mission
Scott Drevitch: Tacoma Sabrecats
Taj Melson: Bullfrogs
Hardy Sauter: Oklahoma City Blazers
Chris Valicevic: Team Easton
Brett Larson: Orlando Surge
* Forwards
Name: Team
Ralph Barahona: Tampa Bay Rolling Thunder
Ken Blum: Buffalo Wings
John Hanson: Bullfrogs
Bill Lund: Bullfrogs
Kurt Mallett: Virginia Vultures
Justin McHugh: Orlando Jackals
Jay Murphy: Lousiana Ice Gators
Jeff Nelson: Team Easton
Tony Szabo: Team V-Formation
*Note: As of July 18, 1998
**Most recent team
TICKET INFORMATION
Adults $8
Children 12 and under $4
Available at Arrowhead Pond box office or call Ticketmaster at ((714) 740-2000
Sources: National Hockey League, Inline Hockey Central, Sport Court Inc.
GRAPHICS REPORTING BY JANICE JONES DODDS/Los Angeles Times