9 replies to this topic

[QuacksMeUp]

I was asked if I knew what the refs say before they drop the puck on a face off. I quickly realized that I have no idea. "Ready, set, go"? "Let's go boys"? "Attention players, I am dropping puck"? "Here ya go, eh"?

Can anyone who has played the game please let me know.

[Cassie8236]

QMU....you totally made me laugh ...I'm more curious what some of the guys say/do to get kicked out of the face off.

[QuacksMeUp]

QMU....you totally made me laugh ...I'm more curious what some of the guys say/do to get kicked out of the face off.

But, seriously! I don't know. Where are all the hockey answer men when you need them? Do I really have to go and ask <shudders visibly> Hayzy?

[Selanne 4 MVP]

That is a really good question. As a goaltending coach (ahl) i haven't a clue! interesting to hear some of the responses though.

[Ducksrule08]

I play hockey but I am a winger, so I do not take alot of face offs. But the times I have, they do not say anything.

I am only in an adult league so it might depend on the level you play at.

[QuacksMeUp]

I play hockey but I am a winger, so I do not take alot of face offs. But the times I have, they do not say anything.

I am only in an adult league so it might depend on the level you play at.

They may not have to say anything, but I have noticed that the face off guys are all positioning themselves and chirping at the circle until some mysterious something happens and they all look down at the ice and voilà, the puck, she drops!

Maybe the ref gives a little chirp on his whistle? !! Hey I think that may be the answer!! Can anybody confirm that? Hello?

[ladiesandgentlemen]

Usually nothing is said if the setup and the faceoff is clean.

For most refs, the less said the better... for all aspects of the game.

[finagler]

In my league at AI, it's usually just a whistle blow, a quick glance around, and that puppy drops. If someone is lined up weird or something they will call you out, that's about it.

[QuacksMeUp]

Add: the whistle is used to stop play, so no.

That is true about the whistle, but I wouldn't think it would harm anything to chirp it as, before the puck drops the play is stopped 99.9999% of the time. (Corey Perry thinks "stoppage of play" is a myth).

So, basically in the NHL it may be that the guys are finely tuned to how long it usually takes for the ref to drop the puck, being as they have all been doing this since Pee Wee.

It's just so amazing to watch them all suddenly concentrate as a group on that little piece of rubber. Fascinating!

[ladiesandgentlemen]

That is true about the whistle, but I wouldn't think it would harm anything to chirp it as, before the puck drops the play is stopped 99.9999% of the time. (Corey Perry thinks "stoppage of play" is a myth).

So, basically in the NHL it may be that the guys are finely tuned to how long it usually takes for the ref to drop the puck, being as they have all been doing this since Pee Wee.

It's just so amazing to watch them all suddenly concentrate as a group on that little piece of rubber. Fascinating!

I re-thought that statement I made, because when play is already stopped some refs use the whistle to get people's attention, and as finagler points out sometimes before the faceoff.

The real interesting noises that are made are between players, as you can imagine.