Ball or Puck

[Platinum Horse]

I was wondering which do you prefer playing in Roller Hockey - The Ball game or the Puck game.

I've played a few games in both, and I have to say I prefer to play with puck. Although the puck can be a little harder on the low shots/5-hole (keep your stick on the floor!) the ball just bounces too much for my liking.

Also I hate the slap=shots in Ball - for the fact that they get top-spin and Curl. I had a shot like that in my last game, I saw the player winding up for the slap-shot, he takes it, I see it is going about 2ft wide, so I relax a little and prepare for the rebound off of the back wall...when it hits the back of the net! I couldn't beleive it, I must have looked a poor Goalie for just leaving the shot like that.

I have practised with ball since I started (we practise about 70-80% of the time with Ball), and I just can't get used to that part of it.

Also another question for you guys, as we have just started our senior league (2 games in!) we are rotating Goalies at the moment, my first game, i came in during the 2nd period, didn;t do too well, let in a couple of quick succession goals, my head droppd a little, 2 more went in, i was pulled.

I then started our next game, played well in the first period, 1 goal allowed, in about 10 SoG or more. then the other guy came in for the second. Didn't play his best, was tempted to come off, but I told him to stay in, he did for 5 minutes, then we swapped. I came on for about 5 mins, but I just couldn't stop a thing, (including the slapper mentioned above) that and a poor call by one of our players for me to un-freeze the ball!

Is this something I should worry about, was it just a loss of momentum on my part? Or was that first period a better indication of how I can play, and should I ignore being pulled twice in 2 games? (I was very upset at how I played - close to tears.) This is my first season of playing league hockey, so should I worry, or is this part of my learning curve?

[Huntster]

First answer is puck all the way for the reasons you mention and also anyone can lift a ball no problem but not a puck.

Second answer, I have always been the only goalie on my team so I have no experience but I personally think each goalie should get to play the entire game. Unless he is playing really bad.

[Zengoalie]

The Puck, no question.

I currently play in a league in a very small place (it is a basketball court size with an additional 2 feet on all sides). Threre are several skaters who get a kick out of slapping the ball (too small a place for a puck) from the centerline or beyond and with the curve they can put on it anything can happen. I have recently noticed that the ball curves from my right to my left most often (from a left handed shooter). Therefore I try to put most of my body that way and have only my blocker on the side that the cball is going to.

[moogy35]

I prefer puck. No unexpected dips curves, and rebounds. I think it's much harder to control the rebounds with a ball. I play with my ice hockey equipment so it's very hard to feel the ball.

A while back in ice hockey we had to rotate playing. I think it's much easier to play a whole game, than go into the game in the second period cold. Once you get your game going, there is no way the other goalie is going to be able to pick up from where you left (and vice versa). I say just play every other game.

[Frosty]

Despite not playing roller goalie (I skate out) I too like the puck. The ball is for kids and the street!

[bEaStFrOmThEaSt]

I play all the time, use the puck... balls rebound alot and are harder to catch.

[froggy chaos]

i hate balls
when first started playing pickup hockey games everyone was using balls. i hated them started using pucks until one day i got kinda scared by some shots this was before i got a chest protector. but now that i ahve one its either puck or no game

[29smoke]

I prefer the puck as well.

[scweb13]

Puck all the way!!
Rebounds are difficult with a ball. Sometimes the balls will have so much spin on them that the rebound will roll back towards the goal. Skip overs too!!

I HATE HOCKEY BALLS!!

[KDB]

Roller pucks will curve/drop on you too, though not nearly as often as the ball...

Only played ball a few times... bleah. Puck all the way!

[Jacex]

Pucks are fun. I played with a ball for the longest time, but i like the pucks way more. I seem to be able to control rebounds better with them.

[MillerTime247]

Puck! Puck! Puck!

[TannerMan]

I'm gonna be controversial and say BALL. Ben playing it almost exclusively for 7 years and love the challenging nature of a ball game. Yes even the worst of players has the opportunity to socre on you and a bad goalie the cahance to stop the best player because of the sometimes unexpected nature od the ball but I feel that makes it all the more exciting.

Having said that due to a lack of interest I am looking to join a puck team. Ball simply doesn't bring in the palyers like it used to. It is the american influence of PUCK, PUCK, PUCK I believe that has so many players in this country dismissing ball as a viable and very enjoyable sport. It has more history than puck and deserves respect. Shame so few have had the opportunity to play it at it's highest level, if they did I belive the 'Mickey Mouse' image with which it has been tainted with would disappear, but enough of my moaning.........

James JT#01

[stollie_the_goalie]

Puck, no question. No unexpected dips or anything. Puckhandling is no problem since I can fire shots over the red line with a puck without it touching.

I will only play with a tennis ball in street hockey, though, because everybody's afraid of my shot!

[legend15x3]

I play in a league with a puck and like it very much over a ball...and it does have some dips and curves but not as much as a ball...we have recently gone to a heavier puck for inline that is the same weight as an ice puck...a little different but not much.