EZ Goal Hockey Net Targets Review

The only thing better than blasting some hockey pucks at the net, is having four targets in each corner to really challenge yourself! There are a lot of hockey targets out there and all of them vary in price and quality. Here we take a close-up look at the EZ Goal targets. We evaluate the design, material and how they are supposed to work to see if they're worth $19.95—and if they really make shooting more fun and more accurate.



Read the full EZ Goal Hockey Net Targets review here.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to HockeyReviewHQ.com for this review.

Striving for Perfection in Hockey is Counterproductive

Hockey is a very fluid game with lots of intangibles that are very tough to measure. It’s not like bowling where the ceiling is 300. (Unless you get to bowl 15 frames like Ishmael in the movie Kingpin.) In every important aspect of your life—mainly school and work—you try to get a 100 percent and produce a product with no defects. You get rewarded for perfection. Try that in hockey and you play rigid, scared and boring.



I tried to play the perfect game within my coaches’ systems. Stay on the defensive side of your man, drive hard to the net, keep your stick in the passing lane, etc. I always thought that if I did all of the little things right, then it would give my team a chance to win—maybe even get me noticed by the scouts with “contracts in their pockets.” Well, let me save you the trouble: You, me, and Sid the Kid have made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes. Lots of them. Perfection is impossible to achieve in hockey. Let’s consider a slightly different way of thinking.

Use Your Unique Skills to Create

The great players spend 95 percent of their time on the ice doing the little things that I mentioned above—just like the rest of us. The other 5 percent of their time on the ice the great players break outside of the system and CREATE—whether that means Ovechkin using his speed to bust around a D and score, Dion Phaneuf laying an open ice hit that changes the momentum of the game, Hall Gill blocking a shot or the Sedin brothers cycling. In that creation there is bound to be some confusion or chaos—that no doubt makes a coach cringe—but that is where the greatness lives. Babe Ruth hit 714 homeruns. But he also struck out 1,330 times.

Take Care of Business, Unleash Creativity

Every hockey player has a unique skill he or she brings to the game. That includes YOU. If you’re so busy trying to play within a system, you will have a hard time differentiating yourself and more than likely end up average. So even though the coach may not like when you delineate from the system, that’s where the greatness lies. So make sure you’re taking care of your responsibilities—but don’t be afraid to try new things and CREATE. That’s what wins games and gets you noticed. I challenge you to strive for creatively and unleash that unique skill rather than focus on perfection.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Brett Henning of Score100Goals.com for this story. Henning was a member of the Inaugural National Team Development Program and 2000 World Junior Team with USA Hockey. He played Junior Hockey in Canada and at the collegiate level for the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted by the New York Islanders before a back injury ended his on-ice career.

Can You Buy a Better Hockey Player?

We’ve all been there—standing at the hockey store with a kid whose begging for a new stick that costs more than $200. “Please, please!” your player pleads, “It will make me score more goals!” You shake your head and laugh. But what about those $500 skates or that fancy new helmet? Will those make your player skate faster? Angelo Ricci of Ricci Hockey says, “Buy hockey equipment that is comfortable—it doesn’t have to be new or top of the line. Beginner hockey players really need to concentrate on buying skates that fit well, however. If your feet hurt, hockey isn’t fun at all.”



How about if my player takes private lessons or attends hockey camps all summer long? Will that make him or her better? Ricci recommends lessons or camps only if your player is interested. “Enroll in a few camps over the summer, but also take some time off. Play another sport. Kids need a break so they feel fresh and are excited to play hockey again and see their friends. If they aren’t interested in taking lessons, they probably won’t learn a lot.”

Hockey parent tips from the trenches include:

• Comfort is key, whether you buy brand new or use hand-me-down gear


• Top of the line is not necessary—as kids are taught, “It’s the player, not the stick”


• Don’t spend money on hockey camps if your player doesn’t want to be there


• Play different sports

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Aimee Hunt for this story.

There’s a Hockey App for That…

Can’t find the rink? Need inspiring words for your player? Want to track plus/minus? Just found out a player is sick and need to rework the lines? Guess what? There’s likely an app for your mobile device to solve your problem—and many don’t require WiFi, which is key for some of the remote concrete buildings that house rinks. Search "hockey" in the app store for your specific mobile device and see what you find. Following is a list of the most useful iPhone apps we found:

• Hockey: Referee signals with pictures, explanations, glossary and cowbell sounds


• Hockey Playbook: Draw diagrams on your phone and save or shake to erase


• Hockey Player Development Stats Tracker: Track stats without taking your eyes off the game


• Hockey Plus/Minus: Capture plus/minus states, game by game, across a season


• Hockey Pocket Book: 150+ hockey definitions


• Hockey Rinks: All the information you could need about any rink in the country, including (most importantly) how to get there


• Hockey Rules: Look up rules for any league, including USA Hockey


• Hockey Score Keeper Sounds! One-stop shopping for fire-up music and sounds for games


• Hockey Shot Counter: Record saves, goals against, shots and save percentages for up to 50 games and two goalies


• Hockey Skate Size: Convert shoe sizes to skate sizes for various brands


• HockeyBench: Use stats to devise new lines with different players


• Hockey Book: Inspiration from the paperback 7 Pre-Game Habits of Pro Hockey Players by Brett Henning of Score100Goals.com

Don’t forget to load your device with a few games for bored siblings. And promise us that whatever you learn from these devices regarding statistics will be used in a helpful manner.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Kordes Anton with the Grow the Game Initiative for this story.

Glossary: Referees and Linesmen

Ever heard anyone yell “Come on, linesman!” at a game? We didn’t think so. But many calls made—or not made—on the ice involve linesmen in addition to referees. The important thing to know is that it’s the referee who calls the penalties; this is why you may see a penalty happen right in front of a striped shirt but see no penalty called. The referee needs to see the penalty, or the linesman needs to report it to the referee. Here’s how it works:

• Every game has one referee and one or two linesmen (depending on the level and league).


• You can spot the referee by his or her orange arm band.


• The referee is responsible for calling and assessing all penalties, such as slashing and boarding. He or she enforces the rules and maintains order in the game.


• The referee stays with the puck, signal goals and has the final say on contested goals. The referee may confer with the linesmen.


• The linesmen are responsible for calling offsides, icing, too many men and a few other infractions that may interfere with the game (such as items thrown on the ice).


• After stoppage of play, a linesman may report a penalty to a referee or be consulted on what happened. The linesmen also help break up fights.


• Referees conduct face-offs at the beginning of the game and each period; linesmen conduct the other face-offs.

For full details on the responsibilities of officials, see pages 47 through 50 of the 2009–2011 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Kordes Anton and Kristin Carlson of the Grow the Game Initiative for this article.

You’re Not the Referee (or a Linesman)

Why does the “right” call seem so obvious from the stands—and not to the ref? The New York Times Magazine provided a clue this summer in “You Make the Call,” a story about video review inspired by the Jim Joyce call that prevented Tigers pitcher Armando Galarrage from claiming a perfect game: “Video interpretation has its own rules and may be an art—but the same is true of live baseball. In the moment, Joyce was being an umpire, not a film critic. Only he had his vantage on that particular kaleidoscope of shapes and colors and time, comprising shoes and calves and arms and green grass and a bag and a ball and a glove.”



As a hockey spectator, this is always the case. You never have the same vantage point as the referee or linesmen. You are never on the ice, in the midst of the play, with the noise, ice, sweat and chaos around you. Think about that as you’re busy shouting “Call it both ways, ref!” and “That was interference!” (And guess what, the ref probably can’t hear you anyway, but you may very well be driving your fellow fans crazy with all your yelling.)

Read on for how to respectfully handle sports officials, even when you’re sure they’ve just blown a call.

Handling the Officials

Officials are an essential part of a hockey game. They are there to keep track of the actions on the ice and provide fairness to both teams. Officials vary in age and experience. During a game, it is not uncommon for a player to disagree with a decision a referee makes or a penalty they don’t call. As a player or parent, there is nothing that can be done in one game to alter an official’s call.

Players and parents should view officials and the calls they make (both good and bad) as part of the game. Too much attention to an official’s call simply lessens the value of learning and skills development.

Key Points for Parents

• An official’s perspective on the ice is different from yours in the stands. They are able to see things you can’t and won’t be able to see things you can.


• There are bad calls made at every level of hockey. Referees are human and thus make mistakes.


• Everything you react to affects you child. Reacting to a bad call distracts your child and takes away from the fun of the sport.


• Coaches and parents should be role models for respecting the officials.

Key Points for Players

• Although you may disagree with an official’s call during the game, there is little you can do about it except let it distract you from playing well. Never slam your stick on the ice or yell at a referee.


• Only the team captain or the coach can discuss a call with a referee.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Kordes Anton with the Grow the Game Initiative for this story.

Coaching = Teaching

“There is nothing mysterious about developing a good team, because coaching is nothing more than teaching. Coaches impart the techniques to the players. The better job they do, the better job the players will do.” —John McKay, former college and professional football coach



Young athletes expect coaches to help them satisfy their desire to become as skilled as possible. Therefore, you must establish your teaching role as early as possible. In doing this, emphasize the fun and learning part of sport, and let your athletes know that a primary coaching goal is to help them develop their athletic potential.

All Athletes Need Attention

During each practice or game, be sure that every youngster gets recognized at least once. Athletes who usually get the most recognition are (a) stars or (b) those who are causing problems. Average athletes need attention, too! A good technique is to occasionally keep a count of how often you talk with each athlete to make sure that your personal contact is being appropriately distributed.

Key Teaching Principles

Based on over 25 years of research and experience, several principles have been identified for creating a mastery climate—a learning environment that emphasizes skill development, personal and team success, maximum effort, and fun in youth sports.

• Always give instructions positively.


• When giving instructions, be clear and concise.


• If possible, show athletes the correct technique (demonstrate).


• Reinforce effort and progress.

See more ideas here:



Give Athletes Support

When an athlete has had a poor practice or a rough game (as we all have), the youngster should not go home feeling badly.

• The player should get some kind of support from you—a pat on the back, a kind word (“Hey, we’re going to work that out. I know what you’re going through, but everyone has days like that sometimes.”)


• Athletes should not leave feeling detached from you or feeling like a “loser.”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Frank L. Smoll, Ph.D., for this article. Dr. Smoll is a professor of psychology at the University of Washington and co-director of the Youth Enrichment in Sports program (www.y-e-sports.com).

Sweet Stickhandling with a Swedish Stickhandling Ball

One of the biggest problems with practicing your hockey skills off of the ice is learning the proper movements—and then using them on the ice. This is why it's important to create an environment off the ice that is very similar to what you experience on the ice. To that end, I've take a look at some of the variables that come into play when you stickhandle with a puck, and how they compare with a wooden stickhandling ball.



Find out how the contact point, weight, slide, bounce and more compare to working with a puck. Read the full review here and sign up to be notified when other reviews are available.

Editor's Note: Thank you to HockeyReviewHQ.com for this review.

Cowbell Etiquette

When all you can think after an overtime loss in a tournament championship game is “Thank goodness, now we can get away from that noise,” you know someone is going a little too far with the cowbell. Ringing cowbells at hockey games and other sporting events is a tradition with no clear origins. (There is plenty of folklore available related to cows and alpine skiing, and cows wandering onto football fields, but it’s hard to see how that relates to ice hockey.) The one reason that makes the most sense for ice hockey is that a cowbell makes more noise than clapping your hands with gloves on—and even that only applies if you’re watching a game outside or in the most frigid of ice rinks.



No matter the origin, it’s a fact that ringing cowbells is an ice hockey tradition. (A tradition that may make you nostalgic for the soothing sounds of the South African vuvuzelas, but a tradition nonetheless.) Other than Christopher Walken on Saturday Night Live, though, nobody ever said “More cowbell!” Unless you’re determined to leave the parents on the opposing team—not to mention your team—with migraines, leave the continuous clank of the cowbell behind.

The Right Way

Due to a change in their conference’s noisemaker policy, Mississippi State University had to create rules for cowbell use at football games. They even have a website dedicated to the topic: www.respectthebell.com. Based on their rules, here’s how you can sensibly celebrate with a cowbell:

• Respect the home ice: If a sign says “no noisemakers” or “no cowbells,” obey it. If other spectators are not following this rule, request assistance from rink management.


• Pre-game: As the game is starting, you can ring it to fire up the team.


• When someone scores: If your team scores, you can ring it.


• Post-game: To celebrate a win, you can ring it a couple times.

The Wrong Way

If you’re a cowbell junkie, try not to:

• Ring it continuously. Shake it a couple times and stop.


• Use it at Mite (8&U) games, where the score is not even recorded. Scoring can be high in cross-ice/half-ice games and rinks are crowded with spectators.


• Ring it during a blowout. It’s poor sportsmanship to continue loudly celebrating every goal—in any manner—when you’re more than, say, four or five goals ahead.

If you’re thinking of getting a cowbell, try the iPhone app instead. Twice the fun, half the clatter.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Kordes Anton with the Grow the Game Initiative for this story.

Fit to Be Tied: Skate-Tying Primer

When I was growing up, I relentlessly teased my two younger hockey-playing siblings for needing Mom or Dad to tie their skates at the rink until they both were almost 10 years old. In my young mind, it seemed ridiculous that my siblings were not able to tie their skates laces sooner, considering I learned to tie my shoes before kindergarten, and most children become proficient at this task by age 5 or 6.



Although I fell victim to this faulty logic, parents need to understand that tying hockey skates requires more strength then tying tennis shoes. You must let children mature more before letting them tie their own skates.

When to Start: 8 to 10

“Most of the time, I think parents want kids to tie their laces too soon,” says Robert Hineline, the owner of a hockey pro-shop in Littleton, Colorado, who has been sharpening and fitting skates for more than 25 years.

Parents should wait until their children are between 8 and 10 years old to teach them to tie their own skates. Usually by these ages, they will have strong enough muscles to sufficiently tighten their skates. While teaching these youngsters, parents and coaches should instruct them to use their leg muscles to tighten them.

“Your leg muscles are stronger than your arm muscles. If you push out with your legs, then you will have more strength,” Hineline says.

Inside Out

Proper skate tying helps avoid the negative consequences caused by loose-fitting skates. If the skate is not snug fitting, the foot will move inside of it.

“Movement of your foot creates bones spurs. The foot thinks it’s getting damaged because it’s moving and sliding, and the foot will grow calcium and that creates the bone spurs, bunions and corns” Hineline says.

To avoid these painful foot aliments, follow proper lacing procedure: “Tighten them from the inside out, just like you would tie your regular tennis shoes,” Hineline says.

Outside In

Some players use the Canadian-style of lacing, meaning they tighten their skates from the outside in. This leads to much tighter lacing, but it has its trade-offs.

“You can really tie them tight, but they’re harder to get off. It’s snitched on so tight you can’t get your fingers in there and you can’t loosen them,” Hineline says. You actually need a lace hook to unlace them.

Wax Laces

Using wax laces, instead of traditional laces, has pros and cons similar to the Canadian technique. These laces lead to a tighter fit, but are difficult to untie.

“What happens with regular laces is once they get wet they stretch, and your skate will feel loose by the end of the game. So if you like real tight skates, you might switch to wax laces. Once you snitch them up, they stick to each other a little,” Hineline says.

Tightening Tips

Regardless of the technique or type of material you choose, start by tightening the bottom lace first. As you continue, lace in a consistent manner—always put the same lace on top—and ensure the laces lay flat on the boot.

“Twisted laces on sensitive parts of the top of your foot can cause lace bite because those laces are like little thin ropes, and they put a lot of added pressure in one spot” Hineline says.

“Lace bit” is sharp pain on the front of your lower leg and top of your foot. Correct lacing helps prevent lace bite. In addition to tightening your laces adequately, correct lacing also includes choosing the proper lace length, so you can avoid wrapping laces around the skate.

“You don’t want to wrap the laces around the boot because if the lace comes up over the side of the boot it will rub the leg where the tendons are and that creates tendonitis. The tendon thinks it’s getting damaged; it starts to grow a protective coating and gets thick,” Hineline says.

Save Time

Both parents and players should remember to leave themselves time to lace the skates properly. Although the mother in the picture here is a nice, quiet, uncluttered environment, that is not the reality of the hockey locker room.

Get Help

If your hands are no stronger than your player’s, you can always find a willing coach, parent or older player to help. One mother says she’s only had one coach balk at helping tie skates in four years.

Just be sure to get there early so you can find a helper who is not busy helping other players. Skate tying is a pain, so make sure your player looks the helper in the eye and says “thank you.”

Skate Maintenance

Health concerns play an important part in dictating proper skate lacing technique, but gear maintenance also influences procedure, particularly for proper storage. Loosen your top lace completely, and then the next one until the lace tip is right at the boot. Continue loosening down the skate and pull the tongue out to allow for drying.

“You want the skate to dry because sweat gets into the skate, and will cause the rivets to rust,” Hineline said. He also recommends coating the rivets with finger nail polish to avoid rusting, after purchasing a new skate.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Rose Conry, an intern with the Grow the Game Initiative, for this story. Rose studies journalism at Northwestern University, loves all sports and sails competitively with the university’s club team.

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