Jonas Hiller. Need I say more? Out of all the helmets in the NHL, I choose Jonas Hiller’s designs because of their simplicity, cleanliness and aesthetics. Let me start out by saying that I am NOT an Anaheim Ducks fan (in fact quite the opposite), but it was his simple matte black mask that first caught my eye back in 2010.

A lot of the goalies‘ masks today seem too busy and leave the viewer reeling and confused about where they’re supposed to look or the meaning behind the design. Hiller’s mask, on the other hand, had a fresh and clean look to it. The gold metal of the cage and screws contrasts the matte black perfectly for questionably my favorite mask of all time.

In November of 2011, Hiller had his mask painted for a noble cause: Movember. If you don’t know what Movember is or what it stands for, shame on you. All kidding aside, Movember is a month long (mustache growing) effort to raise funds and awareness for various men’s health issues including prostate cancer. “I just wanted to do something different,” Hiller said. “I talked to my painter [Alec Voggel] and he said, ‘Yeah, what do you think? We should just do a couple of masks this year. I sent him the whole theme about Movember and guys growing a mustache.” Now when you think of Ducks with mustaches, one name usually pops into mind: George Parros.  But…

Hiller had the ducks team at the time pictured on his helmet with either real mustaches or a photoshopped version of one better than they could actually grow. From this point on, Hiller kept Anaheim and his team on his mind (and his head) when it came to designing future helmets.

One mask lies between the mask that Hiller will wear in the upcoming (hopefully) 2012-2013 season. The 3D Wild Wing mask of the remainder of the 2011-2012 season.

This one is pretty self explanatory. A little busier than we’re used to with Hiller, but still remaining loyal to his team by featuring the Ducks’ mascot Wild Wing in a 3D design.

Ok, now the 2012-2013 mask. It features elements from all of his past helmets and in my opinion will be the sickest looking mask to look for this season. Sticking with the Matte black and metallic golds, Hiller came up with this beauty.

This side of the mask shows Hiller’s love for Anaheim featuring the Ducks’ Home Arena, the Honda Center, and metallic gold Ducks logos with a throwback Mighty Ducks logo.

The other side shows more love for the area with a typical Southern California surfer silhouette and then a shout out to his Swiss home country with the Swiss emblem at the base of the back.

Well this was my two cents about Hiller’s masks but I’d be interested in hearing your argument for another goalie’s mask.

The NHL lockout has left us all with a lot more free time than we would like. No longer the evenings and nights watching the various games or sitting in front of the computer setting the fantasy hockey lineups. Some of us spend their newly acquired time watching lesser sports or living in denial; pretending that EA Sports’ NHL 13 is the NHL season. Others of us though, are spending our extra free time conditioning and training for our own (non-locked out) season. I’d like to share a solid, hockey-specific leg/cardio workout that we did last night. This workout is best done on grass or a track. So don your apparel and head out there.

We begin with a few warm-up laps around the track to get the blood pumping. Following that, make sure to stretch out to ensure that your legs will make it all the way to the end of the work out. After you complete your stretching, set up a beginning marker and an end marker around 50 feet away. Then you run sprints from the beginning marker to the end marker. Run full speed until you reach the end marker and jog back to the beginning marker. Repeat this 10 times and then move the marker back 25 ft. Complete the full speed sprints 8 times and move it back again another 25 ft. Now begin the 100 ft. sprints for 6 repetitions. These sprints are beneficial to hockey specifically because you need to be able to sustain short bursts of speed for 30-45 seconds before going in for a line change.

Once the sprints are completed, move the end marker back to around the 75 ft. mark and hop on one leg to the marker, still jogging back, 7 times. Then switch legs and repeat with the other leg. This exercise works on balance as well as individual leg power and strength.

This next exercise we call hockey jumps because they emulate a players’ skating stride. Here’s how it goes: begin on one foot and jump side to side, moving slowly forward as you jump side to side until you reach the 50 ft marker. This video is an example of just the side to side motion.

Video:

When doing this for distance, move slightly forward with each side to side jump. Also, it helps with balance and launch to kick the leg that’s not on the ground past the leg recently planted into the ground (see picture below) Repeat this 5 times.  

Follow this exercise with frog jumps (squat jumps) to the 50 ft marker again. If done correctly, you should feel this exercise after the first couple jumps. Make sure to go all the way down so that your rear is almost touching your heels. Then surge forward in a jumping motion as far as possible forward and then repeat.

To finish the workout, do a few sets of lunges to both cool down and keep the legs working. I can tell you right now that this set of exercises works well as I can’t really walk correctly right now… But the pain is temporary and increases your game readiness and performance. Good luck in your hockey and exercise endeavors until (and hopefully continuing even) when the lockout ends!

Alkali plans to start October off strong with the launch of the RPD line early in the month. We were able to take a close look at the new gear as well as play with some of it, so here’s the inside scoop on the RPD stick and skates in the lineup.

Let’s start with the skates this year: the top of the line CA9 RPD. While it shares similar features to the 2011 CA9 skate, Alkali made some impressive technological improvements. The main focus of the improvement are the carbon fiber fully reinforced heel & tendon pieces.

The reinforced tendon piece allows for better energy transfer and a stronger build with better control and feel.  The boot’s EPP foam and surlyn construction creates a very lightweight design that is heat moldable. Since the trend with roller players recently is to wear stiff, ice hockey-like boot, Alkali responded with the RPD. As a result of the tendon piece and a redesigned structure of the boot, the RPD is significantly stiffer than the previous models. Another feature Alkali added is new and improved internals designed for comfort and better fit. For all you floppers out there, the RPD features an extended tongue length for premier flop.

The RPD rolls on 4 x 80mm Labeda Addiction wheels which will provide incredible grip and durability. Though this setup leaves the skater noticeably higher off the ground, it’s a design to which one can adjust.

Next let’s take a look at the CA9 RPD stick. In previous years, Alkali sticks failed to impress me but the RPD really stepped it up. Alkali designed this stick specifically for roller hockey players (surface & pucks).

The stick has a matte finish with small Alkali logos providing textured grip and an overall soft feel. After shooting with the stick, we found that the blade didn’t need tape. The soft, chalk-like feel of the blade complements the plastic floor and puck to provide excellent feel without the added weight of tape. Overall, the CA9 RPD stick seems like an ideal choice for the roller hockey player looking for a high quality, roller specific stick, without the 200+ price tag.

These items will be available at Inline & Ice Warehouse in early October.

Well, it’s that time of year when many of the big brands release their new sticks. CCM came out with the RBZ, Warrior dropped the Covert DT1, Easton releases the RS II on the 7^th, Bauer comes out with the TotalOne NXG on Sept. 17^th, and Reebok moves forward with the 20K on the 15^th. Let’s take a quick look at these new top-of-the-line sticks and the technology that sets them apart from the rest.

CCM RBZ:

CCM teamed up with TaylorMade to create the RBZ and specifically the SpeedBlade Technology for the blade that really launches the puck off like a rocket.  CCM and TaylorMade created the blade with a hollow design with 4 speed channels that run the length of the blade which gives incredible feel to go along with the light weight. All of this is wrapped up in high grade carbon fiber that makes it stiffer and creates a more accurate shot.Another feature that sets the RBZ apart from most sticks is the flex profile. CCM designed what they call the Power Swing which is a fine tuned weight and flex distribution technology that allows for a quicker swing with greater puck speed. The flex profile on the RBZ, similar to Bauer’s Intellisense technology, changes the flex point depending on where the hands are located and what kind of shot is taken.

(SPECS)

Warrior Covert DT1:

The DT1 is an extremely lightweight and balanced stick due to the True 1 piece construction with the highest grade carbon fiber tightly wrapped in an X stitch weave. The main technology of the DT1 is Warriors Dagger Taper (‘DT’ as in DT1). Now the Dagger Taper technology creates a taper that is thinner on the topside of the stick for maximum loading and wider on the bottom that allows for a more powerful, accurate shot. This technology also gives the DT1 a very low kick-point for quick release.In the recent past, the Warrior blade had some issues with durability, but the new blade on the DT1 comes through with a durable design.  For instance, Warrior is using the Hardcore X foam blade core which is very lightweight and 40& stronger and 60% more compression resistance than before. Warrior also utilizes Twinspar stringers and fibers used in bullet proof vests for reinforcement and increased toughness.

(Specs)

Easton RS II:

The second generation of the Stealth RS series features a similar shaft design to the 2011 Stealth RS: a Kevlar wrapped Compression molded shaft. Also similar to the previous model is the Elliptical Taper. The taper itself provides a low kick-point that results in quick and accurate shots. Another result of the Elliptical Taper is the added strength and rigidity to the blade.

The blade in the RS II is a significant improvement over the RS. Easton redesigned the blade to use a micro-bladder process that increases feel and consistency and greater mass in the impact zone to contribute more power to your shots. Easton also ribbed the length of the blade to give it more strength.

Bauer Supreme TotalOne NXG:

Similar to the previous years’ TotalOne stick, Bauer continued using the texturing carbon material that helped give it that incredible feel. Bauer also greatly improved the weight of the TotalOne and it will be the lightest stick available on the market. A feature new to the Supreme line is the eLASTech technology. Bauer used this technology on the Vapor APX stick, but not on any of the Supreme sticks until now. This technology will add life to the stick and add a pop to the stick that will LAST.

Another new feature TotalOne is a blade improvement. Added thickness in the throat of the blade increases stiffness to allow for more power and accuracy. Bauer uses the Dual-Density Blade Core and the eLASTech technology in the blade for an overall increase in durability, accuracy, power and pop.

Reebok 20K:

Reebok used their Pure Fiber™ technology which eliminates any added or unnecessary materials to decrease the weight and allow for the best possible energy transfer.  They also used the Dual Matrix II construction. This design angles the fibers at different directions for the forehand and the backhand to create tension when you’re loading the shot.  The 20K also features the lowest kick-point on the market today.

On to the blade. Reebok uses a brand new blade known as the AccuBlade. This blade becomes stiffer along the blade from the heel to the toe. This gives the player better puck control and unbelievable accuracy.

–So be on the lookout for these sticks in the NHL and also online at Inline & Ice Warehouse.

After our disappointing early exit from the Division 1 age group at NARCh (See previous post), we returned two days later for the Men’s Platinum division. The roster remained the same except for the loss of one player and the addition of another former IW employee Michael Chaloupka. Our first game faced us off against a team called NCR and proved that the two days off did not help as we lost 6-4. The rest of our games had us playing against International teams: The Revision Predators (Alberta, Canada), La Escuela De Hockey (Colombia, South America) and Mission-Bauer France (France, Obviously).

In our second game against the Revision Predators, we really stepped up our game and took them down 10-2. Ryan Burrows led the team with 5 goals, followed by IW former employee Brian Costello with 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) and IW’s Chris Kumata with 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist). In the lead up to the third game, we didn’t know how to feel about the upcoming game. Their name was La Escuela de Hockey which translates to The School of Hockey or The Hockey School which, I’m not going to lie, is kind of intimidating. Also, they beat the team that we lost to, yet lost to the team that we beat. Anyways, we played against the Colombians and soundly put them away 7-1.

The fourth game against Mission-Bauer France went as well as the last two games. They didn’t put up much of a struggle and gave up early  as we beat them 9-1. The three immense victories put us in 3rd seed going into the playoffs facing off against the 6th seed, the LA Clippers (nope, not the basketball team). The next morning, we faced off against them and we exchanged a few goals until we put up a two goal lead (4-2) and they pulled their goalie with a minute left. A little tussle broke out in front of the net after some pushing and shoving with Mike Chaloupka out in front of the net. The only result was that the other player got tossed out of the game and the resulting power play helped us finish them off.

Our next game was the semifinal. Our previous games proved to us that this was our division and we should be able to easily finish the next two games and take home the trophy. We then faced off against Pama Platinum… The game could be summarized as a very close game, but most definitely ours… until five minutes left. We were up 3-1 and got scored on to make it a 3-2 game. With 1 minute remaining they pulled their goalie and began their 5 on 4 play. We held them off for 45 seconds and we had the puck heading over the half-court line. We then dumped it on net, narrowly missing and their defenseman went and retrieved the puck. He looked at the scoreboard and saw that it showed a little under 2 seconds left. So, from the low dots he fired the puck on net and somehow through screens and bounces, found it’s way into the back of the net… With 0.3 seconds left… Unbelievable…

2 minutes into overtime, they receive a breakaway through a lapse in defense and score ending our final run… We did receive bronze medals though for 3rd place. We’ll be back next year. Also, congratulations to Brian Costello who received the Top Scorer Award for a little over a 2.2 PPG average!

Stay tuned for our a preview of the new Alkali equipment!

Hey guys! So this week Erik (the goalie guy) and I are at the North American Roller Hockey Championships (NARCh) in San Jose and thought I’d keep you updated of the happenings here. To start with, we’re playing for a team called Cal Beach, which is a combination of two college teams with some other players thrown in the mix. Also on our team is former IW employee Brian Costello. We’re in two divisions: Men’s Platinum & Division 1 (24 & Under) and we began play for Division 1 on Monday, July 23.

Personally, the tournament did not get off to a great start because of what happened the night before. So I was in my hometown of Davis, which is 5 hours north of where I currently live/where IW is located. I was in my buddy’s garage (he had the floor tiled with sport court) shooting on the net he had set up in there. We had an intense game of HORSE going on and I called out that I would shoot a slapshot off where the right post and the crossbar meet and then go in. When I wound up, I had a bad feeling about the shot but I continued anyways. My Bauer TotalOne LE snapped…  Stunned and in disbelief, I held my broken stick thinking of what to do. Our first game was literally 12 hours away and I had sold my backup stick (Bauer APX) last month to another one of my friends. My current backup stick is a Bauer APX SE shaft with an outdoor blade so I ruled that one out for now. Instinctively, I called Erik to see if he was still in San Luis Obispo (IW’s home) to grab me a stick from IW before he took off, but of course he was already in San Jose (3 hours north of San Luis Obispo). So long story short, I called up our customer service at IW and ordered a stick and had it shipped to a friend living in San Jose. I hoped that it would arrive Tuesday, but we’ll see. In the meantime, I used my friend’s Easton ST.

Anyways, our first game was at 1140 Monday morning and we played the Mississauga Rattlers of Ontario, Canada. After a shaky start, we were down 3-0 after the first five minutes of the game. Eventually pulling ourselves together, we came out on top in the end of a very offensive battle 8-6. Ryan Burrows, former Long Beach State Roller Hockey team captain was the MVP of the game, pulling through with 5 goals. Our second and final game of the day was against the Alkali Asylum and did not go so well as we lost 4-1.

Our tournament continued Tuesday morning against the Labeda MKS from Colombia, South America. We easily dispatched of them 9-1 and looked ahead toward our afternoon game against the Las Vegas Tour Rebels. This game was personal for me as one of their players was a good friend of mine who I have played together with for the last 12 years. Unfortunately we fell to the Rebels 4-0 and thus concluded the round robin play. We were seeded #10 with a 2-2 record and scheduled to play the #7 seed, which happened to be the Vegas Tour Rebels…

In between the two games, my stick finally arrived! Most of the players on Rebels also play on their Pro team, so the second time around we knew they weren’t to be trifled with. The game itself started out as a very offensive battle, with 3-3 tie within the first seven minutes of the game. It slowed down though as the game fell wore on and it came down to a 5-3 Rebels lead with 5 minutes remaining in the game. With 3 minutes and some change left, yours truly put a one-timer/tip into the back of the net to make it a one-goal game.  Nothing much changed until the 1:30 left in the game when we pulled goalie, Erik Long and set up in their zone. After numerous shots and rebounds we were unsuccessful and thus ended our Division 1 run.

I’ll keep you posted as we begin our Men’s Platinum portion of the tournament on Friday. Wish us luck!

A lot of roller hockey skates these days are mimicking ice hockey style boots and Mission decided that it was time to take a stand! Using roller hockey specific technology, Mission created the Inhaler series to cater specifically to the needs of the roller hockey player.

Mission continues their tradition of a nearly whited out top of the line skate with the Inhaler AC1. These skates turn heads with a flashy white/grey boot design and white/black/blue chassis accented by baby blue/white Rink Rat Split wheels. All of the new features and technology make the AC1 the lightest skate that Mission has to offer.

Inhaler AC1 Specifications:

• Quarter Package: Ultra-light reinforced nylon tech mesh with S.I.C.K. Quarter Ventilation
• Liner: Brushed nylon with INDY FOAM ankle pocket inserts
• Tongue: Perforated 2-piece white felt; TRUE VENTED TONGUE with VEX foam lacebite insert
• Mission INHALER footbed
• Outsole: Aluminized glass composite
• NEW Magnesium HI-LO 76/80mm
• Wheels: Rink Rat Hornet Split XXX Grip 76A
• Bearing: HI-LO Swiss LE 608
• Width: D/EE
• Sr. Sizes: 6-12 (full and half)

Inhaler Technology

Mission’s Inhaler technology is “the dawn of a new ice age for roller.” How you may ask? S.I.C.K ventilation. This revolutionary new technology keeps the foot cool by a ventilation system that actually sucks cool air in through the toe cap and tongue. As the vents draw the cool air in, the vented quarter package construction blows the hot air from inside the boot to create an air flow that keeps your feet both cool and dry.

The Inhaler Technology will be available on the Inhaler AC1, Inhaler AC2, Inhaler AC3 and the Inhaler AC4. Although, the AC1 is the only model to feature the True Vented Tongue.

Availability

These skates will be available September 15, 2012 at InlineWarehouse.com & IceWarehouse.com

Designed by Impakt Protective, the Shockbox takes on one of the most challenging aspects of the game today: concussions. The question is, “as a trainer, coach or parent – how do you know when a player has suffered a concussion?” The Shockbox is the answer.

The Shockbox fits onto the top of the helmet through high bonding adhesive tape. Following impact, Shockbox Sensor measures the force of the impact and sends the data immediately via Bluetooth to a connected smartphone. The software then displays a visual analysis of the impact including the probability that an injury occurred. From this data, trainers, coaches and parents can accurately judge the severity of a hit and if necessary, adhere to concussion protocols.

Shockbox Software

The Shockbox software is simple to use  and can be downloaded directly from App stores (Android/Blackberry/iPhone). It allows for up to 128 sensors to be programmed into one phone so that a trainer or coach can keep an eye on all their players from a single location. The software records the impact date, time, hit direction and force, and maintains a data history for each player. This is very useful in making informed decisions for players who may be at risk of receiving a concussion. Each visual alert also includes a color coded chart which shows the probability of injury.

Shockbox Specifications

–The Shock box will be available in August, 2012 at Inline & Ice Warehouse (www.inlinewarehouse.com & www.icewarehouse.com). Suggested retail is $149.99

For more information watch the Shockbox Video on Youtube.