FREE ESSAY ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLADES AND BLADES

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLADES AND BLADES

Hockey is a sport of finesse, toughness, and speed all wrapped up by player talent. Hockey
can be played on any surface, though ice and hard rubber roller turf are the two major
fields currently played on by professionals. All though to some these two variations on
hockey may seem the same, they actually have many differences. Roller hockey contrasts
that of ice in several ways. While the playing surfaces are the most obvious difference,
number of players, periods, and skates also vary. 
The most obvious difference between the two sports is their playing surfaces. Ice hockey
is played on a three inch layer of ice cooled to approximately ten degrees Fahrenheit.
Roller hockey is played on a two inch layer of a plastic and rubber composite compound.
Both types have specific advantages and disadvantages. Roller turf almost never needs any
repairs while ice must be resurfaced between every period. Ice is generally known for
being a faster surface but a good argument to that is the fact that the players and
equipment have more to do with speed than the surface. 
Hockey would not be hockey without the players. The NHL is famous for its five on five
play. Roller hockey, on the other hand, is four on four. Strategically in ice hockey two
players stay primarily on defense while the other three are sent forward for offense.
Roller hockey, however, with only two forwards for offense, one of the two defense-men
must move up to join the attack in order for teams to have an effective attack. While
causing a minor headache to defensive players, having four players on the floor allows
more open ice to skate and make plays in. This too has a downfall though, four players
doing the work of five can be tiresome to players leading to the need for shorter
periods.
Ice hockey by league standards consists of three-twenty minute with a fifteen minute
intermission after the first and second periods. Roller hockey plays four-fifteen minute
periods. The first and second periods are separated by only a five minute break, the
second and third by a fifteen minute intermission, and finally the third and fourth by
another five minute break. Overtime periods are also different. Overtime in ice hockey is
five minutes long. If neither team scores a goal in these five minutes, the game is
declared a tie. Roller hockey has a similar five minute overtime period, but if the tie
still remains unresolved, the teams participate in a shoot out to determine a winner.
With all these apparent differences between the two versions of hockey, new fans tend to
miss one of the most subtle, but important, differences. Equipment is a major part in
every sport, roller and ice hockey are no exceptions. Roller hockey players skate with
roller blades while ice hockey players skate on lightweight steel or aluminum blades.
Roller hockey blades consist of an aluminum chassis and four light weight plastic and
rubber wheels while ice skates are a sharpened blade designed to temporarily melt the ice
in order for them to glide smoothly over the ice surface. 
Ice and roller hockey are different in these few ways, but many fans seem to shy away
from roller hockey because they don't understand that even with all the differences, the
game and most of its rules still remain intact. Some fans, like myself, feel that roller
hockey lacks the true strategy of ice hockey. Fans shouldn't be put out by this because
any lack of strategy is equally made up by the greater speed and scoring seen in roller
hockey. Fans that love high scoring games seem to be very attracted to roller hockey
while more traditional old time hockey fans prefer the standard five on five hockey
versus the four on four antics presented in roller hockey. I personally play roller
hockey because of the speed but prefer to watch ice because of the talent. Fans looking
for a nice change of pace from just ice hockey should invest some time and money into
watching and even playing roller hockey, and the same goes for mainstream roller hockey
fans.
Bibliography
None Needed...all my work