Pearl River Ice Hockey

In youth, high school, and college hockey, helmets with full face masks with an attached mouthpiece are mandatory.

When purchasing a helmet, make sure it fits snugly. Look for helmets with the seal of approval either from the HECC (Hockey Equipment Certification Council).  Chin guards should always be worn; check the snaps frequently to ensure good working condition.

Face masks come in 3 styles:  full plastic visor, wire cage, or a combination of visor and cage. Wearing a helmet with a full wire cage or full plastic mask can protect your eyes from a high stick or a deflected puck.

Standard shoulder pads and chest protectors provide protection for the clavicle (collarbone) and upper arms, while giving you the ability to move freely on the ice and handle your stick. Several types of chest protectors include both the chest and the back as one piece.

Your gloves must provide maximum protection without affecting your grip.  Purchase gloves with maximum protection over the thumb. Make sure the palm of the glove is soft, so you can feel the stick in your hand. The cuff of the glove should be flexible but still offer protection.

Make sure your elbow pads fit well and cover the sides and the back part of the elbow.

Most hockey pants today are manufactured with pads built inside to cover and protect the hips, thighs, kidneys, and tailbone. Properly fitted pants can prevent your pads from sliding out of place and exposing an area to injury. 

Good shin guards have a knee cup pad, wrap-around padding to cover the sides of the knee, and wide side flaps. Make sure they are not too bulky and the length is correct.

Sticks need to be fitted for players. Remember the "rule of chin": While wearing skates and placing the stick on the end of its blade, the butt of the stick should com up to your chin. Sticks are made for either left- or right-handed players, depending on the curve of the blade.

Skates are composed of three parts: a boot, a blade holder, and a steel blade. The boot is made of leather, nylon, or molded plastic. The surface of the steel blade is not flat, but curved inward. The sharpening process carves out the center of the blade, leaving two sharp surfaces. Brand-name skates are your best bet. Make sure the skate has a well-constructed heel and ankle support. Wear only one pair of socks; bulky socks can hinder the snug fit of a boot.

Mouth guards provide not only protection for your teeth but also prevent concussions in the event of contact during the game.  Mouthpieces are a mandatory piece of equipment. 

For groin protection, the larger, heavily padded, boxer-style cup is better than the traditional small plastic cup.

As a goalie you need to be ready to stop all types of shots. The goalie's equipment weighs approximately one-fourth of his or her body weight.

A goalie helmet and mask is usually made of fiberglass or KevlarT, the same material that bulletproof vests are made of. Masks can be form fitted to match the contours of your face, or you can use a cage-and-helmet combination. For younger goalies, the cage and helmet offers more protection. Most masks have a deflector pad that hangs down from the chin, protecting the neck and throat.

The newer goalie pads are made of synthetic materials that are stronger, lighter, and less absorbent than the old leather pads, but still offer excellent protection. Goalies require extra protection, especially around the arms, thighs, and tailbone. Special leg pads are worn, not only for protection, but also to give the goalie an additional blocking surface. There are restrictions on the width of leg pads, again depending upon the level of play.

The goalie also wears two different gloves. The catching glove looks like a first baseman's mitt. It has ample padding around the wrist and hand to protect against cuts and bruises. The blocking glove is a flat rectangular pad made for deflecting shots. The palm of this glove is thin, allowing the goalie to maintain a firm grip on the stick.

The goalie stick is usually made of wood with a larger blade, measuring about 3« inches wide. This allows for a greater shot-blocking surface.