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Ice Sledge Hockey |
| The crash of sledges and poles can just barely be heard
over the roar of the cheering crowds. Sledge hockey is the
Paralympic version of ice hockey and, since its debut in the Paralympic
program in 1994, it is fast becoming one of the biggest attractions for
spectators at the winter Paralympic Games. It is fast-paced, highly
physical and played by athletes with a locomotor disability.
As in ice hockey, six players (including the goalie) from each team are on the ice at one time. Two-blade sledges that allow the puck to pass underneath replace skates, and the players use sticks with a spike-end and a blade-end. Therefore, with a quick flip of the wrist, the players are able to propel themselves using the spikes and then play the puck using the blade-end of the sticks. A player may use two sticks with blades in order to facilitate stick handling and ambidextrous shooting. Sledge hockey games consist of three 15 minute stop-time periods. |
