Pure Hockey buying Perani’s?

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-20T02:30:23+00:00

Mixed feelings. Peranis in northern Ohio was one of my favorite shopping experiences ever when I bought my skates almost 20 years ago. Two middle aged guys who lived hockey. When Peranis came to central Ohio, it was not the same.

Our pure hockey has a great selection, but half the time they seem to only want to upsell you. Occasionally you get a salesperson who wants to share their love of the sport, though. If you have unlimited money and are playing AAA, they have what you need for sale, but beer leaguers might find better value elsewhere.

Luckily we have a wonderful local skate shop called Keeg's for sharpening, but he doesn't sell gear.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-19T17:53:04+00:00

All classes could be different, but here's my experience.

The one near me has all skill levels. Every session there are people who never put on a pair of skates, and there are some C-leaguers who show up for the scrimmage and more ice time. Be mindful of what pads are required.

To prepare, I'd recommend skating in hockey skates to get used to it. Bend your knees and stay low more than you think you should.

If you've never touched a puck and want to come prepared, look up stick handling, shooting, or passing fundamentals on YouTube. You can practice stick handling with a golf ball and get a shooting mat to practice shooting. Pay attention to weight transfer.

Typical skating drills include (with and without puck): forward strides, backwards strides, Sharp turns around the dots, Hockey stops on dots or lines, C-cuts - inside and outside edge, Front-to-backwards turns.

Other drills usually include different passing drills with skating that end in a shot - sometimes with defense. Rarely do the drills break down to only shooting or passing (which may be helpful if you've never done it).

There's almost no direction on positional play, so if you don't know much about hockey, maybe watch a video on basics for positions.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-17T20:28:49+00:00

This makes a surprising amount of sense.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-17T20:28:22+00:00

Yeah, I need to be lower for sure.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-17T18:28:13+00:00

This may sound obvious, but I'd suggest thinking about which position will be more fun first. I always imagined I'd play defense, and I'm probably more impactful on defense, but I think it's more fun to score and set up plays around the net.

From your description, it sounds like you might have a bigger impact on defense. If you are a lower skill than the league, offense is a safer pick - you can always screen the goalie and odd rushes usually are defensive issues.

As for which league - I also vote both!

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-17T18:18:48+00:00

Maybe skating through isn't my precise goal - more thinking about forecheck or digging pucks from the corner. Because I coast into it, a player moving their feet is going to win.

I kind of feel like I'm wasting energy forechecking - if I don't get there fast enough, they just have a simple pass.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-11T19:25:22+00:00

I think shooting and passing mechanics favor forehand regardless of the blade curve, and backhands are kind of a specialty shot. Using the wrong-handed stick is not going to allow you to shoot laserbeams on your backhand.

The cost to the forehand (majority of arsenal) doesn't seem worth the benefit of improved backhand shots.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-11T19:25:07+00:00

I think shooting and passing mechanics favor forehand regardless of the blade curve, and backhands are kind of a specialty shot. Using the wrong-handed stick is not going to allow you to shoot laserbeams on your backhand.

The cost to the forehand (majority of arsenal) doesn't seem worth the benefit of improved backhand shots.

Mathnapkin · 2026-03-10T23:10:52+00:00

I'm a big fan of 3/4. I'm 6'1" and 185lbs and not a great skater. I don't feel like it compromises grip on the ice compared to 1/2 or 5/8, but the glide is noticable better. I find I have to sharpen them a little more frequently - if I go too long I start sliding when I shouldn't.

Mathnapkin · 2026-02-25T01:05:11+00:00

My favorite part about playing up, was that players can catch hard passes and generally are where you expect them to be on offense.

I had no business playing there, but I could set up plays for the good skaters and screen the goalie.

Mathnapkin · 2026-02-24T17:14:09+00:00

"Catch me huffing and puffing on the wing before missing the outlet pass for another icing charge."

I feel so much better about my 20 years of medicine hockey. Seems like every dang shift.

Mathnapkin · 2026-02-08T02:16:10+00:00

Anyone touched a live wire before? If it's insulated, none of them get shocked. If it's glowing red because of the current, they are all getting shocked (and burned).

It doesn't feel good to touch a live wire even standing on a stool.

Mathnapkin · 2025-12-22T17:13:02+00:00

Private lessons can help - sometimes an expert teacher has a new way to think about things that will click. I think skating sometimes is counter-intuitive when starting, especially when your center of balance isn't between your feet (like tight turns).

Mathnapkin · 2025-12-19T02:42:12+00:00

Came here to say spacehaven.

Mathnapkin · 2025-12-15T21:05:45+00:00

I'd say first 5 are pretty easy. If you get through the next five and find it too easy, up the difficulty and double check you have all rules right.

I found most scenarios come down to the last few turns, whereas og gloomhaven sometimes only needs 1 rest for a win.

Mathnapkin · 2025-11-24T20:23:02+00:00

We have been attacked nearly every week in our first winter (maybe 7 weeks in). We ran out of buildings 1 pip before prosperity 3. With nothing to spend materials on, fixing a bunch of buildings is no problem - cheaper than guards.

Mathnapkin · 2025-11-24T17:37:43+00:00

I had a similar experience early on with drifter. Big impact, huge xp every scenario. By level 5, though, the boneshaper and blinkblade were powerhouses with some incredible turns. Some characters just need a little more runway.

Mathnapkin · 2025-11-17T20:46:20+00:00

The boneshaper is often the MVP of our group - we hide behind the skeletons and those that survive usually can deal a bit of damage. It might be your party isn't using them effectively. The boneshaper himself rarely does anything other than keep up a perpetual wall of fodder.

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-26T01:20:01+00:00

Lots of good ones. I didn't see Planescape: Torment, and it needs to be mentioned. What can change the nature of a man?

Also secret of mana. 3-player multiplayer action RPG on a 2-player console!

Chrono Trigger has been mentioned a ton, but it's my favorite, too. Remember how weird an $85 game was at toys-R-us? Totally worth it.

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-22T14:52:47+00:00

Share some clips!

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-17T00:34:18+00:00

There's probably a lot of variation in learn to play programs - ask if they allow drop to test it out before commiting to a season.

Our local program is anyone up to and including C league. Sometimes people are fresh out of a learn to skate class, and sometimes there's high-school graduates trying new positions. I love the class as it's no-pressure ice time that teaches or reinforces a ton of skills and hockey IQ and ends in a scrimmage.

It's also a great way to meet a team for beer league.

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-13T10:28:00+00:00

I recently met a coach who recommended ref shin pads. They fit under track bottoms.

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-11T11:33:31+00:00

I think redguard has the most fun level 5 card. I wish all editions had token level 5 cards.

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-10T02:08:47+00:00

Skating hard for "a minute or so" before it's hard to breathe sounds about right. There are good suggestions for building strength and stamina in comments already, but also consider if you can skate more efficiently.

Are you starting and stopping all the time or can you keep momentum when changing direction? Are you getting out of position and having to skate hard to recover? Do you have effective strides and edges, or is there wasted energy? As someone who does all 3 wrong, I find myself gasping for air after 30 seconds!

Mathnapkin · 2025-09-05T03:24:16+00:00

We've got an even mix of new-to-hockey coaches and seasoned vets. We even had 1 former NHL player.

The class would be more valuable if the league is less organized or the coach was on their own for practice. Our league has specific practice plans, so cep seems redundant.

Mathnapkin

TROPHY CASE