USA Hockey Adult Hockey

After a long week of work, the guys on the Puckheads can’t wait for Saturday to roll around.

That’s one of the league nights at Ice Skate USA (ISUSA) at the Memorial City Mall in Houston.

“It’s definitely our outlet,” Puckheads captain Jim Molloy said about playing hockey. “Whether the game starts at 7 p.m. or 11 p.m., we usually don’t get home until 2 a.m. We usually hang out in the locker room, have a few beers, laugh and exaggerate how well we played.”

Said team member Troy Rains said: “I look forward to that Saturday game, that’s the highlight of my week.”

Molloy calls Rains the “grinder.” Rains is just trying to do his part to make the team successful.

“This guy scores goals like no one else,” Molloy said. “No matter where the puck’s going or bouncing, he keeps it in front of him and he powers his way to the net. He’s usually carrying someone on his back before he scores.”

“Jimmy says I’m the grinder, but really half of the guys on the team are better than me and maybe half the guys are weaker,” Rains said. “But we balance out as a good team. We try to structure the lines to keep a couple of good skaters on one line and a couple of not so good skaters and try to balance it out that way.”

It’s a loose group of guys. Things aren’t taken too seriously. It’s all about having a good time.

“I think the nice thing about our team is we don’t have anyone that self-destructs on the bench and people are pretty encouraging of each other when we’re on the ice,” said Molloy, who has played on the team for four years.

Puckheads is made up of players ranging from 28 to 61 years of age. At 47, Molloy is one of handful of 40-somethings on the team.

“I have equipment that is only three years younger than our youngest player,” joked Molloy.

“We’ve got a wide range of ages, a wide range of backgrounds. We are in all different disciplines around Houston and hockey’s what brings us together.”

Puckheads, which established their team nine years ago, competes in the C/D division. Molloy noted the league is an interesting dynamic where a number of players have relocated to Houston for work and wound up at the ISUSA.

The league runs two sessions per year in the fall and spring. Puckheads have had some success over the years, winning six championships. However, the guys generally aren’t too concerned about taking home titles.

“Winning it isn’t everything, but whoever said that probably never won anything,” Molloy joked.

Puckheads is a well-balanced team with some great on-ice chemistry.

“We all work together as a team and we don’t have just one guy that has all the talent,” Molloy said. “There are some teams that we play that have a ringer and they get capped after three goals. What’s nice about us is that we do a good job of making short passes and head manning the puck and pulling the puck out of the corner and grinding it out in front of the net.”

Rains loves the camaraderie on the team and how close-knit the group is.

“I love to skate, so just getting out there and skating with a good group of guys — that’s what just makes it great to go out and play every week,” Rains said.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.