Women hockey Olympians debate the values of checking

For fans accustomed to the brutal, mind-altering checking found in the National Hockey League, women’s hockey can come as a surprise.

There’s no checking. It’s illegal. The rule helps keep the women’s game distinctive from the men’s version.
The difference is similar to the difference between men’s and women’s lacrosse.

In the men’s version of lacrosse, hits sometimes resemble the bone-crushing action found in football, and the women’s version of lacrosse is free of violence.

In hockey, the no-check rule is not unanimously beloved.

Some players and coaches wish women would be allowed to battle and collide in the same way as men.
Hilary Knight, a 5-foot-10, 172-pound forward, would like to see the rule changed.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m a bigger player.”

Others are thankful their game is distinctive.

Mark Johnson, coach of the women’s Olympic team, wants the no-check approach to remain.

“With no checking, there’s end-to-end action, and it’s pure hockey,” Johnson said. “It’s pure hockey.”

Forward Erika Lawler agrees with her coach, which isn’t surprising. Lawler is 5-foot, 130 pounds and benefits from being free of worries about getting pounded by mammoth defenders.

“Women’s hockey does have the speed and skill that you might not have on most men’s teams,” Lawler said. “It’s a nice difference that we have.”

Angela Ruggiero, a 5-foot-9, 192-pound defender,  sees it both ways.

“I personally would love to check,” she said.

But she wonders how many parents would allow their daughter to play hockey if checking was introduced.

“This way, parents aren’t afraid to sign up their daughters,” she said. “It’s a great brand of hockey. There’s no clutching and grabbing and it’s at a fast pace.”