When he stepped on the RA Centre's ice Saturday afternoon, Ottawa's Stuart McGregor didn't know what to expect.

McGregor, 37, is one of about 30 visually-impaired hockey players from across North America taking part this weekend in what organizers say is their first tournament ever in the nation's capital.

"It was really fast. Really high intensity. The puck moved really quick, a lot faster than I expected, " said McGregor, who has about 10 per cent peripheral vision in each eye and was playing for the first time.

"It was hockey. It wasn't some pickup game at the local rink. It was legit hockey."

Players from across Canada, U.S.

Players from teams as far away as Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago and New York are in the city for the two-day, three-game competition put onby the Canadian Blind Hockey association.

For those who've never seen blind hockey before: it's played by athletes who have no more than 10 per cent of their vision. Those with the most vision play forward, while those with little vision are typically defencemen or — in the case of players who are completely blind — goaltenders.

Ottawa's Stuart McGregor, 37, took part in the city's first blind hockey tournament at the RA Centre this weekend. (CBC)

"If you're a goalie, you've just got your net to take care of. Your hearing is optimized. So it's just natural that they would be in net," said Mark Bentz, Canadian Blind Hockey's vice-president.

The puck is also larger-than-regulation size — it's nearly 14 centimetres across and 5 centimetres tall — and its hollow centre