Alright, need some help. looks for limegreenpotato
So I’ve played hockey for quite a few years, stopped for a while then got back into yet about a few years ago. I grew up playing forward but have been playing defence ever since I started playing in the “beer leagues”.
I need some tips on slap shots from the point.
I play LD, and need help when we’re in the offensive zone and I get a pass from a forward down low. Normally, I’ll just take a slapshot from the blueline or look around for a pass.
My problem is doing what most D-men do with ease, circling towards the center along the blue line and looking for a shot or a pass back to the left side. For one, I have trouble crossing over backwards to that side, the other side I’m fine. Then getting a slapshot off with power and accuracy while skating backwards.
Does that make sense? I guess, picture just standing at the blue line on D on the left side, and getting a pass from a forward down low. A lot of the times a good Dman on the powerplay would cycle towards to the middle and either pass in front of him, towards his right, or shoot on goal.
I just have trouble controlling the puck when I do that, and shooting on goal.
Some options:
One timer if screened
One timer pass if available
Move just enough horizontal and shoot on net or pass if available
Receive the pass and look for an evolving opportunity; imo developing screens or a one timer opportunity is a good opportunity. If not available, the team’s ability to move into position is important from practice.
Skate towards the net/center and look to pass or shoot; this depends on your team mates.
It’s a problem of knowing your team mates positions, your opponents positions and stick lengths, and practice.
But what I mean is, I physically have trouble doing that. The options and what to do with it, I’m fine.
I can’t crossover to my left skating backwards while controlling the puck.
I play LD and play lefthanded, but if I did play RD it’s easy for me to get the puck along the boards with my backhand and circle towards the center while controlling the puck. I guess because it would be on my forehand/natural side.
My problem is, since I’m on the left side it’s difficult for me to bring the puck towards the top of the point while mainting control. If I do get it there, my shot has no power or accuracy and I feel off balance.
I’ve been playing for a long time and would like to think I’m a decent player, not great, but ok for beer leagues. But I just look lost when it comes to this.
I guess since I’m on the topic of getting better at hockey. What about one timers? It amazes me how guys in the NHL can rip these one timers off passes that are like lightning fast.
If the puck is passed to me pretty soft/slow I can shoot it pretty well. But the second a hard pass comes and I go for a one timer, the shot I take just fumbles around.
Okay, that’d be like me playing righty on a right D.
Receive on fore hand from along the boards and skate forwards towards the net. The issue you’ve got is shooting since you’ll either have to do a backhand once you get to the edge of the circle or physically turn your body and then shoot on the fore hand. Unless you are good at the backhand, this can be tricky.
Something I’ve handled in that situation is:
Skate towards the net, two out let passes, either to the other D on the fore hand or to the forward on your left with a back hand pass (watch out for sticks in the way).
This also enables you to take a wrist shot since the puck is still on your fore hand as you sake towards the net.
If you pass it to the D partner, this can allow you to attack the net up the middle, potentially opening up a cross ice passing lane for a one timer to the forward who probably passed it to you initially.
Another option is to get good at receiving the pass on the fore hand and skating backwards, parallel with the blue line, able to shoot and pass on the fore hand at all times. You may switch sides with your D partner or suddenly pass the puck back the opposite direction you were moving for a one time opportunity, as the forward may cover center line leaving the forward open to your left.
So this seems like an easy drill to practice, right?
Keep some pucks on the left wall at about the top of the circle or maybe closer to the blue line, skate over there, maybe stop first, grab a puck, and skate backwards, shoot. This backward skating drill will help with many things.
One timers for me were:
Practice practice practice, keep the stick down, know where the puck is, and finding those weak holes in the zone. Still I often failed at game time speed. Didn’t play long enough to get it down.
Team canada announced their line up for Sochi, holy shit whats with the media coverage? Correct me if im wrong but USA doesnt do this shit with its NBA team.
Work on ur cross overs. Literally skate backwards around face off circles doing crossovers. U may have weak ankles tho in which case get ankle supports or protectors. They help a ton.
Btw there is a 2013-2014 thread but @Odin failed it miserably.
Go leafs go
At the point u should be either finding an open man, cycling the puck, or shooting on net. Generally keep it low so ur team can tip or get rebounds.
Okay, I said I would start checkin’ hockey after that huge World War Z-like celebration and just see what was all the fuss about and I’m still confused about two things:
1.How do you get “off sides” called?
Are you not allowed to hit a mid air puck into the net?
The player with the puck has to be the first in the offensive zone.
Offsides is called when the guy with the puck goes into the offensive zone, crosses the blue line, when a teammate is already in the zone. The play is whistled dead and there is a face off
Your teammates must have a skate outside the blue line as you move the puck across the line to be onside. Find a YouTube video, it’s simple
You can’t deflect a puck into the net when your stick is higher than the goals cross bar. If you do, it’s a high stick and the play is dead
The puck must cross the blue line before the first offensive player crosses into the offensive zone.
So you can take yourself off sides if you back in first with the puck trailing.