In the fast-paced, unpredictable world of hockey, the ability to execute a variety of shots can be the difference between a near miss and a spectacular goal. One thing with shooting that we have focused a lot of time on is the art of teaching players to diversify their shooting arsenal. In this post, I’ll explore key shots and skills, and the specific game situations where they can be most effectively employed. These are shots we consistently focus on in most of the drills we run when it comes to scoring goals.
1. Shots off Passes:
Key Skill - Changing the Angle with Feet:
The ability to swiftly adjust your feet to change the shooting angle can catch goalies off guard and open up scoring opportunities. If you can move laterally, this forces the goalie to move and will open up some holes.
Game Situations:
Receiving a pass off the rush and quickly adjusting to reroute, causing the goalie and D to also move.
Exploiting openings in the goalie’s positioning during fast-paced plays.
Action Steps:
Practice receiving passes and swiftly adjusting foot positioning to alter the shot angle.
Focus on timing, vision, and footwork to make rapid adjustments seamlessly.
Watch how Mackinnon moves laterally to the right as he receives this puck. Re-watch it and watch what the goalie has to do
2. Pull Drag Shot:
Key Skill - Puck Pulling for Angle Alteration:
Mastering the pull drag shot involves drawing the puck towards your body to change the shot angle, often bypassing defenders and catching the goalie by surprise with the new release point of the puck.
Game Situations:
When facing a blocking defender or an anticipating goalie.
Creating shooting lanes in crowded defensive setups.
Action Steps:
Drill the motion of pulling the puck in and quickly releasing the shot. Practice this in your team drills when the coach simply instructs you to go down and shoot. Add this element to your shots.
Focus on pulling the puck in more and more as you go to stretch your comfort zone and improve the space in which you are comfortable shooting.
3. One-Touch Shots:
Key Skill - Shot-Ready Mindset and Stick Flex Utilization:
Being ready to release a one-touch shot and understanding how to use the stick’s flex to optimize power and accuracy is crucial. If you can get the shot off very quickly, the goalie may not be set to make the save.
Game Situations:
Quick play setups where there’s minimal time to control the puck before shooting.
Capitalizing on rapid passes to exploit openings in the defense or goaltender.
Action Steps:
Practice the shot-ready stance AND MENTALITY to enhance your quick-release ability. Show your teammates you're ready to shoot and you want the puck!
Work on timing and technique to harness the stick’s flex for added shot power.
The diversity in shooting techniques is a testament to the dynamic nature of hockey. Each shot, from the angle-altering mastery of shooting off passes to the deceptive pull drag shot and the rapid execution of one-touch shots, has its unique place in a player’s repertoire. By understanding and mastering these skills, players can transform every puck possession into a potential scoring opportunity, keeping opponents on their toes and the crowd on the edge of their seats.
We are constantly adding ways to work on these shots and place them into live game situations, with the intent that they will be better utilized in real game environments.