Getting frustrated w/Scoring slump

[KBO25 0]

I've been playing on the same team in the same beer league for 6 years. In the past I was always a forward, and, while certainly not the best on the team I held my own. I was basically a goal per game scorer on a team with good forwards.

This year we lost 3 defensemen for various reasons, and I volunteered to play D. I'm not great back there, but I feel I'm improving game by game.

My problem is that I have only 2 goals all year.

During the first part of the season, we were scoring a lot and winning almost every game, so I didn't worry about offense. But, recently the offense is drying up, and we're on a losing streak.

The last 2 games I find myself pushing offensively, and not getting back properly. On top of that, the forwards refuse to pass to the point, even on PP.

I feel as though, my own scoring frustration is causing me to make bad plays and get out of position.

Anyone else go through periods like this? And is there anything they did to change their thinking pattern?

Thanks for allowing me to vent.. :P

[All Torhs Team 0]

I'll be honest, I havnt scored a single goal all season. Yea and we're into playoffs now. I take pride in having the least penalty minutes but still being one of the bigger guys who throws his body around.

[MLSman 22]

I can relate right now....playing on a new team, and we have shifted players on our lines, so there is no chemistry right now. The most frustrating part is that the old team I played for had natural finishers....all you had to do is feed them and they would put the puck in the back of the net. That has always been my strength....passing. I have never been a sniper...but I would rack up a ton of assists because I can thread the needle on a pass. The team I am playing with now has no real finishers. I have been gift wrapping passes with bows and expensive wrapping paper all year...but every time they get the puck...something happens.

I would most likely do better if I started stickhandling more and taking more shots, so I have been working on changing my game to pass less and get into good shooting position, using screens, etc. That would be my advice: work on adapting your game to how your team is playing...and they will certainly "use" you more in your position. I have two good defensemen on my team (we have the best D in our league), and I find myself passing more to them now than I do the C and the RW....because my D can finish better than my offense. It took a few games for me to change that...but when they were able to pop a couple in the net for a couple of games on some passes, they became a weapon for us. You might be able to find yourself in the same position because of your offensive nature...so use it when you get the chance and you will win your offense over.

[number21 3]

i am still very new to playing the game, so all my "advice" is probably not the best

But maybe try being more vocal with your forwards. I know some guys probably don't take advice well or will give attitude to you for just trying to communicate more.

Also does a forward drop back to D when you move in?

I don't know, those are the first things that popped into my head.

[KBO25 0]

i am still very new to playing the game, so all my "advice" is probably not the best

But maybe try being more vocal with your forwards. I know some guys probably don't take advice well or will give attitude to you for just trying to communicate more.

Also does a forward drop back to D when you move in?

I don't know, those are the first things that popped into my head.

I think I should probably be a little more vocal,I've been playing with the same guys for years, and we're all pretty much friends.

I do tell them to look for the points, especially on the PP, but, they don't seem to get the message.

Or if they do, they look to pass to the point at the wrong times. Then if it doesn't work, they tend to not go back to it.

Some of it is my own fault, as I'm still adjusting to playing D, and don't always make the right descisions.

Some of it is being paired w/a weaker partner. I should probably be looking to cover for him as he makes some mistakes(he tries real hard and has a good attitude, but can only do so much). I guess I get hung up on the scoring thing, and force stuff and get out of position.

I guess I kind of know what my problem is, I just needed to vent to really understand the porblem is more MY attitude than anything else.

[sdcopp 1]

sometimes slumps need someone getting fired up and vocal. Just remember though that positive reinforcement meets with better attitudes than bitching and calling out. Having a little energy on the bench can be helpful. If you're playing D, play it to the best of your ability. If the offense is dry, it's doubly important to play good D. It's a hard transition to make, because natural forwards are mentally wired very differently than natural defensemen.

[number21 3]

he tries real hard and has a good attitude, but can only do so much)

hey that sounds like me! :lol:

[SickLife 2]

yeah. beginning of the season i had 11 goals in 6 games. then didn't score the next 5 games. got one after that, but have been struggling ever since. i get too defensive minded when we're winning to protect the lead, & also when we're losing to stop more scoring.

[mack 44]

The answer is the same age-old one as always....

[djinferno 2]

never been a good goal scorer, my vision is what makes me usefull....

Last year, i finished with 5 goals and 32 assists in 28 games

I just feel like i don't get the passes i dish out, if i could get a pass from myself, i'd be 20 - 20...

[chk hrd 164]

you are a defensemen now. You main objective is to prevent goals, not score them and to help keep the puck from coming out of the O-zone. Offense wins games, Defense keeps you from loosing them. If all the D-men are pushing up trying to score then I would guess your team is getting caught on breakaways or odd man rushes.

Start playing basic hockey 101 again. Everyone needs to do the job assigned to them. Talk with the wings before and during the game and let them know what the other team is doing (like leaving the points wide open). You have a different view and may see things they don't realize.

It's not about how many goals you score it's about the team winning a game.

[Chadd 916]

I've been playing a lot of defense over the last few years and still used to rack up a decent number of points. This season has been miserable for me because even if I hit guys with great passes, they aren't scoring on them.

Go out and take pride in each shift and use +/- as your goal in every game and every shift. Make the right plays at both ends of the ice and if the team wins in the end, it doesn't matter what your personal stats are. If the team loses and you played as well as you can, take pride in how you played and focus on playing better in the next game.

[bill33 0]

Im with chadd. I play alot of defense, and while I do score some goals, sometimes our better use is to keep passing and hopefully making the offense better. It will always come around again. I really feel better after a game if I have been able to make some great blocks and assists.

[Jarick 5]

Well I'm really not all that good at hockey, but I love playing. I just got my first goal in 10 years last night so I'm happy :D I was on the point, noticed the guys were driving in and about to shoot so I crept up and smacked in a rebound which floated close to me.

I generally play defense, so I'm more concerned with preventing goals than scoring them. I'm happy when I get on the backcheck and can poke the puck off a rush or clear the crease or make a steal and pass out to a forward. If I can block a shot or stop a rush and get the play going the other way, my goalie loves me and the guys who can snipe and pass score the goals.

That being said, every time I play I note where my weakest link was and then I work on it. Last week I couldn't shoot or receive passes at all. So I spent hours working on it. Now I'm shooting better and receiving passes better, but now I find my backwards skating still isn't where it should be. So back to the rink.

[fatwabbit 93]

positive reinforcement... shouting something like "c'mon guys! we can do this!"

as for you scoring slump, ever think of trying a different stick.. different curve... different position? switching to the other side?

just mix it up, and not forget that the important thing is to have fun while playing....

[KBO25 0]

OK, a little bit of an update here. We had our first playoff game Sun. night.

I decided to concentrate on playing def., and [cliche]let the game come to me[/cliche].

We won 7-4. I had to play pretty much the whole game, we had a guy out with a bad back, a guy in Antigua and some punk decided to stay home and watch the Patriots vs Colts.

Anyway, I had a pretty good night.

I didn't make too many mistakes on def. and I had a goal and 3 assists.

The goal came late in the third, we were up by one and we caught the other team in a line a change.

I skated down the right wing and got off a real good wrist shot, that snuck through short side.

I say this not to brag about my offensive prowess, but, because I got such good tips in this thread.

I just played in control and didn't force anything. Concentrated on playing D, and communicated w/my teammates.

Very satisfying effort, and I had a lot of fun again, instead of over-thinking and worrying about scoring. Plus it felt real good to get off a nice wrist shot, that actually found its mark...

Anyway, thanks for all the good advise guys...