Blueline tightrope shooting

[ktang 34]

When I'm playing D and going along the blueline backwards I can get off a pretty good slapshot or 1-time shot. However, going along the blueline forwards I can't seem to get as much on the shots. Anybody else like that? Is there a different technique for shooting while tightroping forwards along the blueline?

[thorpedo26 0]

When I'm playing D and going along the blueline backwards I can get off a pretty good slapshot or 1-time shot. However, going along the blueline forwards I can't seem to get as much on the shots. Anybody else like that? Is there a different technique for shooting while tightroping forwards along the blueline?

probably because your trying to shoot across your body.... bad form

i just got em pretty goodj ust practice it over and over

[DamnLocust 0]

Try to push the puck forwards, towards your front foot just before you wind-up, then you can really step into the shot.

As with anything, practice will go a long way towards improving this skill. Just whack a ton of pucks until you figure out what works for you.

[Lester8 11]

Have you considered your knee bend? Going forwards I tend to have my knees straighter, making me even-balanced left to right, so there's less weight transfer, and a weaker shot. Going backwards, I have a deeper bend in my back foot, with my front foot out and behind, then when I rotate through the shot, my front foot plants and comes under to catch my weight, while the back foot goes out and behind. Much harder shot. Other than knee bend, it could be you're reaching for the puck. Good luck.

[ktang 34]

It might be a combination of shooting across my body and the difference in knee bend between backwards and forwards skating.

When I'm tightroping backwards and then shooting, I plant my right skate a little (I shoot left-handed), pivot around it, and shoot. It's natural.

When I'm tightroping forwards and then shooting, I can't plant so it's harder to pivot. Then I end up shooting across my body. I have a slightly longer stick when I play D, so that makes it worse.

I will give DamnLocust's technique a try. My preferred contact point is between the legs, but maybe I will have to learn to shoot from the front skate.

M-A Bergeron seems to fall forward when he follows through on this type of shot; maybe that's part of the secret?

Pronger seems to shoot these off his left foot (he also shoot left); maybe that's something to try.

[biff44 0]

Part of scoring is to know what type of shot to get off. Good scorers can score from almost any position, sometimes even while flying thru the air. So, when you are in certain foot positions, maybe you know your slap shot will not work as well and you instead get off a snap shot or wrist shot as quickly as possible before the goalie can set. Also, you can get better shooting from odd positions, you just have to practice it! Get a garbage pail full of pucks and practice shooting every day in the driveway, just do not do it from easy positions. Do it with odd foot positioning and odd angles to the net. Figure out how to shoot in all positions, and then strive to get each method repeatable enough so you can get accurate.

[ktang 34]

biff44: Good pointers, thanks for those.

This shot, the slapshot from the off-wing (while skating down the boards), and the snap-shot while moving across the top of the circles with the left side towards the net (I shoot left) have always given me trouble, and I want to add them to my repertoire.

I believe in the adage, "practice does NOT make perfect; PERFECT practice makes perfect", so I'm looking for some technique tips before I shoot those pine cones against my garage door (that's how I practice shooting).

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

[sabres48 0]

biff44: Good pointers, thanks for those.

This shot, the slapshot from the off-wing (while skating down the boards), and the snap-shot while moving across the top of the circles with the left side towards the net (I shoot left) have always given me trouble, and I want to add them to my repertoire.

I believe in the adage, "practice does NOT make perfect; PERFECT practice makes perfect", so I'm looking for some technique tips before I shoot those pine cones against my garage door (that's how I practice shooting).

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

How about the adage practice makes permanent?

[ktang 34]

biff44: Good pointers, thanks for those.

This shot, the slapshot from the off-wing (while skating down the boards), and the snap-shot while moving across the top of the circles with the left side towards the net (I shoot left) have always given me trouble, and I want to add them to my repertoire.

I believe in the adage, "practice does NOT make perfect; PERFECT practice makes perfect", so I'm looking for some technique tips before I shoot those pine cones against my garage door (that's how I practice shooting).

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

How about the adage practice makes permanent?

Imperfect practice makes permanent imperfections?

[sabres48 0]

biff44: Good pointers, thanks for those.

This shot, the slapshot from the off-wing (while skating down the boards), and the snap-shot while moving across the top of the circles with the left side towards the net (I shoot left) have always given me trouble, and I want to add them to my repertoire.

I believe in the adage, "practice does NOT make perfect; PERFECT practice makes perfect", so I'm looking for some technique tips before I shoot those pine cones against my garage door (that's how I practice shooting).

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

How about the adage practice makes permanent?

Imperfect practice makes permanent imperfections?

I guess

[Chadd 916]

When I'm playing D and going along the blueline backwards I can get off a pretty good slapshot or 1-time shot. However, going along the blueline forwards I can't seem to get as much on the shots. Anybody else like that? Is there a different technique for shooting while tightroping forwards along the blueline?

Going backwards, you're pulling the puck into your body and into your shooting motion. Going forward, you're chasing to the puck. I would guess that the puck is farther away from your body when you're going forward. If so, you may be bending more at the waist than at the knees in an effort to stretch for the puck. Also the farther you get from the puck on your strong side, the more you have to shoot through your body to get the puck on net. In game situations a quick wrister or snapper on net can still create a rebound and scoring chance without the big windup.

[ktang 34]

I did an experiment: I shot, going backwards, without planting the right skate (I shoot left). The shot was the same velocity as whwn I was going forwards along the blueline.

So it probably isn't puck positioning or chasing the puck, but the lack of something to plant and rotate around when going forwards.

So I tried planting the left skate (inside edge) and lifting the right knee going forwards along the blue line and got a bit more velocity. The rotation cleared the body.

The next thing to try is planting on the right skate's outside edge to get some rotation.

[thorpedo26 0]

I did an experiment: I shot, going backwards, without planting the right skate (I shoot left). The shot was the same velocity as whwn I was going forwards along the blueline.

So it probably isn't puck positioning or chasing the puck, but the lack of something to plant and rotate around when going forwards.

So I tried planting the left skate (inside edge) and lifting the right knee going forwards along the blue line and got a bit more velocity. The rotation cleared the body.

The next thing to try is planting on the right skate's outside edge to get some rotation.

all techincal

[Super Star 0]

As with anything, practice will go a long way towards improving this skill. Just whack a ton of pucks until you figure out what works for you.

Its a bit off topic but I have a question when practicing slap shots I tent to break blades really fast, so if I just stand on ice and whack away I'll be broke financially way before I develop good form, any advice?

[DamnLocust 0]

use cheap woodies or wood blades for practice. You're working on form more than anything else. If you want to, you can fine tune with your game stick once you've got your form down.

also, check your lie and see if that may be a contributing factor to breaking blades. Using the wrong lie will cause your blade to hit the ice unevenly, torquing it which will affect your shot and the blade's durability. If the tape excessively wears on the heel of your stick, the lie is too high. If the tape wears on the toe of the stick, the lie is too low. If the lie is a little bit too high, it can be remedied by using a shorter stick. If it's a bit too low, it can be remedied with a longer stick.

[D-MaN88 0]

You want to actually come through the puck, not down on top of it and then chunk the ice before actually making contact with the puck.

When I played competitive hockey and I played D, I'm also left handed and when I came across the blueline I would actually try to still square myself up as much as possible before taking the shot.

As the saying goes, you really do have more time than you think out there just patience and square up to it and put everything you have behind the shot and it should be hard and effective everytime (at least if you hit the net that is) but accuracy is a whole different topic!

[ktang 34]

I found a video that demonstrates what D-MaN88 is talking about.

It's in the "Shooting from the point" video, about 43 seconds in.

Hockey Coaching ABCs video links

The Swedish point man is coming towards the passer and has to clear his body. He spins into the ice, and his left leg ends up in front of the right, like M-A Bergeron does it.