Defenseman shooting from near the blue line

[Chadd 916]

Sometimes you're better off throwing the puck into the corner than taking a shot. When shooting from the blue line the most important thing (in my book) is to make sure it isn't blocked high in the zone. If you aren't sure the shot is going to get on net, throw it into the corner or off the end boards. The better you know the angle and rebounds off the boards at the rink the more effective those dumps can be.

If you have two guys coming hard out on you, your team should have an odd man advantage down low.

Gotcha Chadd, that makes sense. I'm always too excited to rip a hard shot at the net. I'll try that next game, dumping the puck back around the boards or to my D partner (who I'm sure would appreciate passes going the other way for once).

Passes across the blue line are really dangerous, you have to be 100% sure that your partner is open. When dumping the puck in, you want to put it in a place where your guys have the best chance to get to it first. Sometimes this is a hard rim around the boards, other times it's a soft lob into the corner. Oh and if the only guy between you and the net is one of the other guys, blast one past his ears. It will make him think twice about blocking the next one.

Yeah I got real lucky and none of those were converted. Had a good game actually, +4 and 3 assists. I'm just leery of chipping it back down the boards when it gets chipped down to me along those same boards and they have a man advantage along them. Hopefully the NHL network starts running classic games so I can watch what the pros do.

Too many guys get caught in the "bowling alley" frame of mind on the boards. Changing the point of attack by getting the puck across the zone into a dead area can help create more chances if your guys can get to those pucks before the other team.

[Jarick 5]

I did rip a shot right at the goalies head that caught him off guard, he gloved it but it bounced at his feet and we got the rebound for the first goal of the game. Granted I stepped up and shot from the hash marks since nobody was around.

It seems like it's all about instinct and reading the play, so I'll try and get some small games practice going to see if we can improve that. I know we want to start getting the point more involved in the play, so some 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 in one end with point passes should help.