Getting your shots through from the point

[mrruin 0]

Here is the deal. Im playing D for over 2 years now and I have progressed from a beginner to a fairly decent beer league/no contact rec league defender. I have a pretty good shot with decent velocity and so so target. I score goals every now and then but lately I have run into problems getting my shots through and on the net. I notice a lot of my teammates are having the same problem.

Mostly I find it simply takes too long to get the shot off or the shot almost always gets blocked, no matter how hard it is it will hit something on the way to the net.

What are some of the tricks in avoiding this? Better positioning? Getting rid of the puck sooner? Not waiting for the perfect shot but just throwing it on net ASAP? Moving along the blue line to change the angle? Or all of the above?

I would really like to improve this part of my game since dangerous Dmen are a weapon seldom seen at our level and can be a great asset to any team. In my case I think the tools are there but the execution is lacking. Any tips are appreciated.

[chippa13 1844]

The 2 best things you can do is get your shot off quick and/or moving slightly to one side or the other to change the angle on shot blockers. Give up on the big windup and go for a quick wrist/snapshot or low windup slapper. Have your head up when you're shooting. If you see the lane is blocked then don't just wire it into an opponent's shin pads.

[Chadd 916]

The 2 best things you can do is get your shot off quick and/or moving slightly to one side or the other to change the angle on shot blockers. Give up on the big windup and go for a quick wrist/snapshot or low windup slapper. Have your head up when you're shooting. If you see the lane is blocked then don't just wire it into an opponent's shin pads.

That's the best advice you're going to get. I would rather miss the net with a shot that gets through that blast one that gets blocked before it gets to the net. Find your lane and get the puck away before the lane disappears. Of course, you need to have guys in front of the net to tip or score on rebounds for that to work. Keep in mind that your job from the point isn't to blast the puck past the goalie, your job is to create a scoring chance for the guys in front of the net. Low shots away from the glove hand will give them the best chances to score.

[jcp2 2]

I would really like to improve this part of my game since dangerous Dmen are a weapon seldom seen at our level and can be a great asset to any team.

It's funny, but my league has the exact same problem, except during playoffs. Apparently, the potential reward of a championship cotton T-shirt brings out the dormant cannon from the point.

[shotty 7]

its got to be quick if you want it on net untouched. it seems like every player on the ice crashes the net in my league when the puck goes to the point.

[technophile 0]

The 2 best things you can do is get your shot off quick and/or moving slightly to one side or the other to change the angle on shot blockers. Give up on the big windup and go for a quick wrist/snapshot or low windup slapper. Have your head up when you're shooting. If you see the lane is blocked then don't just wire it into an opponent's shin pads.

That's the best advice you're going to get. I would rather miss the net with a shot that gets through that blast one that gets blocked before it gets to the net. Find your lane and get the puck away before the lane disappears. Of course, you need to have guys in front of the net to tip or score on rebounds for that to work. Keep in mind that your job from the point isn't to blast the puck past the goalie, your job is to create a scoring chance for the guys in front of the net. Low shots away from the glove hand will give them the best chances to score.

Seconded.

If your lane closes, you have two options.

1. If you're not being pressured (happens on power plays sometimes), move sideways. It's actually really hard for amateur players to stay directly between you and the goal; judging the angle is hard without a lot of experience. When the lane opens up, shoot (low, aiming for the goalie's leg pads, a teammate on the corner of the net, etc). You want a quick snapshot or even a wrister, not a big windup slapper. Make sure you're looking at the open lane, because the puck will go where you're looking. If you look at the guy trying to block you, you're going to hit him for sure. (This is true when shooting on net, too; look at the open areas of the net, not at the goalie.)

2. Put the puck in deep where a teammate can get to it. A lot of times what will happen is that you'll pull at least one, and often two, players into your shooting lane, leaving the near-side wing uncovered. Just pass the puck straight down to him (off the boards if need be). He can then make a pass to the center, shoot, or wait until the wing on you gets suckered into coming down after him, at which point he can give you the puck back for another try.

One other thing to note, sometimes it's more effective to miss the goal. If you're not in the center of the ice, you can shoot the puck off the end boards behind the goal -- the angle is sharp enough that it will rebound out the other side long before the goalie realizes where it went and can get across, meaning an easy goal if you have a teammate waiting for it.

[Jarick 5]

I had that problem a lot when I moved back to D this summer.

What I do now is try and move the puck laterally before I shoot, and get rid of it as fast as possible. Just about all my wrist and snap shots go through traffic. If I'm on my backhand or I see I have a guy along the boards, I'll pass up to him.

I've taken one slapper all year and that was on a breakaway (I had three of them in one shift last night, and I wanted to try something different). Every slapper I take and big wrist shots all seem to get blocked.

[Chadd 916]

The defenseman on my team with the slowest shot, always gets it through. He never takes a slapper or a big windup, but the puck ends up on net 9 times out of 10. He has even picked up a couple goals on pucks that found their way through traffic and ended up getting through the goalie. It's not all about the power when shooting from the blue line.

[chk hrd 164]

getting a shot through doesn't mean it has to be a rocket. Position, speed, aim all play a big part. As a forward I preffer the D to wind up for a big slapper. It gives me alot of time to close up any gaps to block thier shots and you worry alot less about the shot getting any higher than your shin pads. And when you are that close and take one off the shins you have a really good chance of it popping out of the zone and getting a break away. A shot doesn't have to be right at the goalie , it can be wide for a deflection or played off the boards, the biggest thing is to get it to the area. I play alot in front of the net. It drives me insane when a D fires a shot that is waist high or higher. There is no real chance of it going in and it is almost impossible to deflect it in without getting called for a high stick, not to mention the chance of taking it in a bad spot. If you can't keep it low just try to slide it through on the ice like a hard pass, at least I can work with it then.

[mrruin 0]

thanks for the replies, I think my biggest mistake is not keeping my head up choosing the right lanes. Im not much of a slapper guy as my snap and wristshots are just that much more reliable so getting it off quickly should be possible. However I keep staring at the puck trying to hit it perfectly but in turn Im not watching the net or looking if the lane is really open so that may be the biggest mistake I make.

[Chadd 916]

My first look from the point is to make a pass. It doesn't always have to go on net when you get the puck.

[Law Goalie 147]

There's already great advice in this thread about shooting technique, but I thought I'd chip in from the other side.

Unless you're facing a completely inept goalie, or your shot does something weird (knuckleball, slider, whatever) you're *never* going to score on a straight shot from the point (no screen, no tip). A level-appropriate goalie will always make that save.

If you have a cannon for your level, unloading a one-timer from the point *can* work is if you've got five things going at once:

- lots of time and space for you, little for the goalie (eg. a power-play)

- a big guy in front who knows how to work a moving screen for you

- a puck-carrier who uses good deception and can thread a pass to a moving target for a one-timer

- you on the move across the point, ready for that pass

- you hit the net but miss the goalie

In this situation, the goalie is pinned back in his net by two problems: the risk of a cross-seam pass or a jam play out front, and the big guy parking his ass into the top of the crease. Because the goalie can't get good depth out against your shot, you've got one big advantage. The screen in front will not only prevent him from challenging your shot, it'll delay his read on the pass, his read on your shooting position, and on your release - provided the screen moves with you.

In this situation, most goalies (even bad ones) will throw a passive, blocking butterfly out to where they think the shot is coming from. This means, in theory, an 11"-12" high wall of pads along the ice, either completely or almost completely covering the bottom of the net, with a 4' tall and 2-3' wide torso sticks up out of it, and some arms handing at the sides. Assuming the goalie hits the correct angle with this wall (which is something lower-level goalie will rarely do, but all higher-level goalies will always do), you will have from your puck's perspective two strips of net about 24" tall and 12"-15" wide on either side of the goalie's shoulders, above the pads. Hit those with a rocket, and you've made good use of a hard point shot. If your shot gets there before the goalie has time to establish positive contact with the puck (quiet eye, etc.), he won't be able to react.

[jcp2 2]

So the general consensus seems to be that a shot from the point is most useful as a trash generator for the forwards to work with, so long as there is not a blocking player right in front?

[technophile 0]

Pretty much. You're just trying to create havoc so the goalie can't see or loses the puck or ends up out of position. If you have a screen, then you can go for it, but even then a decent goalie will probably block the first shot.

[Chadd 916]

Pretty much. You're just trying to create havoc so the goalie can't see or loses the puck or ends up out of position. If you have a screen, then you can go for it, but even then a decent goalie will probably block the first shot.

Exactly. There will be times that you can't see the goalie's face but you can see empty net thanks to a good screen. That's the time to try and rip it into that spot.

[Law Goalie 147]

Yup, that's the read. The only exception is if your screen is really smart, and is delaying his movement until your release - or if he's just a bit slow.

[jcp2 2]

Well, I've been doing my homework from this thread, and finally it came to pass. I managed to put a quick shot from the point on net about a foot off the ground that was subsequently knocked down by my forward for a goal. The other times I've been dumping it back into the corner for my wing to work with.

The follow-up question is the reverse. The forward that tipped in my shot is very tall, about 250. He makes his living screening goalies, deflecting shots,and putting in rebounds. I'm not so tall, about 150. I'm really glad he's on MY team. However, on occasion I play against him or somebody else of similar size. I cannot, for the life of me, move him when he parks in front of the goalie. I've tried to stay in front of him to at least guard against a pass, but then half the time I become a screen for my own goalie. Is there anything I can do (legally) to defend against this?

If it helps, I play in a low level non checking league.

[Jarick 5]

I'm a short D-man, I try to get them moved before they "set up" so to speak. If someone starts moving toward the crease, I will head over and move them while they're still in motion. Helps to get some steam going and get low on the skates too.

[technophile 0]

Congrats on the goal... it's a rush to watch the puck thread its way through all that crap and into the net. I had one about a week ago where I hit the top corner with the goalie screened by about 4 different people. Only goal in a 1-0 game, I loved it.

Center of balance is the key. Get your center of balance a little lower by bending your legs a hair more than usual, get under him a little bit (when you push him up it raises his center of balance and gives him less weight to work with on his skates, both of which make him easier to move) and sort of lever him away as if you're Wile E. Coyote trying to move a boulder. Leg and core strength is important, do crunches, lunges, leg presses, etc.

Worst case, you can just get right next to him and give his stick a good hard lift (or good hard trap downwards depending on where the shot is) to keep him from deflecting it. You definitely want to be in position to keep him from getting to any rebounds; if you can tie his stick up it will at least give your goalie more time to fall on any loose puck. Do not let him between you and the goalie.

[Law Goalie 147]

The follow-up question is the reverse. The forward that tipped in my shot is very tall, about 250. He makes his living screening goalies, deflecting shots,and putting in rebounds. I'm not so tall, about 150. I'm really glad he's on MY team. However, on occasion I play against him or somebody else of similar size. I cannot, for the life of me, move him when he parks in front of the goalie. I've tried to stay in front of him to at least guard against a pass, but then half the time I become a screen for my own goalie. Is there anything I can do (legally) to defend against this?

If you want to move a guy like that, the only way is to get low and shift him with sheer leverage.

Case in point: I posted in another thread a while back about watching in total admiration as Chris Chelios totally manhandled guys half his age in an AHL game. Twice he absolutely ragdolled Andre Deveaux - who's ~6'3" 260lbs - right in front of the refs, completely cleanly, with nothing more than the kind of application of leverage of which da Vinci would have approved.

The one technical point that was very consistent was the position of Chelios' bottom hand on his stick: he'd get it right down at the bottom of the shaft, practically on the hosel. This was especially apparent when he was taking inside position on defensive zone face-offs: nobody could get through him.

In short, get low, get balanced, and leverage him out of the way. Don't get your stick between his legs (that will get called), but get it between his body and his stick, and plant your shoulder right into him.

The added advantage to this low approach is that your goalie can use a relaxed upright stance to look up and around you (Kiprusoff is especially good at this) in tracking the puck around the defensive zone in low-threat situations (ie. most of the time).

The classic trap in a situation like this is to get goaded into a bearfight with the screen, where you both rear up and paw at each other. Being the defensive player, not only will you probably get a penalty, you will screen the living hell out of your goalie - and worse, it'll be a constantly moving screen as you flail at one another in front of him.

(As a small P.S., if you want to get your goalie involved in this, have him gently rest his stick blade on the back of the screen's skates - not on the blade, but on the holder, or the back of the tendon guard. This, combined with your concerted application of leverage, will put almost anybody on his butt. Confer: Three Stooges hi/lo routines.)

I sincerely hope this is of some small help, seeing as a thread I've contributed to has helped you to victimise a fellow goalie, and I may well end up before a board of inquiry.

[english15x 3]

just watch some NHL games. watch the point move from side to side trying to throw it on net. and they always have their head up, which may be some of the problem. head down equals hurry up and throw it, which ends up in blocked shots.

[chk hrd 164]

if you are having alot of trouble moving the guy then stop. Two guys side by side in a big pushing match is more of a screen than one guy standing there. Play him a little looser and work on position and tying his stick up.

[jcp2 2]

Center of balance is the key. Get your center of balance a little lower by bending your legs a hair more than usual, get under him a little bit (when you push him up it raises his center of balance and gives him less weight to work with on his skates, both of which make him easier to move) and sort of lever him away as if you're Wile E. Coyote trying to move a boulder.

I think I've seen others try this. Unfortunately, at my level, what ends up happening (from my safe viewpoint on the bench) is a clumsy sumo match between the defense and wing, both who are grunting, looking sideways at each other and completely ignorant of the play at hand. It stops when either there is a stoppage of play for some other reason, or somebody falls on top of somebody else. Bad words, cross-checking, and slashing ensue. Because of the fear of looking like a buffoon, I'm currently relying on poor passing accuracy on their side, coupled with a timely interception or stick lift.

For future reference, should I be between the forward and the goalie? Slightly in front? Slightly behind? What if there is no space for me between the forward and the goalie, ie. (he's almost right in the crease)?

I'm apologizing in advance to any power forward that I might play in the future.

"I'm sorry, I'm new here."

[biff44 0]

1) have a bud stand right in front of the goalie and either block his vision or deflect your shot it

2) Make it look like you are shooting, freeze the goalie, move laterally, and THEN shoot

3) throw it on net, low and hard, and hope it bounces around and goes in, or a bud gets the rebound and shoots.

Those are the three biggies.

[technophile 0]

Center of balance is the key. Get your center of balance a little lower by bending your legs a hair more than usual, get under him a little bit (when you push him up it raises his center of balance and gives him less weight to work with on his skates, both of which make him easier to move) and sort of lever him away as if you're Wile E. Coyote trying to move a boulder.

I think I've seen others try this. Unfortunately, at my level, what ends up happening (from my safe viewpoint on the bench) is a clumsy sumo match between the defense and wing, both who are grunting, looking sideways at each other and completely ignorant of the play at hand. It stops when either there is a stoppage of play for some other reason, or somebody falls on top of somebody else. Bad words, cross-checking, and slashing ensue. Because of the fear of looking like a buffoon, I'm currently relying on poor passing accuracy on their side, coupled with a timely interception or stick lift.

Well, part of it is not getting distracted. Even if you're not moving him, if the forward is looking at you and not the puck you're not being completely ineffective. Just don't lose sight of the puck yourself. ;)

And if you can't move him (there are guys I can't move, certainly, although at my level there aren't many who are strong enough on their skates to resist a good bump out of the way) then don't keep trying. At that point you have to make a positional/reflex play and just keep him from making deflections/getting to rebounds. And not screen the goalie your own self, of course.

For future reference, should I be between the forward and the goalie? Slightly in front? Slightly behind? What if there is no space for me between the forward and the goalie, ie. (he's almost right in the crease)?

Depends on everyone's position. If he's facing back towards the shooter and there's room, I like to get just behind him and push him out that way (bonus: the closer he gets to the shooter, the more likely the shooter will hit him. It's like playing the angles as a goalie.) You can also try and push him sideways (towards the nearest wall) if you can't get behind him. Wherever you are, you should be able to get your stick under/over his if a shot comes, though; there's no point moving him out of the way if he can still flick the puck in on a rebound or deflection.

You definitely don't want to crowd the goalie; if he's right up in the goalie's face you have to go from the side or let the goalie handle him (ask your goalie beforehand ;)).

Actually, in general "ask your goalie" is a good idea. A lot of them have very strong opinions on where you should be and what you should do. Or pick the best defenseman on the ice (hoping it isn't you) and watch what he's doing.

One thing I see a lot of players do is get sucked into following the play as if they're just spectators. There's nothing wrong with watching and enjoying the game, but do it while paying special attention to your position (both your opposite numbers and your teammates), the other team's wings, etc. If your teammate comes to the bench and practically has to hit you over the head with their stick to get you to realize you need to take a shift, you're doing it wrong. (Seriously. One of my pet peeves is sprinting for the bench in the 2nd period, getting there, and having my relief staring at the play in the other end rather than ready to hop on the ice.)

You can learn so much by watching the entire play (and stuff away from the puck) that you don't see in a "watching a game on TV" style of spectating (i.e. where the camera just chases the puck around and you never see the away-from-the-play stuff that makes or breaks most games).