Help shooting in motion...

[gxc999 7]

I know we have some very good players here, and I need real help in shooting while in motion. While standing still and with my hips parallel to the net, I shoot fairly well, but skating and with my feet toward the net... my shot goes to hell. My wristers and slapper are non-existent in motion, unless I'm completely coasting and I cannot figure out why.

[HockeyPho85 0]

this might help.

it helped me :D

[gxc999 7]

I'm watching now and all I can say is wow. It's making me completely change my thinking...

[Chadd 916]

Most of it is basic mechanics, I don't like the exaggerated kick and jumping they use on some of the shots and in some of the other videos I've seen from this guy. That gets dangerous in game situations.

[gxc999 7]

Most of it is basic mechanics, I don't like the exaggerated kick and jumping they use on some of the shots and in some of the other videos I've seen from this guy. That gets dangerous in game situations.

I agree, jumping into the shot is risky. I know you are very well educated on shooting- any other tips for me?

[Chadd 916]

Most of it is basic mechanics, I don't like the exaggerated kick and jumping they use on some of the shots and in some of the other videos I've seen from this guy. That gets dangerous in game situations.

I agree, jumping into the shot is risky. I know you are very well educated on shooting- any other tips for me?

The jump/kick thing is also a big neon sign that you're shooting, so hiding it in your stride becomes pointless when you do it. It is a good way to transfer weight, but you can do it less obviously.

[gxc999 7]

I'm going to work on getting my legs more apart when I prep to take a shot. I found some interesting ideas from youtube and watching certain NHL players. It just really frustrates me because I've worked hard and gotten better at skating, puck handling etc, but that one area for me lags so far behind.

[LivHockey84 0]

pretty cool video, some of these things i do and some of them i don't....but at the end of the day you have to experiment and try different shot types out and see what will and wont work best for you and your playing style.

[Law Goalie 147]

There are a couple of other things going on in what that video calls the 'soft catch', which I'd always just assumed was the right way to take passes when you have space and time. By putting the stick closer to the oncoming puck, you're effectively doing the same thing a goalie does when he moves his hands (especially his glove) forward in his stance.

The primary advantage is that you're moving the thing you intend to 'catch' with (whether it's a glove or stick-blade) out of your peripheral vision-system into the foveal system; the peripheral system is actually better for detecting movement, but the foveal has much, much higher spatial acuity. This is where you get the clear, sharp composite image in the middle of your field of vision (ie. where you're looking right now as you read).

The secondary advantage is that by moving the catch-point closer to the release-point of the puck (ie. the point from which it was passed), you are, in effect, 'cutting down the angle' the way a goalie would. Now, admittedly, moving your stick-blade a couple of feet closer along the puck's trajectory doesn't seem like a huge deal, but a change in glove depth as small as 6" can make the difference between a save and a goal for a tender.

The exaggerated jumping and kicking into the shot, however, reminds me of the ridiculous 'hop-step' in goaltending, which is one of the more laughable hoaxes I've ever seen pushed forward.

The jump/kick thing is also a big neon sign that you're shooting, so hiding it in your stride becomes pointless when you do it. It is a good way to transfer weight, but you can do it less obviously.

Exactly. The first thing any competent goalie is going to do when he sees that starting up is to cut your angle down to nothing. It might work as a fake, but, again, there are better ways to accomplish that too.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Great video. Thanks

[IniNew 53]

I cannot say I've personally seen him actually jump into his shots. Maybe hes just exagerrating to show how he moves to a shooting positiion in full stride?

[chk hrd 164]

It looks like he is exagerrating it for the video, in a game or at full speed it doesn't look that way. The important thing is shooting off the right foot with correct weight transfer. I see alot of people shoot off thier back foot taking alot off thier shot. The other thing s keeping the legs moving, shooting on stride in correct position is critical for good play.

[Trooper 8]

The jump stride isn't going to give away anything I don't believe. With the puck in the shooting position, the weight transfer looks part of the stride with the kick coming after the puck's off the stick. Recchi used to score lots of goals coming down the right side exactly like this. Yzerman was known for shooting on the move and employed this technique as well.

[Law Goalie 147]

It depends. If he's shooting like he does in the "soft catch" segment at the start, the loading of the stick is somewhat disguised by the reception of the pass, but the give-away isn't the kick: it's that the next step he takes is not a skating stride.

When he's demonstrating the 'jump stride', it's even more exaggerated - perhaps, yes, for tutorial effect, but this is supposed to be a demonstration of correct technique, not a teaching aid.

To elite goalies (among whom I would never count myself), that would be a complete telegraph: when the shot's coming, where it'll be released, how hard, and where it's going.

Also notice that he invariably buries his head going into the jump-step, and only looks up as the shot is released. Again, that's creating a window of opportunity for the goalie to close it down.

I will say that the part at the end of the video where he's working on burying rebounds with the flipped-over net playing as the goalie/shooter-tutor is the only time I've seen this published, and shooters have been doing it quietly for decades. Kudos to the coach for showcasing this; it'll be a tremendous help to anyone who's working on their scoring touch but doesn't have a goalie at their disposal.

[gxc999 7]

The suggestions here have been helping, thanks. The biggest thing I'm doing is just trying to surprise the goalie, no wind up, no sliding the hand down, just a sudden flick. It's ironic how many fluttering wrist/snap shot goals I can score from hard angles when the goalie is caught off guard :lol:

[Law Goalie 147]

You would not believe how much trickier it is to stop an aimless, off-speed, fluttering shot as a goalie. All those instincts about reading the release off the stick go right out the window. In effect, it's like a fake shot combined with an actual shot, albeit a weak one: you get all the advantages of a fake, but you still put the puck on net.

[jcp2 2]

One of the sales reps I work with used to be a minor league goalie. When he plays against lower level players in beer league, he actually lets in more goals sometimes because his timing is all off.

Since that's the only shot I have, I'll work on my accuracy.

[Law Goalie 147]

Tell him to have one standard measured drink for each level of play he drops down: strictly medicinal, of course. That will put the timing where it should be, and he won't overthink. It's a perfect remedy. For a few years, I was playing for teams in the top and bottom divisions of the same league, and four standard drinks always put me in good stead when I dropped down.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I like the way they use/arrange the nets in those drills to make awkward shooting angles/targets. Hammering pucks into a wide open 4x6 could easily give a false sense that what you are learning is game effective. Picking those corners is going to be way more beneficial in a game.

[bearfight 1]

After watching this with some teammates we used the nets like that at open ice the other day. Works great when there aren't any goalies on the ice. The position they had the net when practicing the rebounds (laying down exposing bar and corners) is also pretty effective for practicing shots from the point. if you aim for the back bar of the net laying down its a good place to put the puck from the point. We were also around with the soft catch and the two touch with the shot, pretty helpful stuff.

[K9 Unit 1]

I like the way they use/arrange the nets in those drills to make awkward shooting angles/targets. Hammering pucks into a wide open 4x6 could easily give a false sense that what you are learning is game effective. Picking those corners is going to be way more beneficial in a game.

ye, never seen it used like that, might invest in another net now :)

[gxc999 7]

You would not believe how much trickier it is to stop an aimless, off-speed, fluttering shot as a goalie. All those instincts about reading the release off the stick go right out the window. In effect, it's like a fake shot combined with an actual shot, albeit a weak one: you get all the advantages of a fake, but you still put the puck on net.

Thanks, and I think you're 100% right. The more goalies I ask, the more I find out their biggest fear- a shot that has a release they can't read. I'm trying to think of it like this, if I don't know when I'm going to shoot until I do it, they won't either <_<

[Law Goalie 147]

This is exactly why we HATE and campaign against defencemen throwing their sticks in front of shots as they're released.

[jcp2 2]

You mean I don't have to try to stop the shot or block the shot? I'll take that trade anyday, as it's two less things I have to think about. Now if only I could master the flip clear and the flip dump, then I would never have to skate past the red line.

[iceholes 0]

The more goalies I ask, the more I find out their biggest fear- a shot that has a release they can't read. I'm trying to think of it like this, if I don't know when I'm going to shoot until I do it, they won't either <_<

in thoery its just like a pitcher in baseball... the longer you can hide the ball in the release the less time a batter has to react.... same thing in hockey...now add a quick in stride release with the puck "hidden" for a split second... makes it tough on a goalie for sure...

good vid... yes its exaggerated motiion for demonstration... but not much