Improving my shooting "angle"

[s_franchise 5]

I feel like ive been really working on my shots (only have been playing forward a few years.) Lately when i get rushes i feel like the goalie can read me too well. people have said i need to improve my shooting angle. Whats the best best way to do it?

[Chadd 916]

Don't skate straight down the middle at him or get so wide that you give him the advantage. Make the goalie move left to right by moving side to side yourself.

[chk hrd 164]

alot of new players keep the puck wide on thier stick and shoot. Pull the puck in and shoot. That little movement can get the goalie to start moving and throw him off. He also may be reading your eyes looking at where you are trying to shoot.

[Chadd 916]

alot of new players keep the puck wide on thier stick and shoot. Pull the puck in and shoot. That little movement can get the goalie to start moving and throw him off. He also may be reading your eyes looking at where you are trying to shoot.

If you look at the geometry of that, it's almost impossible for 4-6 inches left to right change in direction makes that much of a difference. I know it's a popular thing for commentators and coaches to talk about, but I just don't see it being realistic.

[darmin 2]

I feel like ive been really working on my shots (only have been playing forward a few years.) Lately when i get rushes i feel like the goalie can read me too well. people have said i need to improve my shooting angle. Whats the best best way to do it?

I went through something similar after returning to the sport a few years back. In the end I approached a goalie to watch what I was doing when shooting. Ended up that just before I was shooting/releasing the puck I was focusing on the goalie and not the gap and basically aiming to where he is.

The theory behind it was my body was sending the puck to where i was looking.

Hope this helps.

[chk hrd 164]

If you look at the geometry of that, it's almost impossible for 4-6 inches left to right change in direction makes that much of a difference. I know it's a popular thing for commentators and coaches to talk about, but I just don't see it being realistic.

It's not about changing the angle, it's getting the goalie to start moving.

[Chadd 916]

It's not about changing the angle, it's getting the goalie to start moving.

And that pretty much never happens when someone drags the puck a couple inches when they shoot. There simply isn't enough time for the goalie to read it as movement and react before the puck is shot.

[Spence4101 0]

Like everyone said above, you want to get moving laterally to get the goalie out of position so you'll have some net to shoot at, after you get them out of position its pure accuracy and timing. You could also try to use the defender as a screen by shooting through his legs (ovechkin style) I feel that this really works especially in one on one situations. Another thing you could try is shooting from different positions in relation to your body, you should try to be able to release the puck from pretty much anywhere because more times than not you do not have the ideal shot. Hope this helps.

[regularjoe 1]

I also thought that one of the rationales to changing the release point was to help add some deception to the actual release.

[chippa13 1844]

Most goalies pick up on the shot coming when you drop your shoulder, I'd worry more about that "tell" than pulling the puck in or out.

[DField56 0]

also maybe you tip them off by shooting same place, or looking where you are shooting, I notice for myself whenever I get a break away I try to go top shelf when all my team mates tell me back at the bench that 5 hole is open everytime.. its just tendencies I have

[s_franchise 5]

thanks for all the replies guys, went to drop in at lunch today. i think the majority of my problem was i gave away my shot before i made it. so i tried little fakes like wrist pumps and dropping the shoulder then deking. Scored a few that way and got much better shots off. the shot through the legs sounds like a great idea! i did notice i have a tendency to go high blocker because im a righty. so maybe i need to get better at hittng other spots not just really good at hitting one

[Jarick 5]

Do goalies look at players eyes when they're shooting? I would think they wouldn't want to lose sight of the puck when it gets released.

If I have enough time and space, I sometimes will keep the puck wide and drag it in a couple feet to really change the angle. I asked my goalie about it one time after sniping him over and over and he said "I have no idea where the hell the puck's going when you do that".

The fakes and what not to freeze the goalie or get him to drop are great, especially if you have time to move afterwards or get close and deke.

And don't worry about shooting at the same place all the time unless you're shooting on the same goalie...almost all my goals are scored high glove. Only my old goalie knew to keep his glove up high. With butterfly goalies, I almost never score when I shoot low, even when they say that most goals are scored low. Unless of course it's a tap in or loose puck in the crease.

[samson35 0]

I think a lot of it has to do with the timing and release of a shot. I feel like as a goalie, it's always hard to read guys that are shooting in stride and guys that get it off quick. It naturally catches goalies off guard and really tests their reacting/tracking ability.

LIke other guys have said, getting the goalie moving also helps. It seems like the more I move, the more I lose track of where the net is. I'll check and square myself to the puck, but if its a bang bang quick play, then I'll often get beat because I'll overcommit or I'll move too slowly.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Try to quicken your release speed and try to keep your head up when you shoot. I've noticed that a lot of people in my league will drop their head down to look at the puck right before they shoot, "telling" the goalie a shot is coming.