tips for my wobbly shot

[flyguy1 1]

I'm working on my shot and it seems that whenever I shoot the puck is always wobbly. Now I'm assuming this on technique because I don't have a lot of time to just practice my shot, normally before games and at open hockey when I can make it. I really want to work on my snap shot (quick release while skating) but its always a flub shot. Also my slap shot has made a lot of improvement from what it was before, but its always a wobbly puck, even though now its finally elevating and I'm really shifting my weight into my shot and getting some power behind it.

Could this solely technique? Or possibly a curve/lie or kick point that doesn't work for me? I know without seeing me shoot its nearly impossible but just want to see if its something like my follow through and not turning my wrists...

Any insight would be great!

[Chadd 916]

Lie can have a big impact on your shot, but the wobble is usually a technique/power issue. An incorrect lie will often result in a puck that ends up angled or even upright and even curves in flight. Putting more spin on the puck will keep your shot more stable.

[Law Goalie 147]

Keep doing what you're doing. You will drive goalies crazy. We *love* guys with flat shots: way, way easier to read and track than somebody shooting knucklers.

Seriously, park yourself on the point and send those Dickey Specials in all day long. As long as you can hit the 4'x'6' reliably, and ideally outside the profile of a butterflied goalie, you will have goalies throwing fits.

There were, I'm told, a very few guys who could deliberately do what Chadd's describing: that is, switch to 'wobbly,' off-speed, angled or curving shots in game situations. There's a famous story about Phil Esposito curving a puck around the net and through a small opening in the end doors, though that was at practise. Kovalev can throw an absolutely lethal change-up (made Giguere look like a clown in the All-Star Game a few years back), and Scott Niedermayer had an uncanny habit of getting the puck on edge before he shot; I've seen Kovalchuk do it a few times too, though he seems just not to care what the puck is doing on his stick -- he'll hurl it into the same 3" holes every time.

[gxc999 7]

I had this issue a long, long time ago. The key is to make sure that you're snapping your wrists and shoulders through properly. As for snap shots in motion, balance is a pretty big factor that most people forget. Put your weight on your inside foot, square your body, and shoot.

[Chadd 916]

Keep doing what you're doing. You will drive goalies crazy. We *love* guys with flat shots: way, way easier to read and track than somebody shooting knucklers.

Seriously, park yourself on the point and send those Dickey Specials in all day long. As long as you can hit the 4'x'6' reliably, and ideally outside the profile of a butterflied goalie, you will have goalies throwing fits.

There were, I'm told, a very few guys who could deliberately do what Chadd's describing: that is, switch to 'wobbly,' off-speed, angled or curving shots in game situations. There's a famous story about Phil Esposito curving a puck around the net and through a small opening in the end doors, though that was at practise. Kovalev can throw an absolutely lethal change-up (made Giguere look like a clown in the All-Star Game a few years back), and Scott Niedermayer had an uncanny habit of getting the puck on edge before he shot; I've seen Kovalchuk do it a few times too, though he seems just not to care what the puck is doing on his stick -- he'll hurl it into the same 3" holes every time.

It's not too hard if you have a big rocker on the bottom of your blade. If you drop the heel when you shoot (instead of getting up on the mid to toe area), the puck will come off the toe at an angle like "/" for a right handed shot. The puck then acts like a slider or curve ball in flight and will drop and curve to the left (shooter's perspective). I usually don't even try it in a game situation, I usually go with something bouncing and skipping if I want to mess with a goalie. I love the high lobs that bounce around the hash marks and managed to score a few of those from my own end of the ice over the years.

[Law Goalie 147]

Huh. I'm going to have to fool around with that... or ask for a demo at Summer Jam. Put you on the spot like Kent Nilsson and the crossbar, heh.

Now I just need to find a blade pattern with a huge rocker and a relatively shallow curve.

Speaking of crazy bounces, I've been torturing my goalies for the last few years with a great Steve McKichan drill involving 2-4 rebound-whackers and a 'cricket bowler' at the hash-marks, whipping pucks down on edge at the ice in front of the goalie. Seriously good fun.

[gxc999 7]

The knuckle puck is great for tips and creating rebounds. You can skip it up off the ice and let people bat it in. A good time will be had by all!

[mcawesome 1]

To the OP, a few questions.

1. Are you holding tightly on to the stick? I find that most people who have the problem you're describing don't hold the stick correctly and don't follow through after the shot. Of course, the lie in your stick might also be an issue, but generally speaking, you need more power in your shot, so your technique must be changed.

2. Has anyone ever taught you correct form? I know this is probably a dumb question, but if you've been practicing the wrong technique, I'm pretty sure you won't get better! Next time at open hockey, ask one of the better shooters what they do when they shoot. Everyone might have a different tip, so it doesn't hurt to ask!

3. Have you checked out any Youtube vids? There's a ton of self help vids on there that can help you in any aspect of the game

[Chadd 916]

That has to be the 50th different technique I've seen for a "snap" shot and it's nothing more than a wrist shot with more moving parts. Without knowing what you are doing right or wrong, videos can create as many problems as they solve.

[mcawesome 1]

That's kind of what I'm saying, there are so many different techniques that his best bet is to just ask someone in person, but it's not the worst idea to watch different techniques to see which one works best.

[romdj 26]

I'm working on my shot and it seems that whenever I shoot the puck is always wobbly. Now I'm assuming this on technique because I don't have a lot of time to just practice my shot, normally before games and at open hockey when I can make it. I really want to work on my snap shot (quick release while skating) but its always a flub shot. Also my slap shot has made a lot of improvement from what it was before, but its always a wobbly puck, even though now its finally elevating and I'm really shifting my weight into my shot and getting some power behind it. Could this solely technique? Or possibly a curve/lie or kick point that doesn't work for me? I know without seeing me shoot its nearly impossible but just want to see if its something like my follow through and not turning my wrists... Any insight would be great!

Personaly, I found that my shot got straighter when I hit the puck more to my right when shooting, (I'm right handed) so I hit it earlier rather than later and the blade angle is more parallel to the ice leading to a more powerful shot and a better precision.

Perhaps your stick is too flexible/stiff too... length & lie are also great factors

Huh. I'm going to have to fool around with that... or ask for a demo at Summer Jam. Put you on the spot like Kent Nilsson and the crossbar, heh. Now I just need to find a blade pattern with a huge rocker and a relatively shallow curve. Speaking of crazy bounces, I've been torturing my goalies for the last few years with a great Steve McKichan drill involving 2-4 rebound-whackers and a 'cricket bowler' at the hash-marks, whipping pucks down on edge at the ice in front of the goalie. Seriously good fun.

haha, are there many cricket bowlers playing hockey? haha very interesting drill, could be good fun!

For the huge rocker, maybe eleven hockey is your answer..

[Law Goalie 147]

Thanks, I'll check them out.

Sadly, I haven't been able to find any cricket specialists in hockey, so I just make do with an idle goalie and a quick introduction to the art of purposefully chucking objects into the ground/ice just in front of the target. I keep hoping one day that some kid is going to have played the game already, and then I can turn him into a holy terror for goalies.

The day some defenseman figures out that using 'the Michigan' to lacrosse pucks in from the point in a 5-on-3 is a day goalies the world over will live to lament.

[badger_14 601]

Sadly, I haven't been able to find any cricket specialists in hockey, so I just make do with an idle goalie and a quick introduction to the art of purposefully chucking objects into the ground/ice just in front of the target. I keep hoping one day that some kid is going to have played the game already, and then I can turn him into a holy terror for goalies.

Surprisingly (being outside of Boston), on of the local coaches here grew up playing cricket (tho he's a NZ transplant). I could suggest this to him for his own team's goalies, except that he also plays in the same league I do ... on a different team ...

[flyguy1 1]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'm going to keep working on it and see if it improves. I've never been taught how to 'properly' shoot but will ask someone to see what it could be in my technique. A shooting pad might help to practice off ice but I live in a small apt so that's not going to happen...

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I *just* bought a hockey net for home. Hockeygiant had the one with the big surrounding nets for when you miss on sale for black friday. Already wanted it, but $30 off plus free shipping...

I'm going to go to target and buy a cheap whiteboard and use that to shoot off of.

Hopefully that will help with my horrible shot.

[Super_Newfie 0]

One thing I've notice with my shots is how the kick point of the stick effects the flight (at least for me). I had been using a CCM CL and was having no issues with my wrist/snap shots and when it broke I went to an A.i.9. My understanding is the A.i.9 is more of a mid kick stick and I was getting a lot of the fluttering happening with the puck. I recently purchased a Warrior Covert DT4 which is a different curve then the other 2 but have seen the consistency and power comback with the lower kick point like I had with the CL.

[JoeyJ0506 192]

Sadly, I haven't been able to find any cricket specialists in hockey, so I just make do with an idle goalie and a quick introduction to the art of purposefully chucking objects into the ground/ice just in front of the target. I keep hoping one day that some kid is going to have played the game already, and then I can turn him into a holy terror for goalies.

Find a baseball catcher's coach... They are very good at bouncing it right in front of the target. My chest, legs, arms, throat, and forehead can all attest to it!

[pittu 15]

I find for myself that if I hold the blade of the stick too "open" or fail to follow thru with the wrist turnover after the impact, that my slap and snap shots will flutter.

For me it seems to be all about hitting the puck with the correct part of the blade, keeping the blade from opening up prior to impact, and following thru down low with the correct wrist snap.

[bobapower 0]

Speaking of tricky shots. When I play D (normally a forward), if I get the puck at the point, and don't have time. I would shoot a snapshot, but lift it about a few feet off the ice and have it land near the goal.

A few things here:

- lifting it gets it through traffic

- teammates can try to tip in front or get the rebound.

- it's hard for G to read how the puck will bounce. also by getting it off quick and the traffic, sometimes I get luck and it goes all the way in.