Advice: Saucer Passes w/ Closed/Neutral Blades?

[Neo5370 132]

I've recently started using (and really liking) the p02 and p91a which make saucer passes a lot easier. However, I've got a stockpile of Iginla's (which I used to think was the greatest thing since sliced bread) and don't want them to go to waste. I could never really sauce w/ the Iginla very well and could use a little advice. Same question for the Modano/Forsberg. Thanks.

[troy 12]

Simplest way is to start the puck at the heel, open up the blade face and then flick your wrists.

[HotBacon 0]

Agreed with prevoius post. I don't really think about it when I do it, but I do seem to start the puck at the heel more when doing a saucer pass.

You could send me your leftover Iginla's...they definitely won't go to waste.

[jisatsu 4]

Try chipping the puck a bit like using a wedge in golf. Will take a bit to get your accuracy dialed in, but will be effective for quick saucer passes.

[mcne0101 17]

practice. Heel to toe with a lot of spin.

[Chadd 916]

Try chipping the puck a bit like using a wedge in golf. Will take a bit to get your accuracy dialed in, but will be effective for quick saucer passes.

I don't like that method for passing, but it works great for getting the puck through screens or past defenders. I prefer the heel to toe method that others have mentioned. My biggest problem is actually keeping my passes down, everything I do is heel to toe and elevated.

[Neo5370 132]

Great advice guys. So do I roll my wrists over, because w/ the p02 I really don't have to, the curve and loft do all the work for me.

[Vet88 674]

I found with the iggy / pm9 / forsberg etc you have to slightly open your wrist as the puck slides across the face, from about 1/2 way onwards. Controlling this will give you the desired height you want in the pass. At the end of the day it's all about practice, it took me ages to get it even half right and whilst I'm pretty consistent now I still toss the occasional shocker.

[icewalker_bg 126]

I am like you, whatever I do, I find it hard to lift the puck/saucer pass in a full speed game with the pm9/iginla and all the other small curves, but the drury is a bit too much, p92 all the way for me.

[wrangler 157]

I believe that it comes down to technique, though the technique can require more effort or practice with milder curves.

Heel to toe, as described, will do the job for passes. For wrist shots, stick placement in relation to the body, the point at which the puck leaves the stick, and the force used can be varied to lift the puck. I've used the Iginla curve to fire a wrist shot from the dot, skating close to full speed, over the crossbar. I can also get it almost to the crossbar from the front of the crease. I'm no expert, and my consistency sucks, but I can do it. I have to believe that consistency would come with practice.

[shotty 7]

the whole idea behind starting at the heel is to create spin. spin is one of the two elements you need to perform a saucer pass. the other is loft. loftier blades don't require as much effort, but you still need spin. in a game you cant always go heel to toe, so the best advise i have is to practice from the middle of the blade to the toe and just be quicker with your hands (read: create more spin in less space time and space). if you're working with a closed or neutral blade because it works better for other facets of your game, you need to be conscious of the ways you can hold your stick to create more loft.

also, I'm with Chad on advising against flicking or chipping, you basically lose all control of the puck (it will bounce or roll). once you get the hang of execution, you can start to play around with height (on a well executed saucer pass, the puck will usually raise to the same height as your followthrough)

[t6lock 24]

I have a different problem with my passes, I can get the puck to go heel to toe really well and can control my trajectory quite nicely, but 90% of the time they always land on a slant so most of the time it'll bounce slightly. I'm left handed and it is always diagonally with the left side of the puck hitting the ice first with the right side pointing slightly up

[dools 2]

Decent advice:

[Cosmic 178]

I've recently started using (and really liking) the p02 and p91a which make saucer passes a lot easier. However, I've got a stockpile of Iginla's (which I used to think was the greatest thing since sliced bread) and don't want them to go to waste. I could never really sauce w/ the Iginla very well and could use a little advice. Same question for the Modano/Forsberg. Thanks.

Lol I am about to receive some Iginlas, as I think they will be perfect. Growing up with closed face, not too crazy curves, we learned to lift the puck with technique. We also never learned the technique of keeping passes/ shots down with open faces (like P92), or receiving passes with open face. I know it is all wrist rolling, but when moving at high speeds, with pucks moving funny and passes not always right where we want them, the wrist roll becomes a bit tricky to maneuver.