Shooting techniques when using a Hall vs using a Kane pattern

[louierev07 31]

So Im still relativley new when it comes to playing on the ice (played a lot of street hockey and roller before). Still trying to find which pattern I feel most comfortable with. The first pattern I used, and the pattern that seemed the most "normal" to me was the kane/zetterberg pattern.

My shooting was very accurate with it, but for whatever reason, my puck handling wasnt that great with it, and i missed a lot of passes which went under the toe of the blade.

I played around with some other curves, but the pattern I feel awesome with with everything else except shooting is the Hall/Backstrom/Nugent-Hopkins curve. I finally felt like i felt when playing street and roller hockey. I could handle the puck with my head up, never really missed any passes, and i could even toe drag much better.

Now this could in part be because Ive gotten better since trying the Kane curve, but when briefly going back to the kane, my confidence/puck handling goes to shit again. I want to commit to a pattern, and fully get used to that, but not sure which I should choose.

When shooting with the hall, a lot of shots go wobbling off the toe. All my shots are high (still getting used to the curve, so I know ill eventually adjust to this). Even slap shots are sailing over the net ( i play D most of the time). Now I dont know whether its just because its a different curve, and I need to get used to it, or if my shooting technique is so bad, that it shows when playing with that curve. Ive heard the hall curve, and the new easton E24 and E36 are for players who load up the blade and shoot. (http://youtu.be/Ei3Q7iamVSw) Should I stick it out, and learn how to shoot with the Hall? Or am I better off learning how to puck handle with the Kane?

I know its a matter of preference, but if anyone has any similar experiences please share. I have the mindset that since Im still pretty new, I'd rather take the time now to learn it the right way. Also, I kind of like the idea of using the Hall over the Kane because its slightly more popular, so its easier to find blades/sticks with that curve compared to others.

And also on a side note: How close are the Hall clones to the original? I know they are all pretty much the same pattern, but as far as lie and blade length and all that goes, do any of them differ enough to take it into consideration when buying a stick? I know right now if that is the blade im set on, every company has their own version of the Hall pattern.

[CTB 32]

I made the transition from the P88 to the P92 lie 5 and then recently started using the P14 and found it to be a good balance between the two. I can handle the puck better with the P14 than the P92 but get a better shot than with the P88 that doesn't go high.

A lot of how well some blades play has a lot to do with lie, rocker and the appropriate stick length. You might have the right curve but a few of those aforementioned attributes might be a tick off.

[Chadd 916]

It sounds like the Hall has a better lie for you and the bigger rocker makes it easier on those toe drags. Make sure you turn the blade over on the follow through and it should help with your shot.

[louierev07 31]

It sounds like the Hall has a better lie for you and the bigger rocker makes it easier on those toe drags. Make sure you turn the blade over on the follow through and it should help with your shot.

Im not so sure its the lie, since I seem to wear it down right on the heel now, but I think seeing the toe part of the blade open forces me to handle it on the heel, instead of just being all over the blade for no reason. And I think the open face creates a better angle when toe dragging, so rather than pulling it backwards, it pulls it a little more towards my body, which helps.

My shot is still garbage with it though. I havent had a chance to really practice with it, as Ive only played in games and pickup since using it. Its like the puck is just falling off the right side of the toe (im a righty). Even tonight I had a wide open net and missed to the right with a 20 mph rocket. I know part of it is turning my hands over, but I think what I used to to was almost use it like one of those jai alai things, and whip the puck. I think my shot previously went from heel to toe, which I think is incorrect. This is partially the reason I want to stick with the Hall curve because I think my old way of shooting was terrible, and this will force me to correct it. Anyone have any slo-motion or instructional videos on the correct way to shoot?

[Chadd 916]

There's nothing wrong with shooting heel to toe if you have the right blade, and you can even do it with a Hall blade. Don't believe the garbage out there that there is one way of shooting that is better than the others. There is no single shooting motion that is better in every situation. In fact, whipping the puck at the net is exactly how a large percentage of people that use the Hall curve shoot the puck. If you are losing the puck off the toe, it sounds like you are leaving the blade open when you shoot. Starting with the puck even with your feet, or even behind you, will give you a better chance at completing a good shot.

[louierev07 31]

There's nothing wrong with shooting heel to toe if you have the right blade, and you can even do it with a Hall blade. Don't believe the garbage out there that there is one way of shooting that is better than the others. There is no single shooting motion that is better in every situation. In fact, whipping the puck at the net is exactly how a large percentage of people that use the Hall curve shoot the puck. If you are losing the puck off the toe, it sounds like you are leaving the blade open when you shoot. Starting with the puck even with your feet, or even behind you, will give you a better chance at completing a good shot.

Are you sure though? It seems like anytime I watch NHL players shoot, they almost always bring it in on the toe, and shoot it from there - no whipping it like i used to do. Even so you probably are right about leaving the blade open. I just feel like since I'm still pretty new when it comes to playing on ice that I'd rather force myself to do it the "right" way even if it makes me uncomfortable now, rather than get in the habit of shooting a "worse" way.

Videos like this make me think shooting from the toe definitely helps when trying to shoot around defenders.

http://youtu.be/GxzLh0EABLs

http://youtu.be/waO9pinmJDU

http://youtu.be/sp3yNDYzshg

[Chadd 916]

Are you sure though? It seems like anytime I watch NHL players shoot, they almost always bring it in on the toe, and shoot it from there - no whipping it like i used to do. Even so you probably are right about leaving the blade open. I just feel like since I'm still pretty new when it comes to playing on ice that I'd rather force myself to do it the "right" way even if it makes me uncomfortable now, rather than get in the habit of shooting a "worse" way.

Videos like this make me think shooting from the toe definitely helps when trying to shoot around defenders.

http://youtu.be/GxzLh0EABLs

http://youtu.be/waO9pinmJDU

http://youtu.be/sp3yNDYzshg

I have actually seen an increase in guys using a full wrist shot at the NHL level over the last couple years. Guys at that level often don't have the time or space to load up with a better shot and have to take it off the toe if they want to get it away without being blocked. For someone that is having problems taking a simple wrist shot, the last thing you should be doing is focusing on a motion like the ones espoused in those videos. There are so many moving parts that aren't really that beneficial for a developing player. Once you can take a wrist shot, add in the slap shot. Once you have both of those, work on your snap shot or the pull wrist shot like Easton promotes. A good player will have the ability to take all of those shots and use them in the right situations.

I do find it funny that they talk about changing the angle by pulling the puck. Doing that every time makes you predictable and easier to stop at some point. If the goalie is screened, changing the angle is irrelevant. If you're under pressure, it's a lot more important to get the shot off than to change the angle. There are also times when pulling it in will make it easier for someone to block. Again, you should eventually learn that shot, but it is not the only way, let alone the "right" way to shoot a puck. It's simply one of many ways.

[louierev07 31]

I have actually seen an increase in guys using a full wrist shot at the NHL level over the last couple years. Guys at that level often don't have the time or space to load up with a better shot and have to take it off the toe if they want to get it away without being blocked. For someone that is having problems taking a simple wrist shot, the last thing you should be doing is focusing on a motion like the ones espoused in those videos. There are so many moving parts that aren't really that beneficial for a developing player. Once you can take a wrist shot, add in the slap shot. Once you have both of those, work on your snap shot or the pull wrist shot like Easton promotes. A good player will have the ability to take all of those shots and use them in the right situations.

I do find it funny that they talk about changing the angle by pulling the puck. Doing that every time makes you predictable and easier to stop at some point. If the goalie is screened, changing the angle is irrelevant. If you're under pressure, it's a lot more important to get the shot off than to change the angle. There are also times when pulling it in will make it easier for someone to block. Again, you should eventually learn that shot, but it is not the only way, let alone the "right" way to shoot a puck. It's simply one of many ways.

Awesome, thanks for the quick response. I'm not gonna worry so much about shooting off the toe, and just work on turning my hands over after the shot to keep it from going weakly off the side.

I just need more time on the ice to work on shooting. I try to practice off ice, but nothing ever feels like it does on the ice. For whatever reason - I can rip slapshots on ice, but even with a shooting board, it feels weird, and doesnt make contact like I do on the ice.

I've tried, a huge shooting board w/ level surface, and also with a 2' standing surface to simulate being on skates. Shooting with the green biscut and the "snipe", also the fly puck. And all tried with either wood, abs (not for slapshots), or a crappy composite blade. I really just wish I built a small backyard rink this year, but living in CT means it would be a shallow pool of water half the time :(

[mjpisat 36]

It's funny that u said passes go right under the toe of the p88. Cause tgat blade lays flatter on the ice than the p92. Bauer lists them as the same lie. But I think the 88 is a bit lower.

Do some stick n shoot sessions.

[louierev07 31]

It's funny that u said passes go right under the toe of the p88. Cause tgat blade lays flatter on the ice than the p92. Bauer lists them as the same lie. But I think the 88 is a bit lower.

Do some stick n shoot sessions.

I'm pretty sure the reason why that was happening, and also why I couldnt handle the puck with the kane is that the blade is just about all closed, so I end up trying to catch passes and stick handle with the toe (not on purpose). Because the Hall is open, I think it registers in my head that I should not handle the puck and catch passes with that part of the blade. Nothing I'm changing in my technique when I play, but blade forces me to play a different way I think.

[mjpisat 36]

Do the p88 and p92 have same rocker?

Also, how much lower lie is p92 lie 5? Does it put that much more blade on the ice than p92 lie 6?

[Amiroo39 121]

Just looking at the E36 vs Kane curve, I know its a clone but the Easton does have a lower lie correct? More like the lie of a reebok Hedman?

[sss1987 55]

The lie numbers between companies are not uniform. For example and easton 5 is not the same as a bauer 5. The rockers also make the biggest difference

[busdriver 6]

I too have been experimenting with curves. My first stick when I started playing on ice as an adult alot was duchene curve which is very shallow. I didn't really like it because I couldnt get a very good wrist shot and passes didnt have any muscle unless i snapped them. I then went to a deep leopold (an old mission blade) curve and found my wrist shot came back great but any snap or slap shots kind of butterflied or came off a weird part of the blade.

My play with both curves improved dramatically once I bought a dozen pucks and a 10 dollar white board and started shooting them in my garage every day. The weight of a puck is just so much more than what most people use for street hockey. It took a lot of time to get my comfort level with a puck to what I had as a kid playing with an orange Mylec ball.

Also I would check the length of your stick. I was missing passes under the toe of my stick for a while because my stick was just too short. Add a plug and size it up to your nose without skates and then adjust from there after you have played once or twice on the ice. The curve on my sticks seem to come to life once I get the stick to the right length.

I am not a pro but these things helped me.