JAG 20 Report post Posted January 16, 2018 When I'm practicing my sauce passes on my training tiles at home, I sauce like a pro. Completely smooth, the puck just floats. It starts flat, saucers through the air perfectly, and lands completely flat. I'm also getting better at putting it exactly where I want to, and also getting it pretty high in the air even if I only sauce it a few feet ahead of me. But when I get on the ice, using all the same techniques and everything, I can't get the puck to sauce anywhere close to what I can do off ice. I don't understand it and it's quite frustrating. The puck wobbles, bounces when it lands, and I usually have to "shoot" it to get any kind of decent sauce to it. Forget about short sauces, it'll flip and tumble like punted football. Do you guys have any tips or suggestions? Anybody else experience this same thing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tcraig 42 Report post Posted January 16, 2018 Are you using the same stick in each scenario? If so it could just be the height difference between being on skates and not while using the same stick length. That would also change the lie of the blade on the ice compared to off skates, since the added few inches of height would change that angle if the stick length remains the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAG 20 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 Thanks for chiming in. I actually use a shortened stick when I'm in sneakers so that the stick is the same length relative to my height. If I'm on roller blades, I use the same stick that I use on the ice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shoot_the_goalie 281 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 When was the last time you polished/pledged your dryland tiles? Could be the reduced friction on the ice is affecting your sauce technique. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAG 20 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 It's been a minute. I'll try polishing and see if all of a sudden I can't sauce on tiles either. haha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vet88 674 Report post Posted January 17, 2018 It's muscle memory and balance and when you transition to ice things are different. Even more noticeable is shooting, you can have a great snap shot at home in sneakers but jump back on the ice and it turns into a weak flutter. A Marsblade setup on your inlines may help, other than that you just have to keep practicing and eventually you get better as your skill base improves and starts to transition across. When in inlines or sneakers, try to make the pass whilst standing on one foot only. You are trying to train your hands and upper body whilst isolating them from your legs. Also try a piece of wood balanced on a ball, stand on this and throw sauces. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAG 20 Report post Posted January 18, 2018 That's all great advice, thank you. when I'm in sneakers, I do stand on my inside leg only... and try not to be flatfooted. When I practice shooting, I also try not to be standing still, but i try to emulate what it's like to be on ice as much as possible. I think I'm going to be on rollerblades from now on to try and get closer to the feel, cause you're exactly right, no matter how good my shot is on the tiles at home, as soon as i hit the ice, it all falls apart. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
puckpilot 312 Report post Posted January 29, 2018 IMHO, part of it is the difference in friction tiles vs ice. For saucing, the added friction allows you to get under the puck easier, so it's easier to get it off the ground. In addition, once a little snow begins to get involved, your grip on the puck is reduced so it's more difficult to get the proper spin. Notice when you're trying to get under the puck, you have to open up the blade a little, and you used the bottom of the blade a little more. The bottom of the blade is what gets wet and gathers snow first. For shooting, same thing, the added friction will grip the bottom of the stick more as you slide it across, making it easier to flex the stick and maintain that flex for a fraction of a second as you line up the shot. On fresh ice, the stick will slide out on you more easily. I notice this difference when during my workout, after shooting off roughed up ice for a bit, the ice machine comes out and redoes the surface. The first shots off the fresh ice feel weird because I'm not getting as much drag off the ice. But the more you practice, the better you'll be prepared to deal with this transition. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ViperRy 8 Report post Posted November 13, 2018 Old thread but just to add to what everyone else is saying for future viewers, the off ice tiles will get your basic motions down for muscle memory. However, I noticed that some things like saucing and shooting were definitely different due to height, using a shorter stick, added friction. I ended up getting the skatable tiles so I can strap on a pair of old skates and use my current stick. At least this eliminates a couple of the variables but not the added friction. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pilchard122 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2019 On 11/14/2018 at 2:02 AM, ViperRy said: Old thread but just to add to what everyone else is saying for future viewers, the off ice tiles will get your basic motions down for muscle memory. However, I noticed that some things like saucing and shooting were definitely different due to height, using a shorter stick, added friction. I ended up getting the skatable tiles so I can strap on a pair of old skates and use my current stick. At least this eliminates a couple of the variables but not the added friction. Thanks for the input! I'm a very new to hockey and would like to learn as well how to play it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
