Going against better players..

[EndBoards 0]

Due to where I live, the league I play in has all of the skill levels mixed together. We've got ex-NCAA and minor-pro players out there against complete beginners, with most guys falling in between.

As one of the in-betweeners, I'm getting frustrated. Every team has at least two or three high level players and those guys pretty much dominate every game. The lower level guys like me rarely touch the puck. When we do, it's only for a second or two until one of the good players swoop in and take it away.

I can skate in both directions, can stop in both directions, and do all of the crossovers. I don't have blazing speed or quickness, but I'm not god-awful slow either. I can pass & shoot well, but rarely get to use those skills since I don't get the puck much. I know what I'm supposed to do positionally (I'm usually wing or D). I'm in decent shape (5'11" - 210 - probably 15% bodyfat) and I have strong legs (squat 300-ish). If I'm playing forward, I hustle all over the ice - whether that means being first in on the forecheck or first back on D.

Some of the things that happen to me: When the puck actually does come near me, I either freak out and lose it in my skates. I counter that by trying to relax next time, and then one of the ringers comes in and snags it away like I'm not even on the ice. If I do happen to receive a pass cleanly or through some other means get the puck into the offensive zone, the opposing defender plays me perfectly. If I go outside, I don't have the speed to get around & he takes me into the boards. If I try to make a stickhandling move and go inside, he pokes the puck away. My only options are a low percentage shot or a pass (that the defender is somehow able to block or interfere with...) If I'm on defense, I'll try to hold the point, but the guy always seems to get it out and I get caught pinching. If I back off and let them past the point, they build up speed and get moving in transition. When I'm in my own zone, I try to do what I'm supposed to - take away the pass & the middle. No problem - they just smoke me on the outside. I try to poke the puck away or tie up their stick, but it rarely works...

I don't mean for this to be whiny or anything. A big reason that I play is so that I can get better, and that's just not happening right now. I don't expect the good players to totally back off and let me by or purposely turn the puck over. I'm asking for advice on what can I do to bring my game up to a higher level. What do you do when you're up against guys that are just better than you? How do you compensate?

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Well, if you can get one of them pinned against the boards, a good way to keep them from squirming away is putting your stick between there legs and putting pressure on it so they cant move there legs. Be careful that if they do get going you dont trip them though.

[ambro 0]

By your description you sound like me. I'm stuck playing with a bunch of people older (and usually better) than me, and in high school, the difference from a senior to a freshman can be almost as much as someone like you compared to an ex-NCAA player. I don't like it much, but sometimes I get lucky and get past the defenseman or stop the forward. I just realize that it'll be like that for me in 2-3 years, so I don't make too big of a deal about it. Different in your case, so I don't really have much of an opinion for you, I'm just explaining my situation similar to yours. :lol:

[Hipster 5]

Endboards:

On offense, maybe try the old Wayne Gretzky "loop" at the top of the circle on the outside.

Skate hard as if you were going to go inside or outside of them, do a power turn and use your body size as a blocker. Hopefully, when you come out of the "loop" one of your forwards will be smart and go to the middle for a pass.

Otherwise, dump it behind the net. Defenseman hate "no man's land" and if you already know you're going tp put it there, then you've got a shot and regaining control of it back there and digging it out.

On defense, keep doing what you're doing....take away the middle as best you can and let them try to go outside.

But be patient and don't commit by turning your feet or lunging forward. Better forwards are just fishing for a defenseman to commit with his feet or lunge forward before toating him. Wait till they are between the blue line and the top of the circle so that if he goes to the outside, he won't have any room for error.

Remember, you don't have to steal the puck to be a good defenseman, just force them to take a low percentage shot or force them to make an extraordinary play.

Good luck and keep playing.

[Jbone 0]

I would'nt know.

[mickz 107]

Well, playing with better players all will make yourself want to step up and eventually, with time, you'll become a better player. When you play less skilled players again, you'll notice the difference.

[LkptTiger 1]

Endboards:

On offense, maybe try the old Wayne Gretzky "loop" at the top of the circle on the outside.

...Just remember to keep your feet moving. Last year I saw a guy try to glide his way though that one at try-outs - a backchecking forward hit him so hard I thought he had a broken neck for sure. I was wrong: he had a broken collar bone...

[CaseyJones_86 0]

when your outclassed like that, the only chance you have is to be in great position all the time. Watch guys like Darian Hatcher, he's probably one of the slowest skaters on his team but he plays position very well, and as a result rarely gets beat one on one. It's all about giving them bad angles and forcing them into places where they have no other choice but to get rid of the puck or get layed out :D

[Cavs019 710]

The benifit of it is that you improve QUICKLY. Against weaker competition i tend to just fiddle around with the puck all day and get into bad habits, but i'm at my best when the tempo is at the maximum.

[MaverickFBI 0]

Another important D point is to prevent the attacker to build speed.

To achieve this you really have to be veeeery close to them.

What you really want is to challenge him as soon as he received the pass.

You dont even have to touch the puck istelf : even good players are disturbed by a stick to stick contact when receiving the pass.

This means no orientated control and no immediate dash.

A few years ago I did exactly the contrary : the more the attacker was good and fast, the more away I kept behind him. You know the old "he's so fast that I need a margin" routine !!! And of course I got deked night and day !!! He got so much speed that he didnt even come near to me.

When I began to glue the attackers I dramaticly improved my D stats.

What do you think about it ?

[freq019 0]

Another important D point is to prevent the attacker to build speed.

To achieve this you really have to be veeeery close to them.

What you really want is to challenge him as soon as he received the pass.

You dont even have to touch the puck istelf : even good players are disturbed by a stick to stick contact when receiving the pass.

This means no orientated control and no immediate dash.

A few years ago I did exactly the contrary : the more the attacker was good and fast, the more away I kept behind him. You know the old "he's so fast that I need a margin" routine !!! And of course I got deked night and day !!! He got so much speed that he didnt even come near to me.

When I began to glue the attackers I dramaticly improved my D stats.

What do you think about it ?

I see what you're saying and its correct but what do you do when the forward is already coming at you with a lot of speed? Like he's bringing it out of his own end and has already deked your fwds? I always get stuck giving him too much room or getting stuck flatfooted.

[EndBoards 0]

The benifit of it is that you improve QUICKLY. Against weaker competition i tend to just fiddle around with the puck all day and get into bad habits, but i'm at my best when the tempo is at the maximum.

This is definitely true.. This is a big reason that my skating has improved so much. The problem is that the other parts of the game - puck handling, passing, shooting, etc.. - tend to suffer since I rarely get the puck..

And I've tried to work on what Maverick mentioned - staying close to the attacker. What I've learned is that there's a very fine line between pinching a little too hard and laying too far back. The more skilled your opponent is, the harder it is to find that line. I just don't have the experience and/or feel for finding that line yet..

I think the biggest part of the problem is that I've had to play D so much this year. At forward, I can make up for the skill deficit with hustle and hard work. I might not score, but at the very least I cause havoc and get involved. At D, I can't really do that because I hustle myself out of position...

[MaverickFBI 0]

Freq 019

Well, when the guy has deked your fwds and is coming full speed.... Well you'r in deeeeeeeeeeeeep sh.t !!!!

Basically the D skating backward will always be in a baaad position against the fwd who come full speed.

A simple body feint will leave you flatfooted. (Unless you'r an exceptional skater)

In this cas, I use one simple rule : GARD THE CENTER ICE

Never never let him deke you to the center ice : close the center even if it leaves the board side wide open. And believe me he will take this board side option.

Then you "only" have to turn around 180°, and skate full steam forward to prevent him to cut to the center behind you (turn around you).

If you manage this, he will have 3 options : trying to surprise you by a biiiig stop and head to the center, or a bad angle shot, or go behind the net( and then their rush advantage is over).

Of course an exceptional attacker will give you a 3 stars move and you'll go home crying... but than again you cant prevent all goals.

[freq019 0]

Freq 019

Well, when the guy has deked your fwds and is coming full speed.... Well you'r in deeeeeeeeeeeeep sh.t !!!!

Basically the D skating backward will always be in a baaad position against the fwd who come full speed.

A simple body feint will leave you flatfooted. (Unless you'r an exceptional skater)

In this cas, I use one simple rule : GARD THE CENTER ICE

Never never let him deke you to the center ice : close the center even if it leaves the board side wide open. And believe me he will take this board side option.

Then you "only" have to turn around 180°, and skate full steam forward to prevent him to cut to the center behind you (turn around you).

If you manage this, he will have 3 options : trying to surprise you by a biiiig stop and head to the center, or a bad angle shot, or go behind the net( and then their rush advantage is over).

Of course an exceptional attacker will give you a 3 stars move and you'll go home crying... but than again you cant prevent all goals.

Thanks for the advice, its not often they get through our fwds but when it happens its like you said deep doo-doo. I do my best to keep the guy on the outside but if he's really moving then sometimes he does get by me and tries for the stuff short side on the goal. this could also tie into that two on one post