How to Know where the puck is going to be?

[hockeybro12]

I play ice hockey. When I get the puck, I can always skate it up the ice and do well. However, the problem is getting the puck. In our league, no one passes, so when people get the puck, they will skate it up the ice themselves even if they are in a bad situation. I play LW. Can anyone give me some tips to help me get the puck more often?

I understand that I should call for the puck and be open, but what I want to know is how to get the puck without someone passing it to me?

Thanks

 

[CornKicker]

I play ice hockey. When I get the puck, I can always skate it up the ice and do well. However, the problem is getting the puck. In our league, no one passes, so when people get the puck, they will skate it up the ice themselves even if they are in a bad situation. I play LW. Can anyone give me some tips to help me get the puck more often?

I understand that I should call for the puck and be open, but what I want to know is how to get the puck without someone passing it to me?

Thanks

anticipate where the play is going, shouldnt be hard of no one is passing. if they are 80% of beer league/shinny guys look directly to the person they are going to pass it to, pick off the pass free breakaways snipe the G's

 

[hockeybro12]

anticipate where the play is going, shouldnt be hard of no one is passing. if they are 80% of beer league/shinny guys look directly to the person they are going to pass it to, pick off the pass free breakaways snipe the G's

Do you have any tips to "anticipate where the play is going"?

 

[King Mapes]

Do you have any tips to "anticipate where the play is going"?

Well if no one passes, you know where the play is going. What kind of selfish guys do you play with? Call a team meeting, tell them to actually pass.

Or just steal it from a team mate.

It's hard to explain how to anticipate where the play is going. It takes years of research and experience that comes with time. But I'd call team mates out. Take charge. What's the worst that can happen? They get mad at you and refuse to pass it to you? Lol

 

[hockeybro12]

Well if no one passes, you know where the play is going. What kind of selfish guys do you play with? Call a team meeting, tell them to actually pass.

Or just steal it from a team mate.

It's hard to explain how to anticipate where the play is going. It takes years of research and experience that comes with time. But I'd call team mates out. Take charge. What's the worst that can happen? They get mad at you and refuse to pass it to you? Lol

I've tried telling people, but the problem is that this is a high school league. Most of us are sophomores/juniors in high school. Some kids think they are all that and so whenever they get the puck they don't pass at all. This forces other players to not pass either because they know if they do, they won't ever get it back. It's kind of like a chicken and egg situation.

Anyone with any info on my original question would really help.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Reading the Play

Mention has been made about anticipation. The key is reading the play under the playing without the puck umbrella. Nothing to do with anticipation.

Reading the play is very simply when playing without the puck. If the RW - as a LW you are responsible for covering the opposing RW, has the puck as long as you keep him outside, unless he has already beaten you, has to come around or by you. Check the puck away and off you go.

If the opposition has the puck you have to position yourself so that the RW is between the boards and you. Coming up ice to your defensive zone this means any pass to him has to get by you - intercept or up the boards, neutralize and come away with the puck. In the defensive zone position yourself so that the RW or Right point has to go or shoot by you when handling the puck. If the puck is across the defensive zone zone position your self in the appropriate passing lane ready to react to rebounds or missed shots that come to your side. Either way the chances of you getting the puck increase.

Offensively, with the puck the issue does not the puck. Rebounds or missed shots, you have to drive to the net using wide angles/arcs giving yourselg greater vision and reaction time. Your body should be as open as possible to the net. Also work on your backhand puckhandling. Finally to get more open ice into or in the offensive zone do the opposite of what you do defensively. Example do not let the opposition winger keep you between the boards and himself.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

I always just go to the net. Eventually, the puck will always get there for a screen, tip or rebound. If your linemates have a tendancy to shoot wide, be ready to cut the puck off in the corner or control a bounce.

When linemates notice you going to the crease hard, those shots will turn into "passes" over time.

 

[Starbuds]

Skate to your teammate and steal the puck.

 

[ean]

Just play, and you will get the anticipation.

Your team will always be trying to get the puck away from your net and take it to the other teams. The other team will always try to get the puck to your net. Thats really all it comes down to.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I play ice hockey. When I get the puck, I can always skate it up the ice and do well. However, the problem is getting the puck. In our league, no one passes, so when people get the puck, they will skate it up the ice themselves even if they are in a bad situation. I play LW. Can anyone give me some tips to help me get the puck more often?

I understand that I should call for the puck and be open, but what I want to know is how to get the puck without someone passing it to me?

Thanks

No one passes ? What kind of league is that ??
Anyway, if people don't pass, they most likely handle the puck while skating with their heads down. If you catch an opponent with his head down, hit him (if your league allows you to do so) or steal the puck by lifting his stick.

As for your teammates, I think you should sit down and have a talk with them. Do you have a coach ? If you do, he's probably the worst coach ever. If you have team practices, destroy every player that refuses to pass. That will teach them a lesson.

 

[kr580]

If you have team practices, destroy every player that refuses to pass. That will teach them a lesson.

Good way to get them to include you even less...

 

[HutchJohnson]

I have found that passing begets passing. Be patient, but keep "head manning" the puck and passing as appropriate when you do have it. Eventually it sinks in to the knuckleheads that by far the best way to get the puck from point A to B, is through passing.

As folks get more comfortable with passing, your team will do more and see the success that comes from it.

 

[American in Paris]

There are many semi-standard situations where puck anticipation is relatively straight-forward. Here are 2:

1) Suppose I'm on left D and you're on left wing. The opposing center is rushing the puck in the neutral zone, I'm in position moving backwards but closing the gap and you are slightly behind him. At this point, you should be anticipating a poke or sweep check or full body check on the center. Since I shoot right, my poke check will come from my left hand so you can even anticipate where the puck will go if I'm sucessful. This position also leaves you in position to pinch and/or cover trailing wingers if he makes it into the O-zone.

2) Now reverse the scenario. One of your idiot-refuses-to-pass teammates has picked up the puck and is headed full speed into a 1 on 3 situation as he crosses the blue line. Follow him a few feet back to pick up the puck which 9 times out of 10 will be swatted back.

 

[tarheelhockey]

One thing that can be helpful at the lower levels is to try and anticipate when the puck is getting ready to come around the boards. It tends to happen a lot due to missed shots and blind clearing attempts. A lot of beer league games are won and lost based on which team is getting to pucks on the boards more quickly.

If you're playing wing, defensively you can probably afford to cheat slightly toward the boards in your own zone since it's not like you're defending against Karlsson back there. Chances are you're not going to have to worry about too many criss-crossing passes in the defensive zone, or hard slappers from the point. More often the opposing team is just going to end up skating the puck to the corners and trying to move it up and down the perimeter. Exploit that tendency -- be the first guy to the boards when you see the puck heading that way and be ready to pick if off the half-wall.

Offensively, if your team isn't passing I assume they are turning the puck over a lot. Provide secondary support when you're able; see if you can be the first guy to loose pucks, or provide immediate pressure on opponents who steal the puck. Half the time you'll end up getting it right back.

 

[Jarick]

Usually when nobody's passing, it's because nobody's getting open. I would much rather see someone carry the puck up ice than try to make a hero pass through five bodies.

What you want to do is support the puck carrier. Skate with him up the ice, maybe just behind him so you don't put him offsides and you can be a target for a drop pass. Try to stay relatively close too so he doesn't have to try and make a pass all the way across the rink. Little 5-10 foot passes are much more successful than longer ones.

And make sure to communicate too. Shout as loud as you can "WITH YOU!" or "ON YOUR LEFT!" or "DROP!" or whatever. The more you do that, the easier it is to know where your teammates are.

In the offensive zone, same thing, if he's driving to the net, you drive the net from the other side to try and get any rebounds. Don't stay even with him though, hang back just a bit so you can arrive at the net when the rebound is kicked out or be a target for a pass.

What Tarheel said is great, great advice. You definitely want to be aware of the puck on the boards and hustle to the other side. You will get half a dozen pucks per game if you just hustle to the boards when you see the puck ringing around. You don't have to meet the puck in the corner either, just at the boards ahead of their player.

 

[SillyMe]

Good info guys.

Thanks

 

[tfong]

Find where the guy always turns the puck over and wait there.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Good way to get them to include you even less...

No, you're just playing the way you should. In the NHL, all the Tier 2 players who think they are pretty boy danglers get destroyed.

That's what happens when you don't pass and keep your head down focusing on stick handling.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Is this your first year of playing high school? idk, maybe that's why they aren't passing to you. That, and since a lot of them are junior players, they think they are the (mod edit)greatest player(s) on the planet.

 

[hockeybro12]

This is all very useful information. Thanks everyone for your help. And if anyone else sees anything that was not mentioned here, feel free to add a reply. It would help me and probably other hockey players out a lot.

 

[SillyMe]

Looked down for a split second to double check puck position and got labeled!
Suban did leave his feet, so I'm surprised it wasn't a penalty.
I remember seeing that play..he got totally destroyed there.

No, you're just playing the way you should. In the NHL, all the Tier 2 players who think they are pretty boy danglers get destroyed.

That's what happens when you don't pass and keep your head down focusing on stick handling.

 

[Suddenly7]

I usually communicate with my linemates about what I'm seeing on the ice. Then I let them know what to expect if we get into certain situations. When the situation arises they already have an idea what is going to happen.

After time you just get familiar with your linemates and you don't have to mention anything. It just becomes natural.

If what you are doing isn't working you can always change stuff around to better fit your linemate.

 

[The Tikkanen]

If nobody is passing then like others have said the puck will make a bee line to the net. I would suggest knowing your team mates tendencies. If they dangle do they prefer to go through guys skates? If so then I would follow behind them and wait for the turn over. If they like to go wide and around the D then you need to anticipate at what time the puck will be on net. If guys shoot high don't stand in front. If guys shoot high and/or wide go to the other side of the net and get the carom off the glass or boards. Knowing where the puck is going comes from repetition, when you play a lot you know what to expect and when to expect it. Knowing where it's going to be comes at a later stage, it takes instinct, working on your skating skills, knowing how the defensemen play and always leaving an angle open so your team mates have an open line to pass to you rather than being tied up by a dman. If you're open and are constantly trying to create space between you and a defender you'll get the puck and scoring opportunities.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I usually communicate with my linemates about what I'm seeing on the ice.

This is important too, in getting your teammates to start passing. When I'm on the ice I hardly shut up, constantly calling out information to my teammates. It was drilled into me early in other sports, and it's carried over into hockey.

Your teammate has his back to the other team while they're forechecking - "One on!", "Two on!"

Your teammate has his back to the other team but they're not forechecking - "Time!" (ie, take your time)

You're wide open on the boards and your teammate can't see you - "BOARDS!"

The other team is about to collapse on the puck handler down low - "Point!" or maybe "Slot!", depending on who's open

Two of you are going to the puck at the same time - "Yours!" or "Mine!"

Your teammate is getting ready to pick up a loose puck, and there's room for him to skate it out himself - "Skate! Skate!"

You're the open trailer on a rush - "Drop!" or "Trailer!"

As you play games, you pick up on what other players are saying to communicate. Hockey is a really hard game to play with your head up as a novice, so it's really important for everyone to be talking out there.

 

[Beezeral]

Awareness is gained by playing lots of hockey and watching lots of hockey. There is no drill to teach awareness.