Take the puck across the net If you happen to find yourself approaching the net with speed or if you’ve just beaten a defender wide, you should almost always take the puck across the crease if you can. When goalies come out to challenge a shooter, particularly if they trust that a defensive player will be able to block a player from cutting across the net, they tend to come out fairly aggressively. If your sole mindset is to get across the crease and tuck one in, you just may be able to. Even if the goaltender doesn’t come out hard,…
Stick-handling is one of the most important skills in hockey, and practicing this skill will give you the confidence you need to concentrate on other areas of the game – aim for 10,000 stick-handle touches over a weekend! Quick top 10 tips for stick-handling Your top hand should be doing most of the work and the main action of holding and cradling the cup. Practice by placing an empty toilet tissue tube in your lower hand and concentrate on just using the top hand to move and control the puck. Use your bottom hand to control where around your body…
Whether you’re 5 or 50, maybe you’ve got some gear, and maybe you’ve read some things online and watched a few of How to Hockey’s YouTube video’s – here’s a quick 10 point tips and a in-depth Guide to help you, or your child, to get started at playing ice hockey Equipment – What you should and shouldn’t do As with any new sport or interest, don’t buy gear. Wait, wait until you fall in love with the game then buy used gear until you know what you like, and what you want. Many people have gear sitting in their garages…
So which stick flex is right for you? There is a general formula for determining your flex. This is calculated by dividing your body weight in half. If you weigh 170 pounds, (77 Kilos for us Canadians), you should use around an 85 flex. An 85 flex stick requires 85 pounds of force to bend the stick 1 inch with a full length stick. Seems simple enough, right? However, hockey is a game of preference so, just because you weigh 170 does not mean that you must use an 85 flex. You may find that the 85 is too stiff…
WARNING Doing this could permanently damage your stick, you’re on your own and we’re not liable if it doesn’t work for you! For most hockey players, choosing the proper stick is a personal decision. Selecting the right height, weight and flexibility can be the difference between a game-winning goal and missing the net completely. One of the most important factors when choosing a hockey stick is the curve of its blade. This curve essentially forms a pocket that cradles the puck, allowing it to be carried, passed or shot more easily. By changing the curve of the blade, you can…
Your curve can make or break your game, it can be a continual process to tweak your curve and flex to fit your style, and your style to your flex and curve. Sometimes, though, your stick breaks and is not made any more.. Or you’ve found a great deal, but it’s made by a different manufacturer. How do you know which curve is similar to the one you’re using? We’ve put together this table of similar patterns helping you understand the different curves on the market and which curves from different hockey stick manufactures are similar Pictures Description Brand Specifications…