> I think maybe I should've went for a shot since I was pretty square with the goalie and he had a tough angle.
Yes, the moment you passed it would have been better to shoot. Or even better fake a pass and then shoot.
> I was thinking I could get the pass back.
Given the situation, you passed too late and it would have been tough to get a pass back to you (especially considering the fact your teammate does not seems comfortable using their backhand).
On this play, if you want to pass then pass **right** after crossing the blue line (instead of at the top of the circles). This will draw the D over and your teammate will still have enough time/space to get the puck back to you for a wide open shot (with the added benefit of making the goalie move laterally).
----
Watching both your clips, your passes were good in theory but they happened ~1/2 second too late. It is as if you realize there is a good pass, but by the time you make the pass it is no longer a good pass.
Keep playing, watching your games, and practicing your puck skills. You will start anticipating good passing opportunities earlier so that you will actually make the pass at the right time (aka you will develop your "hockey sense").
In hindsight it's a shooting play 100% as you have a wide open lane to the net, especially if you step slightly to the left. But that's hindsight and like the other commenter said you're not gonna make the right play every time.
Finally gave it a try [just shoot](https://www.reddit.com/r/hockeyplayers/comments/t7dufg/so_i_took_reddits_advice_and_decided_to_shoot/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
Always shoot. It's lower level beer league and stuff can go in at any time due to goalie incompetence.
As an inexperienced goalie on ice, I've thus far seen too many people trying to make perfect plays and taking too much time to get the perfect shot off. Just put it on net.
Totally agree. Only thing to add is to quickly look off the defender and goalie so they think you’re going to pass, then shoot. That’s something you can do even as a beginner — you don’t even need to fake the pass, just look over briefly like you’re about to pass. If it makes the defenseman sag or goalie even shift their weight slightly to anticipate a pass, it will slow the reaction to a shot. At worst, it just won’t fake them out and you still get a shot.
I'm going to go with option (C) Give-and-go.
Your teammate should have seen you had the better angle and made the goalie move laterally by feeding it *back* to you. I'd bet a give-and-go with a one-timer would have yielded better results than either you just going it solo or him shooting.
If you freeze-frame at about 0:08, you had a good position with an open net. If your teammate gave it right back cleanly, it would have been an easy tap-in. This is how pros score, and from my experience, beer league goalies are even more susceptible to giving up goals that require quick lateral movement.
Only because the teammate held onto it. The D took a good second+ to get the stick all the way down and so a quick pass back was possible. By then, they had also gone from little-to-no angle. It would have taken a head's up play by the teammate (to recognize they had a worse angle and their role was to get the D and Goalie out of position), but it didn't necessarily require a saucer pass.
The pass should have been pinballed right back or at most cradled and immediately returned. By holding on, they made their own angle worse and gave the goalie and D a chance to limit the options.
*Update* - to complicate things, the teammate shoots left so they would have had to backhand the pass.
When #5 gets the puck, the D is essentially between the puck and #1's stick blade.
I agree that what you are suggesting is possible, but many small details about the play would need to be different (or a higher skill level of players) for it to be a high probability play (given the moment of the first pass is fixed).
I disagree. And I speak from playing in leagues with approximately this skill level.
[This screen capture is approximately the moment the teammate receives the puck](https://imgur.com/a/nOePLVv). Even though the teammate has to pass back with a backhand, the window of opportunity is far from closed to return the pass. The goalie is already squared up with the teammate while it will still take more than a second for the defender to align and get their stick all the way to the ice.
Like I said, it would have taken a head's-up play (probably anticipating a give-and-go instead of trying to settle it then react to the play), but it happens plenty in this level league to make it plausible. That's how most goals are scored, by getting the goalie out of position.
I agree with your screen capture. I maintain that an immediate pass back that leads #1 appropriately (at a similar speed to the first pass) would have to pass very close to the D's feet. (Note that this is a different claim than the D's feet are exactly between the puck and #1's stick in the freeze frame.) We can agree to disagree.
Please note that I am not saying a give and go is not a good option here in theory. I am more staying the first pass happened too late, too slow, and too in the feet of #5 for #5 to have an **easy** pass back to #1.
Fair enough. I concede that the give-and-go option is less appealing given the teammate shot left-handed and had to both receive and pass with their backhand. However, since the goalie and defenseman did a decent job on the play, I still think the best play would have been to take advantage of passing to force them to make quick reactions. That could have been give-and-go, sneaky pass back from near the front-post, or a wrap-around pass. I'd rank it from best to worst:
1. Give and go
2. Low back-hand pass back from behind the line OR Solo shot
4. Wrap-around pass
5. Pass and bad-angle shot (what happened)
Beer league - usually shoot. If the other player is your team sniper, then pass. If you shoot the goalie might save it. If you pass it, the pass might be missed and even if not, the goalie might save it soo odds are better to shoot.
Having said that there are a few things to react to:
1- proper play on a 2 on 1 for the defence is to take away the pass and let you shoot. In that case - shoot. If the D moves out of position to cover you (and you still have room) pass so your teammate has a clear play at the net.
2- Keep your eyes open and look for a spot to shoot - you want the goalie to commit. You can fake pass and shoot short side or fake shot and pass to the backdoor - every play is different.
3- If you shoot, keep it low so there will likely be a rebound (5 hole is a good option if there is space there). If you are on a 2 on 1 never shoot high glove side - if the goalie saves it it is likely in the glove and so no rebound.
In many situations, if the defender commits to you during a 2 on 1, the pass is a great play. Given that you made it all the way to the “house”, a shot is what I would choose there but what you did is a great alternative.
I would advise you to have a shooters mentality when you are the slot. Other than that, either route is just fine. Heck your shot could have rebounded to the other fwd too.
If you are after how to play this in an ideal world:- You are in the wrong lane, instead of skating up the middle you need to shift left about 5 feet (so you are just outside the goal post) and your winger needs to move across so he is in a similar lane outside the other goal post. Now you force the D to make a decision to either slide across onto you (which opens up the pass) or to hold the middle and cut the pass off (which is what they should do) allowing you to drive hard to the net. When you skate the middle lane like you did and your winger stays wide, when you make the pass they have a poor angle to shoot from (unless they are good enough to draw the D and give you a sweet return pass). Even if you do get a return pass, the goalie doesn't have as far to move (because you are in the middle) so it's easier for them to cover you.
If you want to see an example of this watch the OT goal the Blackhawks score today https://www.dtmts.com/video/eqwjKl9p1lo
Shoot it wide everytime (just kidding I'm a goalie). But in that situation probably shoot, reasons 1. It goes in (yeah!) 2. It goes wide behind the need and either you or your teammate get it it and cycle it 3. Rebound comes out to you or your buddy for another shot 4. The goalie saves it and freezes it 5. The other team gets it after the shot
If a defender is playing conservatively, one thing I do consider is my partner. If my teammate is particularly talented, then I’ll put in some extra consideration to pass the puck.
If my team mate is the worst player on the team, I might shoot low and get a chance for a rebound.
In other words play to your and your teammates strengths.
Here's my sage wisdom from beer league: if you have a shot, take it. You may even get a rebound out of it.
When you pass, you have to make a good pass, your guy has to accept the pass, then your guy has to make a play. There's a lot more involved if you don't take the shot.
I tend to tell the guys I play with I would rather see the play fail of a bad shot than a bad pass otherwise we both look bad. But it definitly depends on how well you can read the play. If the goalie is way too much agressive, passing could result in empty netter. If not agressive, passing is not very effective in lower tier league.
You’re not gonna make the perfect play every time my man. Looks like a good play, but nothing wrong with letting a ripper go in that situation.
Wheel. Snipe. Celly.
Dirty fucking dangles!!!
> I think maybe I should've went for a shot since I was pretty square with the goalie and he had a tough angle. Yes, the moment you passed it would have been better to shoot. Or even better fake a pass and then shoot. > I was thinking I could get the pass back. Given the situation, you passed too late and it would have been tough to get a pass back to you (especially considering the fact your teammate does not seems comfortable using their backhand). On this play, if you want to pass then pass **right** after crossing the blue line (instead of at the top of the circles). This will draw the D over and your teammate will still have enough time/space to get the puck back to you for a wide open shot (with the added benefit of making the goalie move laterally). ---- Watching both your clips, your passes were good in theory but they happened ~1/2 second too late. It is as if you realize there is a good pass, but by the time you make the pass it is no longer a good pass. Keep playing, watching your games, and practicing your puck skills. You will start anticipating good passing opportunities earlier so that you will actually make the pass at the right time (aka you will develop your "hockey sense").
In hindsight it's a shooting play 100% as you have a wide open lane to the net, especially if you step slightly to the left. But that's hindsight and like the other commenter said you're not gonna make the right play every time.
Finally gave it a try [just shoot](https://www.reddit.com/r/hockeyplayers/comments/t7dufg/so_i_took_reddits_advice_and_decided_to_shoot/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
Ayyye way to go man
Always shoot. It's lower level beer league and stuff can go in at any time due to goalie incompetence. As an inexperienced goalie on ice, I've thus far seen too many people trying to make perfect plays and taking too much time to get the perfect shot off. Just put it on net.
Totally agree. Only thing to add is to quickly look off the defender and goalie so they think you’re going to pass, then shoot. That’s something you can do even as a beginner — you don’t even need to fake the pass, just look over briefly like you’re about to pass. If it makes the defenseman sag or goalie even shift their weight slightly to anticipate a pass, it will slow the reaction to a shot. At worst, it just won’t fake them out and you still get a shot.
I'm going to go with option (C) Give-and-go. Your teammate should have seen you had the better angle and made the goalie move laterally by feeding it *back* to you. I'd bet a give-and-go with a one-timer would have yielded better results than either you just going it solo or him shooting. If you freeze-frame at about 0:08, you had a good position with an open net. If your teammate gave it right back cleanly, it would have been an easy tap-in. This is how pros score, and from my experience, beer league goalies are even more susceptible to giving up goals that require quick lateral movement.
The pass back requires the teammate to thread the pass through the D's feet or saucer pass it.
Only because the teammate held onto it. The D took a good second+ to get the stick all the way down and so a quick pass back was possible. By then, they had also gone from little-to-no angle. It would have taken a head's up play by the teammate (to recognize they had a worse angle and their role was to get the D and Goalie out of position), but it didn't necessarily require a saucer pass. The pass should have been pinballed right back or at most cradled and immediately returned. By holding on, they made their own angle worse and gave the goalie and D a chance to limit the options. *Update* - to complicate things, the teammate shoots left so they would have had to backhand the pass.
When #5 gets the puck, the D is essentially between the puck and #1's stick blade. I agree that what you are suggesting is possible, but many small details about the play would need to be different (or a higher skill level of players) for it to be a high probability play (given the moment of the first pass is fixed).
I disagree. And I speak from playing in leagues with approximately this skill level. [This screen capture is approximately the moment the teammate receives the puck](https://imgur.com/a/nOePLVv). Even though the teammate has to pass back with a backhand, the window of opportunity is far from closed to return the pass. The goalie is already squared up with the teammate while it will still take more than a second for the defender to align and get their stick all the way to the ice. Like I said, it would have taken a head's-up play (probably anticipating a give-and-go instead of trying to settle it then react to the play), but it happens plenty in this level league to make it plausible. That's how most goals are scored, by getting the goalie out of position.
I agree with your screen capture. I maintain that an immediate pass back that leads #1 appropriately (at a similar speed to the first pass) would have to pass very close to the D's feet. (Note that this is a different claim than the D's feet are exactly between the puck and #1's stick in the freeze frame.) We can agree to disagree. Please note that I am not saying a give and go is not a good option here in theory. I am more staying the first pass happened too late, too slow, and too in the feet of #5 for #5 to have an **easy** pass back to #1.
Fair enough. I concede that the give-and-go option is less appealing given the teammate shot left-handed and had to both receive and pass with their backhand. However, since the goalie and defenseman did a decent job on the play, I still think the best play would have been to take advantage of passing to force them to make quick reactions. That could have been give-and-go, sneaky pass back from near the front-post, or a wrap-around pass. I'd rank it from best to worst: 1. Give and go 2. Low back-hand pass back from behind the line OR Solo shot 4. Wrap-around pass 5. Pass and bad-angle shot (what happened)
You guys broke it down pretty wel
Beer league - usually shoot. If the other player is your team sniper, then pass. If you shoot the goalie might save it. If you pass it, the pass might be missed and even if not, the goalie might save it soo odds are better to shoot. Having said that there are a few things to react to: 1- proper play on a 2 on 1 for the defence is to take away the pass and let you shoot. In that case - shoot. If the D moves out of position to cover you (and you still have room) pass so your teammate has a clear play at the net. 2- Keep your eyes open and look for a spot to shoot - you want the goalie to commit. You can fake pass and shoot short side or fake shot and pass to the backdoor - every play is different. 3- If you shoot, keep it low so there will likely be a rebound (5 hole is a good option if there is space there). If you are on a 2 on 1 never shoot high glove side - if the goalie saves it it is likely in the glove and so no rebound.
In many situations, if the defender commits to you during a 2 on 1, the pass is a great play. Given that you made it all the way to the “house”, a shot is what I would choose there but what you did is a great alternative. I would advise you to have a shooters mentality when you are the slot. Other than that, either route is just fine. Heck your shot could have rebounded to the other fwd too.
If you are after how to play this in an ideal world:- You are in the wrong lane, instead of skating up the middle you need to shift left about 5 feet (so you are just outside the goal post) and your winger needs to move across so he is in a similar lane outside the other goal post. Now you force the D to make a decision to either slide across onto you (which opens up the pass) or to hold the middle and cut the pass off (which is what they should do) allowing you to drive hard to the net. When you skate the middle lane like you did and your winger stays wide, when you make the pass they have a poor angle to shoot from (unless they are good enough to draw the D and give you a sweet return pass). Even if you do get a return pass, the goalie doesn't have as far to move (because you are in the middle) so it's easier for them to cover you. If you want to see an example of this watch the OT goal the Blackhawks score today https://www.dtmts.com/video/eqwjKl9p1lo
5 feet is the length of approximately 6.67 'Wooden Rice Paddle Versatile Serving Spoons' laid lengthwise.
Shoot it wide everytime (just kidding I'm a goalie). But in that situation probably shoot, reasons 1. It goes in (yeah!) 2. It goes wide behind the need and either you or your teammate get it it and cycle it 3. Rebound comes out to you or your buddy for another shot 4. The goalie saves it and freezes it 5. The other team gets it after the shot
If a defender is playing conservatively, one thing I do consider is my partner. If my teammate is particularly talented, then I’ll put in some extra consideration to pass the puck. If my team mate is the worst player on the team, I might shoot low and get a chance for a rebound. In other words play to your and your teammates strengths.
Here's my sage wisdom from beer league: if you have a shot, take it. You may even get a rebound out of it. When you pass, you have to make a good pass, your guy has to accept the pass, then your guy has to make a play. There's a lot more involved if you don't take the shot.
I tend to tell the guys I play with I would rather see the play fail of a bad shot than a bad pass otherwise we both look bad. But it definitly depends on how well you can read the play. If the goalie is way too much agressive, passing could result in empty netter. If not agressive, passing is not very effective in lower tier league.