Hockey Made Easy – Youth Hockey Tips for Scoring Goals
There is an old hockey myth that goal scorers are born not made.
What a bunch of “Bull”!
In my many years of experience as a hockey coach, clinic instructor and League President, it is time to explode this myth and tell you that goal scorers can be made and that I have helped make them and that you can help make them to.
I can attest to the fact that after teaching 12 students how to score goals at my hockey clinic, all 12 players, 100% of them, scored at least 1 goal in their next League game based on what they had learned at the clinic.
Do you believe that Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Dany Heatley, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy or Phil Esposito were all natural born goal scorers? Or, did their fathers, older brothers and many Minor/Youth Hockey and Junior coaches teach them at a young age the skills and strategy for scoring goals?
Goal scoring is not rocket science but is a unique hockey skill that can be learned if it’s explained, demonstrated then practiced at a young age.
Players love to Score Goals and all players 5 to 15 years of age can learn how to score goals if taught correctly by their coaches, their parents and by reading the Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual.
And now with the stricter enforcement of the new hockey rules by the Referees and calling: hooking, holding, obstruction, and interference, this will create more quality scoring chances and scoring goals will become a little easier for everyone.
Here are some goal scoring tips to help both Forwards and Defencemen score more goals:
The 3 prime on ice shooting areas for scoring goals are:
1.The slot area, between the hash marks,
2. Just outside the crease area, for scoring on many rebounds or loose pucks,
3. The open points, and in particular shots taken from near the center of the blue line
How to score more Goals
To score more goals the shooter must “see like the puck,” because the puck is positioned 2-3 feet off to one side of your body on your stick blade. The opening to the net that your eyes see is not exactly the same opening that the puck sees. You must adjust your thinking.
When attempting to score a goal, look for an opening for the puck to enter the net. Think, and visualize, can I score from here or not, React, shoot, pass, or carry the puck to a better on ice shooting and scoring location.
Remember the entire puck must be over the goal line to score a goal.
Scoring goals is accomplished by one of the following methods:
Most players know there are 5-key locations to score goals: but you must read then react to the goaltender’s set positioning and actions.
1. If the goalie drops down on his knees into the butterfly position, shoot high stick side or shoot high glove side.
2. If the goalie remains standing, shoot low stick side or low glove side.
3. If the goalie opens his legs or is moving side-to-side or post-to-post, shoot 5-hole between his legs.
4. If the goalie comes out to cut the angle on a breakaway deke wide and score.
5. If the goalie retreats back to the goal line on a breakaway shoot low if standing, or shoot high if he drops down to his knees and score.
To score on a regular basis, players must practice shooting hard and accurately to the area just inside the goal posts.
Other skills you can use to help your Team score Goals:
1. If the goalie comes out and cuts the angle, pass to an open teammate situated in a better scoring position possibly at the far side of the net, in the slot area, or to an open defenceman on the point and he scores.
2. Tipping or deflecting a teammate’s shot into the net by changing the puck’s flight and direction with the shaft or blade of your stick. The stick must remain below your shoulders to count as a goal.
3. Going hard to the net to get to a rebound then shooting to score. Don’t be afraid to get your nose dirty and battle for the puck in front of the net. The harder you work for a loose puck the more goals you will score.
4. Screening their goalie’s view of the puck from just outside the goal crease so s/he cannot see the puck and a teammate scores, or the puck deflects in off someone all because you legally blocked their view of the puck.
5. Feed your open Defenceman on the point with the hard accurate shot and if he has a clear shooting lane to the net take the shot, but hit the net as it could create a big rebound if the goalie stops the puck but doesn’t catch it.
6. Try a wraparound shot if coming out from behind the net and there is no teammate open to pass to. It doesn’t matter who scores the goal, this is a team game and everybody is part of the team.
Be a team player and try to help your team score, but don’t try to do it all by yourself by taking shots from impossible angles or not passing the puck at opportune times or you could get labeled “a puck hog” or “a pond hockey player.” Remember there is no letter ” i ” in the word Team.
These are but a few scoring tips to help young male and female players learn how to score and help score goals.
Players need to know how to shoot, when to shoot, where to shoot on the net, where to shoot from on the ice and what shot to use from specific on ice locations.
We have a multitude of goal scoring tips in our “Hockey Made Easy” Instruction Manual, e-Book and CD to help you.
Do you want to learn more secrets for scoring goals? Go to www.HockeyMadeEasy.com and get your 200 page copy. It will make all the difference in the world for both your scoring
and playing performance.
Have a continued great hockey season.
Yours in hockey,
John Shorey
Author “Hockey Made Easy” – Canada’s Best Instruction Manual