Changing the Angle for Higher Percentage Shots - Hockey Skill Breakdown

When a player is preparing to shoot, changing the angle of attack is crucial. It could easily be the difference between a puck being blocked by a defender or stopped by a goaltender, and a goal. Even the slightest of angle changes can throw off a goaltender’s ability to track the puck effectively and improve a player’s chances of finding the back of the net.

Deception, drag, or body position manipulation are effective means of changing the attack angle, but pulling or pushing the puck into a quick release shooting position is your best bet for making this tactic work for you.

This technique is used by many of the NHL’s top youngsters, and their ability to perform it effectively makes them elite shooters. But, mastering a skill of this nature takes time and repetition, and it certainly isn’t as easy as Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews makes it seem.

When teaching this technique to your players, it’s important to break down the precise elements that go into changing the shot angle and use a progressive system to work on each step.

5 key points for changing the shooting angle are:

1. Eliminate the spin on the puck by giving it a little tap with a flat blade to calm it down.
2. Small adjustments are often better than large ones. The goaltender won’t have as much time to track the new trajectory of the shot effectively.
3. Move the puck into a position of balance and maximum power.
4. Players should be aware of BOTH the net position and their shot lane. It’s not uncommon for players to focus on the net or their shot lane alone, often resulting in either a blocked shot or an easy save. Total situational awareness is key in making the most out of a shot attempt.
5. Add deception into the mix. Fakes using body movement and blade manipulation are key in creating open space and quickly changing the shot angle.

While some of the goals in the video clips may look rather simple, they practice the 5 techniques to perfection. These players are constantly honing their shooting ability and strive to improve that all-important aspect of their game.

Below, I’ve outlined a 5 drill progression that you can use to help your players change their shot angle while keeping opposing defenders on their toes at all times. All drills can be found in the CoachThem Marketplace so you can easily add them to your personal playbook!

1. Changing the Angle - Full Ice Warm Up

• 3 tires will be set up on each side of the ice.
• Players will skate towards the tire and use different techniques of changing the angle of the shot:
  • Pull
  • Fake and Push
  • Fake and BH (backhand) drag

2. Changing the Angle - Cross Ice Passing

• Getting the players comfortable by shooting the puck (warm-up).
• Players leave with the puck and will skate towards the cone.
• At the cone, load the puck in a shooting position.
• While the player is loading the puck, they will change the angle and pass to their partner on the other half of the ice.

3. Changing the Angle - Push Pull Shooting

Players at each net with a cone, sticks or anything to allow players to change the angle and a pile of pucks.

1. PULL - Puck starts on the far side of the tire, pull the puck in toward the inside leg, rotate the torso to have hands in front of the body and chest square to the target. Challenge players to keep the bottom hand loose to increase reach while maintaining body position.
2. PUSH - Player starts with the same pull as before, then stops the puck on the forehand by popping the top hand out. Then push the puck back to the far side to release. Weight should load up on the outside leg as the puck is pulled in, and then to the inside leg as the puck is pushed out.
3. EBERLE - Perform a forehand fake by pushing the puck to the far side of the tire, then pull it back on the backhand to the near side of the tire for the release.

4. Changing the Angle - Cross Ice 3 vs 2

• The coach uses a thick marker to draw a line from the middle of the end boards to the blue line as shown in the illustration.
• The game is played 3 vs. 3, but the last defending player cannot cross the halfway line.
• This leaves the attacking team with a 3 vs. 2 situation.
• When the defensive team retrieves the puck, they can attack or make a pass to their third teammate.

5. Changing the Angle - Belly Out Shooting

• Pucks and team split in half in opposite corners, both sides go at the same time.
• Stay on your half of the ice until past the red line.
• Whistle starts the drill (3 players go from each corner at a time).
• Each player leaves without a puck, belly out and gets a pass from the next player in line.
• X1 skates down and takes a shot from the near lane – X2 skates down and takes a shot from the middle lane – X3 skates down and takes a shot from the far lane.
• Change the angle for every shot before the cone using either a push or a pull.

Blog by CoachThem Contributor, Mitch Giguere

Mitch Giguere, ChPC, an assistant coach with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Mitch has his High Performance 2 from Hockey Canada, Advanced Coaching Diploma from the Canadian Sport Institute and is finishing his Learning Accelerator at the Canadian Sport Institute. You can follow his popular video breakdown on Social Media for more excellent hockey content.

Written by the CoachThem Team

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