How to Shoot a Hockey Puck

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OK, you've got the skating part down, but there's another essential part of playing hockey: shooting. Here's a few ways to give yourself the best chance of getting the puck in the goal.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Shooting a Wrist Shot

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  1. Put your dominant hand on the top of the stick and your non-dominant hand about halfway down the shaft or a foot below your dominant hand. This will help give you proper control and power. [1]
    • The position of your fingers on the stick is not as important. Choose what is comfortable for you. Some people find that having you pinky hanging off the edge helps to increase movement and rotation on the dominant hand's wrist.
  2. Your knees should be bent in an athletic stance and your body should be positioned at a 45 degree angle in relation to the net or wherever you are shooting.
    • It is important to be at the correct angle to the net so that the puck will be shot in the right direction.
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  3. For the wrist shot, the puck should be positioned at your back foot. [2] This will allow you to have more leverage and thus more power.
    • Do not put the puck so far back that it is uncomfortable. Try to get the puck as close to your back foot while still being in a comfortable position.
  4. Again, this will help you get more power in your shot and be a more stable shooter.
  5. Next rotate your wrists slightly so that the blade angles outward. Only raise the stick so that it makes at most a 10 degree angle to the ground.
    • The blade should rotate at most 45 degree angles backward.
  6. Sweep the puck forward while transferring your weight toward your front foot and rotating your body forward. Your hips and shoulders should turn toward your target.
    • The rotation should be a quick turn but not so quick that it hurts your back or makes your shot unstable.
  7. As the stick blade crosses your body, transfer body weight on your stick while pushing forward with your dominant hand and pulling backward with your non-dominant hand.
    • Your non-dominant hand should across and behind your hip when pulled backwards.
  8. At the point of release, turn your wrists at the point of release in order to turn the stick blade out and lift the puck.
  9. After the puck is released, follow through by pointing the toe of your stick toward the target. The height of the shot depends on how much you rotate your wrists and how high your follow-through is. [3]
    • In order to shoot accurately, you must follow through correctly. After the shot, point the blade of the stick and angle your hips and shoulders to where you want the shot to go.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Shooting a Slap Shot

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  1. This grip should be close to identical to a wrist shot. You may want to slightly raise your dominant hand's position on the stick in order to get more power. [4]
  2. You will need to hit the ice slightly before the shot so the puck needs to be further up in your stance.
    • The stance for the slap shot should be identical to any other shot. You should still assume an athletic stance and be angled about 45 degrees to the intended target of your shot.
  3. Do this by raising your dominant hand backwards and raising the stick off the ice.
    • To a certain extent, the higher you raise the stick, the more power you will get from the shot. If you want less power, raise the stick only to your hip.
    • You should also transfer your weight to your back foot at this step. Just like in the wrist shot, this will help you gain more control and accuracy.
  4. Quickly bring the stick down toward the puck and shift your weight forward. You should try to hit the ice slightly before the puck for the slap shot. Think of it as if you are shooting the puck down into the ice. This will help the puck rise off the ice. [5]
    • Flick your dominant hand's wrist slightly one you make contact with the puck. This will help with the power and rise of the puck.
  5. Angle your hips and shoulders where you want the puck to go and point the blade in the direction of the target. [6]
    • The follow-through may not seem as important but it is essential in aiming. Thinking of the follow through while shooting will help focus your aim toward the target.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I choose the right hockey stick?
    Adam Falla
    Field Hockey Coach
    Adam Falla is a Field Hockey Coach and the Director at Leap Hockey in Austin, Texas. Adam co-founded Leap Hockey, an online platform to help players develop their skills & hockey fitness. Adam has been coaching for over 25 years in the UK & US and was one of the US Men's Masters Coaches at the Exin World Cup in Teresa, Spain 2018. He has also been the Head Coach at Lonestar FHC.
    Adam Falla
    Field Hockey Coach
    Expert Answer
    First, focus on the length. A good rule of thumb is that the stick should reach the top of your hip when you’re standing flat-footed. This length gives you the balance of control and reach you need to play effectively. Next, think about the stick’s material. If you’re just starting out, look for a stick with less carbon in it—these are usually more forgiving and give you better control as you’re learning. On the flip side, advanced sticks with a higher carbon percentage (like 80 to 90%) pack more power into your shots but can be harder to control.
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      Things You'll Need

      • a puck
      • a net
      • a hockey stick
      • a hockey rink
      • a helmet
      • and hockey skates
      • Not always though you could just be on foot.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/sports/olympics/16lefty.html
      2. ↑ http://howtohockey.com/how-to-take-a-wrist-shot/
      3. ↑ http://howtohockey.com/how-to-take-a-wrist-shot/
      4. ↑ http://howtohockey.com/how-to-take-a-slap-shot/
      5. ↑ http://howtohockey.com/how-to-take-a-slap-shot/
      6. ↑ http://howtohockey.com/how-to-take-a-slap-shot/

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