Scoring on Breakaways or Shootouts
March 6, 2010 by Dennis Chighisola
There’s usually a history to just about everything I do. So, here’s the background to the video I’ll show you in just a little while…
A few years ago, a mom who was regularly bringing her two sons to The MOTION Lab happened to mention the fact that one son was having real difficulties on breakaways. Being well aware of the way I tease shooters who put pucks into a goaltender’s belly, she joked that, “He hits the goalie every time!”
That little guy was a skilled player (even though only 7-years old), so I knew talent wasn’t the issue. I then promised the mom that I’d think on the problem for awhile, and I’d see if I could arrive at a solution.
– Dennis Chighisola
Scoring on Breakaways or Shootouts
Now, one problem on such a play can be that the skater looks down at the puck too much, thereby preventing him or her from really seeing the options ahead.
The next problem — even if the player does look up while approaching the net, is that he or she might not know what to do if the goaltender acts in one way or another. And, that “one way or another” thing usually refers to his or her either coming far out of the net to cut-down the shooter’s angle, or backing-up (possibly because he or she isn’t confident about leaving the safety of the net).
As an aside here… I’ve worked plenty with goal-scorers and goalers from beginners to pros, and I can tell you that some of what I just said changes drastically at the college and professional levels. There’s a cat and mouse game going on between elite attackers and goaltenders, with the goalies oftentimes even showing an opening and then quickly taking it away as the attacker readies to shoot.
Things are usually quite different at the younger levels. I mean, just as I said in my video on “Creating the Early Goal-scorer“, the littlest goalies have all they can do to move around in their bulky gear. And, as that difficulty wanes with age, players up through high school might even fear leaving the safety of their net, or they just might not move very well.
Okay, so I promised that mom from the Lab that I’d arrive at an answer for her son. And, that I did…
What I did was create a DVD that could be plunked in one of our Lab players for my students to watch. Actually, that was our first step — having them just watch the video so that they could get a firm grasp of the decision process required in “reading” young goaltenders. As the following video will explain, a goalie coming far out of his or her net (shown on the left) likely doesn’t show much visible net to shoot at. On the other hand, a goaler who has backed-up into his or her net (shown to the right) is going to show a lot of open spots to shoot for. So, the decision is pretty simple:  if the goalie comes-out, the attacker should make a fake to one side and then tuck the puck in on the other side; if the goalie backs far in, the attacker should pick an open corner and nail it with a shot.
Of course, leave it to me to make a drill even more challenging or more realistic. And, to do this, I had my kids spread-out in an area in front of the DVD player to dribble small balls as they watched the video. Ya, just picture that, as they dribbled — needing to keep their eyes up — and make the right calls, to either shoot or deke.
Okay, so now you ought to watch that video to get a sense of what it’s about. I’ll have a few more comments at the bottom.
Now, although there are physical skills involved here (especially if the viewer is dribbling a ball or puck), the above video is really intended as a mental exercise. In other words, a skater has the opportunity to practice his or her “reads” of a goaltender countless times on his or her own. And that’s what I’m suggesting, feeling that the player’s ability to ultimately react correctly in these situations will improve with each viewing (or each practice).
I pray that there’s a safe space in front of your computer where a player could do as my students do in The MOTION Lab, dribbling a ball and keeping the eyes up while reading each situation.
Oh, one other thing…Â Although a very young player was the inspiration for the above video, I would highly recommend it for those at least up through Pee Wees, as well as for adult players.
Finally, I have a special treat for CoachChic.com members… The downloadable version of this video is going to be kept available to you in the *Gifts section for the month of March, 2010. In that way you might save it, burn it to a CD (whatever), and use it on numerous computers long after it’s removed from this site. (This entry will always remain here, and the downloadable version may be made available periodically in the future.) Oh, and I’ve added yet another bonus tip over in the members’ section, this about how an attacker should hold the puck on his or her way in towards the net.
Good luck!
*
I would REALLY like your feedback on this post, especially after you’ve had a chance to try the video program.
[...] Scoring on Breakaways or Shootouts [...]
Funny, but this story from a while ago just came to mind as I re-read the part about that video also being appropriate for older levels of our game. Ha…
What happened was that, a few years ago I was watching a high school game that was taking place just before my Team NEHI practice. The high school players were of a decent level, the game was a meaningful (playoff) one, and the player in question was supposedly one of the team’s better players.
Ya, that “player in question”… Late in the close game, he was awarded a penalty shot. So, the crowd hushed, and there was a long enough delay (as the refs readied things) so I could get a good spot to view the play from. Actually, I was standing at the opposite end of the rink from where the penalty shot would occur, so I had the opportunity to watch everything from the attacker’s perspective.
Ugh… I could tell at the moment the attacker took-off that he’d decided ahead of time exactly what he would do. I don’t know how or why I knew, but I would have bet that he was stuck with a plan, no matter what the opposing goaltender did. (He also had his head down throughout the rush, which also tells us something.)
And, don’t ya know, the goaltender absolutely stuffed the attacker. I mean, the skater went straight for the net, then tried to stuff the puck between the goaler’s legs — “five hole”. Clunk! The goalie had backed far into his net, he had his pads closed and his stick placed firmly in that area, and that’s about the only spot that WASN’T vulnerable. Geeeeeeeeeze…
So again, I think anyone — at just about any youth though high school level — would benefit from using the above training program. One never knows when he or she will be called upon to apply their breakaway or shootout skills with a huge crowd watching.
My little fella says “Thank you” for making the video drill and he said he liked the “breakaway part” and did it four times this morning and would have kept going, but we had other things to do.
LOL! That’s awesome Craig! Can Sam deal with the situations while also dribbling?
Then, you know my need to up-the-ante once a drill gets easy. So, after a week or two of doing the basic drill, have Sam try moving around and dribbling with his eyes up — ultimately going forward and backwards, side to side, etc.
I have a suspicion, too… I sense that you’ll see some new things in Sam’s game after a few weeks at that exercise, even when he’s not attacking the net.
He figured that one on his own. After a few tries through, he brought a little mini-net in front of the computer and started doing dekes and shots on the mini-net while the clips were rolling along. He seems to instinctively up-the-ante on his own.
As far as seeing a change in his game, I doubt it as we only have one more game. Then there is a good break from ice hockey till September. He’s playing a few sports just once a week through the spring: lacrosse (which he loves), t-ball and field hockey. What do you think of a young lefty playing a game with only right-handed sticks? We’re in the field hockey region in Canada from the British and South Asian influences I think and he wants to try it out. I figure the ABCs (agility, balance, coordination, speed) will be developed and the Long Term Athlete Development thinking is a big part of their philosophy (Balyi worked at the University of Victoria for a number of years so he’s left his mark).
Actually, Craig, I held-off in answering you because I’m working on a special post in reference to some of our recent conversations (it’s just going a little slower than I’d hoped).
I do firmly believe in what you’re doing with Sam, though — as in having him try a number of sports during the off-season. (These will give him a mental break, plus add to his overall athleticism and problem solving capabilities.) At the same time, however, I’d leave some street hockey gadgets handy, and maybe the in-lines.
Just wondering… Have you had a chance to make an SMG for Sam yet? I think he’d have fun with it, and it’s far more realistic than anything on the market.
That is something I have not done. I’ll get on that during Spring Break. We look forward to your next post.
Craig
I have not shown Chris the video yet but plan to soon.
I too am looking forward to giving Chris a break at hockey in the next three weeks or so. We will be finishing up until next October. Chris loves the lacrosse, I take him up the local high school field when the high school is playing a game and he and I just toss the ball around on the side, before you know it he is jumping in with other kids.
As for the SMG I use one of those big orange barrels you see on the side of construction job sites. I stick it in the hockey net and tell Chris thats Martin Brodour. He then wants me to add arms. (I told him his papa will make us a better one this spring.) It WORKS and I watch as he always is forced to have his head up before he shoots at the net.
Mike
Good for you guys, Mike… Good for giving Chris a break, good for keeping him physically active, and good for having some things like a net and your own kind of SMG around the yard.
By the way… I’m hoping you guys (Craig and Mike and lots of others) give me some good feedback on my latest bit of advice — “Who is Your REAL Hockey Competition?” I think you’ll find my premise VERY interesting, at the least.