Coach’s Corner: Receiving a Pass

A lot of Beer Leaguers picked up this sport as adults, and never had the benefit of formal, organized hockey coaching. Through weekly topics and tips, we're hoping to share some knowledge that other players will find beneficial as we all work to improve our game

For today, let's start out with something simple -

--Keep your shoulders square to the puck--

Oftentimes, we see people skating up the ice with their back to the play and eyes forward, and are therefore not ready to receive a pass when the puck comes to them.

If you work on the ice to be facing the puck, i.e. square your shoulders up with the puck, you will be in a position to see the puck coming to you, as well as have your stick in a position to receive the pass.

More received passes = more puck touches = more opportunities = skill improvement

As you work to incorporate this into your game, it'll have the side benefit of helping to improve your skating and edgework, as you need to turn and transition as you position your body to receive the pass.

TAKEAWAY: Keep your shoulders square to the puck