Dictating the Game: Offensive Angling

Offensive Strategy to combat quality angling

In part one of this series, we talked through how defenders can become the aggressors by reading and dictating rather than reading and reacting.

After reading this post, we hope to give forwards/attackers some tactics that will help transform how you can carry the puck and attack oppositional defenses. You’ll be questioning why past coaches didn’t teach you how to successfully counter players that take great angles.

Controlling the defenders skates

When you skate at the player trying to angle you, you can lock the opponent’s skates to face you. One fake or move and you’ve got them beat. The below video shows how effective this can be.

Greg Revak, CFP® @CoachRevak

Clip of the day - Offense, controlling skates (go at the D) Watch these players as they control the opposition’s skates They skate directly at a player so they can’t angle or can get the D to turn their skates. Also it leaves more room to the outside to operate

Further reading - Creating and playing off the opponents heels

Saving Ice

The other benefit of being able to control the defenders positioning and skates is that it allows you to leave ice open. You can save that open ice for when you decide to utilize it.

Too often, weaker players will skate themselves into bad positions. Great players who understand how to control an opponent’s skates are able to leave quality ice open until the opportune time. Check out this textbook example from Torey Krug.

Greg Revak, CFP® @CoachRevak

Love this goal from Krug. Controls Parise’s skates so well. Holds Parise to that side of the ice and waits until he know he has him burned before taking the middle What else do you like? @TLPF_Hockey24 @BuildHockeySnse @CamMcCusker @WowDanGoodPoint @Coach_Mitch85

Short, sweet, and totally changes how you attack the game.

For more, check out the video presentation I have on angling for defense, for offense

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