Shooting Off The Pass - Corners

By: Ben Eaves

A great skill to help you increase your chances of scoring a goal is to learn how to quickly shoot off a pass! In video above, we show you a simple exercise to practice this skill by jumping to open space and getting off a quick shot. You can also set this drill up from the point.

Why is this skill beneficial? Alone, a quick-release shot can surprise the goaltender. However, if a quick-release shot comes off of a pass, it is even harder for a goalie to stop because they will be moving from wherever the pass came from.

The goal of this is concept is to get a goalie moving (from a pass) and getting a shot off quickly so the goalie does not have time to set up. On the flip side, if a player receives a pass, takes 2-4 seconds to settle the puck, the goalie has a better chance to get set up to make a save.

Setup:

• Players and pucks are lined up at the half-wall.
• A "Passer" is set up next to the net, by the near post.
• The "Passer" jumps to open space in the corner, which begins the exercise. 
• Player # 1 passes the puck to the "Passer" in the corner.
• Player # 1 jumps to space heading to the net and receives a pass back. Player # 1 should work shoot quickly. Work on One Timers, or One Touch Shots to quickly get the puck off of your stick and to the net. Accuracy is not the key here, the goal is quick release. As time goes on, accuracy will come.
• The passer should be looking for rebounds after they pass the puck.
• After Player # 1 gets a shot off, they become the next passer.
• The Passer goes to the end of the line.

Coaching Points:

• Players should work on verbal (calling for the puck) & non-verbal communication (showing a target for the pass).
• Both Player # 1 and the Passer should work on quickly jumping to open space.
• Players should work on getting off a quick shot. They can also work on the following shots:
  • Catch & Release Shot
  • One Timer
  • Strong Side One Timer

Goalie Notes:

• The goalie should not cheat and only line up for the shot. This is a great opportunity for the goalie to track the puck from the half wall, to the corner, to the slot.

Variations:

• Coaches can add various objects that the "Passer" must pass over or though. Make it more complex for higher skilled players.
• The coach can set up Player # 1 and the Passer to be in different areas of the ice to work on shooting off of a pass. For more skilled players you can work on greater passing distances and angles.
• You can Practice Shooting Off The Pass From The Point.