1 v 1 Battle Strategies

Polk High

Registered User
Sep 9, 2009
1,475
149
Hey, couldn't think of a better title.

I'm looking for some advice on countering some 1 on 1 strategies.

Mainly, what can you do to stay on your feet and maintain position when the other player is using their stick shaft to push down on the back/top of your hockey pants? I guess same thing goes for the small of your back.

What about the old using their stick to push on the back of your knee causing it to buckle?

Can you add any other leverage type moves that are used and what can you do to negate them.
 

Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
28,355
39,718
Hey, couldn't think of a better title.

I'm looking for some advice on countering some 1 on 1 strategies.

Mainly, what can you do to stay on your feet and maintain position when the other player is using their stick shaft to push down on the back/top of your hockey pants? I guess same thing goes for the small of your back.

What about the old using their stick to push on the back of your knee causing it to buckle?

Can you add any other leverage type moves that are used and what can you do to negate them.


Try and get low in a deep knee bend and wide base and absorb their contact and use it to push/spin off them. There are drills you can do for that to work on it. And obviously general strength/conditioning and balance work will help you.

Here's Crosby doing work like that with Marchand.

 

Polk High

Registered User
Sep 9, 2009
1,475
149
Try and get low in a deep knee bend and wide base and absorb their contact and use it to push/spin off them. There are drills you can do for that to work on it. And obviously general strength/conditioning and balance work will help you.

Here's Crosby doing work like that with Marchand.



Thanks for the video and reply.

The constant moving and repositioning I see from Crosby doesn't really allow Marchand to get much against him.

Have you dealt with someone hooking their shaft behind the top of your hockey pants and pushing down? It seems to put you on to the rear rocker of your skates and knocks you down.
 

LeifUK

Registered User
Jan 2, 2018
131
39
A good knee bend, feet shoulder length apart, hold the puck out front at sticks length, keep your back to the attacker, let them push you. I was doing this this morning, it’s something you have to practice. Pushing the back of the knee sounds dirty.

Get a friend to do this with you, it’s great fun albeit tiring as hell.
 

Polk High

Registered User
Sep 9, 2009
1,475
149
A good knee bend, feet shoulder length apart, hold the puck out front at sticks length, keep your back to the attacker, let them push you. I was doing this this morning, it’s something you have to practice. Pushing the back of the knee sounds dirty.

Get a friend to do this with you, it’s great fun albeit tiring as hell.

Yeah, I guess it is pretty dirty. Still doesn't stop them from doing it.

I was talking to a buddy of mine that used to ref. He said he'd call the pushing down on the back of the hockey pants with the shaft as well.
 

Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
28,355
39,718
Yeah, I guess it is pretty dirty. Still doesn't stop them from doing it.

I was talking to a buddy of mine that used to ref. He said he'd call the pushing down on the back of the hockey pants with the shaft as well.

Sounds like your describing a cross-check.

You’re allowed to make contact with the stick but if it’s too violent or too much of a push into the player it could be called cross checking.
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
84,977
137,333
Bojangles Parking Lot
Yeah, I guess it is pretty dirty. Still doesn't stop them from doing it.

I was talking to a buddy of mine that used to ref. He said he'd call the pushing down on the back of the hockey pants with the shaft as well.

The ref is your friend in this scenario. A little side comment during a stoppage "hey, I'm OK with some contact but this guy is actually pulling my down by my pants, can you watch for it next time we're in front of the net together?" is all you need. Then just go right back to the guy and let him take the penalty if he's dumb enough.

If the ref won't help you out, then you have a bit of license to dial up the physicality and create a ****show in front of the net, which is probably more effective than a normal screen anyway.
 

Polk High

Registered User
Sep 9, 2009
1,475
149
Sounds like your describing a cross-check.

You’re allowed to make contact with the stick but if it’s too violent or too much of a push into the player it could be called cross checking.

Holding the stick like a cross check but not really a push out but a push down and away.
 

rh71

Registered User
Nov 12, 2005
1,383
169
Long Island, NY
One thing to keep in mind when they are pushing against you is that they are propelling you forward while pushing themself back / slowing themself so if you can use that momentum to mohawk or otherwise spin out, it could be to your advantage. Obviously Crosby is the best at edges and half the time you can't even pin him. Here's another video showing a few examples.



There's also a part 2. Good example of chicken-winging himself out at 2:10.

 
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Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
28,355
39,718
One thing to keep in mind when they are pushing against you is that they are propelling you forward while pushing themself back / slowing themself so if you can use that momentum to mohawk or otherwise spin out, it could be to your advantage. Obviously Crosby is the best at edges and half the time you can't even pin him. Here's another video showing a few examples.
]

The puck protection video probably would have been a better illustrator but those are still good videos, love that series LaFlamme makes on Sid.

 
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TheDawnOfANewTage

Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
Dec 17, 2018
12,023
17,488
All the advice above is good, I think it's just a bit easier said than done though. Having good fundamentals and technique are key, but it's tough to defend against dirty leverage plays no matter what.

All I can add is that a nice reverse hit can add a little disincentive to the play- had a guy doing that to me all game and saw him coming up the boards to do the same once again. I feigned ignorance and just started backing up suddenly- he didn't get his stick up in time and got the wind knocked out of him, seemed to solve the problem for that particular game.
 
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biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
25,152
10,128
One thing to keep in mind when they are pushing against you is that they are propelling you forward while pushing themself back / slowing themself so if you can use that momentum to mohawk or otherwise spin out, it could be to your advantage. Obviously Crosby is the best at edges and half the time you can't even pin him. Here's another video showing a few examples.



There's also a part 2. Good example of chicken-winging himself out at 2:10.




This is essentially the holy grail of being able to dominate 1v1 contests. It's Crosby's stickhandling ability, which frankly...i can't understand, combined with mastery of a skating technique that even the average joe can learn to use to their advantage.
 
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