Advice: Going against bigger/faster players

[Phoenix]

I play in a competitive adult recreational league...non-checking.
Anyone have some good tips for taking the puck off players that tend to have a greater arm's reach than you?

When going up against players far taller than me (I'm 5'7") that are also faster - if they are protecting the puck with their back to me, I can often read what they're intending to do, but should I try and tackle the puck from the side, through their legs, or fool them, or all three?!

I know gaining my own speed, puckhandling skills etc will help, but just wondering whether anyone has a nice trick up their sleeve. Thanks!

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[ccarrigan]

I play in a competitive adult recreational league...non-checking.
Anyone have some good tips for taking the puck off players that tend to have a greater arm's reach than you?

When going up against players far taller than me (I'm 5'7") that are also faster - if they are protecting the puck with their back to me, I can often read what they're intending to do, but should I try and tackle the puck from the side, through their legs, or fool them, or all three?!

I know gaining my own speed, puckhandling skills etc will help, but just wondering whether anyone has a nice trick up their sleeve. Thanks!

If they're better than you and you try to come up on their side and make a puck play, it should be pretty easy for them to beat you. Normally with a bigger more skilled player I'll just take the body. Don't let them make a play, make them dump it off to someone else. Every time I've tried to out finesse a higher end player (college hockey coach, semi pro player, etc...) I just end up looking like a tool.

 

[Beezeral]

bigger/faster usually=better.

your best bet is to be conservative, keep the guy in front of you and try to force him into a bad shot or a pass that won't set up a shot

 

[JR97]

bigger/faster usually=better.

your best bet is to be conservative, keep the guy in front of you and try to force him into a bad shot or a pass that won't set up a shot

this ^^^^

You don't need to take the puck from the guy. Just keep him from making the easy shot or pass. Work to contain him to the low probability scoring areas. ie outside and on his backhand.

Also force him to the boards and be strong on the puck so he has to keep his back to you and facing the boards.

If dude is coming through the neutral zone or out of the D zone picking up speed try to force him to the outside and have a teamie step up on him when he's making the move to the outside and his options narrow down significantly.

Doing that little trap is very effective at your own blue line because any of his teammates that were ahead of him would have to pull up at the blue line and any players that were with him or behind him won't be easy targets because he'll likely be stretched out or protecting the puck and not in a passing position.