That's awesome and kind of keeps me motivated. Seems like I am putting skills into the bank and hope to be able to make a withdraw at SOME point!!!
Until then I have to be very deliberate and think things through well in advance - the instincts are just not fully there.
It must be a good feeling.
I was there not too long ago. Just keep working at it and take some chances during pick-up to build confidence. The biggest stride came when I finally trusted the puck would be where it should so that I could pick my head up and start reading plays. It started as a quick glance up to see the play and then back down to the puck to make the play and has evolved to where I have a much bigger peripheral of the play and spend much less time looking down at the puck and much more time reading what's around me. It's obviously still a work in progress, but the key word is progress.
No better feeling in the world when you do something silky and finish it with a goal. Inside I'm thinking, "Holy **** how did I just do that? I've never done that before." On the outside I pretend like it's no big deal.
I also found visualizing plays helps a ton. Especially, if you notice you are involved in the same type of play often. Then you can visualize things like timing and how to do a move or make the play. Sooner or later, you'll get the opportunity to execute. When it doesn't work, analyze why and what to do next time. Before you know it, the plays start getting executed with little conscious thought.
A prime example of this for me is coming down the off-wing with speed and faking inside before making a power move to the one-hand backhand, build a wall, and either going top shelf on the backhand if I can't cut across or cut across and try to find an opening. One day I realized I had the ability to get this move down. I watched Eberle pull this move off on highlight reels and then did some visualizing. Still am working on the backhand finish, but I have been able to pull this off fluidly quite often and with ease the past month or so. I don't always finish it, but it creates chances and then gives me the option to cut to the middle the next rush or attack with speed and stop once I enter the zone because the defender is worried about getting beat with speed so they give me more space.
