Advice: What to do when a forward dumps the puck in and we're both going for it

[NateTheGr8]

I play Midget Minor Hockey so there are always aholes who dump the puck in, and skate from the blueline and go for the big hit to impress their mommys.

And when i saw the video of the guy getting hit as he was going in for the puck, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYcvkybOzbw) next practice i was alot safer when going in, but often losing the puck.

This is by far the worst thing that can happen as a defenseman, i dont wanna lose the puck, but i dont want to get injured during the play, help?

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[snizzbone*]

Watch what NHLers do. It's a skill to avoid injury.

Whatever you do don't try to stand the guy up like the one who did that in Switzerland, thats' how you break your neck.

 

[NYRSinceBirth]

Sometimes, you're just going to have to take the hit. If you can cut an angle, do it. Fake one way, peel the other. Just don't put yourself in an awkward position, always be able to brace/absorb the hit (I don't condone standing the guy up either, unless you're clearly bigger/stronger AND you're close to the boards. Our Swiss friend was way too far from the boards). Flowzie makes a good point, look at what NHL'ers do in different situations. Del Zotto stands guys up sometimes if you need a reference defenseman, but you really should avoid this route completely.

If it's the same kid over and over and it's getting dangerous, mention to the ref. Or just let him reach the puck and bury him, legally of course.

 

[PlayBall]

Sometimes, you're just going to have to take the hit. If you can cut an angle, do it. Fake one way, peel the other. Just don't put yourself in an awkward position, always be able to brace/absorb the hit (I don't condone standing the guy up either, unless you're clearly bigger/stronger AND you're close to the boards. Our Swiss friend was way too far from the boards). Flowzie makes a good point, look at what NHL'ers do in different situations. Del Zotto stands guys up sometimes if you need a reference defenseman, but you really should avoid this route completely.

If it's the same kid over and over and it's getting dangerous, mention to the ref. Or just let him reach the puck and bury him, legally of course.

This guy is giving you good advice. Heading into the corners you can make head fakes, shoulder dips, you can swing your stick back at him a little to mess up his focus (I'm not talking about a slash). He is also right about sometimes having to take the hit. You might have to whiplash into the boards a couple times in your career and break those falls with your arms, and sadly you might get concussed on one of their cheap plays, but you're better off bracing the hits properly and getting licked a couple times then ending up with a broken neck and severe impact on quality of life.

I've had two pretty bad concussions, and maybe one or two more, but you can't really be sure. My point telling you this is concussions will not impact your quality of life if they're limited, if you can realize when enough is enough (IE If you have 4 significant concussions; stop playing hockey) in comparance to breaking your neck.

I hope more people give advice to you. Good luck.

 

[Chych Magnet]

Usually when I'm going to puck in corner with players behind me, I do fake slapshot to other way and then take the puck with backhand. This works all the time and i never got hit.

 

[PlayBall]

Usually when I'm going to puck in corner with players behind me, I do fake slapshot to other way and then take the puck with backhand. This works all the time and i never got hit.

and even if one were to get hit in such a situation it wouldn't be on an awkward angle. It would be on an angle where the impact is distributed along your body, alot safer.

 

[nullterm]

The d-man stopped in the danger zone, 5-10ft from the boards. He gets hit and the momentum sends him forward, head first.

If you're gonna get hit, best to go all the way to the wall standing up, shoulder to the glass, so if/when the forechecker hits you, your body bounces off glass/boards harmlessly. Not your head. You can see NHLers do it dozens of times in a game.

And don't turn your face/head/body to face towards the boards. Bad news.

 

[Wilch]

Going in at angle that's not fully perpendicular to the boards. Try to box the guy out and slow him down.

Be aware of who's chasing after you too. Should probably be more conservative when there are players who have the tendency to play very aggressive and reckless.

 

[Jarick]

I would go in at an angle and make sure you go shoulder first to the boards. Another thing that often happens is the guy in front will sometimes lean back on the other player to slow him down and try to tie him up to get to the puck first, but if you're smaller he might try and shove you into the boards making it worse. So long as you're still moving towards the puck and use your body position instead of arms/stick it shouldn't be called.