I wondered the same things. But I moved to contact before HFboards so I really couldn't ask. The main thing is, KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. A lot of times, your not really going to be able to do anything when your getting hit. When throwing a hit. Lead with your shoulder. Try and avoid the head hunters in the games to.
Well, one of the things you can do when you are going to get hit, is to lean into the check. This will counter-act the blow.
Second, stay way from the boards. Most defensemen will use the boards against you. However, there are time where you will be next to or on the boards. If you are the first one into the corner to get the puck, remember that if the hits you from behind...he's gone. But, make sure that you are prepaired for the hit.
If you find yourself at the boards, and someone is heading in and you don't have a whole lot of room to move, move up directly on the board. Once the contact is made, the player that hit you will sometimes fall due to the recoil of you and the boards.
In open ice, watch that hip check. In order to avoid that, watch the gap control between you and the player that's about to hip check you. Start your deke about a half a second early and go towards the inside of the center of the ice when you make your move. Don't go to the outside so that the defensemen can use the board to punish you with.
When giving a check...
Angle the apponent towards the boards and then slowly angle your body to take him out. Becareful to watch and adjust your speed accordingly to his approach. If you go to fast, the player will cut back into open ice. If you go to slow, he will move around you.
Now, keep this in mind. We teach forwards (well, I do) to go in 3/4 speed almost to the gap control. Once the defensemen has set his speed to control the gap, turn it on full force to move around. Alway watch how much room you have between the checker and the boards when it comes time to going around. If you have the room between 6 to 8 feet, make the move. If you have less, cut back and turn towards open ice.
How you use the boards will depend of the situation and what forechecking system you are using. For instance: If you are doing a 2-1-2 forechecking system, where the first guy in takes the body, second guy in takes the puck, third guy goes to the slot, if you are the first guy in, you want to tie the guy up in the corner by using your shoulder, rolling him with your fore arm towards the boards, and placing you near leg between his legs to anchor him so he doesn't move.
However, he's not going to let you do that, so he's going to try to get on the move. This is why you have the second guy come in to help you. This second guy is there to get the puck, while you work on the check.
Now, if you are angling a player up against the boards and you have him at a point where you can do a stick lift first...do it. Always go for the puck first, then the check. If you can regain control of the puck first without having to stop and take yourself out of the action, the better you and your line will perform.
Once you have the puck, if you are a defensemen, pass it "D to D". If you are a winger up against the board and you have regainned control of the puck, always throw it back to the defensemen and then regroup, overload the zone, and support the defensemen to receive the pass and restart the attack.
Always remember this.....
Your defensemen will never have a player from the other team with them. If he did and you passed the puck back there, it would be off sides. So go ahead and pass it back and then start your attack run by supporting the defensemen.
Hope this helps.
Head coach
