How to shoot a hockey puck
Shooting is the most satisfying skill in hockey, and one of the most learnable. This guide is about the real thing: how to shoot a puck with a real stick, on ice or off it. We'll go through the main shots step by step, where to aim, and how to practise. At the end, we'll show how the same ideas work in Brudvig Hockey.
A safety note first: shoot at a net, with nobody standing in front of it, and wear proper equipment, especially when shooting with other people around. Pucks are hard and fast.
The basics that every shot shares
Grip
Your top hand holds the end of the stick and controls the blade. Your bottom hand sits lower on the shaft and provides power. Grip firmly but not tightly: a death grip slows your hands.
Stance
Knees bent, feet about shoulder width apart, weight balanced. A low, stable base lets you transfer weight into the shot.
Weight transfer
Most shot power comes from the body, not the arms. In nearly every shot, weight moves from the back leg to the front leg as you release the puck.
Eyes up
Look at your target, not your puck. It's hard at first. Practise until you can feel the puck on your blade.
Follow-through
Where your stick points when you finish is roughly where the puck goes. A low follow-through keeps the puck low; a higher one lifts it.
The wrist shot
The wrist shot is the most common and most useful shot in hockey: accurate, quick to release and hard to read.
- Start with the puck beside your back foot, toward the heel of the blade, with the blade cupped slightly over it.
- Sweep it forward along the ice, pulling with your bottom hand and pushing with your top hand.
- Shift your weight from back leg to front leg as the puck moves.
- Roll the puck from the heel to the middle and toe of the blade as you release.
- Snap your wrists through at the release, rolling them so the blade turns over.
- Follow through toward the target. Point the toe of your stick where you want the puck to go.
Common mistakes: starting the puck too far forward (no room to load), keeping all your weight on the back leg, and stopping the stick at release instead of following through.
The snap shot
A snap shot sits between a wrist shot and a slap shot. It has a short backswing instead of a sweep, which makes it quicker to release while adding power.
- Pull the blade back a short way behind the puck, a few inches to a foot or so.
- Bring it down hard just behind the puck, flexing the stick against the ice.
- Snap the wrists as the blade contacts the puck, letting the stick's flex spring forward.
- Short follow-through toward the target.
Snap shots are great when you have a moment of space but not enough for a full slap shot, like coming down the wing.
The slap shot
The hardest shot in hockey, and the hardest to master. It's powerful but slow to release, so use it when you have time and space.
- Set the puck in the middle of your stance or slightly toward the front foot.
- Wind up by raising the stick behind you. Higher means more power but slower release and less accuracy; many players use a half wind-up.
- Strike the ice first, a few inches behind the puck. This is the secret: the blade hits the ice, the stick bends, and the bend stores energy.
- Drive your weight onto your front leg as the stick comes through.
- Let the stick spring as the blade meets the puck, releasing the stored flex.
- Follow through toward the target, staying over the puck to keep it from flying high.
Common mistakes: hitting the puck directly instead of the ice behind it (no flex, weak shot), leaning back (shot goes high and wide), and winding up so high you never get it off.
The backhand
The backhand is shot from the other side of the blade. It has less power than a forehand, but goalies find it hard to read, and it's essential in close.
- Bring the puck to your backhand side, near the back foot.
- Cup the puck with the back of the blade.
- Sweep it forward with your weight moving onto your front leg.
- Lift by turning the blade open and following through high if you want to raise it.
A classic chance for a backhand is cutting across the front of the net: the goalie moves with you, and a quick backhand lift goes over the pad.
The one-timer
A one-timer is a shot taken straight off a pass, without stopping the puck. It's dangerous because the goalie must move across with the pass and the shot comes before he's set.
- Get open facing the passer, with your stick ready.
- Start your wind-up as the pass is coming, usually a short slap or snap motion.
- Time the swing to meet the puck as it arrives, hitting the ice just behind it.
- Keep your head down through contact. Watching the net instead of the puck is the most common way to miss.
One-timers depend on a good pass as much as a good shot. A flat pass on the ice, led to where the shooter is going, works best.
Where to aim
Scorers think about where the goalie can't easily get to:
- High glove or blocker side, just under the crossbar.
- Low to the ice, near the posts. Butterfly goalies cover the bottom middle well, but the very bottom corners need fast pad movement.
- Five-hole, between the goalie's legs, especially when he's moving.
- Far side after a lateral pass or a cut across the net, before the goalie can recover.
Also shoot for rebounds and tips. A low shot from the point with a teammate in front is often more dangerous than a perfect shot nobody touches.
Stick choice
- Flex is how stiff the stick is. A lower flex is easier to bend, which helps lighter or younger players load the stick. A common rule of thumb is a flex around half your body weight in pounds, adjusted to taste.
- Length: shorter sticks help stickhandling and quick shots; longer ones add reach and leverage. Cutting a stick down stiffens it.
- Curve: more curve helps lift the puck and control wrist shots but makes backhands harder.
- Lie is the angle between the blade and the shaft. The right lie keeps the blade flat on the ice in your stance.
How to practise
- Shoot a lot. There's no shortcut. A bucket of pucks and a net in a driveway or garage, using a shooting pad or smooth surface, builds muscle memory.
- Practise in pieces. Weight transfer only. Then release only. Then put them together.
- Use targets. Hang something in the corners of the net and aim for them.
- Shoot in motion. Real shots happen while skating. Practise shooting off both feet, in stride.
- Film yourself. A phone video in slow motion shows mistakes you can't feel.
Shooting off-ice
You don't need ice to work on shooting. Many players practise at home:
- A synthetic shooting pad gives the puck a smooth surface like ice.
- A net with targets, or a tarp with holes, keeps pucks contained.
- Weighted pucks build wrist strength, but don't overdo them.
- Stickhandling balls and training aids help hands, which feed straight into quick releases.
Shoot in short, focused sessions. Fifty good shots with attention on technique beat three hundred lazy ones.
Shooting in stride
In games, you rarely get to stand still and shoot. Learn to release off either foot while skating. The puck should move with you, not stop you. Players who can shoot in stride, without a hitch, give goalies far less time to read the shot.
Reading the goalie
Good shooters watch the goalie as much as the net. Is he deep in the crease or out at the top? Is he moving side to side? Dropping early? A goalie who drops early is beaten high; one who's deep leaves the corners; one who's moving opens the five-hole. Shooting while the goalie is moving is almost always better than shooting at a goalie who's set.
The same ideas in Brudvig Hockey
In Brudvig Hockey, the shooting choices mirror the real ones:
- Tap □ (or Space) for a quick wrist shot, best in close or under pressure.
- Hold □ and let go for a slap shot, the longer the wind-up, the harder, but a defender can get to you first.
- Press □ as a pass arrives for a one-timer, the best chance in the game.
- Cut across the crease before shooting and the goalie bites, just like the real thing.
Read hockey game controls explained and Brudvig Hockey tips, then try it free.