For any aspiring ice hockey player, mastering angling is crucial for outsmarting opponents and creating scoring opportunities. Angling, the art of positioning yourself strategically on the ice to gain an advantage, is a fundamental skill that separates good players from great ones. This post will delve into effective angling drills that will significantly enhance your game. We'll cover various techniques, emphasizing the importance of both offensive and defensive angling.
Understanding the Principles of Angling
Before diving into specific drills, let's establish the core principles of effective angling:
- Vision: Maintaining awareness of your surroundings, including teammates, opponents, and the puck, is paramount. Good vision allows you to anticipate plays and adjust your angle accordingly.
- Footwork: Quick, agile footwork is essential for executing precise angles. Sharp turns, crossovers, and efficient skating are all integral components of effective angling.
- Puck Control: Maintaining possession of the puck while angling is vital. This requires strong stickhandling skills and the ability to protect the puck from opponents.
- Deception: A skilled player uses angling to deceive opponents, making them unsure of your intentions. This can create openings and opportunities for scoring or passing.
Offensive Angling Drills: Creating Scoring Chances
These drills focus on improving your ability to utilize angling to create scoring opportunities.
Drill 1: Cone Weaving with Deception
- Setup: Set up a series of cones in a zig-zag pattern across the ice.
- Execution: Skate through the cones, practicing sharp turns and crossovers while maintaining puck control. Focus on varying your speed and direction to simulate game situations. The key is to make your movements unpredictable.
- Goal: Improve agility, puck handling under pressure, and develop the ability to change angles quickly.
Drill 2: 2-on-1 Breakaway
- Setup: Two players (attacker and a supporting player) versus one defender.
- Execution: The attacker focuses on using angles to beat the defender, while the supporting player provides passing support. The attacker should vary their angles, using both wide and tight angles to exploit weaknesses in the defender's positioning.
- Goal: Develop the ability to read the defender's positioning and use angles to create a high-percentage scoring opportunity.
Drill 3: Shooting from Different Angles
- Setup: Set up shooting targets at various angles around the net.
- Execution: Skate towards the net, approaching from different angles and shooting on goal. Focus on proper shooting technique and accuracy from various positions.
- Goal: Improve shot accuracy and power while shooting from various difficult angles.
Defensive Angling Drills: Stifling Offensive Plays
These drills concentrate on using angles to shut down offensive threats.
Drill 4: 1-on-1 Defensive Angling
- Setup: One offensive player versus one defensive player.
- Execution: The offensive player attempts to skate towards the net, while the defensive player uses angles to cut off passing lanes and limit shooting opportunities. The defender should focus on maintaining a proper defensive posture and using their body to angle the attacker away from the net.
- Goal: Enhance the ability to use angling to effectively defend against attackers and limit scoring opportunities.
Drill 5: Defensive Zone Coverage
- Setup: A group of offensive players versus a group of defensive players.
- Execution: The offensive team attempts to move the puck and create scoring chances, while the defensive players work together to cover their assigned areas and limit offensive opportunities. Emphasis should be placed on proper positioning and communication among defensive players to maintain optimal angles.
- Goal: Develop efficient zone coverage and improve communication to effectively defend against multiple offensive players.
Conclusion: Consistent Practice is Key
Consistent practice of these drills, combined with game-like scenarios, will significantly improve your angling skills. Remember that angling is not just about physical movement; it's about intelligent positioning, anticipation, and deception. By mastering these drills, you'll elevate your game, becoming a more effective and unpredictable player on the ice. Remember to always focus on the fundamentals and gradually increase the difficulty of the drills as your skills improve.
