Official HockeyShare Blog

Another exciting NHL season has come to a close – this year with one of the original six teams bringing home the Stanley Cup.  Although the finish was a bit strange, it’s safe to say it was an exciting final game.  In this week’s Learn from the Pros segment, we’ll take a look at the last two goals of the 2009-10 NHL season.

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As the final two teams battle for the cup, there are plenty of intense moments and great plays.  This week we’ll look at Claude Giroux’s OT winner vs the Blackhawks on 6/2/10.

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As the final four teams inch closer to their goal of playing for the Stanley Cup, the intensity level of games continues to rise.  This week in our Learn from the Pros segment, we’ll take a look at a goal from the Western Confrence finals between the Hawks and Sharks.  The goal we’re looking at comes from Chicago’s Dustin Byfuglin (#33) on a nice setup from Patrick Kane (#88).

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What a week in the playoffs. Upsets and game sevens – it doesn’t get much more exciting than this! In this week’s Learn from the Pros segment, we take a look at a goal by Montreal’s Mike Cammalleri. Cammalleri’s goal helped hoist the Canadian’s past the Penguins in their seven game series.

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Playoff hockey this year has certainly delivered excitement as expected.  One series not short on rivalry is the Boston vs. Philly match-up.  In this week’s Learn from the Pros posting, we’ll take a look at a Boston goal scored off a blocked shot and a big hit.

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This week’s Learn from the Pros clip features Marian Hossa’s goal against Nashville on 4/24/10 to put the Blackhawks up 3 games to 2 in their first round series.  Hossa, who was serving a 5-minute penalty for boarding comes out of the box, finds a break in Nashville’s coverage and puts home a rebound.

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This week’s Learn from the Pros segment look at one of Alex Ovechkin’s goals against Montreal on April 21st, 2010.  The goal is scored on a power play rush started by Capital’s Norris Trophy finalist Mike Green.  Some subtle plays and a great shot lead to Ovechkin’s first of the night.

[0:21] – Capitals #52 Mike Green begins this power play rush by skating with the puck.  The first thing to notice is he has his head up surveying the ice.  Next, he skates with the puck until he gets pressured by a Montreal forechecker.  Too often on the power play breakout players panic with the puck and move it too quickly instead of having patience.  By waiting for the forechecker to come to him, Green opens opens up a passing lane.

[0:26] – Capitals #19 Nicklas Backstrom takes the outlet pass from Green and enters the zone with his head up. By being able to see the ice, he identifies Ovechkin (#8) and makes a pass slightly behind his body.  By making the pass opposite his body’s momentum Backstrom is able to create space against the Montreal defense.

[0:28] – Ovechkin (#8) receives this pass and does NOT stickhandle at all. Instead, he releases a quick (hard) snap shot across his body – meaning the puck is going the opposite way his body is.  This forces Montreal goalie #31 Carey Price to move laterally.  When a shooter forces a goaltender to move laterally, it creates openings in the goaltender’s stance.  Ovechkin’s hard shot finds a way past Price’s far-side.

Take a look at the Against the Grain drill for ideas on how to work on this type of shot.