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Hi, my name is Brian Mullen. I spent my whole life around the game of hockey.
Beginning with my roller hockey days in New York through my 11 seasons in the
National Hockey League. During this time I found that learning the fundamentals
of the game is essential to succeeding in this sport. And I would like to pass
along my knowledge to you. So lace up your skates,
grab your stick and learn the game of hockey online with me.
Receiving Passes
Now that you have learned how to properly move the puck to one of your teammates, the next step is to
learn the skills to receive or "catch" a pass. The reason receiving a pass is often
referred to as "catching" and not "stopping" is because the movements are similar to that of catching a baseball with a mit, in that the momentum of both the ball and the puck is slowed by a "giving" motion.
Forehand
- The first step is to show your teammate with the puck that you are ready to receive
the pass by looking at him or her and by placing your stick blade flat on the ice.
- As the puck leaves the stick of your teammate, move your stick in the direction of the
traveling puck (see Fig. 1).
- Once the puck makes contact with the stick, cup the puck the way we learned
last week by rolling your wrists over the stick (see Fig. 2).
- It's very important to provide the puck a cushion or what is also known as
"give."
- The best way to achieve the "give" is by loosening the grip on your stick and allow the stick blade to following the momentum of the puck behind your body.
- You will find that once the pass is completed, your stick will be in the ready position
to pass -- slightly behind your back skate (see Fig. 3).
Backhand
The steps for receiving a pass from the backhand are the same as the forehand
except you are using the back part of the stick blade to cup the puck. You will
find that catching a pass from the backhand is more difficult than the forehand side because of the inward curve of the stick blade.
- Keep your eye on the traveling puck.
- Reach out to "meet" the puck (see Fig. 4).
- Cup the puck with your stick blade by rolling your wrists (see Fig. 5).
- To decrease the speed of the traveling puck, cushion the blow by loosening the
grip on the shaft of the stick and move the stick back in the direction the puck is
traveling (see Fig. 6).
Passing Drills
Playing Catch
"Playing catch" is the most common drill used to practice sending and receiving passes. Grab one of your teammates and stand
10-15 feet apart. Begin passing the puck at a slow pace, remembering to keep your hands away from your body and watching the
puck hit the stick. You want to concentrate on hitting the tape of your teammates' stick. Once you become comfortable with the pace,
increase the speed of your passes as well as the distance between you and your teammate (see
Fig. 7).
Monkey in the Middle
Another way to practice the drills we learned today is by playing a variation of the childhood game called "Monkey in the Middle." Have five players line-up around the center
ice circle and one player in the center acting as a defender. Have the players outside the circle begin passing to one another but try to make passes to a teammate across the ice rather than right next to you. If the defender in the middle touches the
puck, the player who made the pass will take his or her place in the center. This drill helps to make quick passes while
being closely defended.
Next Class
I hope you enjoyed this session of "The Hockey Clinic with Brian Mullen."
Next week we will begin our shooting section with a discussion on the wrist shot.
"The Hockey Clinic with Brian Mullen" Archive
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