Stickhandling

29 terms

Controlling the puck with the stick blade while moving, including dekes and moves.

B

Backhand: The side of the body and blade opposite the forehand, where the puck is handled with the back of the blade.
Backhand-to-forehand: A deke that moves the puck from the backhand to the forehand to pull the goalie or defender across.
Between-the-legs: Moving the puck through your own legs, front to back or back to front, to get around a defender or goalie.
Bottom hand: The hand lower on the shaft, which adds power to passes and shots and stays loose so the top hand can control the puck.

C

Change of pace: Speeding up or slowing down suddenly with the puck to throw off a defender's timing.
Cupping the puck: Tilting the blade over the puck so it stays under control and does not roll off.
Cutback: A sharp stop or tight turn back the other way with the puck to lose a defender who is chasing.

D

DangleSlang: A flashy stickhandling move that leaves a defender or goalie beaten.
Deke: A fake with the puck, stick or body that gets a defender or goalie to commit the wrong way.

F

Fake shot: Starting a shooting motion without shooting, to make the goalie or a defender commit before you move.
Figure-eight stickhandling: Moving the puck in a figure-eight around two objects or around your own skates, a classic drill for hand speed and control.
Forehand: The side of the body and blade where the stick's curve naturally cups the puck: the left side for a left shot and the right side for a right shot.
Forehand-to-backhand: A deke that moves the puck from the forehand to the backhand, often to tuck it past a goalie's pad.

H

Head-up stickhandling: Handling the puck by feel while keeping your eyes up to read the ice.

I

Inside-out: A deke where you show the puck toward the middle, then pull it wide around the defender.

K

Kick to stick: Using the skate to redirect the puck up to your stick, often after a pass lands in your feet.

M

Michigan moveRules vary: Scooping the puck onto the blade behind the net and tucking it into the top of the goal, lacrosse-style. Whether a goal scored this way counts depends on the high-stick rules in the applicable rulebook.

N

Narrow stickhandling: Fast, tight puck moves close to the body, used in traffic and to set up quick shots.

O

One-handed carry: Skating with only the top hand on the stick and the puck out to the side, using the free arm to protect it and keep speed.
Outside-in: A deke where you show the puck wide, as if going around, then cut back to the middle past the defender.

P

Pull-push: Pulling the puck back toward your feet and then pushing it forward again, a basic pattern for moving the puck around a stick check.

Q

Quick hands: Fast stickhandling that moves the puck faster than a defender can react.

S

Shoulder fake: Dipping a shoulder one way to sell a move before going the other way.
Soft hands: A light, relaxed touch that keeps the puck on the blade when receiving passes and making moves.
Spin move: Turning a full circle with the puck, often along the boards, to spin away from a defender.
Stickhandling: Controlling the puck with the stick blade while standing or skating, moving it side to side and around opponents.

T

Toe drag: Pulling the puck toward you with the toe of the blade, often to slip it around a defender's stick.
Top hand: The hand at the top of the stick, which does most of the steering when stickhandling.

W

Wide stickhandling: Moving the puck far out to each side, beyond the shoulders, to pull it around a defender's reach.

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Backhand

The side of the body and blade opposite the forehand, where the puck is handled with the back of the blade.

Backhand-to-forehand

A deke that moves the puck from the backhand to the forehand to pull the goalie or defender across.

Between-the-legs

Moving the puck through your own legs, front to back or back to front, to get around a defender or goalie.

Bottom hand

The hand lower on the shaft, which adds power to passes and shots and stays loose so the top hand can control the puck.

Fake shot

Starting a shooting motion without shooting, to make the goalie or a defender commit before you move.

Figure-eight stickhandling

Moving the puck in a figure-eight around two objects or around your own skates, a classic drill for hand speed and control.

Forehand

The side of the body and blade where the stick's curve naturally cups the puck: the left side for a left shot and the right side for a right shot.

Forehand-to-backhand

A deke that moves the puck from the forehand to the backhand, often to tuck it past a goalie's pad.

Shoulder fake

Dipping a shoulder one way to sell a move before going the other way.

Soft hands

A light, relaxed touch that keeps the puck on the blade when receiving passes and making moves.

Spin move

Turning a full circle with the puck, often along the boards, to spin away from a defender.

Stickhandling

Controlling the puck with the stick blade while standing or skating, moving it side to side and around opponents.

Stickhandling

B

C

D

F

H

I

K

M

N

O

P

Q

S

T

W

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Want to work on your game?

Stickhandling

B

C

D

F

H

I

K

M

N

O

P

Q

S

T

W

More topics

Want to work on your game?