🔥 DON’T WAIT FOR A CLEAN SHOOTING LANE—CREATE AND FIND IT. Most players protect the puck, finish the move, reset their hands and then prepare to shoot. At higher levels, that takes too long. This drill connects puck protection directly to the release: 🏒 Surround the puck backhand to forehand Use the blade and hands to move around the puck while maintaining control. 🛡️ Protect while moving Keep your body between the pressure and the puck. The puck stays outside the defender’s reach but remains available for the next play. ⚡ Load during the transition The shot load begins as the puck moves from backhand to forehand—not after the move is completed. 👀 Read through traffic Keep your eyes up, identify the triangle between sticks and skates, and find the lane before it closes. 🎯 Shoot through the opening The goal isn’t always to shoot around traffic. Sometimes the best option is to release through it and get the puck to the net. Coaching cue: Don’t teach the protection move and ...