How to Clear the Puck

Imagine your team is up a goal and your opponents, as time ticks down on the clock, just dumped the puck into your end in order to pull their goaltender for an extra skater. You rush to the puck and start to panic as two forecheckers (defenders who attempt to apply pressure to the puck handler) rush toward you. You fire the puck frantically off the boards, where it is stolen by an opponent who now has a three-on-two break. Your opponents tie the game and your team loses in overtime. This situation could have been prevented if you remembered the fundamentals of clearing the puck.

Things You'll Need

  • Hockey stick
  • Hockey puck
  • Ice rink
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Instructions

    • 1

      Quickly go get the puck. If you have to stop a sliding puck, keep your body squarely backing up the stick before attempting to clear it.

    • 2

      Communicate verbally and non-verbally with your teammates. You must communicate with your teammates so there isn't a collision with teammates, which could allow your opponents to steal the puck and score an easy goal.

    • 3

      Use the simplest and fastest way possible to clear the puck. Always look before you clear it, because you don't want to have a careless giveaway (opponent stealing your pass). By looking up the ice, you can possibly locate an open teammate.

    • 4

      Skate around your net with the puck. This will allow you more room to clear the puck out of your area if defenders are bunched up against the boards or if you run into a forechecker.

    • 5

      Snap your wrist while rolling the puck from the heel of your stick toward the toe of the blade. Your follow-through must be high in order to lift the puck with any velocity.