Kukla's Korner Hockey

Entries with the tag: hitting

Racing Back for the Puck

by Alanah McGinley on 03/25/08 at 02:07 PM ET
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From Erik Erlendsson at The Tampa Tribune,

Experience and instincts are a large part of reading the situation. Knowing angles to avoid the hit, knowing where your defensive partner is to make a quick play on the puck, even putting on the brakes to minimize the damage, are all factors. Decisions are made in just a few seconds.

Many times, the option isn’t going to be pleasant.

“You are not scared, but you take a look to see who is breathing down your neck,” Lightning defenseman Shane O’Brien said. “You know your job as a defenseman is to get to the puck first, but if he is right on you, sometimes you can slow down a little bit and let him get right on your back. That way he doesn’t have that stride-and-a-half to bury you.”

more... on all the strategies of being—and checking—a defenseman.

Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: defense, hitting,

Bergeron Has a Message

by Alanah McGinley on 11/08/07 at 02:40 PM ET
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From TSN,

Injured Bruins star Patrice Bergeron held a press conference Thursday to send a message about hitting from behind.  In a nutshell - don’t do it.

He said he wanted to send that message not just to kids, but to his fellow NHLers.

continued...

Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: boston+bruins, hitting, injuries, patrice+bergeron,