Brought to you by Greg Revak of the Hockey Arsenal and Hockey IQ Newsletter + Podcast
NHL players are exceptional in the details, including playing “stick-on-puck” and “boxing out”, often generating revenue and creating opportunities for their teammates and themselves.
Details are what make up the competitive advantages within the game. This goal by the Toronto Maple Leafs is a perfect example of two small details that make up the goal.
“Stick-on-puck” is a phrase you hear at any track where ice hockey is played.
It’s a solid strategy to knock pucks away from the opponent in order to turnover for your team. Even though it is said over and over and over, you will still struggle to see how players consistently apply this simple habit detail.
Pierre Engvall does a great job of leading stick-on-puck and generating revenue. This then creates a 50/50 puck race between Darnell Nurse and Zach Hyman.
Secondly, “Boxing out” is a phrase that is mostly known in the basketball world, even though it happens all the time in hockey and other sports.
This is a great way for players to give themselves space and access to the sporting object. In this case, access to the puck.
Rather than reaching for the puck and pulling it away, Zach Hyman takes 1 extra step and is able to get Darnell Nurse to reach out and land on his back. Nurse is then in a vulnerable place where he can easily be called for a punishment if he is not careful.
If you look closely, nurse starts by trying to sweep to the shooter and leads stick-on-puck to knock the shooter away from Hyman.
# 74 Ethan Beer does not do a good job of boxing out and protecting the puck against Engvall. Meanwhile, Zach Hyman of the Leafs is doing a great job of boxing out and protecting the puck.
Both plays, Pierre Engvall holding on and Zach Hyman boxing, are small details and the team that performed the details are rewarded with a big goal.
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