Don Cherry, THE Coach

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Hockey Dictionary

Passing

The friend of a player in the offensive end of the ice: the pass.

Many players feel that all the glory in hockey comes from scoring the goal. So often, though, the pass that sets up the goal is even more spectacular.

This page is divided with making a pass at the top and receiving passes towards the bottom. Both are important skills to learn.

Making a Pass

Forehand Sweep Pass

The pass that is most often used in the game of hockey is the "sweep pass." It is called a "sweep pass" because the upperbody movements resemble those of a person sweeping the floor with a broom.

• Keep both hands out, away from your body.
• From the ready position, bring the puck behind your back leg (see Fig. 1 ).
• The puck should be in the middle of the stick blade.
• Cup the stick around the puck
• Your body weight should be on your back leg with your head up, looking at your teammate.
• Bring the puck forward by pulling with your top hand and pushing with your bottom hand (see Fig. 2 ).
• The puck is propelled forward by the sweeping motion of your arms.
• As your stick "sweeps" from behind your body to the front, transfer your body weight from your back leg to your front.
• Once the puck is released, follow through with your stick -- point the stick blade in the direction of the pass (see Fig. 3 ).

Fig. 1 Bring the puck behind the back leg.

Fig. 2 Move the puck by "sweeping" your arms forward.

Fig. 3 Point your stick at the target during the follow through.

When passing, never aim directly at the body of your teammate. Focus on the blade of his or her stick and if the player is moving try to lead the pass in front of the player.

Backhand Sweep Pass

The steps for a backhand pass are quite similar to that of the forehand with a couple slight variations.

• Just as with the forehand sweep pass, keep your hands away from your body for better movement.
• Bring the puck towards your back leg (see Fig. 4 ).
• Cup the puck by dipping the shoulder of your lower hand down towards the ice.
• Place your body weight on the back leg.
• Focus on the stick blade of your teammate.
• Sweep your hands forward, transferring the weight to the front leg (see Fig. 5 ).
• Follow through with your stick in the direction of the pass (see Fig. 6 ).

Fig. 4 Bring the puck behind your back leg.

Fig. 5 Sweep your hands forward while transferring your body weight.

Fig. 6 Follow through with your stick pointing at your target.

Flip and Lift Pass

Most passes in hockey are clear, open-ice passes which is why the "sweep pass" is most commonly used. However, during the course of a game you may find that sticks, skates or other players will be blocking your passing lane. When this situation occurs, you will need to use either the "flip pass" or the "lift pass." The skills for these maneuvers are similar to the "sweep pass" with the following changes:

Flip Pass

• Use the center of the stick blade.
• Turn the wrist of your lower hand up towards the sky.
• Pull the shaft of the stick with your top hand which will scoop the puck off the ice.
• You should raise your stick only two feet in the air on the follow through.
• The height of the follow through determines how high the puck will travel in the air as well as whether the pucks lands flat on the ice -- which is what you want to happen.
• If you find the puck fluttering in the air or landing on its edge, chances are your follow through was too high.

The "flip pass" is a good pass when you are being closely defended from the front. The puck should only go as high as one to two feet off the ice and travel a distance of about six to ten feet. For a distance any longer than 10 feet you should use the "lift pass."

Lift Pass

• The puck placement on the stick for this pass is the front part of the blade or what is known as the "toe."
• The speed of the puck comes from the pulling motion of the top hand on the shaft of the stick.
• The height is created by the flicking motion of the lower hand on the stick and...
• by the follow through of the stick. The higher the level of the stick the further the puck will travel and at a higher altitude.

The "lift pass" is a pass in name only. Very rarely will you use this maneuver to move the puck to one of your teammates. Most often the "lift pass" is used to clear the puck, especially when defending power plays.

Receiving Passes

Now that you have learned how to properly move the puck to one of your teammates, the next step is to learn the skills to receive or "catch" a pass. The reason receiving a pass is often referred to as "catching" and not "stopping" is because the movements are similar to that of catching a baseball with a mit, in that the momentum of both the ball and the puck is slowed by a "giving" motion.

Forehand

• The first step is to show your teammate with the puck that you are ready to receive the pass by looking at him or her and by placing your stick blade flat on the ice.
• As the puck leaves the stick of your teammate, move your stick in the direction of the traveling puck (see Fig. 1 ).
• Once the puck makes contact with the stick, cup the puck the way we learned last week by rolling your wrists over the stick (see Fig. 2 ).
• It's very important to provide the puck a cushion or what is also known as "give."
• The best way to achieve the "give" is by loosening the grip on your stick and allow the stick blade to following the momentum of the puck behind your body.
• You will find that once the pass is completed, your stick will be in the ready position to pass -- slightly behind your back skate (see Fig. 3 ).

Fig. 1 As the puck approaches, move your stick in that direction.

Fig. 2 Roll your wrists to cup the puck.

Backhand

The steps for receiving a pass from the backhand are the same as the forehand except you are using the back part of the stick blade to cup the puck. You will find that catching a pass from the backhand is more difficult than the forehand side because of the inward curve of the stick blade.

• Keep your eye on the traveling puck.
• Reach out to "meet" the puck (see Fig. 4 ).
• Cup the puck with your stick blade by rolling your wrists (see Fig. 5 ).
• To decrease the speed of the traveling puck, cushion the blow by loosening the grip on the shaft of the stick and move the stick back in the direction the puck is traveling (see Fig. 6 ).

Fig. 4 Reach with your stick to "meet" the puck.

Fig. 5 Cup the puck by rolling your wrists.

Fig. 6 Cushion the puck by loosening your grip on the stick.

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