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Developing a great snap shot helps you capitalize on scoring opportunities, and catch goalten- ders off guard when you're in front of the net. This shot makes an excellent addition to your hockey skills arsenal. The snap shot is as much a mental strategy as it is a physical action, so practicing the funda- mentals in some hockey drills is important. Here are five of the most impor- tant elements of a snap shot to keep in mind: 1. BEND YOUR KNEES To prepare for the snap shot, think of your body and stick like a spring. Loading your weight on your legs coils the spring, and prepares your body for the neces- sary weight transfer for a great shot. Get a good grip on the ice with your skate opposite your stick and carve the ice a little with your inside edge. 2. PERFECT PUCK POSITIONING When you are making a snap shot, you want the puck to be at a com- fortable distance beside you, in between the toe and heel of your skate. You don't want to lean out too far, lose your balance stretching for the puck, and end up staring at the champi- onship banners hanging from the ceiling. You also don't want to lose the power of the shot by having the puck too close to your body. Hold your stick out so it feels natural, balanced, and so you can protect the puck from anyone trying to poke check it away. 3. GRASP THE STICK FOR IDEAL MOBILITY You want to be able to have fluid movement of your stick during the snap shot. With your shoul- ders squared, grip the top of the stick with one hand, and your shooting hand should be about one third to just less than half way down the shaft of the stick. You want to prepare your shot with the toe of the stick on the ice, and you can begin to apply downward pressure on the blade. Hold your lower forearm straight down. Hold the stick about six inches from your body for the best range of motion. 4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR STICK'S FLEXIBILITY If your shot is beginning right beside you and you have loaded your weight on to the toe of the blade, start to glide the puck for- ward. As the blade of the stick touches the ice down towards the heel, don't be afraid to build up a little curve in your stick. Not enough to break your stick, but just enough to build up the poten- tial energy, which will make the puck, glide faster as you complete your shot. 5. FOLLOW THROUGH AND FINISH YOUR SHOT When you take your shot, com- plete the forward motion of the puck, releasing the energy of your stick as it uncoils its flex from your downward pressure. Keep the motion of the stick going forward and finish your shot with authority. The quick shot from a neutral stance will hopefully elude the goaltender and his defenders who might have been prepar- ing to cut off a pass instead of a sniper snap shot. Honing your hockey skills with a great snap shot can make a big difference in your mental game and should make a difference on the scoreboard as well. The snap shot is a great com- bination of strength, finesse, and skill, which you can be proud of. For all the top training aids to improve your shooting skills, visit hockeyshot.com. TAGLINE GOES HERE MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // DECEMBER.2015 NEWS + NOTES FROM THE STATE OF HOCKEY 04 PHOTOS: MHJ ARCHIVES; SUBMITTED & GOALS ASSISTS HOCKEYSHOT.COM TIP OF THE MONTH: DECEMBER 2015 B ill Moe grew up in Minneapolis and played high school hockey at the former Minneapolis West High School. After playing with local amateur teams, he moved on to the high-level ama- teur Eastern League, first with Atlantic City and then Baltimore. It wasn't long before he made his way to the American Hockey League, initially with the Philadelphia Rockets and then the Hersey Bears. He was a first-team All-Star with Hershey in 1943-44, which drew the atten- tion of the New York Rangers. By the following season he was wearing the colors of the Broadway Blueshirts. Moe played for the Rangers through 1948-49 at a time when there were only three other Americans in the NHL—fellow Minnesotans Frank Brimsek, Bob Dill and John Mariucci. Employing a unique crouching method of stopping on-rushing forwards, defenseman Moe acquired the label of the "best blocking back in hockey." In fact, the media often wondered if he ever played football. He usually replied that he considered that game "too rough." He'd then skate off to the much rougher atmo- sphere of the hockey rink. Moe fared well in the NHL, but returned to Hershey for the 1949-50 and 1950-51 seasons and then played two more lower-level seasons (one as a player-coach) before retiring after the 1952-53 campaign. He then subsequently was a harness racing driver and later worked at Disneyland. Moe is featured this season in Xcel Energy Center's Hockey Lodge where you can see his image on the television monitor as you enter the store. An exhibit case just around the corner features his repro Rangers jersey as well as more images and a career summary of the little known Minneapolitan. Roger Godin is the Minnesota Wild team curator. THE LEGEND OF BILL MOE ADVERTORIAL ON THE RECORD WITH ROGER