Minnesota Hockey Journal

December 2016

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Do you want to be as smooth as Johnny Gaudreau or control the play like Zach Parise? Consider these next stickhandling techniques and your game will elevate to the next level. As a young hockey player, most coaches will tell you to keep your head up, and this is very true. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't always sneak a peek at the puck. In fact, if you can understand and differentiate the times when you can and can't look at the puck, this will allow you to become an elite stickhandler. You might ask yourself, well when don't I look at the puck? As a hockey player, you need to be able to read and react, and skate to open ice. However, when it comes to executing a difficult deke or dangle, this would be a time where taking a glance at the puck will definitely help. Keep in mind, before you take a glance down at the puck, you need to be aware of your surroundings. You don't want to come across the middle of the ice with your head down and have the opposing defenseman step up to clean your clock, sending your jockstrap into the rafters. When it comes to stickhandling, you want to be comfortable with the puck, becoming familiar with how it feels on the blade of your stick. As you become more and more comfortable, try stickhandling with your head up. To become more comfortable with stickhandling, it's important to practice moving at all positions around your body. For example, you can begin by stick-handling on your forehand or strong side, then move your arms across your body and continue to stick-handle on your other side. Another way that will elevate your puck control, is to stick-handle in place, then move your feet and body around the puck. Practicing is never about being better than someone else… It's about being better than you were yesterday. Just by following these simple stick-handling techniques, you will become more and more comfortable with the puck, giving you the confidence to go on that end-to-end rush like Ryan Suter or Dustin Byfuglien! HOCKEYSHOT.COM TIP OF THE MONTH: DECEMBER 2016 ADVERTORIAL For over 200 great training aids to help you work on your toe drags and other skills, visit: www.hockeyshot.com. TAGLINE GOES HERE MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // DECEMBER.2016 NEWS + NOTES FROM THE STATE OF HOCKEY 04 QPHOTOS: Brad Rempel / Gopher Athletics / Getty Images & GOALS ASSISTS DID YOU KNOW… MINNESOTA accounted for 207 NCAA Division I men's hockey players in 2015-16—the most of any other state. The State of Hockey also produced 139 NCAA Division I women's hockey players last season, more than any other state. Read more about Division I college hockey on page 12! #1 MUST-SEE COLLEGE MATCHUPS DEC. 2 & 3 University of Minnesota vs. Ohio State University MARIUCCI ARENA DEC. 9 & 10 Bemidji State University vs. Lake Superior State SANFORD CENTER JAN. 13 & 14 University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. St. Cloud State University HERB BROOKS NATIONAL HOCKEY CENTER University of Minnesota (Women) vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth (Women) AMSOIL ARENA JAN. 27 & 28 2017 North Star Cup XCEL ENERGY CENTER ProPEr ForwardS and STICKHandLInG COLLEGE The Issue Dani Cameranesi of the MN Golden Gophers

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