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Lateral pull to a shot window

Move the puck sideways out of a blocked line, then release toward the net from the newly opened lane.

12U · 14U+Intermediate7 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Lateral pull to a shot window: player positions and movement 1
1 moves the puck and feet below the blocking cone, then shoots through the clear lower lane. The solid curve is the approach and lateral move, not a pass. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Cones, Stick, Pucks, Net

  1. Set a cone about 15 feet from an empty net. Start 6 feet behind it with five pucks nearby. The cone blocks the initial straight line to the middle of the net.
  2. Bring one puck toward the cone at a slow glide. About 3 feet before it, draw the puck across the body toward the forehand shooting side.
  3. Let the feet shift with the puck until the cone no longer blocks the shot line. Look at the net and release from that new position.
  4. Coast out to the side and return for another puck. Complete five attempts, collect, and repeat once within seven minutes.
  5. Count shots taken from a visibly clear lane. A shot that strikes the cone means the sideways move was incomplete, even if the puck later reaches the net.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “New lane, then release.” Moving the puck without opening the shooting line does not solve the problem.
  • Begin the sideways move early enough to keep the puck near the body.
  • Keep the first attempts slow so the player can see the difference between the blocked and open line.

Common mistakes

  • Shot hits the cone. Try: shift farther sideways before starting the release.
  • Puck gets too far from the feet. Try: shorten the pull and allow the skates to follow.
  • Player stops directly behind the obstacle. Try: start the pull a stride earlier.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: begin stationary and pull across before stepping into the shot.
  • Harder: alternate the starting position a few feet left or right of center while still opening a forehand lane.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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