Slap shot
The slap shot ( English slapshot ) describes a shooting technique in ice hockey . When done correctly, the puck can be accelerated to top speeds of up to 175 kilometers per hour . Thus the slap shot represents the shooting technique with which the hardest, but not the most precise, can be shot. Former Canadian NHL player Bernie Geoffrion is considered to be the inventor of this technology .
The execution of a slap shot is divided into four phases:
- The player holding the puck stretches his stick back and forth until the blade of the stick is at least at shoulder level.
- In the next step, the player leads the club back with a lot of swing so that the blade hits the ice shortly before the puck and is continued in the direction of the puck. The archer then puts his weight on the club, which bends and acts like a spring. The puck is strongly accelerated by this spring action.
- After the club has touched the puck, the player guides the club with a hip rotation and shifts the energy further onto it.
- The shot receives precision through the respective guidance of the club to the desired target.
The slap shot is the hardest way to fire a shot, but not particularly precise due to the execution. In addition, the backward movement requires a lot of time and space to attempt a shot. Defenders mostly use this technique of shooting from the blue line in power play situations, as the majority of their team gives them enough time and space. They often hit the goal directly due to the speed of the shot, as the puck is difficult to see for the goalkeeper , or they hope that the puck will be deflected by a player in front of the goal.