Getting Started on the Half Wall
Okay, so I hit the ice today wanting to really hammer down on my half wall game. It’s one of those spots, you know? You end up there a lot, gotta know what you’re doing. Wasn’t anything fancy, just me and a buddy feeding me pucks.
The Grind: Puck Protection and Looking Up
First thing, just getting used to receiving the puck along the boards there. My buddy would just rim it around or pass it direct, sometimes hard, sometimes soft. My main focus was simple:
- Get my body between the puck and where pressure would be coming from. Even with no real defender, I tried to imagine someone on my back.
- Secure the puck. Trap it with the skate or stick, get it under control fast. No fumbling around.
- Head up! This was the big one I kept reminding myself. Stop the puck, protect it, then immediately scan. See the ice. Who’s open? Where’s the space?
We did this over and over. Puck comes in, I get low, shield it, take a look. Sometimes I’d just hold it for a second, practicing keeping it safe while turning my head. Other times, I’d make a quick little pass back to my buddy or chip it softly up the boards.
Working on the Pass Out
After getting comfortable just holding the space, we worked more on the ‘pass out’. Getting the puck, quick shield, and then making a decision. My buddy would move around a bit, simulating an open teammate.
It wasn’t about hard passes, more about just:
- Recognizing the open man quickly after looking up.
- Making a controlled pass, not just slapping it away.
- Trying different options – back to the point (my buddy), down low, or a little chip up the boards.
Consistency was the goal. Just repetition. Receive, protect, look, pass. Receive, protect, look, pass. Felt a bit robotic after a while, but that’s kind of the point, right? Make it second nature.
Wrapping Up: Feeling the Progress
By the end of the session, I definitely felt more comfortable in that half wall stance. Still got work to do, especially on making quicker decisions under pressure. But just drilling the basics – protecting the puck and getting my head up – felt like good progress. It’s all about reps. You just gotta put the time in along those boards.