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Let’s face it, everyone wants to score goals, well, unless of course you’re a goalie. When it comes to shooting and scoring, players don’t just want to "get lucky" on a rebound. They want those jaw-dropping shots that tickle the twine and make everyone in the crowd go crazy. The kind of goals that stay in the goalie’s head for the rest of the season.
Do you have the determination to become a great goal scorer?
The fact of the matter is that most players dream of scoring the big goal, but very few properly prepare for that moment. They show up to practice, take a few lazy shots in warm-ups, and wonder why they aren't leading the league in points. If you want to change that, it starts with developing a lethal shot. After covering some great tips in our previous posts, we are diving deep into three essential tips to help you start lighting the lamp more often.
More. Goals. Now.
1. Master the Volume Game with Off-Ice Shooting
Perhaps the biggest and most important factor to developing a good shot and increasing your scoring chances is taking the time for off-ice shooting. Think about players you know who have a shot that is much better than everyone else’s. Why do you think this is?
It’s not magic. It’s because they’ve shot pucks at home, in their garage, or in their basement day after day. They have probably shot thousands more pucks than their peers. These are the players who become the elite goal scorers.
To get those thousands of reps in, you need a professional setup. You can't expect to develop an NHL-caliber release by shooting off rough concrete that ruins your blade. This is where dryland hockey tiles become your best friend. By setting up a dedicated zone with hockey tiles for shooting, you create a surface that mimics the slickness of real ice.
Create Your Own Sniper Zone
- The Surface: Use best dryland hockey tiles to ensure your puck slides with zero friction. Whether you're in a cramped basement or have a massive driveway, hockey training tiles allow you to customize your space.
- The Outdoors: If you prefer training in the fresh air, hockey tiles outdoor are designed to withstand the elements while keeping your stick blade protected.
- The Goal: Stop chasing pucks across the lawn. A high-quality hockey practice net paired with a backstop allows you to fire at 100% power without worrying about the neighbor's window.
When you have a "Sniper Zone" ready to go 24/7, the barrier to training disappears. Ten minutes before school? Shoot 50 pucks. Just got home from practice? Shoot 100 more. This is how elite shooters are made.
2. Commit to Shot Diversification
I’ve watched hundreds of players shoot pucks in unstructured environments, and what I found is that the majority of players do the same thing over and over. They get a pile of pucks, line them up about 15-20 feet from their hockey practice net, and start ripping standard wrist shots.
While a hard wrist shot is great, it’s predictable. If that’s all you have, a good goalie will eat you alive. Shot diversification is the key to on-ice success. You have to be dangerous from more than one area on the ice and have the ability to score with a variety of different looks.
How to Diversify Your Arsenal
- Elevate in Tight: Move in close to your hockey shooting tiles and work on roof pucks from the doorstep. In a game, you often only have a fraction of a second to get the puck over a goalie's pad.
- The Backhand Beauty: Put time into developing your backhand shot, both close to the net and from a distance. A strong backhand is the hardest shot for a goalie to read because the release point is so different.
- The Quick Release: Practice shooting while your feet are moving. Use hockey tiles to simulate different angles. Don't just stand still; pull the puck toward your feet or push it wide before snapping it off.
- Strength and Feel: To increase the "zip" on your shots, try using a hockey stick weight during your off-ice drills. It builds those specific forearm and hand muscles. To keep your hands soft while transitioning from stickhandling to shooting, incorporate hockey stick handling balls into your circuit.
If you can score with a snap shot, a heavy slapper, a deceptive backhand, and a quick-release wrist shot, you become a nightmare for the opposition.
3. The Pavel Bure Mindset: Shoot to Score
If you want to score more goals, you have to shoot the puck. It sounds simple, right? Yet, so many players pass up a Grade-A opportunity because they are looking for the "perfect" play.
Year after year, the top scorers in the NHL not only lead the league in goals, but also lead the league in shots on net. Goal scorers know that in order to get the "biscuit in the basket," they need to get pucks to the net.
I had the pleasure of playing with the "Russian Rocket," Pavel Bure, for three years with the Florida Panthers. Bure’s objective each and every game was to get six to eight quality shots on net. He didn't just hope for a goal; he hunted it. He knew that if he achieved this shot volume, he’d end up with at least one goal in most games. His career numbers: including more than 400 NHL goals: speak for themselves.
Hunting Your Opportunities
- Stop Overthinking: If you have a lane, take it. A shot that hits the goalie's pads creates a rebound and chaos. A "perfect" pass that gets intercepted creates a breakout for the other team.
- Focus on Accuracy: Use your hockey training tiles at home to practice hitting the corners of your hockey practice net. If you can consistently hit the "4 corners," you won't need to think about it during the game: your muscle memory will take over.
- Be Relentless: Follow Bure’s lead. Set a goal for yourself every game. "I will get 5 shots on goal today." Watch how your production skyrockets when you stop being unselfish and start being a threat.
Building Your Pro-Level Training Hub
To execute these tips, you need the right environment. You wouldn't practice golf in a swamp, so don't practice your hockey shot on a surface that doesn't slide.
Investing in high-quality hockey tiles is the fastest way to see results. These hockey shooting tiles provide the consistent surface needed to master the "pull-and-release" mechanics used by the pros. When you combine the slickness of dryland hockey tiles with the added resistance of a hockey stick weight, you are essentially "overclocking" your training. When you finally hit the ice, your stick will feel like a feather, and your shot will feel like a cannon.
Essential Gear Checklist:
- Dryland Hockey Tiles: For a smooth, ice-like feel anywhere.
- Hockey Practice Net: A heavy-duty net that can handle your new-found power.
- Hockey Stick Handling Balls: To maintain elite feel between shots.
- Hockey Stick Weight: To build the explosive power needed for a lethal release.
Conclusion: It’s Time to Light the Lamp
Becoming a premier goal scorer isn't reserved for the "naturally gifted." It belongs to the players who are willing to put in the work when no one is watching. It belongs to the kids out in the garage on their hockey tiles until the sun goes down.
It takes time, dedication, and a plan to get there. You have the tips, you know the gear you need, and you have the motivational blueprint from legends like Pavel Bure.
Now, there’s only one thing left to do.
Get to work.
Edited in June 2025 from a 2015 article written by Coach Lance Pitlick. Based in the Minneapolis area, Lance is a former NHL player with Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, played collegiate hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, is a foremost training professional with stickhandling and shooting both in-person and through onlinehockeytraining.com, and is the founder and former owner of Snipers Edge Hockey.
