Louisiana Ice Hockey

Defense is all well and good, but the main objective in hockey is to score more than the other side, a feat that is hard to accomplish without offensively focused players. Not to say that these positions don’t contribute on the defensive end, just as defensemen often wind up for slapshots from just across the blue line, but the number 1 goal for most offensive players is to light the lamp by putting the puck in the net. Think of the greatest hockey players in the history of the game Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Gordy Howe, Maurice “Rocket” Richard what do all of these players have in common? They are all elite goal scorers. While hockey is considered a tough guy sport, it’s still the glamour guys who enjoy the majority of the credit for a winning season.Center: The term center in hockey and basketball couldn’t be more opposite. While a center might possess a fair amount of size in order to outmuscle his opponent in a faceoff, in terms of his role on the ice, the center is actually more of a point guard, bringing the puck up the ice and setting up the offense. The center tries to guide the action towards the scoring end of the ice and force the puck into the slot (a term for the prime goal scoring real estate just in front of the net) where hopefully a teammate has gained favorable position.Wings: The two wings will likely be the most frequent goal scorers for a team, taking assists from the center, though it is very common for wings to set up assists and centers to score goals as well. The wings often play off the puck on the offensive end, taking feeds as soon as they get into goal scoring position. A center will usually look for one of his wings in transition as well, trying to set up a breakaway opportunity. Wings and centers alike make substantive defensive contribution closer to center ice as they look to break up passes and deliver hits before the puck crosses their blue line.