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Hong Kong ice hockey players spend hours practicing their tape to tape passes, modeling themselves on Wayne Gretzky and other famous players. Passing is a skill so fundamental that many ice hockey players, apart from the usual drills in training, don’t even think about it. However, thinking about passing just a little differently can often make the difference between games won and lost. In the interests of heart-stopping hockey, we examine some passing tactics and pass types that ice hockey players may have forgotten about.

MegaIce, Hong Kong’s only international sized ice rink, as well as smaller venues like Cityplaza Ice Palace, see disappointment in ice hockey games only too often when a player assumes that the puck is not coming to them, and then it does. Hong Kong ice hockey players that aren’t ready for a pass have broken many team’s hopes for championships in the past … so always be ready for a pass if your team is on the offensive. If you constantly keep your stick positioned for a pass, with the tape facing your teammate with the puck, they have a nice contrasting target to aim for on the ice. Ice hockey is one of the fastest of all sports – never assume that the puck isn’t coming your way.

One of the basics that Hong Kong ice hockey players often forget, especially in large international sized Hong Kong ice rinks like MegaIce, is that calling out a player’s name can get the puck passed to you. If you’re in a good position, don’t assume that your teammate can see that – he’s worrying about the other team! This tactic is much more effective in grabbing your teammate’s attention than banging your stick on the ice, or even yelling out ‘Ready’ or ‘Pass it’, which tend to mingle into the background noise.

Another passing strategy that Hong Kong ice hockey players often forget is to continue to follow up their pass with offensive action. If you pass the puck, and then simply stand and watch your teammate receive it, you will certainly have plenty of time to congratulate yourself – but none to score! Be constantly on the move, and looking for a more advantageous position to score from. Ice rinks that host hockey games, like MegaIce and Cityplaza, see their highest scoring and most thrilling games when players remember to stay on the move.

One of the most advanced and exciting passes to see in Hong Kong ice hockey games is the saucer pass – so called because the puck can float over an opponent’s stick, or a fallen player, like a flying saucer. To execute a saucer pass, you spin the puck as you’re passing, as well as lifting. You’ll start with the puck near the heel of your stick, and roll it towards the toe as you push. If you point the toe of your stick towards the target as you normally would, the airborne puck becomes unstable. Aim the heel of your stick towards your teammate, and keep your blade open as you make your saucer pass in ice hockey. Focus on keeping the puck level, and start gently with saucer passes, or they can get quickly out of control!