Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Winning The Faceoff Is Just Step One

12/07/2016 at 8:21am EST

from Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch,

Hockey is the most unscripted of major sports, but it doesn’t mean the game lacks strategy, especially on faceoffs. Blue Jackets fans might have noticed this season their players talking more before draws and occasionally huddling.

The club is making a concerted effort to create more offense from faceoffs. Assistant coach Brad Larsen leads the campaign and offers a few set-play options before every game. Boone Jenner’s goal scored 13 seconds into Saturday night’s 3-2 shootout win over Arizona was a play Larsen presented to the squad in a pre-game meeting.

“First shift of the game we had a play we wanted to do and it worked to a T,” said Dubinsky, who won the opening faceoff to set a play in motion that caught the Coyotes napping. “It’s a rare chance to say, ‘Here’s the tendency of another team. They forecheck this way, they come out to the points that way. We’re going to try this and see if it works.’”

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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