Faceoffs:
Cliff notes:
- Each time you change your stance in a given faceoff, your chances of winning decreases.
- Backhand > Stick Lifts, but Backhand < Tie-Ups - Forehand < Stick Lifts, but Forehand > Tie-Ups
- Faceoff dekes, shots and clears are weak vs. everything
Deking:
Cliff notes:
- Skate deke: (L1 + Down on RS) Good against button mashing poke checkers
- Behind and through the legs: (7 o'clock (5 o'clock if right handed) RS --> L1 + Down on RS) Good against ill timed poke checks
Checking:
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Attribute Explanation
From HawkeyMediaPlus on EA Forum:
NHL 11 Attribute Explanation
- Deking: The higher the deking attribute is, the more effective loose puck dekes become and the more accurate players will be able to shoot following a deke move.
- Hand-eye: This attribute affects a player's deflections, batted pucks, one-timers, and their ability to pick up hard passes.
- Off. Awareness: Players in possession of high offensive awareness have good vision, which improves their playmaking ability and a knack for finding the back of the net.
- Passing: The higher the passing attribute, the more accurate passes become. The passing attribute also affects the ability to make blind passes and increases the chance they will get passes through traffic as well as making those passes easier to control from the receiving player.
- Puck Control: This attribute affects a player's ability to maintain control of the puck through hits and stick checks (i.e. poke checks and stick lifts). Puck control also determines whether or not one can do an on-knees deke on the breakaway.
- Shooting Accuracy: Wrist shot accuracy and slap shot accuracy control how accurate these shots are.
- Shooting Power: Wrist shot power and slap shot power control how hard a player may shoot the puck.
- Aggressiveness: This attribute gives a bonus to hitting intensity, a big hit intimidates opponents and in high-pressure situations, an intimidated opponent will have reduced shot quality, pass accuracy, and reduced aggression.
- Body Checking: This attribute gives the ability to deliver bigger body checks. Checking also affects the intensity of the hits delivered.
- Def. Awareness: This attribute affects how much a player pays attention to protecting the defensive end of the ice. This includes better ability to take away passing lanes, lower susceptibility to being deked and greater effort on the back check.
- Discipline: The discipline attribute affects the likelihood of taking penalties. For example, if a player has higher discipline, they will be less likely to get an elbow up on a guy during a hit.
- Faceoffs: The winner of a faceoff is determined by a number of factors including this attribute which influences the likelihood of winning the faceoff.
- Fighting Skill: Along with strength this attribute will affect punching power.
- Shot Blocking: Shot blocking affects the speed in which a player gets up from a shot block, and the type of block -- a diving block (on their stomach) or a standing block (straight up legs together). Players with a high shot block attribute will be more likely to do the diving shot block.
- Stick Checking: This attribute affects both poke checks and stick lifts in their ability to take the puck successfully and to avoid taking penalties while doing so.
- Acceleration: This attribute affects how quickly a player reaches top speed. If one has lots of acceleration, the player will get to their top speed faster than someone who has less acceleration but lots of top speed.
- Agility: This attribute affects the ability to turn. The more agility, the sharper one can turn with speed. This also helps when cutting across the ice while back skating on defense.
- Balance: This affects a player's resistance from being knocked over on a hit as well as their puck control. The more balance one has, the better they stay on their feet.
- Durability: This attribute decreases the chance of injury. In EASHL specifically, you can play through all injuries but they will result in a temporary attribute reduction to your player never lasting beyond the end of that game.
- Endurance: This attribute will determine the rate at which the player recovers energy when not skating with high effort. Fatigue will play a greater factor if a player has low endurance. Fatigue affects both skating ability and shooting.
- Speed: This attribute affects a player's top speed. Note that a player cannot sustain a top end speed without high endurance.
- Strength: This attribute is a modifier that affects shot power, fighting, checking, resisting hits, and boardplay. Strength will give extra power in shots, punches and hitting. Strength will also help with resisting hits. Strength affects the ability to pin players to the boards while initiating boardplay, and the ability to slip free when one is being pinned in boardplay.
RedShirt Notes
-Endurance affects how much you can use the hustle button.
-There are minor injuries now, lasting up to around half a period, and Durability reduces the chance of getting one (but they aren't THAT common).
-Strength factors into hitting and resisting hits, but also has an impact on shot power.
-Player types now force tougher decisions in terms of player strengths and weaknesses and the attribute effects are bigger than NHL 10.
-Strength helps your ability to hit, as well as your ability to resist hits. As I mentioned it also factors into shot power.
-Balance only helps resisting hits and also helps in other situations where you might fall.
-Hand Eye affects a lot of things, including deflections, one-timers, bat downs, pickups in difficult situations, bat-ins.
-I think Endurance will matter more than Durability, and that is reflected in the costs. Durability is insurance against injuries, which are relatively rare already. You might want to put some points into Durability if you are a skilled forward and prone to getting hit hard a lot. As you raise your attribs you might be able to get 20 pts of Durability for the same cost as 3 or 4 pts of other stuff like Speed or Strength, at that point it might be worth it.
-Strength and Balance being in the Athleticism category also makes the choices a bit tougher. You can put everything into skating attributes but you will be extremely soft if you do."
-I wanted multiple player builds, but it didn't fit into the plans this year. We did manage to get a last minute change done so that you can change your player type or reset your points directly in the Edit Attributes screen so you don't have to go into the Edit Player area, change it and then go back. That helps somewhat when you want to try different builds or change one for a specific game.
NHL 11 Attribute Explanation
- Deking: The higher the deking attribute is, the more effective loose puck dekes become and the more accurate players will be able to shoot following a deke move.
- Hand-eye: This attribute affects a player's deflections, batted pucks, one-timers, and their ability to pick up hard passes.
- Off. Awareness: Players in possession of high offensive awareness have good vision, which improves their playmaking ability and a knack for finding the back of the net.
- Passing: The higher the passing attribute, the more accurate passes become. The passing attribute also affects the ability to make blind passes and increases the chance they will get passes through traffic as well as making those passes easier to control from the receiving player.
- Puck Control: This attribute affects a player's ability to maintain control of the puck through hits and stick checks (i.e. poke checks and stick lifts). Puck control also determines whether or not one can do an on-knees deke on the breakaway.
- Shooting Accuracy: Wrist shot accuracy and slap shot accuracy control how accurate these shots are.
- Shooting Power: Wrist shot power and slap shot power control how hard a player may shoot the puck.
- Aggressiveness: This attribute gives a bonus to hitting intensity, a big hit intimidates opponents and in high-pressure situations, an intimidated opponent will have reduced shot quality, pass accuracy, and reduced aggression.
- Body Checking: This attribute gives the ability to deliver bigger body checks. Checking also affects the intensity of the hits delivered.
- Def. Awareness: This attribute affects how much a player pays attention to protecting the defensive end of the ice. This includes better ability to take away passing lanes, lower susceptibility to being deked and greater effort on the back check.
- Discipline: The discipline attribute affects the likelihood of taking penalties. For example, if a player has higher discipline, they will be less likely to get an elbow up on a guy during a hit.
- Faceoffs: The winner of a faceoff is determined by a number of factors including this attribute which influences the likelihood of winning the faceoff.
- Fighting Skill: Along with strength this attribute will affect punching power.
- Shot Blocking: Shot blocking affects the speed in which a player gets up from a shot block, and the type of block -- a diving block (on their stomach) or a standing block (straight up legs together). Players with a high shot block attribute will be more likely to do the diving shot block.
- Stick Checking: This attribute affects both poke checks and stick lifts in their ability to take the puck successfully and to avoid taking penalties while doing so.
- Acceleration: This attribute affects how quickly a player reaches top speed. If one has lots of acceleration, the player will get to their top speed faster than someone who has less acceleration but lots of top speed.
- Agility: This attribute affects the ability to turn. The more agility, the sharper one can turn with speed. This also helps when cutting across the ice while back skating on defense.
- Balance: This affects a player's resistance from being knocked over on a hit as well as their puck control. The more balance one has, the better they stay on their feet.
- Durability: This attribute decreases the chance of injury. In EASHL specifically, you can play through all injuries but they will result in a temporary attribute reduction to your player never lasting beyond the end of that game.
- Endurance: This attribute will determine the rate at which the player recovers energy when not skating with high effort. Fatigue will play a greater factor if a player has low endurance. Fatigue affects both skating ability and shooting.
- Speed: This attribute affects a player's top speed. Note that a player cannot sustain a top end speed without high endurance.
- Strength: This attribute is a modifier that affects shot power, fighting, checking, resisting hits, and boardplay. Strength will give extra power in shots, punches and hitting. Strength will also help with resisting hits. Strength affects the ability to pin players to the boards while initiating boardplay, and the ability to slip free when one is being pinned in boardplay.
RedShirt Notes
-Endurance affects how much you can use the hustle button.
-There are minor injuries now, lasting up to around half a period, and Durability reduces the chance of getting one (but they aren't THAT common).
-Strength factors into hitting and resisting hits, but also has an impact on shot power.
-Player types now force tougher decisions in terms of player strengths and weaknesses and the attribute effects are bigger than NHL 10.
-Strength helps your ability to hit, as well as your ability to resist hits. As I mentioned it also factors into shot power.
-Balance only helps resisting hits and also helps in other situations where you might fall.
-Hand Eye affects a lot of things, including deflections, one-timers, bat downs, pickups in difficult situations, bat-ins.
-I think Endurance will matter more than Durability, and that is reflected in the costs. Durability is insurance against injuries, which are relatively rare already. You might want to put some points into Durability if you are a skilled forward and prone to getting hit hard a lot. As you raise your attribs you might be able to get 20 pts of Durability for the same cost as 3 or 4 pts of other stuff like Speed or Strength, at that point it might be worth it.
-Strength and Balance being in the Athleticism category also makes the choices a bit tougher. You can put everything into skating attributes but you will be extremely soft if you do."
-I wanted multiple player builds, but it didn't fit into the plans this year. We did manage to get a last minute change done so that you can change your player type or reset your points directly in the Edit Attributes screen so you don't have to go into the Edit Player area, change it and then go back. That helps somewhat when you want to try different builds or change one for a specific game.
Tips to Get your Legend Card
EA Forum Thread
Lots of good tips on there; if you want more tips, check out the whole thread, but here are the highlights:
TNA Equalizer:
RedMauler:
Lots of good tips on there; if you want more tips, check out the whole thread, but here are the highlights:
Yeah actually I don't have my Legend card yet but I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.. Last year, not so much... Just play your position for starters.. Go where the arrows tell you to.
Teamplay is the hardest by far. Dont take penalties, dont turn the puck over, dont call for the puck from computer players and goalies unless you are sure you will catch the pass.. Make sure your passes reach theyre intended targets. DO NOT stick lift unless you are sure it wont result in a slashing... Get a few body checks a game, they help team play a TON as does DUMPING THE PUCK on penalty kill.. And no, a slapshot isnt the same as dumping the puck. Use R1 and up on the left analog stick. BUT, make sure your dump doesnt go over the glass as this would be a penalty.
Stats is self explanatory.... My advice would be to play as D or C.. Make sure you win faceoffs as Center. The more you win, the higher the teamplay and vice versa if you lose faceoffs. If you play as D, just get 1 point. An assist will do. Make clean passes to computer players on your team as they arent the retards we often have to play with online and they will actually catch the puck and do something with it. Also, I believe getting in a fight (win or lose) helps out teamplay.. Do these things and you'll get your legend card. Just be patient.
TNA Equalizer:
Two years in a row now I've acquired my legend card at 150 games. I'll offer up tips in hopes it helps those that are struggling.
-Be diligent when calling for passes from AI. It's okay to do it every once and a while, but not puck hog like, every time up the ice.
-Be mindful of your turnovers and giveaways. You have to be alert, hesitation leads to turnovers, quick passing or quick shots are the way to go.
-If you are going to shoot, make your shots selective. What I mean is don't just blast the puck every time and end up with 20 shots a game. Take good, quality shots. Open chances, don't force shots into a defender's body.
-Pass to team mates frequently. Good passes go a long way towards your grades.
-Avoid going offsides at all cost. If you have to make a move at the blueline with the puck, dump the puck in.
-If at all possible, avoid playing OTP. The exception to this rule is that if you get one or two gamers you know playing on your team you can at least work with them. Lessens the odds of playing with sporadic, poor positional players.
-Don't play center unless you have the attributes to win faceoffs. You are hurting yourself (and your team) if you go with center and are not properly set up.
-Pick the right player type for you. I go with what suits my play style best. It seems to reflect in my grades as I play to the strengths of the player class I go with. Being a center, I go with a two way forward. That's just what works for me.
-Avoid quitting out of games if at all possible. Stick it out, even if it's a blow out, work on the minor things. Make good quick passes to team mates.
-Positionally the blue arrow is your friend. You can get away with ignoring it from time to time, but doing it for 20 seconds every other time up the ice probably won't help that position score.
-Don't force passes. Trying to pass through two defenders is usually a sure fire way to get a turnover. It's tempting to perhaps go for that golden cross crease pass, but there's a time and a place for that kind of move. More times than not I see opponents forcing it and praying it works.
RedMauler:
PLAY YOUR POSITION! If you have anything below an A in your positional score your not helping your team as much as you are hurting it.Ebdermund79:
Get adequate shot blocking and block shots block shots block shots. I remember in NHL10 when I had a D in team play because the puck fairies kept doing endless dekes and fell down more than they lost control of the puck so I had some penalties. Blocked 3 shots and had an A afterwards.
Good defensive/Offensive awareness.
When deciding between shooting and trying to pass into the slot, just shoot low for a rebound. Dont let them get turnovers off your pass.
Pass the Puck before its too late! Pass to wide open guys. Get your pass completion % high. Don't get checked.
Use saucer passes. Less chance for interceptions and theyre more "impressive" to the coach.
Hit people. Hitting gives good team play.
If you have a clear shot, take it! Taking good shots can get you goals and/or team play and/or rebounds for assists.
Don't play a sniper... They're useless. Most goals are flukey or just bad defense. People charge the guy with the puck so much that snipers rarely have time to make a good shot. Or worse the goalie always seems to stop snipers better than they stop everything else.
I got more goals as a defensive defenseman than I do as a sniper.
Play center and win lots of face offs. If you can win face offs with ease the play center. If you can't win a large majority of them then avoid center like the plague. Nothing like going 50% on face offs and having a C in team play because of it.
D-DMAN: My Tips (Take or Leave at your discretion)
1. I have my checking, aggressiveness, poke check, discipline and shot blocking jacked up.
2. Play positional defense first! Don't try and go charging in on offense. Pick your spots carefully to shoot but pass first (The forwards getting your pass will get you your points on assists for A on stats)
3. Poke check forwards coming at you. Poke poke poke! (If your discipline attributes are high you wont take as many penalties and if they are in front of you coming at you, you wont take tripping calls either)
4. When your team is on the Penalty Kill, get the face off and use R1 + Right Analog to flip it out of the zone as much as possible (Works great for the Team Play)
5. Poke check first, body check second! You will be less likely to be out of position that way and less likely to screw your goalie and +/-. Remember when the other team scores, your stats grades take a big hit.
6. Unless your right next to someone , DONT STICKLIFT! You'll just get nailed for a slashing call.
7. Remember its a sum of 10 games that makes the average, so you have to play a lot of games, stay patient.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Plays/Strategies To Try
Corner Give & Go
Slot Pass
Triangle Offense
Offensive Two Player Forecheck
Defensive Strategy
Odd Player Rush (Defense)
Defensive Zone Face Off
So I think these are the general strategies we should use. As much as we are following the arrows to keep up a good position score, we should also be looking out to do these. Adjusting strategies to High Pressure and a 2-1-2 forecheck will allow us to remain in position mostly. Against teams that are faster than us, we won't be able to use this aggressive forecheck; if we're faster than them, we can easily tear shit up by not allowing them to leave their zone.
I think these strategies/plays go hand in hand. We use the slot pass effectively when we break their zone. Then we use the triangle offense and the corner give & go a lot, along with point shots.
If we want to take our team to another level, we should focus on small things as well like defensive zone face offs. Sure we can just follow the arrows, but that may be exploitable. It's gonna be a long learning process. We'll have to see what works and what we have to tweak.
Slot Pass
Triangle Offense
Offensive Two Player Forecheck
Defensive Strategy
Odd Player Rush (Defense)
Defensive Zone Face Off
So I think these are the general strategies we should use. As much as we are following the arrows to keep up a good position score, we should also be looking out to do these. Adjusting strategies to High Pressure and a 2-1-2 forecheck will allow us to remain in position mostly. Against teams that are faster than us, we won't be able to use this aggressive forecheck; if we're faster than them, we can easily tear shit up by not allowing them to leave their zone.
I think these strategies/plays go hand in hand. We use the slot pass effectively when we break their zone. Then we use the triangle offense and the corner give & go a lot, along with point shots.
If we want to take our team to another level, we should focus on small things as well like defensive zone face offs. Sure we can just follow the arrows, but that may be exploitable. It's gonna be a long learning process. We'll have to see what works and what we have to tweak.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tips for Defensemen
Note: This was written for NHL 09 so some things are outdated, but all of the general tips are still very valid. Just take your position's tips into account and use the attribute guides (1st/2nd posts) when you choose your role and attributes.
Defensemen
Recommended player style:
1) Defensive Defenseman (if you want to be able to rip slap shots from the point)
2) Grinder (if you just want to be an enforcer)
It’s strange that most people avoid the defensive positions at all costs (often to the detriment of their own team), because playing defenseman is actually the easiest way to earn high grades from the Be a Pro grading system.
And as we all know, if there’s anything the "Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies" who frequent the community lobbies enjoy, it’s padding their stats.
That’s why I’m surprised these people haven’t figured out that you have to play horribly to not get at least two "A" grades every time you suit up as a defenseman. In fact, you can pull off an "A" grade across the board if you just follow some simple guidelines.
There’s a time and place for a hard body check. It just isn’t:
A) On odd-man rushes (which often lead to breakaways, even if the initial check is successful)
B) Anytime you’re checking a guy without the puck who isn’t hanging around your slot/crease (which often leads to penalties)
So if you want to make opposing skaters "do the twist," you’re going to have to use a little discipline and pick your spots instead of running around knocking out anyone who gets in your way.
A good poke/deflection is better than a check for several reasons:
Also try to use the "vision control" while skating to keep your skater's shoulders squared to the puck, which makes deflections/interceptions even easier to come by.
When it comes to deflecting shots, however, you’ll want to lay down on the ice (defaults to left bumper + right bumper on the Xbox 360) instead of standing straight up, which will keep you from screening your goalie during the shot.
This simple rule should override all other moves you make as a defenseman:
Keep the other team’s furthest skater in front of you at all times.
As a defenseman, the easiest way to lose the game for your team is to give up breakaway opportunities; keep them from happening, however, and you dramatically increase your team’s odds of pulling out a victory.
Also, defensemen are mostly passers who clear the puck safely out of the zone and help to set breakouts in motion.
This means that defensemen on the attack should never skate with the puck for any extended period of time -- instead, they should be looking to pass the puck up to a forward, allowing him to bring the puck into the offensive zone.
However, once the other team has been pressured into its own zone by your forwards, feel free to push up to the blue line and settle in at the point.
From the point, defensemen can:
Turnovers that come from defensemen mishandling the puck at the point almost always end up in the net off a breakaway at the other end of the ice.
Defensemen
Recommended player style:
1) Defensive Defenseman (if you want to be able to rip slap shots from the point)
2) Grinder (if you just want to be an enforcer)
It’s strange that most people avoid the defensive positions at all costs (often to the detriment of their own team), because playing defenseman is actually the easiest way to earn high grades from the Be a Pro grading system.
And as we all know, if there’s anything the "Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies" who frequent the community lobbies enjoy, it’s padding their stats.
That’s why I’m surprised these people haven’t figured out that you have to play horribly to not get at least two "A" grades every time you suit up as a defenseman. In fact, you can pull off an "A" grade across the board if you just follow some simple guidelines.
There’s a time and place for a hard body check. It just isn’t:
A) On odd-man rushes (which often lead to breakaways, even if the initial check is successful)
B) Anytime you’re checking a guy without the puck who isn’t hanging around your slot/crease (which often leads to penalties)
So if you want to make opposing skaters "do the twist," you’re going to have to use a little discipline and pick your spots instead of running around knocking out anyone who gets in your way.
A good poke/deflection is better than a check for several reasons:
- It moves the puck out of danger (checks often send the puck squirting out slowly for nearby enemies to pickup)
- It keeps you in the play, even after the puck comes loose
- If you miss a poke, you’re still in position to make a play (missed checks leave you completely out of position)
Also try to use the "vision control" while skating to keep your skater's shoulders squared to the puck, which makes deflections/interceptions even easier to come by.
When it comes to deflecting shots, however, you’ll want to lay down on the ice (defaults to left bumper + right bumper on the Xbox 360) instead of standing straight up, which will keep you from screening your goalie during the shot.
This simple rule should override all other moves you make as a defenseman:
Keep the other team’s furthest skater in front of you at all times.
As a defenseman, the easiest way to lose the game for your team is to give up breakaway opportunities; keep them from happening, however, and you dramatically increase your team’s odds of pulling out a victory.
Also, defensemen are mostly passers who clear the puck safely out of the zone and help to set breakouts in motion.
This means that defensemen on the attack should never skate with the puck for any extended period of time -- instead, they should be looking to pass the puck up to a forward, allowing him to bring the puck into the offensive zone.
However, once the other team has been pressured into its own zone by your forwards, feel free to push up to the blue line and settle in at the point.
From the point, defensemen can:
- Provide outlet passes to forwards in trouble spots
- Chase down loose pucks and keep them in the zone
- Cycle the puck around
- Fire off one-timers and slap shots
Turnovers that come from defensemen mishandling the puck at the point almost always end up in the net off a breakaway at the other end of the ice.
Tips for Wingers
Note: This was written for NHL 09 so some things are outdated, but all of the general tips are still very valid. Just take your position's tips into account and use the attribute guides (1st/2nd posts) when you choose your role and attributes.
Wingers
Recommended player style:
1) Sniper/Dangler (just ask yourself: are you Russ Tyler or Kenny Wu?)
2) Power Forward (good if you want some defense to go with your offense and enjoy scoring off deflections, like Tomas Holmstrom)
The number one thing that people seem to stumble over when playing this position is the fact that, even though it may say right wing under your name, it doesn’t mean you aren’t supposed to be crossing over to the left side of the ice.
You see, good wingers will go wherever the open lanes are, regardless of where those lanes appear on the ice. And that’s really all you’re trying to do as a winger: fill the outside lanes.
What you want to do is let the center work the interior of the ice, and stay spread out on the wings, so the center has somewhere to pass the puck when your team is trying to break into the offensive zone.
When you finally get into the enemy zone, you want to continue to stay on the wing, looking for one of the following opportunities:
Wingers in particular will want to become well-acquainted with the boards, using them as a way of delaying plays and causing chaos/breakdowns in the defense by luring defenders out of position, sneaking passes to the other side of the ice, and going in for the occasional wrap-around shot.
The boards are also a great place for wingers to position themselves when a scrum for the puck is going on and their teammate needs a quick outlet.
Wingers
Recommended player style:
1) Sniper/Dangler (just ask yourself: are you Russ Tyler or Kenny Wu?)
2) Power Forward (good if you want some defense to go with your offense and enjoy scoring off deflections, like Tomas Holmstrom)
The number one thing that people seem to stumble over when playing this position is the fact that, even though it may say right wing under your name, it doesn’t mean you aren’t supposed to be crossing over to the left side of the ice.
You see, good wingers will go wherever the open lanes are, regardless of where those lanes appear on the ice. And that’s really all you’re trying to do as a winger: fill the outside lanes.
What you want to do is let the center work the interior of the ice, and stay spread out on the wings, so the center has somewhere to pass the puck when your team is trying to break into the offensive zone.
When you finally get into the enemy zone, you want to continue to stay on the wing, looking for one of the following opportunities:
- Taking a high-percentage shot from the top of the circle if you have teammates ready to follow the shot for a rebound
- Drifting to the middle of the ice and taking a high-percentage shot from between the circles if your teammates are lagging behind you
- Continuing to skate along the boards and float behind the net, looking to make a wrap-around shot or a centering pass if your teammates are lagging behind you and the defense is cutting off the middle of the ice
Wingers in particular will want to become well-acquainted with the boards, using them as a way of delaying plays and causing chaos/breakdowns in the defense by luring defenders out of position, sneaking passes to the other side of the ice, and going in for the occasional wrap-around shot.
The boards are also a great place for wingers to position themselves when a scrum for the puck is going on and their teammate needs a quick outlet.
Tips for Centers
Centers
Recommended player style:
1) Playmaker (great passer, dominates face-offs, can shoot well with stat boosts)
2) Dangler (good passer, most athletic player-type in the game, can play center effectively if all defensive points go into the face-off stat, poor shooter even with stat boosts)
As a service to everyone else on your team, please do not play center if you cannot win at least 50 percent of your face-offs. Reason being, it is no coincidence that teams who lose the face-off battle often lose the game, too. As for how to win face-offs, remember that it is just as much a battle of player ratings as it is a battle of player skill.
When thinking about the ratings, realize that playmakers are at a serious advantage in the face-off circle, because they start with a default face-off rating of 80, not 75, like all the other forwards.
Regardless of how good your initial face-off rating is, you will still want to spend the majority of your attribute points in the face-off category, because winning the battle in the face-off circle is the most important aspect of playing the center position well.
As for how to win the face-off with your skills, it is really something that must be "felt out," due to the varying latency of each game. But in general, you want to start your poke -- which defaults to "down" on the right joystick for both consoles -- a half-second before the referee sticks his arm out to drop the puck.
In other words, anticipate the ref’s drop, and try to start your poke just before he begins his drop animation.
Also keep an eye on your opponent’s stick before the drop, and remember that you can "play it safe" by waiting and reacting to the ref’s drop, (instead of trying to anticipate the drop) if you see that your opponent is way out in front and left out of position after his initial swipe.
Yes, the center -- or centre, if you’re one of those funny-talking people who always seems to play as Montreal -- is where you should be spending most of your time on the ice.
On offense, when attempting to break into the offensive zone, centers should be looking for open space in the middle of the ice where they can sit, receive a pass, advance the puck up the ice as far as possible, and -- once their Spider Sense starts tingling -- make a quick dish out to a winger filling the outside lane.
Upon entering the zone, centers should continue looking for open space in the middle of the defense where they can collect a centering pass for a quick wrist shot out of the slot.
To make themselves even more effective when patrolling the interior of the ice, centers will want to hold down the "vision control" button whenever they are moving without the puck –- this defaults to the left trigger, for Xbox 360 users.
What "vision control" does, is keep your player’s shoulders square to the puck at all times. The effect this has, is that it keeps your player in good position to pass or shoot the second the puck touches his stick by eliminating the time-consuming twists and turnarounds that your player often has to go through to get a pass/shot off when he’s not locked on to the puck.
Recommended player style:
1) Playmaker (great passer, dominates face-offs, can shoot well with stat boosts)
2) Dangler (good passer, most athletic player-type in the game, can play center effectively if all defensive points go into the face-off stat, poor shooter even with stat boosts)
As a service to everyone else on your team, please do not play center if you cannot win at least 50 percent of your face-offs. Reason being, it is no coincidence that teams who lose the face-off battle often lose the game, too. As for how to win face-offs, remember that it is just as much a battle of player ratings as it is a battle of player skill.
When thinking about the ratings, realize that playmakers are at a serious advantage in the face-off circle, because they start with a default face-off rating of 80, not 75, like all the other forwards.
Regardless of how good your initial face-off rating is, you will still want to spend the majority of your attribute points in the face-off category, because winning the battle in the face-off circle is the most important aspect of playing the center position well.
As for how to win the face-off with your skills, it is really something that must be "felt out," due to the varying latency of each game. But in general, you want to start your poke -- which defaults to "down" on the right joystick for both consoles -- a half-second before the referee sticks his arm out to drop the puck.
In other words, anticipate the ref’s drop, and try to start your poke just before he begins his drop animation.
Also keep an eye on your opponent’s stick before the drop, and remember that you can "play it safe" by waiting and reacting to the ref’s drop, (instead of trying to anticipate the drop) if you see that your opponent is way out in front and left out of position after his initial swipe.
Yes, the center -- or centre, if you’re one of those funny-talking people who always seems to play as Montreal -- is where you should be spending most of your time on the ice.
On offense, when attempting to break into the offensive zone, centers should be looking for open space in the middle of the ice where they can sit, receive a pass, advance the puck up the ice as far as possible, and -- once their Spider Sense starts tingling -- make a quick dish out to a winger filling the outside lane.
Upon entering the zone, centers should continue looking for open space in the middle of the defense where they can collect a centering pass for a quick wrist shot out of the slot.
To make themselves even more effective when patrolling the interior of the ice, centers will want to hold down the "vision control" button whenever they are moving without the puck –- this defaults to the left trigger, for Xbox 360 users.
What "vision control" does, is keep your player’s shoulders square to the puck at all times. The effect this has, is that it keeps your player in good position to pass or shoot the second the puck touches his stick by eliminating the time-consuming twists and turnarounds that your player often has to go through to get a pass/shot off when he’s not locked on to the puck.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)