Bubble Hockey > Offense

Bubble Hockey Shots and Offense

Knowing how to accurately shoot the puck in dome hockey is what separates the men from the boys. Even without factoring in the goalie playing defense, the goal is small which leaves little room for error when performing your shots. There are four basic shots you can take in the game and they are all named after actual shots in ice hockey. All of these shots are effective ways to score with the shovel and slapshot being the two most often used.

Shovel - This shot is named after the shovel motion because you use the hockey stick to catch the puck and then slide the player towards the goal and release the puck by turning the rod while you are in motion. This shot can be highly effective when it is perfected because it allows you to maintain control of the puck, move away from a defender and then slide the puck into the net all in a single motion.

Slapshot - The dome hockey slapshot is the same as the ice hockey version where the player swings their stick back and slaps the puck with a strong forward motion. This shot is typically done while standing still so it can be the most telegraphed form of offense. However, it can be highly effective when used accurately because of the amount of speed that is applied to the puck. This shot can rarely be raced by the goalie in order to block it from the offensive side of the table.

One Timer - The one timer is an old ice hockey name for a pass to a player followed by an immediate shot on the first touch of the stick to the puck. These shots can be extremely high percentage because they will catch the defense off guard and can result in a quick goal. However, some players choose to limit the amount of one timer attempts they make because it doesn't allow for much puck control or the ability to get set up at the right angle for a shot.

Breakaway Shot - This shot is characterized by the center offensive player having a 1-on-1 with the goalie. This shot has some of the highest percentage to score because the offense has the opportunity at the net right in front of him with only the goalie to stop the shot. Breakaway shots are actually either a shovel, slapshot or one timer, but they are called a breakaway when this 1-on-1 match up occurs without the defenders in place. This typically only opens up during singles play because of a slow transition of the rods from offense to defense. When playing doubles, players are holding the defensive players which leaves little opportunity for a fast breakaway shot.