https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEpCLcd2088Let's Talk: Combatting the Poke Check
January 25, 2021 2:40PM
edited March 2021
Can anyone enlighten me how to play against players who constantly poke check up and down the ice. It's pretty annoying as it seems that's the only defense these people know
Post edited by EA_Blueberry on
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Howdy, Stranger!
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Say that you win the first faceoff back to your D, turn your back around and skate against your own goal, (let him come after you) same time as you try to move to one corner, importen you do some dekes meanwhile you skate.. No excessive, just some left/right.. And be gentle on your L-s... Don't hustle.
And then slowly try to change the direaction by a pass to your other D..
The key is to pull apart he's poke checking forecheck, and create space for you to move up with.
Play wide.. Pull out your puck carrieng defender as close to one side of the board and then try to pass the puck to the other D.. And do the same thing..
I hope this can help abit, but it's hard to explain with words... But I hate that type of playstyle too.. Were they just go bananas with the poke. So I would gladly try to help you.
Pass the puck. They can't poke what they can't reach. I pass a ton and it helps a lot with keeping possession. For breakouts, utilize the saucer pass off the boards. I do this all the time and it's extremely effective. The same goes for saucer passes in general, but they don't get any pass assist so be aware of that and make sure your manual aim is good. Stickhandling to your forehand/backhand can also be great for keeping the puck out of reach of pokes.
do you only press and release or you hold button longer?may i ask you another question out topic...when i do check a puck carrier by pressing square button, why it give me the puck and make a snap shop every time?
Sauce passes is the best way to use if you wanna break the 'normal' game pace and searching for other options when you breakthrough. It can really get your opponent's fully out of rhythm.
Stephlefan6AX: it's the same principle as for the 'normal passes' if you wanna sauce long/hard you hold it longer, and vice versa. It takes a while before you get it but once you do, it's a great tool.
I had a period in NHL 18 were I only played with manual passes, it really helped me alot to learn the 'physics' in this passes.
Another good experiment: when opponent's forwards comes rushing against you with the DSS in full reach at the same time you backskate, try to sauce as close as you can, the player that comes at you. That way you learn to know how close you can play without risk for a turnover.
I use the skill stick controls so RT/R2 (RB/R1 for saucer) is passing for me. As far as how long I press it, that depends on the strength of the pass I need. I often hold it in though and cancel the pass if necessary. I'm not taking unintended snapshots after hitting though.
Been good help to avoid getting poked.
Also a good idea to adjust your player abit with 'X' and L2 here and there on the ice. Until you get the feeling you have good control with the player in puck possession.
This has definitely been good to my never ending strive, to get it as real as I can aaaand to get thoose poke checkers something to think about..
Here's a guy that gets it. Now it's just 90% left to get to the same conclusion. Then we can start to play hockey! 😏
No but really, fun to hear it works out well for you.
Once it do, the whole game gets better and diffrent.
But there's still hard to play against teams that just hustle no mather situation.
And as you said, it's easier to perform quick moves. Also much harder to 'puck rag' against you, if you play that way.
👍
But I think I try to glide abit and turn against the player and flick with my RS.
But sorry for bad answer. Probebly someone here that can help you better.
I dont know how this will help you, but it's worth a shot.
Imagine you win first faceoff back to one of your D.
Turn on your player directly(facing your own goalie) and skate against one of your corner, when you are close, push X so you can see your player is doing the 'puck protection' animation, and at the same time you need to start holding on to your L2, to turn your player around until you are having your back against the corner of the board in your own zone. If you can, try to move/adjust your player as soon as you startin to turn, with your skill-stick(RS).
And then go from there.
I experience this 'technique' to work pretty good, against the average of the people.
Its also a good move to do as soon as you enter the o-zone, start directly after the blue line to push X, when the arm goes out, squeeze the L2. To get your puck carrier to turn he's back against the opponent.
If he tryes to poke you the same time, it usally result in a tripping call, and if you manage to successful turn your back, you bought yourself some valuable time with the puck.
But please have patience, even if it's hard to get it to work from the beginning, give it a couple of times(days) soon you will start to recognize the pattern and you will be able to get some good advantage out of this way of playing.
Poke "spammers" gets penalize pretty frequently, because there 'totally out of position' cause they dont recognize this type of moves.
*And to add, if you normally play HUT, it could be a good idea to start trying to practice on this things in 'onlineVS' to get the chance to do this against opponent's thats not as good as the one you play in Rivals/HUT.
+ Also, for my so call tips would have to work, I think its importen we play more or less the same type of 'hockey'. I barley hustle and never really try to 'force' a play/attack, I much rather turn back and try to find a more soft/easy play to get through. Alot of passes, from defenders up to C and back from C to defenders, some passes between the D"s, and so on.. Until it opens up.
On the face-off.
Hold RS to right for example, and at the same time he drops the puck, do a motion with your(RS) thumb more into the center and then down more to the opposite side. And at the same time go downwards with your LS.
And no mather if you win or loose the face-off, keep your motion, LS down, and adjust abit with L2 until you get good control/balance of that player.
But nhl standard the speed is too fast and the room to little to be able to move 'normal' without having to hustle like a fool.
Poke checkers makes it hard in combination with the speed and space the NHL standard offer, sometimes when you got enough room the poke maniacs can look pretty lost.