After 14 goals were scored in the 2 awesome @pwhpa games this past weekend, I’ve got plenty of footage to breakdown and share for the next little while, so let’s get to it.

This week, I want to feature two amazing quick release goals scored from the slot by 2 time US Olympian Kendall Coyne Schofield.

GOAL 1: FIND SPACE & BE READY

In this 1st clip, four Team @adidashockey players move the puck around the outside beautifully in the offensive zone, which leads to a perfect one-time shot the slot by @kendallcoyne26. 

Here are 3 key points that lead up to the goal:

1) Change The Point Of Attack – Coyne tries to beat her defender off the initial carry but Kellar is having none of it. So Coyne executes a quick turn back into the space she created, gains a step on Kellar and moves the puck back up high. Notice how she continues to skate up high after she passes the puck – she is doing this to shake the defender and gain some space for herself in the high slot.

2)  Play Fast – The D immediately moves the puck back down low – changing the point of attack yet again to Pannek all the way down to the opposite corner of the attack zone. This forces the defending team to have to adjust and keeps them from getting settled. Pannek gets her head up, faces the middle of the ice and takes a step north to move her defender up higher so that she can cycle it low to Knight. Knight only touches the puck once before making that sneaky backhand pass behind her back into the slot area. Smart quick puck and player movement

3) Be Ready – With the behind the back pass, Knight is trying to feed Pannek on a quick little give and go off the cycle to the front of the net. That specific play doesn’t work out but Pannek manages to take two defenders to the net with her, which further opens the slot up for Coyne. Coyne makes no mistake on this one – she gets low in order to get that puck on net in a hurry with the one touch shot. No big windup or extra stickhandles here – she has her stick preloaded for the snapshot and knows where she wants that puck to go before she even gets to it.  Find space, want/expect the puck in the slot and BE READY.

GOAL 2: GET IT, SET IT, SHOOT IT

Coyne Schofield’s ability to get this shot off so quickly off the backhand catch (while also being tripped up) displays phenomenal touch, awareness and body control.

The pass from Knight down low is fantastic too, but I want to focus on Coyne Schofield’s execution on this breakdown.

Here are 3 key points:

1) Find The Space – Right at the beginning of the clip, you can’t even see Coyne in the screen. That’s because she’s “getting lost” high in the slot. I have to believe that she knows Knight is looking for this pass and this is a play they’ve practiced before with this team and through all their experiences together with the US National Team.

2) Arrive On Time – Coyne knows that she has to arrive in the right space at the right time here. She gets to that “corner pocket” just above the hash marks at the perfect time to receive the pass from Knight.

3) Set It & Shoot It – It doesn’t get much more world-class that this. Coyne takes one touch to catch the pass on her backhand and sets it to her forehand side for a phenomenally fast snapshot release that beats the goalie 5 hole. All while getting tripped up. You really get an appreciation of just how amazing this goal is when you watch it on slow motion. Setting the shot off the backhand touch is hard enough. Getting the snapshot off quickly and accurately off that touch isn’t easy either. But doing both while being tripped up – amazing.