Happy Halloween Friday!  I hope you’re gearing up for a spooky great hockey weekend, getting started with this week’s Playbook.

As the NCAA season is entering its final few weeks I thought it was a good time to look back at last season’s championship game and see what we can learn.

Northwestern was the heavy favorite with an all-star line up featuring multiple Olympians.  They delivered the expected victory in impressive style with a dominant performance and some lovely goals, one of which we’re going to dig into today.

Scored by none other than Leap’s own Olivia Bent-Cole (OBC)!   Northwestern had got off to a fast start and were 1-0 up with 4 minutes left in the 1st quarter when OBC finished off a fantastic move with a really smart finish which we’ll look deeper into.  Have a watch below:

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Before we get to the goal itself, I just have to point out just some top…top midfield play from Lauren Wadas (#2) in the build-up.  Starting with great work rate & aggression in the press to win the ball high up the field.  Following that she drives in textbook fashion ON THE DIAGONAL, see the image below.

Carrying the ball on the diagonal is such an advantage in attacking play and one that all players should add to their game.  The biggest advantage is that, the way it moves defenders, it often opens up channels for vertical passes.  And this is what happens next - she is able to slide an ‘under the shoulder’ pass into one of the biggest danger zones in the game, the inside right channel of the 25.

From here, arguably the game’s best performer Maddie Zimmer, is able to run onto the ball and deliver a nice early pass into OBC in front of goal.

Now…what are we looking at here?

Because of the defenders closing with sticks out, Zimmer puts some lift on her pass to help it get through.  This is where OBC’s deflection technique helps her score a great finish.  When looking to score deflections, hand position is absolutely vital.

• If the ball is flat and hard then as an attacker you should be getting your hands as low to the turf as you can and your stick flat - this gives you the biggest surface area to make contact with the ball and the highest chance of scoring.
• Now other factors come into play - your body ideally should be pointed at the goal and your stick angle has an impact as well.

However, when the ball is bobbling or lifted, like in this example.  The hand position should change, and be much higher.  Keeping the stick more vertical than horizontal.   All great deflectors of the ball are helping it on its way, redirecting it to the goal.  Rather than trying to do too much.  The same applies to the bouncing ball.  You don’t need to control it - just help it continue - with a slight touch to change its direction up into the goal.

This is exactly what OBC does here.  See her hand position below.

Her hands are thigh high meaning her stick is at the perfect angle to help the ball into the roof of the net.  From this position she could have gone to either corner.

• If she had kept a forehand grip she could have put it in the top left corner.
• But she opted for the harder option, using a reverse grip to put it in the top right - wrong footing the goalkeeper in the process, who had no chance!

A world class finish from OBC and the perfect demonstration of where to be holding your stick when you see a lifted or bobbling ball coming at you in the circle.