NHL 12 EASHL 2v2 Tips

[xS xIx Nx]

No more quitting when you see the opponents games played and points screen. Here are some strategies that help you win every game even against the best offensive teams.

First and foremost there are way too many computer players. Second... most of the teams towards the top of the rankings know how to shoot the glitch shot and are super speedy so they get lots of breakaways and one-timer goals.

Here are some tips to win almost every game no matter who you play:

DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES

1) First rule of 2v2 is DON'T FORECHECK!!! - There are way too many computer players in this game mode. Believe me when I say that the computer players are quite dumb. The other team realizes this and you will eventually get a call from one of the human players hoping to bring the puck into their offensive zone. Without fail most 2v2 players call for the puck on the boards so typically instead of forechecking you can run to the left and right boards with your two forwards around their blue line and intercept most pucks coming out of their zone. This will give you a serious opportunity to score a lot of one-timers after the interception. You don't have to be super quick to do this either. You simply need to be a 2 way forward with good defensive awareness.

2) If an opponent enters the neutral zone wait for them at your blue line. I see that lots of players like to skate around in hopes that you will chase them. Just hang back and wait for them to make the first move. (Cutting the ice in two halves works best for me and my teammate. He is a left wing and covers the left board to the center of the ice. I am a center and cover the right board to the center of the ice. If the computers have the puck just simply guard the blue line. They will always dump it in. If the human players bring the puck in the zone simply wait for them and stick lift/ poke check when they get near you.

3) Learn where the opponent likes to take his/her shots. First... turn on the online player indicators. When the "pink" player starts to take every shot from the right circle no matter what then just wait for him there. You don't need to chase a guy around for ten minutes when you know where he wants to go. Just wait there. It's 2v2... most players are going to take shots themselves and call for the puck a lot. Learn their tendencies in game and adjust where you play in the defensive zone based on where they look to go. One player plays the shot... the other covers his teammate on the passing lane. Every once in a while the computer will hit a one-timer from the slot but that's okay because that's all they are going to get.

OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES

1) It's important to realize that good defensive takeaways create the greatest opportunity for scoring... you can get the breakaway many times or end up just facing those last two defenders in their zone. The circle shots and one-timers are going to best your best bet on the rush. Make sure that your player can shoot on your own. There's nothing worse than having a great opportunity to score on your own but because you can't shoot you wait for your friend who is way behind the play.

2) Don't build your player to be good at just one thing! I love playing against the guys who just try to get in front of the net all day. They have no shot so they can't shoot unless they get right in front of the net. If you are playing with human goalies you need a shot in the 90s no matter what.

3) Play behind the net and restrain from calling for the puck too much in the offensive zone. Computer players, especially that other forward, are very effective when you play behind the net. Defenders in the offensive zone usually always take the shot from the point. Try to wrap around the goal or get that cross crease one-timer for the score.

4) Lastly you MUST play with a center... I love playing two wingers or two defenseman. This is just funny! We win every faceoff and have the puck 80 percent of the time. Two wingers is a losing strategy against a good team.

PLAYER TYPES

I hear it all the time. I really just like my playmaker or sniper or power forward or I really like to set up my buddy on the one-timer. Here's an important thing to realize... Two way forward is the only way to go!

If you play playmaker or sniper in 5v5 or 6v6 your player makeup MIGHT look like below:

LW Sniper
C Playmaker
RW two way
LD 2way Defender
RD Def Defender

If you (playmaker) and your sniper buddy play 2v2 your player makeup now looks like below:

LW Sniper
C Playmaker
RW Idiot
LD Idiot
RD Idiot

You have to do everything yourself on 2v2. If the computer does something intelligent that's great but you can't rely on them. A playmaker is helpful with a sniper in larger games and they both can get their stick check up decently but they can rarely cover the boards like a two way forward can. This is a big deal! Additionally if you are a playmaker your shot is going to be difficult to get up there unless you don't have as many points on deking, handeye, passing, and puck control. Again I love playing against guys who can only score in front of the net or on the cross crease... very one dimesional and easy to defend.

COMPUTER SETTINGS:

Ultimately use these settings to compensate for your personal play style. We use:

2-1-2 Low Forecheck
High Defensive pressure
Collapsing Defense
Standard Breakout

This is probably the best way to get your defense to actually do something intelligent. It's not perfect but it accomplishes what we want from our computer players... Neutral zones turnovers and hard hits on your own blue line. We played a little over 160 2v2 games in club and we lost only 4 games. The strategy works for us... Try it out.

Here's a great Two Way build to get you on the way to killing everyone.

5'11" 194 Pounds (13 Skates)

Overall ratings below after boosts

91 deke (+5 boost here)
85 handeye
82 off awr
90 pass (+5)
85 puck control (+5)
93 WSA (+8)
90 WSP (+8)

center ratings for defense
99 Defensive awareness
99 faceoffs
98 Stick checking

Wingers should go 99 disclipline 99 stick check with a little on aggressiveness

85 accel (+5)
85 Agility (+5)
78 balance
90 endurance
95 speed (+8)
80 strength (+5)

Enjoy winning!!!

[gamerk2]

Quote: Originally Posted by xS xIx Nx

DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES 1) First rule of 2v2 is DON'T FORECHECK!!!

If you have a human defenseman, I disagree; you can get a LOT of garbage goals by intercepting a pass in their zone. But as a general rule, don't expect ANYTHING out of CPU defensemen, and if you have two, then the above applies.

Quote:

2) If an opponent enters the neutral zone wait for them at your blue line.

One on one, yes, best thing to do is ambush at the blue line. Expect them to swerve one way or the other. Regardless, make sure you are always on the inside.

On one on twos, your only job is to prevent the cross ice pass that CPU goalie has ZERO chance of stopping.

Only check against the boards, or RIGHT after possesion of the puck is obtained. The cost of a miss is too high.

Quote:

3) Learn where the opponent likes to take his/her shots

Agreed. I'd also throw in: Learn what shots the CPU goalie CAN NOT SAVE. My partner (RW) knows at least two which go in 90% of the time now...

OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES

Quote:

1) It's important to realize that good defensive takeaways create the greatest opportunity for scoring... you can get the breakaway many times or end up just facing those last two defenders in their zone.

Agreed. What I typically do is dish to our RW, who is covering the LD of the other team. Once possesion is obtained, he's already moving up the ice, leaving him against two D. Easy goal at that point.

Quote:

2) Don't build your player to be good at just one thing!

Yep. Specilization is good, but what good is a 99 shot if you have no balance or puck control?

Quote:

3) Play behind the net and restrain from calling for the puck too much in the offensive zone.

QFT. Behind the net play leads to a TON of easy goals. Just dish it to the center RIGHT in front of the net, and he has his choice of corners to hit.

Quote:

4) Lastly you MUST play with a center... I love playing two wingers or two defenseman. This is just funny! We win every faceoff and have the puck 80 percent of the time. Two wingers is a losing strategy against a good team.

Generally agree, assuming your center knows how to win faceoffs.

PLAYER TYPES

Quote:

When you play 5v5 or 6v6 your player makeup might look like below: LW Sniper C Playmaker RW two way LD Off Defender RD Def Defender

Disagree very, very much.

Centers should be two-ways, period. They act as the third defensmen, and two-ways are the only offensive skill set where defensive attribute boosts do not cost an arm and a leg.

Wings should be power forwards or playmakers [ideally one of each]. CPU goalies have so many blindspots, snipers are unneded. Power forwards are great at holding on to the puck and have a decent shot, where playmakers are better at one on one situations.

Offensive Defensmen are unneded, period. The majority of the time, the only shots they will take are slaps from the point, or wrists more towards the middle of the ice. Those extra puck handlings skills are NOT worth the loss in defensive skills [specifically: Poke checking].

Quote:

When you play 2v2 your player makeup now looks like below: LW Sniper C Playmaker RW Idiot LD Idiot RD Idiot

Disagree. Typically, we run with a Two-Way center, Power Forward RW, and Defensive Defensmen.

Quote:

COMPUTER SETTINGS: 2-1-2 Low Forecheck High Defensive pressure Collapsing Defense Standard Breakout

For 2-on-2:
2-1-2 High Forecheck (2-1-2 low results in too many breakaways)
Puck Side Attack (high pressure results in far too many breakaways)
Staggard Defense (Collapsing ONLY if one forward and one D)
Aggresive breakout (CPU more likely to move the puck up the ice)

For 3-on-3 or higher, same setup except forcheck drops to a 1-2-2 High (Human players handle the forechecking)

[xS xIx Nx]

Quote: Originally Posted by gamerk2

If you have a human defenseman, I disagree; you can get a LOT of garbage goals by intercepting a pass in their zone. But as a general rule, don't expect ANYTHING out of CPU defensemen, and if you have two, then the above applies. One on one, yes, best thing to do is ambush at the blue line. Expect them to swerve one way or the other. Regardless, make sure you are always on the inside. On one on twos, your only job is to prevent the cross ice pass that CPU goalie has ZERO chance of stopping. Only check against the boards, or RIGHT after possesion of the puck is obtained. The cost of a miss is too high. Agreed. I'd also throw in: Learn what shots the CPU goalie CAN NOT SAVE. My partner (RW) knows at least two which go in 90% of the time now... OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES Agreed. What I typically do is dish to our RW, who is covering the LD of the other team. Once possesion is obtained, he's already moving up the ice, leaving him against two D. Easy goal at that point. Yep. Specilization is good, but what good is a 99 shot if you have no balance or puck control? QFT. Behind the net play leads to a TON of easy goals. Just dish it to the center RIGHT in front of the net, and he has his choice of corners to hit. Generally agree, assuming your center knows how to win faceoffs. PLAYER TYPES Disagree very, very much. Centers should be two-ways, period. They act as the third defensmen, and two-ways are the only offensive skill set where defensive attribute boosts do not cost an arm and a leg. Wings should be power forwards or playmakers [ideally one of each]. CPU goalies have so many blindspots, snipers are unneded. Power forwards are great at holding on to the puck and have a decent shot, where playmakers are better at one on one situations. Offensive Defensmen are unneded, period. The majority of the time, the only shots they will take are slaps from the point, or wrists more towards the middle of the ice. Those extra puck handlings skills are NOT worth the loss in defensive skills [specifically: Poke checking]. Disagree. Typically, we run with a Two-Way center, Power Forward RW, and Defensive Defensmen. For 2-on-2: 2-1-2 High Forecheck (2-1-2 low results in too many breakaways) Puck Side Attack (high pressure results in far too many breakaways) Staggard Defense (Collapsing ONLY if one forward and one D) Aggresive breakout (CPU more likely to move the puck up the ice) For 3-on-3 or higher, same setup except forcheck drops to a 1-2-2 High (Human players handle the forechecking)

Thanks for further clarification on many of these items. On player types we are saying the same thing. two way is the ONLY way to go in my opinion. I am simply trying to show the differences in 2v2 and 6v6 games in the EXAMPLE above. If you happen to be a playmaker or sniper you are in for a surprise. If you normally play sniper and playmaker on the wings in your 6v6 games realize that your buddies aren't there in 2v2. You are now surrounded by moron computers. These were examples and not my ideal setups by any stretch. I'll go ahead and make a clarification in the original post.

As for the computer settings... We don't give up breakaways. Maybe it's our intuition and compensating for what the computer doesn't do. You ultimately have to set up the computer to compliment what you do. If it fills in the gaps for your playstyle roll with it. I'll check out your settings and see if they can make a difference. Thanks again for your comments.

[xS xIx Nx]

I'm gonna have to chalk up computer settings to personal preference. I've played with a number of these and I still feel like with our personal play style that they work the best. Giving up the occasional breakaway is worth the turnovers the defenders get in the neutral zone. Most 2v2 players like to rush but not forechecking helps with the original settings I posted.

[gamerk2]

Well, I'm used to playing with a RW who nine games out of ten scores at will, but can vanish for stretches at a time. When it comes to positional hockey, we stinks, hence why our builds revolve around players who can hold on to the puck , and help on defense.

Of course, if the AI actually DID ANYTHING, we could build our players and play the way we want to, rather then the way the game forces us too...