News Post

NHL 09 Hockey 101: New Defensive Moves

07:42 PM - September 24, 2008 by RaychelSnr

Due to NHL 09's critical success, the game has attracted an audience which consists of people who may not necessarily know much about hockey. Therefore, our very own Patrick Williams will be looking at several aspects of hockey. Check out his first Hockey 101 article over the new defensive moves in NHL 09.

Quote:


	"Welcome back hockey fans to the first '09 edition of NHL 101, the class where we discuss the dos and don'ts of gameplay in EA's NHL series. With NHL 09 fresh off the delivery truck and now presently in your console you are probably knee-deep in some vulcanized rubber. You probably have many questions about the game, which range from how to score on a breakaway to how to score period. Then there are others of you out there that probably just want to know what period length is best for realistic stats."

Game: NHL 09Reader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 47 - View All

NHL 09 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 CRIP4LIFE @ 09/25/08 05:11 AM

hook/hold is LB (L1 on PS3).... Y (or Triangle on PS3) is check/hit.

# 2 [Icy] @ 09/25/08 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKryptic


	hook/hold is LB (L1 on PS3).... Y (or Triangle on PS3) is check/hit.

Not with default controls. With default, as the article properly says, triangle is to hook/hold.

# 3 CRIP4LIFE @ 09/25/08 05:54 AM

oh youre correct... im stupid actually. i use classic controls. sorry for being wrong.

# 4 mercalnd @ 09/25/08 10:24 AM

Good tips. But the crouching is hardly a "last resort" move. It's much more efficient at blocking passing lanes than just standing there and trying to use the poke sweep. While the poke sweep may cover a wider area, the crouch is more reliable since it offers a bigger and stationary obstacle. You can easily whiff with the poke sweep, not so much when crouching in the passing lane.

# 5 StormJH1 @ 09/25/08 03:36 PM

I tend to think that the diving animation is the only reliable way to block a pass into the lane from the outside. It covers the most space on the ice and is much easier to control than the "shaft down" method, which seems to face the wrong direction a lot of the time.

The problem with diving is that it would result in a penalty almost any time somebody tripped over you in '08. In '09, I haven't noticed this problem as much. I think the biggest problem for these controls on 360 is that the LB and RB buttons aren't very reliable, so you can hit them by accident a lot, or think you're pressing it but nothing happens.

# 6 kerosene31 @ 09/25/08 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercalnd


	Good tips. But the crouching is hardly a "last resort" move. It's much more efficient at blocking passing lanes than just standing there and trying to use the poke sweep. While the poke sweep may cover a wider area, the crouch is more reliable since it offers a bigger and stationary obstacle. You can easily whiff with the poke sweep, not so much when crouching in the passing lane.

Yeah, I find myself using it a lot. It can be really useful. It also seems to help with shot blocks, as shots seem more likely to hit you when you are crouched.

# 7 Matt Diesel @ 09/25/08 05:57 PM

If you are a D man, in front of the net with an opponent positioned face to face with you and you hit the hook button, you will tie up that players stick hands. I have only done this a few times and you have to be careful to be facing each other. Else he slashes/hooks.

# 8 Soulburger @ 09/25/08 08:28 PM

Nice article + thread.

I've been slowly getting better at being more defensively sound, getting myself in position first and then going for the poke check. Before I was rushing too much, now I can finish up plays like this:

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/777050

So when an opponent is winding up for a shot or skating into a prime scoring area do you try to block the shot with block pass button? Do you like to do the full slide block shot? Do you just close out and try the poke check? I'm trying to figure out the best technique for blocking shots.

# 9 mercalnd @ 09/26/08 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	Yeah, I find myself using it a lot. It can be really useful. It also seems to help with shot blocks, as shots seem more likely to hit you when you are crouched.

It's pretty darn well imlemented if you ask me. I use it exactly as I would in a real game, as a significant part of playing defense. You can block passing lanes, block shots and even force the puck carrier to stay on one side when he's barreling towards the net. All things you would do in a real game. That's why I commented on the article saying it was a "last resort" move.

# 10 bigwill33 @ 09/26/08 01:26 PM

I meant more of a last resort as in you possibly can take yourself out of a play by going down to block a pass or shot as in the defender could then walk around you or if that puck happens to get through you are not getting back in time to tie up someone or clear a rebound.

The pass block is nice, but they do put drawbacks in for it as well, and as they should. If you decide to block a pass on a two on one your man becomes stationary. If you miss or the player fakes and skates past then you are out of the play as you would have to get your legs going again is all I meant. I probably should have clarified a little better, my bad.

# 11 mercalnd @ 09/26/08 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwill33


	The pass block is nice, but they do put drawbacks in for it as well, and as they should. If you decide to block a pass on a two on one your man becomes stationary. If you miss or the player fakes and skates past then you are out of the play as you would have to get your legs going again is all I meant. I probably should have clarified a little better, my bad.

I still disagree. Your man does not become stationary if you initiate it while skating. Your player will keep gliding while he is blocking the passing lane.

Also, in real hockey on a 2 on 1 it's exactly what you are supposed to do. If you do it right, the puck carrier only has one option and that is to keep skating straight towards the net for a shot and you're even cutting down on the space that he has to try and deke. That leaves the goalie with a fairly easy shot to save.

# 12 Splitter77 @ 09/26/08 03:15 PM

I hope for next year, they allow your player to glide or slowly skate as your lying the stick along the ice. Also- found out for the first time last night, that you can swing the stick along the ice with the right stick, while its down there.

I would also like a stick tie up button for next year. I believe this was in 04, and I still see the annimation from time to time in 09. And a board pinning button wold be great too. Think of how good this game will be with those added defensive features.

# 13 theshare @ 10/26/08 01:13 PM

how do you do spread eagle saves with bap goalie i try everything L1 R1 doesnt do it only does a belly flop on ice with the glove please help cant do the eagle save

# 14 theshare @ 10/26/08 01:14 PM

i click both l1 r1 same time and doesnt do it

More Links

NHL 09 Hockey 101: New Defensive Moves