Influence, Angle, Attack!

Influence: (noun). A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events.

What if you knew what your opponent was going to do before they did?

Players are often taught to 'read and react' to the play in an effort to dictate on the ice.

What about influencing the play to gain the upper hand on your opponent?

We use (or attempt to use) the power of influence every day.


When you describe how careful you'll be with the car if you're allowed to take it out on the weekend? That's Influence.

When you tell your folks that you'll do better on the next test and that there were distractions beyond your control before handing them the paper to sign? Influence.

When you list the top ten reasons why you should have an iPhone, number one being that you'll use it only for good, not evil?

Influence.

You're taking control of events so you can impact the outcome, usually in your favor.

Why not apply influence to your play on the ice?

When you influence you're in control, guiding the play or situation. When you react, someone else is in control, and you're basing your next move on how they've influenced you.

Note well: A big part of influencing the play in hockey is the use of proper angle and taking time and space away from the other player.

Here's a strategy that I've had success with. It's called I. A. A. (Influence, Angle, Attack) and it's a strategy you can use anywhere on the ice.


Influence: Instead of waiting for the other player to make a play, and then reacting, steer the opposing player to a general area of the ice that gives you an advantage. A good example of this is a D-man 'cheating' a step or two to the middle on a 1-on-1, giving the forward a feeling of being able to take the outside lane.

Angle: Once you've influenced the player to a certain area on the ice, you can then take the proper angle to make sure your opponent has nowhere to go and then begin to quickly take away their space (and time).

Attack: Close the gap on your angle until you body check, battle, and win the puck. For players in non-checking hockey it's taking their space or lane away. For those in checking hockey it's about a good old fashioned pasting, before you, or a teammate pick, up the puck.

5-Minute Major:

When you're sitting back, reading and reacting to the play all the time, the other team has the upper hand. Sometimes you have to, it can be the nature of the game at times. If you work on Influencing the play, you'll have the upper hand more often and you'll react less.

Here's a cool video about proper use of angles.

Note how Keith Acton (Former Assistant Coach-Toronto Maple Leafs and long-time NHLer) describes the importance of angling, 'taking the player where HE wants him to go' (Influence).