Quick answer
Playing the net front means getting to the front of the opponent's net and doing the dirty work that produces most goals: screening the goalie, tipping point shots, and pouncing on rebounds. To do it well, establish position between the goalie and the shooter, stay strong on your skates so you can't be pushed out, keep your stick on the ice and eyes on the puck for tips and rebounds, and be ready to bang home loose pucks. It's not glamorous and you'll take cross-checks, but the net front is where the highest-percentage goals are scored. Win your position, make the goalie's life miserable, and be first to every rebound.
Key takeaways
- Most goals are scored from the net front — screens, tips, and rebounds.
- Establish position between the goalie and the shooter to screen.
- Stay strong and low on your skates so you can't be pushed out.
- Keep your stick on the ice and eyes on the puck for tips and rebounds.
- Be first to every loose puck and bang it home.
- Expect contact — net-front play is hard, physical work.
Why the net front wins games
Watch where goals actually go in — most come from within a few feet of the net: tips, rebounds, and shots the goalie never saw through a screen. Pretty end-to-end goals are rare; net-front goals are the bread and butter of scoring. That's why coaches value players who'll go to the hard areas. When I played, the net-front players weren't the flashiest, but they scored the ugly goals that win games, and they made every point shot dangerous. If you want to score more, spend more time in front of the net — that's where the puck goes in.
Screening the goalie
A screen takes away the goalie's eyes. Establish position right in the goalie's sightline to the shooter, close enough that they can't see around you but without interfering illegally. Stay strong and low so a defenseman can't shove you out of the way, and don't watch the shot — feel it and be ready to tip or find the rebound. Cue: "eyes on the puck, feet planted." A good screen turns an easy save into a goal because the goalie reacts late to a shot they picked up too slow.
Coach Joel's tip: Net-front is a battle you win with your lower body, not your stick. The defensemen who couldn't move me were the ones I scored on all night — I got a wide, low base, planted my feet, and held my ground in the blue paint's edge. If you stand tall, you get shoved out; if you sit into a strong stance, you own that ice. Leg strength and stubbornness are a net-front player's best tools.
Tips and rebounds
| Skill | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Screen | Get in the goalie's eyes, stay strong, don't watch the shot |
| Tip | Stick on the ice in the lane, redirect the point shot with a soft blade |
| Rebound | Watch for the puck off the pads, be first to it, shoot fast |
| Loose puck | Bang it home before the goalie recovers or a defender clears it |
For a tip, get your blade into the shot lane and redirect the puck with a soft, angled blade — you're changing its direction, not swinging at it. For rebounds, anticipate where the puck will kick off the goalie and be moving to it before it lands, then shoot immediately. Speed and anticipation beat raw skill here.
Drills to build net-front play
Net-front play rests on leg strength, balance, and a quick release. Build the base with a slide board and tiles, and practice tips and quick shots at a net with a shooting pad.
- Strong-base holds. Get low and wide, have a partner push you, hold your ground. 5×20 sec.
- Tip reps. Redirect passes/shots with a soft blade in the lane. 3×10.
- Quick rebounds. React to a loose puck and shoot it fast. 3×10.
- Screen-and-find. Hold a screen, then find and shoot a rebound. 10 reps.
Combine with our in-tight scoring, shoot low, and battle guides.
Coach Joel's tip: Keep your stick on the ice at the net front, always. Rebounds and tips happen in a fraction of a second, and a stick up in the air can't do either. The net-front players who scored the most had their blade flat and ready every second they were there — so when the puck came, they were already in position to bang it home.
Common mistakes
- Standing too tall. Easy to push out. Fix: get low and wide, plant your feet.
- Watching the shot. Miss the tip and rebound. Fix: eyes on the puck, ready to react.
- Stick off the ice. Can't tip or bang rebounds. Fix: keep your blade flat and ready.
- Drifting out of the lane. No screen. Fix: stay in the goalie's sightline.
- Slow to rebounds. The chance is gone. Fix: anticipate and move to the puck early.
- Avoiding contact. You leave the hard area. Fix: accept the cross-checks and hold your ground.
FAQ
Why is the net front so important for scoring?
Because most goals are scored from within a few feet of the net — tips, rebounds, and screened shots. Pretty long-range goals are rare, so the net front is where the highest-percentage chances happen. Spending time there is one of the surest ways to score more.
How do I screen a goalie effectively?
Establish position in the goalie's sightline between them and the shooter, close enough that they can't see around you, and stay strong and low so you can't be pushed out. Don't watch the shot — feel it and be ready to tip or find the rebound.
How do I tip a puck at the net?
Get your stick blade into the shot lane and redirect the puck with a soft, angled blade — you're changing its direction, not swinging at it. Keep your stick on the ice and your eyes on the shooter so you can meet the puck as it comes through.
How do I get more rebounds?
Anticipate where the puck will kick off the goalie's pads and be moving to that spot before it lands, then shoot immediately. Keeping your stick on the ice and staying ready lets you pounce on loose pucks before the goalie recovers or a defender clears them.
How do I stop getting pushed out of the net front?
Get a wide, low base with bent knees and plant your feet, using your leg strength to hold your ground. Standing tall gets you shoved out; sitting into a strong stance lets you own that ice. It's a lower-body battle, so build your leg strength.
Do I have to be big to play the net front?
No — you have to be strong on your skates and willing to compete. A low, wide base and leg strength let a smaller player hold net-front position against bigger defensemen. Positioning, balance, and stubbornness matter more than size.
Summary
Playing the net front is where the ugly, high-percentage goals are scored: screen the goalie by winning position in their eyes, stay low and strong so you can't be moved, keep your stick on the ice for tips, and be first to every rebound. It's hard, physical work, but it's the surest way to score more. Build the tools with our in-tight scoring and battle guides, and explore the Hockey Training hub for more.
