Quick answer
A hockey sauce kit helps you train the saucer pass — a pass that lifts over a stick or defender and lands flat for a teammate to receive. The core pieces are a launch pad or ramp that you sauce off of, and a catcher or net that gives you a target to land the puck in. A single kit (one launch pad, one catcher) is enough to practice solo and groove the lift-and-land. A double kit (two stations) lets two players sauce back and forth or lets you train both sending and a return. If you're starting out, a single sauce combo is the right buy; add a second station when you want partner reps or a competitive game. Match the kit to whether you'll train alone or with a partner.
Key takeaways
- A sauce kit trains the saucer pass — lift it flat, land it soft.
- Core pieces: a launch pad to sauce off, and a catcher/target to land in.
- A single combo is enough for solo practice and grooving the technique.
- A double kit adds partner reps, back-and-forth sauce, and games.
- The skill is control, not power — a good kit rewards a soft, flat lift.
- Buy for how you'll train: alone (single) or with a partner (double).
What a sauce kit trains
The saucer pass is one of the most useful and most under-practiced skills in hockey — it gets the puck over a stick or a defender's body and lands it flat so a teammate can handle it cleanly. It's all touch: too little lift and it's blocked, too much and it lands on edge and bounces. A sauce kit gives you a target to aim the landing at, so you get immediate feedback on every rep. That feedback is what makes the skill trainable at home — you can see whether the puck landed flat in the catcher or skittered past it.
The pieces of a sauce kit
| Piece | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Launch pad / ramp | A smooth surface to sauce the puck off | Gives a clean, consistent send |
| Sauce catcher | A target frame to land the puck in | Instant feedback on your landing |
| Single combo | One launch pad + one catcher | Solo practice, grooving technique |
| Double combo | Two stations | Partner sauce, back-and-forth, games |
See the range on the hockey sauce collection.
Coach Toms's tip: Score every rep for feedback — clean flat landing in the catcher, or not. Take 25 sauce passes and count how many land flat where you aimed. That number is your baseline. What you measure, you improve: when you can land 20 of 25 flat from a set distance, move the catcher back and start again. The skill lives in the landing, not the lift.
Single sauce combo: the solo start
A single sauce combo pairs one launch pad with a sauce catcher, so you can practice alone: sauce off the pad, land it in the catcher, repeat. It's the right first buy for grooving the lift-and-land, because you get hundreds of feedback-rich reps without needing a partner. Cue: "lift with the blade cup, land it flat."
Double sauce kit: partner reps and games
A double sauce combo gives you two stations, so two players can sauce back and forth or you can set up a return. This unlocks partner practice and competitive games — saucing into each other's catchers, keeping a streak, or playing to a score. If you train with a sibling, teammate, or parent, the double kit turns sauce practice into something you'll come back to.
Coach Toms's tip: Start close and earn distance. Most players try to sauce too far too soon, add power, and the puck lands on its edge and bounces. Set the catcher at a short distance until your landing is consistently flat, then move it back a step at a time. Distance is a reward you unlock by controlling the landing, not a starting point.
How to choose: quick path
- Training alone? A single sauce combo — pad plus catcher.
- Training with a partner? A double kit for back-and-forth and games.
- Want it competitive? Two stations let you play to a score.
- Tight budget? Start single; you can add a second station later.
- Already have a smooth surface? A catcher alone can get you started, but a launch pad gives a cleaner, consistent send.
Common mistakes
- Adding power for distance. The puck lands on edge and bounces. Fix: start close, control the landing.
- No target to land in. No feedback, no improvement. Fix: use a catcher and score your reps.
- Only saucing forehand. Games need backhand sauce too. Fix: train both sides.
- Flat blade, no cup. The puck won't lift flat. Fix: cup the puck and roll it off the blade.
- Rough surface. A poor send ruins the rep. Fix: sauce off a smooth launch pad.
- Skipping receiving. A sauce is only useful if a teammate can catch it. Fix: practice receiving the sauce too.
FAQ
What is a hockey sauce kit?
It's training gear for the saucer pass: a launch pad you sauce the puck off and a catcher you aim the landing at. Together they let you practice lifting the puck flat over an obstacle and landing it softly, with instant feedback on every rep.
Do I need a launch pad or just a catcher?
You can start with just a catcher and a smooth surface, but a launch pad gives a cleaner, more consistent send so your reps are comparable. For grooving technique, the pad plus catcher combo is the most useful setup.
Should I buy a single or double sauce kit?
Buy a single combo if you train alone — it's everything you need to groove the lift-and-land. Buy a double kit if you train with a partner and want back-and-forth sauce or competitive games. You can always add a second station later.
Why does my saucer pass land on its edge?
Usually because you're adding power for distance instead of controlling the lift. Start closer, cup the puck and roll it flat off the blade, and only move back once it's landing flat. Distance comes from control, not force.
Is a sauce pass worth practicing at home?
Yes — the saucer pass is one of the most useful and least-practiced skills in hockey, and it's almost entirely about touch. A sauce kit gives you the target and feedback to build it with hundreds of home reps.
How far should I sauce the puck?
Start at a short distance where you can land it flat consistently, then extend a step at a time. There's no ideal number — the goal is a flat, soft landing, and you earn distance by keeping that as you move back.
Summary
A sauce kit makes the saucer pass trainable at home: a launch pad for a clean send and a catcher for instant feedback. Get a single combo for solo practice or a double kit for partner reps and games. Start close, score your landings, and earn distance by controlling the flat landing. Build the technique with our guides to passing and receiving a pass.
