Quick answer
A shot fake sells that you're about to shoot so a goalie or defender reacts — dropping into a save, blocking a lane, or freezing — and then you shoot, pass, or move into the space they gave up. To fake a shot well, load it like a real shot: drop your bottom hand, shift your weight, flex the stick, and drop your eyes to where you'd shoot. The fake has to look genuine, so commit to the wind-up and only pull out at the last instant. Use it in tight to freeze a goalie, at the point to get a shot through a shot-blocker, or on a defender to open a passing lane. Sell it, then punish the reaction.
Key takeaways
- A shot fake makes a goalie or defender commit, then you use the space they give up.
- Sell it by loading a real shot: bottom hand down, weight shift, stick flex, eyes to the target.
- Commit to the wind-up — a lazy fake fools no one.
- Freeze a goalie in tight, beat a shot-blocker at the point, or open a passing lane on a defender.
- Pull out at the last instant, then shoot, pass, or drive into the gap.
- Keep the puck controlled through the fake so you can finish smoothly.
Why the shot fake works
Defenders and goalies react to what they read. If they read "shot," a goalie drops early and a defender lunges to block — and both open something up. The shot fake weaponizes that reaction. It's one of the highest-value deceptions in hockey because it costs nothing and creates time and space out of thin air. In thirty years I've watched average shooters become dangerous scorers just by learning to sell a fake — the goalie moves first, and now the whole net is open. The key is that the fake must look exactly like your real shot, or nobody bites.
How to sell a shot fake, step by step
- Load it for real. Drop your bottom hand down the shaft, shift your weight back, and start the shooting motion.
- Flex the stick. Press the blade into the ice so the stick bends — a goalie reads that flex as a shot. Cue: "bend the stick, sell the shot."
- Drop your eyes. Look at the spot you'd shoot; goalies read your eyes and head.
- Pull out late. At the last instant, hold the puck instead of releasing it and pull it to a new position.
- Punish the reaction. Shoot into the opening, pass to the lane that opened, or drive into the space.
Coach Erik's tip: The fake lives in the stick flex and the eyes, not the arms waving around. A goalie reads the blade loading into the ice and your head dropping to the target — do those two things and he'll bite even if you barely move. The players who can't sell a fake are the ones who wave the stick but never actually load it. Load it like you mean it.
Where to use a shot fake
| Situation | Fake to… |
|---|---|
| In tight on the goalie | Freeze them dropping, then shoot high or go around |
| At the point | Freeze a shot-blocker, then shoot through the opened lane |
| 1-on-1 with a defender | Make them block the shot, then pass or drive past |
| On the power play | Fake to shift the box, then slide it to an open teammate |
| On a breakaway | Fake the shot to drop the goalie, then deke |
Drills to build a convincing fake
Groove the load-and-hold on a smooth surface with a shooting pad, aiming at targets or a goalie target so you have a real spot to sell.
- Load-and-hold. 3×10 full shot wind-ups where you hold the puck instead of shooting. Make each look identical to a real shot.
- Fake-then-shoot. 3×8 sell the fake, pull the puck to a new angle, then shoot at a different target.
- Fake-then-pass. 3×8 sell the shot, then pass to a second target or a rebounder.
- Eyes-and-flex drill. Focus only on dropping your eyes and flexing the stick — the two cues a goalie reads.
Combine it with our shot types and where to shoot guides — a fake only works if your real shot is a threat.
Coach Erik's tip: A shot fake is only as good as your real shot. If a goalie doesn't respect your shot, he won't bite on the fake — so keep shooting for real, too. The fake and the shot feed each other: the more you score, the more they honor the fake, and the more the fake opens up.
Common mistakes
- A lazy wind-up. Nobody bites. Fix: load the fake exactly like a real shot.
- Not flexing the stick. The goalie doesn't read a shot. Fix: press the blade into the ice.
- Keeping your head up. No eye deception. Fix: drop your eyes to the target you're selling.
- Pulling out too early. The defender recovers. Fix: hold the fake until the last instant.
- No plan after. The opening is wasted. Fix: know if you'll shoot, pass, or drive before you fake.
- Faking every time. Becomes predictable. Fix: mix real shots in so the fake stays a threat.
FAQ
How do I make a shot fake look real?
Load it exactly like your real shot: drop your bottom hand, shift your weight, flex the stick into the ice, and drop your eyes to the target. Goalies read the stick flex and your head, so those two cues sell the fake even without a big motion.
When should I use a shot fake?
In tight to freeze a goalie, at the point to beat a shot-blocker, on a defender to open a passing lane, or on a breakaway to drop the goalie before a deke. Use it when a reaction from the goalie or defender will open something up.
Why doesn't the goalie bite on my fake?
Usually because the fake doesn't look like a real shot, or your real shot isn't a threat yet. Load the fake fully with stick flex and dropped eyes, and keep shooting for real so goalies have to respect the shot.
What do I do after the fake?
Punish the reaction: shoot into the opening the goalie gave, pass to the lane the defender vacated, or drive into the space. Decide your plan before you fake so you can finish without hesitation.
Can I fake a slap shot?
Yes — a big slap-shot wind-up at the point is a strong fake because shot-blockers commit hard to it. Load the wind-up, freeze the blocker, then shoot through the lane or move the puck. The bigger the threatened shot, the bigger the reaction.
Can I practice shot fakes alone?
Yes. On a shooting pad, drill load-and-hold reps that look identical to your real shot, then practice faking and finishing at a different target. The mechanics — flex and eyes — are exactly what you groove alone before using it on a live goalie.
Summary
The shot fake creates time and space by making a goalie or defender commit: load it exactly like a real shot with stick flex and dropped eyes, hold it until the last instant, then shoot, pass, or drive into the opening. Keep your real shot a threat so the fake keeps working, and always know your plan before you sell it. Build the shot behind it with our shot types and where to shoot guides, and explore the Hockey Shooting hub for more.
