Quick answer
To shoot top shelf — up high into the corners of the net — you need to lift the puck quickly and accurately over the goalie's shoulder or glove. The key is getting under the puck with the toe of your blade and rolling your wrists up through the shot, opening the blade face toward the top of the net and following through high. Start the puck slightly back so you have room to load, snap your wrists as you release, and point your follow-through at the top corner. Top-shelf shooting is mostly a wrist-and-follow-through skill, and it's most useful in tight, on breakaways, and when a goalie drops early. Aim small, follow through high, and practice at real targets in the corners.
Key takeaways
- Top shelf means lifting the puck high into the corners, over the goalie.
- Get under the puck with the toe of the blade and roll your wrists up.
- Open the blade face toward the top of the net through the release.
- Follow through high — the follow-through decides the height.
- Best used in tight, on breakaways, or when the goalie drops early.
- Practice at real targets in the top corners, not just "high."
Why and when to go top shelf
Goalies take away the bottom of the net well — they drop into the butterfly and seal the ice — so the top corners are often the most open, especially in tight and on breakaways. Going upstairs beats a goalie who drops early and roofs a puck a sprawling goalie can't reach. But it's a higher-risk shot: miss high and you hit the glass. In thirty years I've learned that top shelf is a tool for specific moments, not a default. Read the goalie — if they're down and covering low, go high; if they're standing tall, the top is covered and low may be better. Placement is a decision before it's a skill.
How to shoot top shelf, step by step
- Start the puck back. Position it slightly behind your body so you have room to load and roll.
- Get under it. Cup the puck and get the toe of your blade slightly under it as you sweep.
- Roll your wrists up. As you release, roll your wrists so the blade face opens toward the top of the net. Cue: "open the blade, roll it up."
- Snap and lift. Snap your wrists to give the puck lift and spin so it rises quickly.
- Follow through high. Finish with your blade pointing at the top corner — the follow-through sets the height.
Coach Erik's tip: The lift comes from the wrist roll and follow-through, not from scooping the puck like a shovel. Players who try to muscle it up end up with a floating, slow shot a goalie catches easily. Roll your wrists up and snap — the puck should come off hard and rise fast, not lob. A quick top-shelf snap beats a slow scoop every time.
Top shelf in tight vs from distance
| Situation | How to go top shelf |
|---|---|
| In tight / net front | Quick wrist lift with the toe, get it up fast over the pad |
| Breakaway | Sell low or deke, then roof it over the dropping goalie |
| Off a wrist shot from distance | Aim high glove; roll the wrists and follow through high |
| Backhand in tight | Open the blade and lift under the puck to roof the backhand |
Drills to build your top-shelf shot
Aim at real targets to train placement, not just power. Hang shooting targets in the top corners of a net and shoot off a shooting pad.
- Slow lift reps. 3×15 wrist shots focused only on lifting the puck cleanly, no power.
- Top-corner targets. 4×10 aiming at a target in the top corner. Track how many you hit.
- Quick roof in tight. 3×10 fast wrist lifts from close range, getting it up fast.
- Backhand roof. 3×10 lifting the backhand into the top of the net.
Build the base with our where to shoot and how and when to shoot low guides — knowing when to go high vs low is half the skill.
Coach Erik's tip: Aim at a spot the size of a puck, not "the top of the net." The players with the best top-shelf accuracy practiced at small targets in the corners, so in a game the whole upper net felt huge. Aim small in practice and you'll rarely miss high when it matters.
Common mistakes
- Scooping the puck. A slow, floating shot. Fix: roll the wrists and snap up, don't shovel.
- No follow-through up. The puck stays low. Fix: finish high, blade at the top corner.
- Going top shelf against a standing goalie. The top is covered. Fix: read the goalie; go high when they're down.
- Aiming at "high," not a spot. Poor accuracy, missing over the net. Fix: aim at a puck-sized target.
- Puck too far forward. No room to load and lift. Fix: start it slightly back.
- All power, no touch. Sails over the glass. Fix: prioritize a clean, controlled lift.
FAQ
How do you lift the puck to shoot top shelf?
Get the toe of your blade slightly under the puck, cup it, and roll your wrists up as you release so the blade face opens toward the top of the net, then follow through high. The lift comes from the wrist roll and follow-through, not from scooping the puck like a shovel.
When should I shoot top shelf?
When the goalie is down and covering the bottom of the net — in tight, on breakaways, or when they drop early. Against a goalie standing tall, the top corners are covered, so read the goalie: high when they're down, low when they're up.
Why does my top-shelf shot go too slow or float?
Usually because you're scooping the puck instead of snapping your wrists. Roll your wrists up and snap through the release so the puck comes off hard and rises fast. A quick wrist snap gives lift with pace; a shovel motion floats it.
How do I aim for the top corners?
Practice at small, puck-sized targets in the top corners rather than aiming at "high." Point your follow-through directly at the corner you want, and hold the finish. Aiming small in practice makes the upper net feel wide open in a game.
Can you shoot top shelf on the backhand?
Yes. Open your backhand blade and lift under the puck, rolling your wrists up and following through high. A roofed backhand in tight is a great scoring move because goalies find it hard to read and cover the top on their backhand side.
Is top shelf harder than shooting low?
It's higher-risk because a miss goes over the net, and it requires a clean lift, so it takes practice. But it's not necessarily harder once you groove the wrist roll and follow-through. The real skill is choosing top shelf at the right moment — when the goalie has given you the top.
Summary
Shooting top shelf is a wrist-and-follow-through skill: get under the puck with the toe, roll your wrists up, open the blade to the top of the net, and follow through high at a small target. Use it when the goalie is down — in tight, on breakaways, or when they drop early — and practice at real targets in the corners. Pair it with our where to shoot and shot types guides, and explore the Hockey Shooting hub for more.
