How to Do a Saucer Pass in Ice Hockey

A saucer pass sends the puck spinning through the air eight to ten inches above the ground, making the pass extremely difficult to intercept. While some say the saucer pass is risky, in truth the usefulness of the pass has been proved time and again by players on the ice rink. Follow these steps to do saucer pass in hockey.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Mark your target. Since the saucer pass flies through the air it is very important to mark where you want the puck to land so you don't under- or overshoot the mark. Mark the player you are trying to pass to and then aim the pass a foot or two in front of the direction he's skating in so you can neutralize the distance he covers in the time that the puck's in the air.

2. Get under the puck. Once you've marked your target you should set up to hit the puck for a saucer pass. Use your hockey stick to slice under the puck in order to give it lift. You need to resist the temptation to simply slap the puck. Rather, roll it off of your hockey stick so that as it floats it takes on a bit of spin or wobble.

3. Increase the height for longer distance and more players. The height of the saucer pass you use depends on how many other players and how much distance stand between you and your target player. If you're doing a very long pass of more than thirty feet, for example, try to get the puck well off the ground and even out of the reach of the gloves of other hockey players.

4. Receive the pass correctly. Sending the saucer pass is only one half of a successful pass. The player on the other hand must receive the pass correctly to complete it. To do so, the player must receive the pass once the puck has returned to the ice. The receiving player should try to avoid attempting to hit the puck midair with the hockey stick in order to ground it. Rather, let it fall to the ice where it can be received.