Last Updated on Thursday, 20 December 2012 12:12
By Diane Ness
A slide stop is a difficult skill to grasp and understand. Imagine a puck carrier skating into the offensive zone 1-on-2. The skater then makes a hard escape turn towards the boards and delays, waiting for his linemates to give him an outlet as they join the rush. The skater will more than likely execute a slide stop in this situation.
You may ask, “What is a slide stop”? A slide stop is a combination of a power turn and a hockey stop. A power turn is a turn done on both an inside and an outside edge, whereas a hockey stop is obviously a complete stop.Hopefully you will understand the difference between a power turn and a slide stop.
When executing a slide stop, the inside foot will open up slightly. Remember, a power turn is done on two edges whereas a slide stop in done on an inside edge while “sliding” the other skate on an outside edge.
The purpose for sliding that skate against the ice is to be able to turn tighter. The disadvantage is that you may lose speed as you turn. The tighter you want to turn, the more you will open up the inside skate. A power turn is done to maintain speed through the turn, however it tends to be just a little wider, especially at high speeds.
The first way to practice this is to have the skater execute an outside edge stop. If a skater cannot do an outside edge stop, there is no possible way that he/she will be able to perform this skill.
I typically like to have the skater zig zag from blue line to red line, stopping on an outside edge at each line. The skater should have complete control of each stop, making sure the skate “slides” and doesn’t “chatter” on the ice. Once a skater has this skill mastered, the slide stop should come easier.
The best way to have kids work on this is have them skate behind the net with some speed. As the skater reaches the far post, he/she can execute this turn. If the turn is too wide or a sweeping power turn, the skater will run into the boards. There is not much space between the net and the boards so this is a great way for young skaters to make sure their turns are tight enough in this small space.
Notice in the pictures how there is snow coming off of the skater’s foot and that skate is turned in slightly. This is a turn that should be practiced both directions as it is a tougher turn to master than just a basic power turn.
Remember, practice makes permanent so make sure to practice this skill with the correct form and technique. Good luck.
Diane Ness has been a full-time professional skating coach for over 35 years. She has coached both figure skaters and hockey players alike and is a former U.S. gold medalist in figure skating. She is the Director for the Pro Edge Power hockey camps and the Learn to Skate program at Highland Park Arena. Ness is the skating coach for the New Jersey Devils, the University of Minnesota men’s and women’s hockey teams and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. She has trained players in the NHL, AHL, NCAA, USHL and NAHL.
