How to Win at Ice Shootout: Hockey Shootout Tips

Ice Shootout puts you on both ends of the rink. You take five shots and face five, and if it is still level, sudden death decides it. Winning means scoring on more of your chances than the computer does on its own, so you need a good plan for both shooting and saving.

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Pull the goalie out of position

As you skate in, drag left and right to steer. The goalie follows your movement, so a quick change of direction just before you shoot leaves it a step behind. Fake one way, then cut back the other. One sharp move works better than a lot of small wiggles that the goalie can follow.

Shoot at the open corner

Tap the net where you want to shoot, or flick upward. Aim for the corner away from the goalie, not the middle of the net, which is where it is best placed to save. High corners on the far side are especially hard to reach. Avoid the very edge of the frame, though, because a shot off the post does not count.

Do not get too close

If you skate too close, the goalie will poke the puck off your stick. Shoot before you reach the crease, while you still have room to pick a corner. A shot from a little further out with a good angle beats a rushed attempt from right on top of the goalie every time.

Use the first few rounds to learn how this goalie reacts. If a fake to the left worked, it may bite again, but mix your moves so it cannot settle on one pattern. On Easy you can experiment; on Hard, stick to the moves that work.

Making saves

When defending, drag to slide your goalie and tap to drop into a wide butterfly. Watch the shooter for the red wind-up circle: that means the shot is coming. Stay centred on the shooter as it moves, and drop just as the shot is released. Dropping too early leaves the top of the net open.

Handle sudden death

In sudden death, both sides shoot one at a time until one scores and the other does not in the same round. Stay calm and use your most reliable move rather than trying something new. On Hard the goalie and shooter are much sharper, so clean, decisive moves matter even more.

Questions

Is it better to shoot high or low?
High corners on the far side from the goalie are the hardest to save, but aim inside the post so you do not hit the frame.
How do I know when the computer will shoot?
A red wind-up circle appears just before the shot. Get set and drop as it fires.
Where is the best place to aim?
The corner away from the goalie, ideally high. The middle of the net is the easiest to save.
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