What a great way for a young player to get his first major junior goal.
Let’s break down what makes Alex Blais such an effective and projectable offensive player.
First puck: Keep the play alive
The first thing I noticed when I started working with Alex a year and a half ago was his below-average size.
The second thing I noticed was how well he used his body along the boards.
Alex (#22 blue) gains exclusive access to the puck along the right half-wall and then fights off a defender to extend the OZ sequence.
It’s a simple play, but an essential one for what’s about to happen.
Second puck: Get off the wall
After extending the sequence, Alex gets above the play as the High F3, then works his way across to kill an exit on the left side.
After chopping the puck toward a teammate, he keeps his speed and turns onto the dot lane.
Now he is off the wall and in a great position to receive a puck in space.
Third puck: Attack the interior
Alex’s teammate makes a great return pass.
He immediately attacks the interior and draws four defenders before kicking the puck out to the right D.
Then, Alex gets above the level of the puck and presents his forehand.
Fourth puck: Scoring chance
Alex’s route makes it easy for the D to give him a return pass.
Alex blends his catch with a move toward the middle, then releases a shot off his front foot for maximum leverage and accuracy (weight moving toward the net instead of falling away).
The goalie is screened and never sees the puck entering the net low far-side.
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