The Lob Shot

Lob Shots

Not sure about when. The goalie in the above video wasn't that far out, and that lob had to thread such a narrow path that it had to be absolutely perfect to go in.

Is that really when to lob? It seems like faking the shot nearside moved the goalie just enough to lob far-side, but that there was no pre-existing aspect of the situation that invited a lob.

The shooter did not have time or space to improve angle.

The goalie was moving hard near side as a result of a very good dry pass. Off hand side for right arm shooter, so it takes touch. But when executed well, the goalie has no chance.

He lobbed because the goalie left the short side wide open as a bait. As you'd expect with a righty on the "wrong" wing, the defense wants him to take the shot. They're giving him time and space and the goalie's almost printing a formal invite for him to take a shot at the short corner. But, this leaves the goalie with only one option: to move quickly to close the gap at the short post when the shot comes.

The moment the shooter, Gocic, picks up the ball, he realizes this and takes advantage of the goalie being committed. Once the goalie moves toward the post there's no way he can stabilize and step back to reach a lob.

The offense use the goalie's movement momentum against himself. 

The shot looked like a last-second decision, but apparently it was planned by the shooter to work out that way, because he knew that near-side angle was goalie's responsibility. Very smart!

Fast arm action sold the near side. He didn't drop his elbow nor telegraph the lob to come. He did sell near side at the start of his shooting motion. This was a really skilled shot, almost a spin lob from the wrong side.

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