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A shot in ice hockey is an attempt by a player to score a goal by striking the puck with his stick in the direction of the net. There are three basic types of shots in ice hockey:
- The wrist shot is the simplest and most accurate shot. The player first draws the puck behind his body with his stick, and then quickly sweeps it forward, imparting spin on the flying puck.
- The snap shot can be executed the quickest. With very little windup, the player violently snaps his wrists to send the puck flying.
- The slapshot is the hardest shot. The player draws his stick back away from the puck, then forcefully brings it forward to strike the puck.
A count of how many shots are taken by a team is kept and this is often used as rough guide to which team is being more aggressive and dominant. A scoring attempt in hockey (as opposed to soccer) is officially counted as a shot only when it is directed on goal, resulting in a goal or requiring the goaltender to make a save. This is called a shot on goal. The numbers of shots and saves in a game are especially relevant to goaltenders, whose save percentage is based on how many shots did not get past them. The number of shots taken by skaters and the percentage on which they score is also measured, but these numbers are generally given less weight.
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