Scoring goals in NHL 23 is the most important aspect of the game, as you can’t win games without scoring more than your opposition.
But you can’t score goals if you don’t have control of the puck. That is why it is important to learn tactics like the hip check to turn over the puck in NHL 23 and mount another attack.
In this article, we will teach you how to hip-check in NHL 23 so that you can regain possession and focus on trying to score another goal.
The hip check is one of the most effective ways to knock your opponent off the puck and potentially knock them to the ice, taking them out of the game momentarily.
What is the Hip Check?
Within NHL 23, a hip check occurs when a player drops into a crouching position alongside the opponent, and pushes their hips into them, making the opponent lose their balance and fall over.
It tends to be implemented near the boards and is a great way of turning over possession.
How to Hip Check in NHL 23
To execute a hip check in NHL 23, you need to become familiar with the right stick. You need to pull the right stick down and press LB or L1, depending on which console you are playing on. If you execute this combination correctly, you will start the hip check animation.
Hip checks are highly effective for knocking your opponent off the puck and momentarily taking them out of the game. Not to mention the fact they look really cool.
It is also a much safer and more consistent move than the body check, and it temporarily eliminates the defender for a couple of seconds, which can be a huge benefit for when you collect the puck and mount your attack.
The hip check is not as aggressive as a body check, but it is easier to execute, and you are likely to have more consistent results.
To give yourself the best chance of executing successful hip checks, you might want to shift the camera angle to gain a better view of the action and time your hip checks to perfection.
You also want to make sure you are using one of the best young players with good defensive attributes to perform successful hip checks.
When to do a Hip Check in NHL 23
In principle, you can execute a hip check whenever your team is not in possession of the puck. You can execute it when near an opposing player by following the controls outlined above.
The best time to use a hip check to get the puck back is when you are skating alongside your opponent, ideally near the boards.
If you find yourself in that position, the hip check can be a fantastic way to win the puck back and leave your opponent outnumbered on defense.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to hip-check in NHL is absolutely essential for any player that wants to quickly turnover possession and mount another attack.
Understanding how to execute this defensive move is just as important as learning how to deke or how to do a wrist shot, as these skills are redundant if you are always trying and failing to get the puck back from your opponent.
