We’ve all been in a match where you are one goal behind or drawing, and you need to score, or your season is over.
In NHL 23, one option you have at your disposal is to pull your goalie from the game and replace him with another out-player.
As you would imagine, this gives you another skater to utilize in attack while leaving your net empty. It is a highly risky move and leaves you very susceptible to letting in another goal, so it should only be used as a last resort with a few seconds left on the clock.
However, it can be an effective way to claim a last-gasp winner or goal for a draw. This article will teach you how to pull your goalie in NHL 23 without having to pause the game and break up an attack.
How to pull the goalie in NHL 23
Fortunately, with basic controls, pulling a goalie in NHL 23 is relatively easy to execute. To pull the goalie on Xbox, you must press LB and View at the same time. This action will remove the goalie from the cage and replace him with another outfield skater.
For Playstation, the controls are very similar, hitting L1 and Share simultaneously. If you manage to score and there is still time left on the clock, you can remove your extra skater from the ice and sub your goalie back in by using the same buttons.
Things to Consider When you Pull Your Goalie
You must bare in mind a couple of things when it comes to pulling your goalie in an NHL 23 match.
You don’t need to pull your goalie from the ice if the opposition has a delayed penalty. Once a penalty is taken, your goalie automatically gets pulled from the ice and replaced with an extra skater until the penalty play ends.
Secondly, you have the power to pull your goalie at any time during an NHL game, but that doesn’t mean you should pull your goalie earlier.
As a rule of thumb, you should pull your goalie no earlier than when there are two minutes left in the game and only if you are one or two goals behind. If you are losing by three or four, it is unlikely you will be able to come back from such a big deficit.
Other Options You Can Try to Score a Late Goal
Pulling your goalie and replacing him with an outfield player is not the only way to break down your opponent’s defense and score that all-important goal. You can also utilize skill moves or intricate shots to try and beat the opposition goalie.
To help you beat the most robust defenses, learn how to deke and do a wrist shot, as these two skills will greatly increase your chances of scoring.
Final Thoughts
Pulling a goalie should be the last resort that you go to when trying to score. It can leave you incredibly vulnerable to letting in another goal, so you should only use it when you need to score, not just when you want to score another goal.
It is a great tool to use when you are in a must-win cup match because it might just let you get the goal you need to push overtime or win the game.
Besides, if you are going to lose and get knocked out of the Stanley Cup, losing 2-1 or 3-1 doesn’t make a difference. So get your goalie off the ice and give everything you have with one last attack!
