It's just three simple words but they can change the direction of a game.

Gone are the days when a defenceman can rely on a hook, slash or an obstruction to defend an offensive player. With an increased emphasis on speed in today's game, we need to work towards a puck first, then body mentality.

Referees have a heightened awareness for the clutch and grab in an attempt to defend. Now, more than ever an active, responsible stick is an important tool to defend.

An active stick reinforced, by proper body positioning and skating technique, is an undervalued skill in today’s game. How you position yourself and your stick will dictate what your opponent can and cannot do.

Forecheckers can also use the stick-on-puck technique to:

• disrupt the puck carrier
• take away passing lanes 
• create turnover situations

By keeping an active stick on the ice, it also prevents players from taking an unnecessary penalty for not being in control of their stick like in the Jordan Staal highlight in the video above. However, an errant stick can also get called for tripping, so players need to pick their spots wisely.

A lot of being able to use the Stick on Puck strategy properly is being able to pick up on opponent’s tendencies and also knowing which circumstances you can take advantage of. Figuring out the timing of holding your reach helps to create turnovers.

Having an outstretched stick forces the offensive players to work around the defenders instead of having defenders react to what the offence is trying to create. The stick can act as an obstacle as well, slowing the momentum of a puck or deflecting it.

Sometimes it’s the small details that can make the big difference.