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I’ve recently gotten into writing a story. The story is heavily based on ice hockey being played by an American who’s forced to move to Hokkaido, Japan which is normally flipped with prospects coming out of Japan to play in the US typically. My story faces heavily off hockey which could be hard to describe at times especially for people who don’t know much about it. I added an auxiliary adding some slang definitions and rules to make it more clear. My main issue is that I’m not too sure if my writing is working well enough to explain what is going on. Though it sounds clear to me I’ve played hockey my entire life. So as someone who has never played would it be hard to understand. I’ll quote some parts of the story below for feedback. I also want some opinions on how hockey orientated it should be. I still want school life to make an impact in the story but I’m not sure how much.

Here’s a scene from my most recent chapter as an example. I will note it does sound rather sloppy from my other scenes but whatever:

“Next attempt, the coach throws the puck again this time to the other winger instead of the boards. A defenseman blocks our path for a pass so I skate back to the blue line for a pass. The defenseman doesn’t even realize I had moved back, error on his part, because the winger passes to me wide open. The defender steps back up to me trying for a poke check. I pull the puck back and nutmeg him through the legs, I try to step around him but he kicks the puck out from his legs to the side before I can get to it. This pushes me off course as I have to go for the puck. 
I look for any pass lanes. One is covered by the other defender, but the other is wide open to the side of the goalie. I skate full speed towards him. He waits for me to get backdoor for the shot when the first defender I nutmegged skates up to challenge him. His windmill deke leaves the defender completely lost and sets me up with the backdoor pass, but the goalie has already read it. He’s gotten fully across to my side.
I’m already wound up for a slapshot, but all I’m going to hit is padding. I fake the shot and pull back, looking for another pass. It’s no use. The defender is crouched down and blocking the lane. I could try to sauce it over him, but there’s no guarantee it gets through.
I change tactics.
I turn back toward the blue line and skate towards it, circling around the top of the circle before coming back down with speed. Both defenders are ready for me now, but my hands can beat them. I’m sure of it.
One tries to poke check me as I skate straight at him. I pull the puck behind my skate, waiting for him to commit. Then I pull it through my own legs and hold it to my left, slipping around him.
I’m about to turn right and attack the other defender, but instead I pull farther left. I turn with my back toward him and the goalie, bringing my legs together as I pull the puck back and complete the spin.
The defender is completely lost. I’m alone with the goalie.
I stickhandle left, then hard right. The goalie commits too far, leaving the net open. I’m about to release my shot when I realize my stick feels lighter than it did a second ago.
I turn around.
I turn around to see it lifted in the air as the defender scoops up the puck. He immediately passes up to his teammate as they skate out of the zone.”

Posted Sep 30, 2026, 3:32 AM UTC

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