An accomplished family attorney with over three decades of experience, Terry Chucas owns and operates his practice in San Diego, California. Since 2008, he has concentrated on representing parents and children in dependency court appeals. An avid reader and traveler outside work, Terry Chucas has also played hockey between ages 7 and 45.
One of the most spectacular shots in hockey is the so-called one-timer. It is a shot unique to the sport that usually involves two players. A one-timer occurs when one of them passes the puck to the other, who, in turn, immediately takes a shot without stopping or handling it.
The name comes from the fact that the shooter has only one time to connect their stick with the puck. This is unlike in basketball or baseball, where the player must first handle the ball before shooting or have the ball in their glove before throwing it, respectively.
While one-timers typically start with a pass from a fellow player, they can also result from off-board bounces, rebounds, and turnovers. What qualifies it as a one-timer is that the shooter fires a shot at the first touch of the puck. Today a hockey staple, one-timers only appear after 1929 when previously forbidden forward passing became part of the game. The shot’s exact origin, however, remains unclear.
A properly executed one-timer significantly increases the chances of scoring. Its power, speed, and suddenness take both defense players and the goalie or goaltender by surprise and make it extremely difficult to defend. Mastering a one-timer is also very hard and requires high passing and shooting skills, perfect timing, and accuracy.
