Washington Capitals: 3 ways to get better with team in NHL 20

While we wait for NHL 21, Washington Capitals fans are playing NHL 20.

NHL 21 will hit the shelf in under a month. While we wait for what will be an exciting video game with Alex Ovechkin gracing the cover for the second time, there are ways we can get better in NHL 20 with the Washington Capitals.

The press release from the NHL had this to say about the Great Eight:

“Ovechkin has been one of the most influential and impactful players in hockey and has become something of a muse for the development team, mapping the game’s innovation against the game-changing impact he has had on the sport.”

Alex Ovechkin himself added:

“It’s a huge honor to be on the cover of NHL 21 for the second time in my career. More importantly, I’m glad I’m looking just as good on the cover this year as I did in 2007!”

The new features of the game include a revamped Be a Pro experience, expanded creative gameplay, the new Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) RUSH and World of CHEL additions. The additions offer players an opportunity to create a legacy just like Alex Ovechkin.

Here are three ways to get better with the Caps at NHL 20.

#3 Practice

This one is obvious but practice does make perfect. You want to be ready for when your friends want to challenge you to CHEL and you want to have the edge and get a win for bragging rights.

What I like to do is play with the advanced features of the game. Go from rookie mode to pro mode to get more of a challenge. You can also go even higher than that.

Definitely practice your shooting as that will be critical since the game improved their shooting mechanics after they improved the skating mechanics last year.

Another tip while playing the game is to poke check less. Poke checking in this game can send you to the sin bin and the refs do call it. Although it’s useful to strip the puck from an opposing player, instead try to get used to the defensive stick positioning especially when you’re playing in the defensive zone.

That will ensure that you have way more control over your stick keeping you under five tripping penalties per game.

The old saying practice makes perfect couldn’t ring more true when it comes to improving your skills at video games. Here are two other ways to get better.

#2 Passing

There’s one play I recommend you run if you want to get a quick and easy goal to put the pressure back on your opponent. I was able to get two goals out of Nicklas Backstrom with this play. Why it was Backstrom charging up the ice and not Ovechkin is something I won’t understand.

Backstrom streaked down the ice and Ovechkin set him up with a long pass for a goal. We tried the same play again and it worked.

Another key for passing is to get the whole team involved. Get your defense involved int he play, let them carry the puck up the ice when they have the chance and more importantly, cover for them. Nothing is worse than all five players getting caught trying to pass the blue line at once. Find ways to get the whole team involved.

Another method for the play we mentioned earlier: patience is key. You also have to be patient on defense. Don’t be afraid to take what you have and wait. There’s nothing worse than picking your defensive players and not having your forwards on your side when you have the puck in the offensive zone.

That’s two tips and here’s one more.