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JD’s Tip
Face-Offs
Hockey is one of the few sports in which possession goes up for
grabs every time play stops. Win the face-off, and you control the
puck. Control the puck, and you control the pace, tempo, and, very
likely, the outcome of the game.
In
NHL Rivals 2004
, think of face-offs as a game of
Rock, Paper,
Scissors
. When the ref drops the puck, you can press one of three
buttons:
A
(win clean),
B
(tie up stick), or
X
(body block). Your
opponent has the same three options. Here are how the moves
stack up:
B
beats
A
A
beats
X
X
beats
B
If both players press the same button at the same time, the
puck will go to the player with the better mullet. (Just kidding. It’s
randomly determined.)
You can try to fake out your opponent before the
face-off. If you’re on the away team, press
A
,
B
, or
X
before the puck falls—you’ll mimic that face-off
move and possibly dupe your opponent into relying
on the countermove during the real deal. If you’re on
the home team, use the
l
or
r
to raise and lower
your stick. This might trick your opponent into showing
which move he plans to make.
Player Roles
and Special Moves
In hockey, players fit into certain niches. In
NHL Rivals 2004
,
there are four Player Roles—each of which has at least one special
move that gives him an edge in doing what he does best. All
special moves can be executed by holding and then releasing
B
.
Enforcers
These are the big bruisers of the NHL. They might not be
the most agile skaters or gifted shooters, but they do a great job
of clearing out shooting lanes and protecting their teammates.
Bump and Go
This move with the puck lets enforcers turn the
tables on would-be defenders, knocking them out of the way while
keeping control of the puck.
Can Opener
This move without the puck is a brutal
hit that turns an unsuspecting opponent’s world
upside down.
Agitators
These guys are the flies in
the ointment who love to throw
other players off their game.
They’re tough and persistent and
specialize in getting in the face of
opposing snipers.
Protect the Puck
This move with the
puck helps agitators keep the biscuit
away from opposing players.
Face Wash
This move without the puck lets
an agitator literally grind his open glove into
the mug of the other guy.
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© Elsa/Ge
tty Imag
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