How Can One Lapse in Focus Affect a Hockey Game?
You may think one brief moment doesn’t make that much of a difference. This mindset practically gives you permission to lose concentration or hold back effort during a shift.
It can also become an excuse, “If it weren’t for my play throughout the game, we would have lost anyway.” However, one play can be the difference between winning and losing.
Have you ever had one of those games when everything was clicking? You passed the puck with pinpoint accuracy. You were aggressive and winning loose pucks. You even made a highlight reel play that contributed to a goal in the third period to tie the game.
Hockey is a sixty-minute game; it only takes a few seconds to find yourself trailing in the game. You can’t afford to give 95 percent effort during your shift or have a lapse in focus.
The reality is that every second counts. One missed assignment, one bad line change, or one careless turnover can cost your team the game. This doesn’t mean you need to play a perfect game or that the only way to win is by playing mistake-free.
Instead, it’s about playing the best you can by focusing on the aspects of the game within your control: effort and focus. Each shift is an opportunity to tilt the game in your team’s favor.
When you are fully focused, you can make game-winning plays. When you give 100 percent effort, you can shift the game’s momentum.
When you compete for a full 60 minutes, you will perform at your peak and improve your team’s chances of winning.
2025 NHL Playoffs
During the 2025 NHL playoffs, the St. Louis Blues lost the first two games against the Winnipeg Jets, 5-3 and 2-1. After Game 2, Blues coach Jim Montgomery talked about how one play can make a big difference. Missing an opportunity or letting up for one moment can cost you the game.
MONTGOMERY: “Winnipeg made one more play than us. Both games. Shots are dead even. So, they’re just making one more play, and their best players are making them.”
Blues defenseman Colton Parayko piggybacked off Montgomery’s comment, stating that the Blues need to focus and fight for the entire 60 minutes. A lapse in focus can be the deciding factor in a game.
PARAYKO: “[We just need to] continue to make sure we push as a group all three periods. That’s the biggest thing, putting together 60 full ones. The playoffs are super tight, especially these Central Division games. Right from the regular season, they’re all tight, and the playoffs are even tighter. So, one mistake could cost you a game.”
The best players understand that playing hard every shift isn’t optional. It’s a matter of staying mentally sharp, taking advantage of your opportunities, putting your teammates in position to make plays, and giving all-out effort even when you’re tired.
Championship teams play the full 60 minutes, and that consistent approach leads to consistent results.Treat every shift like it could decide the game, because it might. Stay locked in and give full effort from the first puck drop to the final buzzer.
Related Articles on Hockey Mental Game:
- Pro Mindset for 3rd Period in Hockey Game
- How to Create a Winning Mindset for Hockey
- Your Mindset and Finishing Hockey Games
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on Spotify
Mental Performance Coaching to Improve Hockey Performance
Do you look like a star in practice, but find yourself under-performing in games? If so, you can benefit from mental game coaching for hockey players. In fact many players struggle with the same problem. Do any of these statements sound familiar?
- I’m so frustrated with my hockey performance in games that I feel like giving up!
- I feel like I lose my confidence when I go play in games.
- No matter how hard I practice I can’t seem to get results in competition.
- I wish I could play with the same confidence in games that I have in practice.
- I feel like I play tight, cautious or that I try to not make mistakes in games.
If the above statements sound familiar to you, then you could benefit from mental training for hockey coaching.
Contact Us for Details
Please contact us today to learn how mental coaching works and to request details and pricing on all mental training programs. Complete the web form below or call us toll-free.
Please provide your name, email, sport and role below:
Please contact us today to learn how mental coaching works and to request details and pricing on all mental training programs. Complete the web form below or call us toll-free.
Please provide your name, email, sport and your role below:
Dr. Patrick Cohn helps athletes and teams worldwide from a variety of sport backgrounds improve mental toughness for sports. He’s helped junior to NHL hockey players improve their mental toughness.
As the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports (Orlando, Florida), Dr. Cohn is dedicated to instilling confidence, composure, focus, and teaching powerful mental game skills to help athletes, teams and corporate professionals perform at maximum levels.
Dr. Cohn also teaches sports parents and coaches of young athletes how to help athletes achieve peak performance through sports psychology training. In addition, he teaches his mental game coaching system, the MGCP certification program (Mental Game Coaching Professional) to qualified coaches, trainers, and sports psychology students in training.