I have to admit that while I don't really care about the NHL and never watch games on TV, I play an awful lot of NHL 2004. For some reason, I've always been a huge fan of console hockey games, dating back to the wonderful Genesis years, and that passion has stayed with me through the years. There's just something about the fluid grace of my skaters, the thrilling breakaways, and the mullet-rattling hits that gets my heart racing. Most of my time spent with my friends is filled with healthy doses of NHL 2004, with liberal helpings of NBA Street 2 and Halo thrown in for good measure. Our games are always spirited, and by "spirited" I mean profanity-filled, of course. If you've ever seen the hockey scene in "Swingers", you know what I'm talking about.
EA's main goal in updating NHL 2005 was to allow for more creation of open ice, as this is where you can start breakaways and fake out players on the way to the goal. It was for this reason that they instituted a new Open Ice Control mechanic that allows players to utilize free zones in whatever manner they see fit, both on offense and defense. It's a really nice addition to the game, because you can set up personalized plays, as well as get a little help from your AI teammates when you need it.
On offense, there are a few ways to use the news mechanics. Basically, the black and white buttons could be hit when I got a little breathing room, with each doing a different thing. Hitting the black button would call for a pick from my nearest teammate on the opponent who was closest to me. If I was on the move, I could run him right into my buddy's shoulder, and if I was standing still, my teammate would simply block the opponent, freeing me to get open. I found this very helpful on fast breaks right after getting the puck on the defensive end, as taking a guy out would give me more of a numbers advantage on the other end.
If I was to hit the white button, on the hand, control of the player with the puck would be handed over to the computer while I gained control of a nearby teammate. This off-puck control allowed me to set up my player in a spot where he could get a clear shot on net. After getting in position, I hit the pass button, received the puck from my teammate, and blasted one past the goalie.
