How to do a body check in NHL 23

If you’re a hockey fan, it’s safe to say that you are probably acquainted with the physical nature of the sport. Hockey is filled with checks, and much like in the real thing, NHL 23 players can hit their opponents at will while on the ice. The two kinds of checks one should know in NHL 23 are hip and body checks. How can you do a body check in NHL 23? Let’s go over what you need to know.

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How to do a body check in NHL 23

To do a body check, you will need to use the Defense Skill Stick in NHL 23. The Defense Skill Stick in NHL 22 is the right stick on both Xbox and PlayStation.

The direction of the body check will depend on how you shift the stick. For example, if you are attempting to check someone to your left, shift the Skill Stick to the left. If an opposing player is to the right, move the stick to the right.

Keep in mind, though, that body and hip checks do come with risk. Since checks do require physically moving toward an opposing player and performing a hit, doing that could lead to either missing or failing to hit the player before the puck is moved off to another skater. That can be quite the problem, as it can lead to a higher quality scoring chance for your opposition since the checking player is essentially vacating the defensive position to hit a player.

With all of that said, make sure to be careful when trying to do a body check, If you can take the puck with a poke check or stick lift, do it and save yourself from bad positioning.