Trick plays absolutely have a spot in the sport of hockey, and really in any sport. Especially, at the professional levels, teams you are playing against will be aware of the plays that you have practiced and know how you operate for the most part. In order to give yourself an advantage on the ice, you have to spice it up every now and again and show them some flashes of something they aren't expecting. Not only does it make them less certain of every single one of your next moves for quite a while, but trick plays can also give you the tiniest edge that could lead to a goal or perhaps a penalty. When you really boil it down to the core, hockey is as much a mental and intelligent game as it is a somewhat violent and skillful one. You can't win without being smart, and you have to be smart enough to play mind tricks on your opponents by pulling some trick plays if you want to have much success in the league. (177)