What are your strategies, techniques for entering the zone?. I find myself too often getting hit or poke checked at the blue line. How do you find is the best way to penetrate the zone. One on one move, cut to the middle, manual deke. Would love to see some tips on variety of moves that can be used to gain the zone without losing possesion.

First I'd like to say that you should vary the way you enter the zone. With that said, here's a default tip:

Try to carry the puck from one side of the ice over to the other when entering offensive zone (in an effort to loosen up the defense since many human players play puckside). Also move in a zig zag manner, making you harder to hit. After crossing the red line, look for an opening - if there isn't one, dump the puck into the corner - if you think you can get through, try to do so with stick dekes (if facing poke checks) and loose puck dekes towards the half boards (if facing body checks). If you still got the puck:

1) Bring it down to the corner
2) Pass it back to the point, if I got an open team mate there
3) Protect the puck by the half boards until I have team mate to pass
4) Send a wrister towards goal and try to pick up a rebound
5) Dump it.
6) If you got no other options - pass it back into neutral zone.

If you're going to dump the puck you need an aggressive forecheck, otherwise you won't win the puck very often.