When a pro team’s power-play is running at close to 50%, we, as coaches, should definitely stand up and take notice. In the month of February, the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres power-play ran at 43%, with the next closest team in the league running at 19%. Over that 10 game period, which rocketed the team up the standings from 5th place to 2nd place, the Sceptres scored 30 goals total, and a whopping 16 of them were scored on the power-play.
So what made the Sceptres’ power-play so effective over those 10 games?
While the Sceptres definitely scored a few beautiful power-play goals in that run, a lot of their success can be attributed to their phenomenal net front presence on those goals. It certainly helped that Toronto finally got their leading scorer and league MVP from last season, Natalie Spooner, back in the line-up. There is no player in the female game who does a better job in the net front than Spooner - and you’ll see her simple but effective presence on display here in the 3 power-play goals the Sceptres’ scored in a recent game against the New York Sirens - a game where Toronto’s power-play ran at 75%!
3 KEYS TO A GREAT NET FRONT PRESENCE ON THE POWER-PLAY:
- Establish inside position - get behind the opponent’s Ds
- Create a better/moving screen - move across the goalie’s field of vision as the shot comes in to make it much harder for them to track the puck
- Hunt rebounds with numbers - get 3 or 4 players to the net front to hunt for rebounds
SIMPLE DRILL TO WORK ON NET FRONT PRESENCE AT YOUR NEXT PRACTICE - 1v1 LOW TO NET FRONT BATTLE:
DESCRIPTION
1v1 version: 2 players battle for possession low of coach dump in. Whoever wins possession and passes to coach is on offense and is trying to score. Player who doesn't make the pass up becomes the defender and is trying to skate the puck out.
Variations:
- F & D: identify who is attack and defender before puck is dumped in
- 2v1: have two forwards recovering puck and battling for net front position against one defender
- Shooter: change position of shooter (top of circle, on wall so more of an off angle shot for goalie)
KEY POINTS
- Win your battles
- Attacker: take away goalie's eyes and get stick on puck
- Defender: maintain inside position and control attacker's stick
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