Purpose:
To develop competitive foot races, defensive angling skills, and offensive puck protection in a live 1-on-1 scenario.
Drill Description:
- Drill runs out of both ends of the ice simultaneously.
- The coach stands with pucks at the bottom of the center circle.
- Two players (F1 and F2) start on the goal line, or just inside the blue line near the boards, depending on space.
- On the whistle, both players sprint up ice toward the blue line.
Drill Execution:
- As the players approach the blue line, the coach fires a pass to one side.
- The first player to touch the puck becomes the offence.
- The second player becomes defence, focusing on closing the gap, angling, and containing the attack.
- Play out the 1-on-1 to the net.
Coaching Points
For Defence:
- Angle with purpose: Use your skating route to guide the attacker wide and toward poor ice.
- Close the gap: Time your approach so you're not giving too much space, but not lunging either.
- Stick positioning: Stick on puck or in passing lanes — active and purposeful.
- Body position: Stay inside the dots, maintain your lane, and use contact appropriately.
- Finish with control: When appropriate, finish the check or pin the attacker with control and awareness.
For Offence:
- Win the puck race: Explode into the puck pickup with urgency and control.
- Get off the wall: Don’t stay wide — attack the middle ice when possible to create better scoring threats.
- Drive the net: Be assertive — take the puck strong to the crease.
- Protect the puck: Use your body, hands, and skating to shield the puck from the defender.
- Read the defender: Adjust speed or angle if they over-commit or open a lane.
