SKILLS AND MINDSET FOR REGAINING POSSESSION
A player’s ability to dictate the d-zone comes down to their skills and mindset. Join Alyssa Gagliardi, Youth Development Coach with the Carolina Hurricanes, as she breaks down what to look for from a player’s perspective, the skills to focus on, and how to build these skill sets in a progressive way to instil confidence in your players.
1v1 Sealing Off Basics
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
P1 tries to skate from behind the net up along the wall as P2 angles P1 into the boards sealing off their path. Checker tries to place their body between the player and the puck to create separation. Checker should then recover the puck and make a play to the net or make a quick pass to the Coach. The attacking player now becomes the next checker.
KEYPOINTS:
• Checkers should angle puck carrier towards the wall with one hand on their stick, trying to get their inside shoulder inside the puck carrier’s outside shoulder.
1v1 Sealing Off Against Cut Back
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
P1 tries to skate from behind the net up along the wall as P2 angles P1 into the boards sealing off their path. Puck Carrier can cut back the opposite way once they have reached the top of the circles. Checker tries to place their body between the player and the puck to create separation, always ready for a quick change of direction by the puck carrier. Checker should then recover the puck and make a play to the net or make a quick pass to the Coach.
KEYPOINTS:
• Checkers should angle puck carrier towards the wall with one hand on their stick, trying to get their inside shoulder.
1v1 Sealing Off and Outlet Pass
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
P3 starts play by rimming puck down the wall to P1. P1 skates up the wall, protects the puck and may cut back once they are past the hash marks. P2 closes the gap quickly, sealing off P1’s route and tries to separate P1 from the puck. If P2 recovers a loose puck, look to make an outlet pass to P4. Players rotate positions after each repetition.
KEYPOINTS:
• Checkers should angle puck carrier towards the wall with one hand on their stick, trying to get their inside shoulder.
1v1 2v1 2v2 Sealing Off and Low Battle
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
F3 starts play by rimming puck down the wall to F1. F1 skates up the wall protecting the puck from defender D2. Coach can now send in just F3 to create a 2v1 or can send both F3 and F4 to create a 2v2 situation. D2 must quickly read the play and defend accordingly.
KEYPOINTS:
• Checkers should angle puck carrier towards the wall with one hand on their stick, trying to get their inside shoulder.
2v2 Sealing Off and Low Battle
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
F3 starts 2v2 play by rimming puck down the wall to F1. F1 skates up the wall protecting the puck from defender D2. F3 and F4 jump in to create a 2v2.
KEYPOINTS:
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Players communicate to each other what the situation is both on defence and offense.
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Defenders try to force the attackers outside of the good scoring area while trying to recover the puck.
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If there is a quick clear by the defenders, Coach has option of throwing in a second puck to extend play.
Triple Wall Play 1v1
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
F1 will get three pucks in three different situations. First, a low to high pass on the wall, second a high to low pass on the wall and thirdly a loose puck situation from behind the net. Defender checks the puck carrier closely, denying the good ice while to trying to strip the puck away to recover or clear.
KEYPOINTS:
• Defender should maintain good defensive body position at all times while constantly trying to get their stick on the attacker’s puck.
2v2 with Outlet Passer
TIME: 10 min.
DESCRIPTION:
Set up two nets on the goal line in the same end zone. Two teams line up on the blueline in groups of three in each group. Play starts with the Coach passing the puck off of the end boards to start 2v2 play with an outlet passer from each team setting up high near the blueline. All attacks must start with a pass up to their outlet passer near the blueline. To encourage high shots from the blueline with traffic, goals scored off of screen shots, deflections or rebounds are worth two.
KEYPOINTS:
• Upon recovering the puck off of the shoot in or on a turn over, you must make a pass up to your own defenseman.
