DEVELOPING GOOD HABITS FOR ANGLING

It’s one of the most important individual skills tactics in the game of hockey. Project Hockey Founder Danny Heath walks you through the development process for teaching a player how to close gaps and properly angle.

TIME: 10 min.

DESCRIPTION:

P1 passes cross ice to P2 to start drill. P2 skates hard up into the middle zone, around the tires/cones and tries to drive to the net after coming around the last tire. P1 gaps up on P2 mirroring P2’s movements before angling P2 to the wall.

KEYPOINTS:

• Checker get on the inside shoulder of the puck carrier.
• Steer/direct the attacking player to the wall with one hand on the stick, stick on the ice in the passing lane.
• Taking a good angle will close out the attacker.

TIME: 10 min.

DESCRIPTION:

Two players start at the same time. Both players cross their blue lines and cut back. Coach calls name early of player who will receive the pass. Second player must come across, gap up and angle him off into the boards.

KEYPOINTS:

• Checker gap up and get on the inside shoulder of the puck carrier.

• Attack the puck carrier with stick on the ice in the passing lane.

• Squeeze the puck carrier into the wall preventing a cut back into middle ice.

• Whoever has puck possession by the top of the circle gets to attack the net.

TIME: 10 min.

DESCRIPTION:

Place a net sideways against the end boards. P1 and P2 start on the whistle, skating complete loops around the rink dividers. P1 tries to drive to the net as P2 tries to angle P1 to wall.

KEYPOINTS:

• Cones or tires can be substituted for the rink dividers.
• Checker get on the inside shoulder of the attacker, stick on the ice in the passing lane.
• Try to separate attacker from the puck by getting body and stick into the puck carrier, placing your body and stick between the puck and the puck carrier’s body.

TIME: 10 min.

DESCRIPTION:

This game can be played 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3 cross ice. Coach starts play by dumping the puck to one corner or the other. On the puck side, P1 can skate directly to the puck and try to score. P2 must first skate around the tire then take a good attacking angle to force P1 to the wall and recover the puck. Play continues 1v1 until a goal is scored or until the whistle. Progress to 2v2 and 3v3.

KEYPOINTS:

• Checker take a good attack angle to force puck carrier outside.
• Active stick while attacking the body, hunting for the puck and body at the same time.

TIME: 10 min.

DESCRIPTION:

Two players start back-to-back in the faceoff circle. On the whistle, players battle 1v1 trying to knock the other player’s puck out of the circle while keeping their puck in the circle. The winner of the 1v1 is on offense and clears the zone, rounding the tire and trying to drive down the wall to the net. The defending player must gap up and angle the attacking player to the wall.

KEYPOINTS:

• Protect the puck.

• Active stick.

• Defender set a tight gap and take a good route.