One thing we’ve struggled with at times this season is connecting practice habits to game situations. We’ve had stretches where we had trouble exiting our zone cleanly, getting pucks off the wall, and creating traffic around the net. At the same time, we were working a lot on 3v2 rush situations but the transition from one drill to the next never quite matched what happens in a game.
Instead of running three separate drills for those areas, I started looking at one we already use and asking how we could expand it.
Originally this started as a simple 2v1 tip drill. The focus was a shot from the point with traffic at the net and forwards working on tips and screens. It’s a good drill, but I felt like we could get more out of it by connecting the next play that normally happens in a game.
So we tweaked it.
The drill starts with wingers positioned at the blue line, the center behind the net, and a defenseman at the blue line. On the whistle, the first winger comes down the boards and picks up a rimmed puck or a pass from a coach along the wall. The winger then moves the puck up to the defenseman at the blue line.
As that pass goes up the wall, the center and the winger who just made the pass both drive the net. The defenseman moves the puck D-to-D across the blue line and the second defenseman takes a shot on net with two forwards providing traffic and looking for a tip.
As soon as that shot leaves the defenseman’s stick, the second winger on the opposite side comes down the boards and collects a puck from the second coach or a rim along the wall. While that’s happening, the center curls out of the net front area and joins the play.
Now the drill transitions into a full ice 3v2.
The three forwards attack down the ice working on one clean exit pass, one neutral zone pass, and then attacking with purpose. The puck carrier is encouraged to drive wide, one player drives the net, and the third forward stays high as support. The play finishes with a shot and the group stays in that end as the next group begins the drill where the last group started.
What I like about this setup is how many habits show up in a short amount of time.
Players have to work the puck off the wall. Defensemen are moving pucks across the blue line and getting shots through with traffic. Forwards are getting comfortable going to the net for tips and screens. Then immediately after that shot, the players have to transition into a rush situation and execute passes through the neutral zone before finishing the play.
It also keeps players moving. In about ten minutes we can get six to eight reps for each forward group, which means a lot of touches and a lot of game-like decisions.
One of the things I’ve started trying to do more as a coach is look at drills we already run and ask how we can layer more situations into them instead of constantly introducing new drills. When the movements connect to what players see in games, the teaching tends to stick better.
This drill has been a good example of that. It works puck retrievals on the wall, net-front habits, point shots with traffic, and then transitions into a rush attack all in one sequence. It’s been a good way to connect several areas we were trying to improve without breaking the flow of practice.
If you’re looking for a way to work wall plays, net traffic, and full ice attack within the same drill, this modification might be worth trying with your team.
About the Author
I’m Jesse Candela, a U10 Rep A coach and regional scout in the OJHL. I share real coaching experiences, practice ideas, and lessons learned behind the bench in hopes it helps other coaches working through the same challenges.
