DRILLS & PRACTICE PLANS

TCS Live 2023 Top 100 Drill Book – John Riley

John Riley Photo
John Riley
TCS+

Check out these drills from John Riley's 2023 TCS Live presentation on Creating Offensive Opportunities by Invading Space.

John Riley is an Assistant Coach with the Norwegian Men’s National Team. Prior to his work with the Norwegian National team, Riley was the Development Coach with the Philadelphia Flyers and spent two years as an Assistant Coach with Princeton University, Yale University and Iona College. In his early days, Riley spent 13 years sharing time between a role as Head Coach of the Kingswood-Oxford and Brunswick high school programs and a math teacher.

Riley’s presentation focused on Creating Offensive Opportunities by Invading Space, using cutbacks, stutter steps, and close hip moves. By initiating contact with defenders, you actually create more space for yourself in the offensive zone. Add these drills to your practice plan to help players become comfortable with invading space.

HUBEY SPACE INVADER W/U DRILL

DESCRIPTION

  • Coach or Player in the middle. First player starts from the neutral zone and skates directly at the p/c. As they approach the p/c they perform a closed hip space invader move to the left or the right.
  • Immediately after coming out of the move, pass to the next player in line.

KEY POINTS

  • Invade space, attack stick and hands.
  • This is an invasive move, not an evasive move.
  • Go through the defender not around.
  • Pass quickly after coming out of the evasive move.Brake Deception

HUBEY SPACE INVADER SHOT

DESCRIPTION

  • Player in between the line of players and the goal. Go with one, two or three lines of players.
  • First player starts from the neutral zone and skates directly at the defending player. As they approach the player, they perform a closed hip space invader move to the left or the right.
  • Immediately after coming out of the move, shoot as quickly as possible. Shooter now becomes a defender and previous defender moves out into the attacking line.

KEY POINTS

  • Invade space, attack stick and hands.
  • This is an invasive move, not an evasive move.
  • Go through the defender not around.
  • Shoot quickly after coming out of the evasive move.

MATTIAS SPACE INVADER

DESCRIPTION

  • Line up two bumper pads as to leave a 4-6 foot gap between them. Coach guards the opening with stick turned upside down to prevent clipping and getting caught.
  • Player takes a figure 8 route and finishes with an “Under the Bridge” move and shot. Can be run out of all 4 corners simultaneously. Player starts out of corner and attacks opening.
  • Coach facing opposite boards defends with his stick turned. F1 uses closed hip move to get through the opening.

KEY POINTS

  • Invade space, attack stick and hands.
  • This is an invasive move, not an evasive move.
  • Go through the defender not around.
  • Shoot quickly as possible after UTB.

DRW SPACE INVADER

DESCRIPTION

  • All dots can be used on the ice except center ice. Purpose of the drill is to have the player use the closed hip and under the stick maneuver to skate through the dot twice and get a shot.
  • Using end zone example, F1 makes a closed hip action at the dot swings back and makes an under the stick move before attacking the net.

KEY POINTS

  • Invade space, attack stick and hands.
  • This is an invasive, move not an evasive move.
  • Go through the defender not around.
  • Shoot quickly after coming out of the evasive move.

NORGE UTB

 

DESCRIPTION

  • Drill focuses on Cutback/Stutter Step and Under the Bridge move. F and D start outside the blue line.
  • F dives low with the puck and engages physically with the D who stays on his shoulder. F protects the puck to the outside and has options: can close hip (Tarasenko) or stutter step before curling to the wall and climbing back out of
    the zone.
  • D follows closely. In N.Zone, F gains some speed and cuts back down the wall on the dot lane. F attacks the stick and hands of the D who is likely to extend his arms as they get close to face off dot.

KEY POINTS

  • Half speed to start. F and D stay connected.
  • F keep puck on outside hip. Sacrifice speed for possession.
  • Deception is primary focus. Tarasenko/Stutter Step.
  • On climb, gain speed and turn to.





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