Ottawa Senators Assistant Coach Ben Sexton was responsible for the penalty kill during his first season with the team, and he dug into his philosophies during TCS Live 2024.

For Sexton, it starts with buy-in from his players. It’s essential that the players on the ice are committed to the system in place.They have to be willing to make sacrifices such as blocking shots and getting in passing lanes. To facilitate that, Sexton works on creating a system that leverages his players’ strengths. Sexton singled out Claude Giroux as a player he wanted to add to Ottawa’s penalty kill because of his elite ability to read plays while serving on the power play, which helps him read plays effectively on the penalty kill. 

Sexton makes it a point that all four killers must be on the same page, but also allow their instincts to take over and make smart decisions. 

Within the X’s and O's, Sexton breaks the PK into three areas.

1. Faceoffs: The faceoff will almost always start in the defensive zone and Sexton says the hope is for a faceoff win but that they still prepare for a loss. Off a faceoff win, it’s critical that all players know where to go on the ice, but most importantly that the puck carrier knows where the outlets are so they don’t turn the puck over. Off a loss, different systems are run based on pre-scout information received from the video coach. Regardless of the system being run, everyone needs to know where on the ice they are going. 

2. Forecheck: The key is to establish gaps and break down plays in their zone entries. Different teams will run different zone entries, but the goal is to disrupt their zone entry five feet within their own blue line and get the puck back down 200 feet. When turnovers and chances occur, Sexton encourages his team to be aggressive and work to build momentum off of the kill.

3. Structure: Sexton instructs Ottawa’s PK to keep everything to the outside. Shots outside the primary scoring area is the goal to allow the goalie to make predictable saves from distance. Ottawa’s PK will shift from a box to a diamond depending on the opponent’s pre-scout and puck movement. One rule that Sexton has is if you get beat by a seam pass you can't get beat a second time.

The key to everything is to work as a unit and to constantly pick up cues on the ice on when to be aggressive as a unit and when to protect the guts of the ice. When a puck is bobbled or a shot has been taken and is deflected to the corner, that is when the four killers can be aggressive together. When the puck is on the outside and primarily play is being controlled by the opposition, that’s the time to remain calm and kill the clock. 

Sexton’s passion for the PK is what allows him to strategically put his team in the best position and to help the young Senators core continue to develop in the special teams department.

Noteworthy Timestamps:

• 00:40 Foundations of the PK
• 5:15 Face-Off Ready Mindset
• 10:40 Up Ice PK Forecheck
• 11:30 Forwards side on entry
• 15:10 Defenseman’s side on entry
• 17:20 “4 Go’s” and Shares
• 20:10 In Zone Structure - Box
• 22:55 Box - Inside Dots
• 26:40 Box - Low Plays