When ice time is tight, you have to make the most of practice. These drills will do just that.

Coaches at the youth level often find it a struggle to prioritize their focus for their player & team development in a given ice session and throughout the week. With so many skills to develop and team play to consider, the time slot for practice fills up rather quickly. Then, factor in special teams play. Penalties for & against are going to happen and you want to have your players and teams well equipped to be organized, have the necessary skills to execute, as well as a level of creativity and problem solving in order to find success.

Youth teams are most likely without the luxury of extra ice prior to or after their practice to work on special teams and any development must fit into their allotted time for the day or week. The implementation of small area games with an emphasis on special teams skills, principles and team play can be a creative way to manage your ice time, all the while allowing for player development across your roster, teaching of key principles, driving competitiveness and keeping it fun. 

Below I will share five small area games that can be implemented into your practice to work on your teams special teams skills & principles. These games will allow all players to participate and develop various technical & decision making skills for your special teams play through a high rate of puck touches, the need for puck support, puck pressure & problem solving. Games vary from possession based support games to cross ice games and finish as in zone games with one net in its traditional position to allow players to make decisions inside of the space that they will have in an actual game. 

1. 4v2+1

A puck possession based game that can be played with multiple groups at a time. Teams can simulate their power play set ups, while penalty killing can be simultaneously worked on by the defending players. The defending team can have one to three players depending the the difficulty & stress you are looking to put the offensive players under. Offensive players can also be encouraged to move along the outside, interchange positions with each other, including the middle support player. 

2. 3v2 Push Down

This game emphasizes tandem work by two penalty killers against three offensive (power play) players. Penalty kill players work together to push the puck to the outside and provide pressure on the player in possession, while also having good position off of the puck & great sticks in order to eliminate seam pass opportunities. Upon gaining possession, the penalty kill players look to move the puck directly to their power player teammates on the other side of the ice. 

3. 5v2 Side By Side

This power play game allows for five player units to work together in tight space against two aggressive penalty killers. Although the spacing is reduced from what’s available in real gameplay, power play players are encouraged to incorporate both their individual and team power play principles. The reduced playing area, as well as the aggressive penalty killers will force the need for communication, scanning, puck support & quick puck movement. Upon gaining possession, the penalty kill players should look to move the puck directly to their power player teammates on the other side of the ice.

4. 5v3 Spread Game

This game is equally beneficial for both power play & penalty kill principles. It is played with four power play players on the outside of the boundaries and one on the interior. The penalty kill players have specific constraints in regards to positioning. One killer is constrained to the bottom half of the playing area, one is contained to the top half, however the final killer is a rover and move around as they see fit, from bottom to top & vice versa. Players on the power play are constrained to their locations, however interchanging of positions can happen amongst an outside and interior player. 

5.  Full Ice PP/PK Game 

A classic game that’s been around for decades, but still holds up as it allows for realistic in zone play, both for the power play and penalty kill. The nature of the game allows for internal competition amongst power play and penalty kill units. I am a fan of this game because of its ability to allow players to work on their specific special teams skills and principles inside of the environment that they will be in during a game. To further enhance the development of your principles, keep track and award points for specific tasks that the power play or penalty kill accomplishes. Puck retrievals for both sides is a prime example, as is specific tactical elements such as bumper touches/shots. Develop your constraints or task based scoring around the principles you want the group to have and the identity you’d like both groups to possess. The environment on this game likely allows for the greats transfer of in zone skills & principles.