Post by Louisa on Jan 3, 2007 3:11:38 GMT
Thought I'd post this seeing as there are many beginners here and I dont mind helping out my fellow cage-ites. I wrote this after a Nottingham Uni game when I felt a 5 minute interval wasn't long enough to teach them how to play positionally!!
If anyone feels that something on here can be improved or is incorrect, please let me know, as I often hand this out to my players.
General
• Man to man marking – there are 5 of them, 5 of us!
• That puck is yours and make sure you get it - don’t miss it!! It is important to win your 1 on 1 battles.
• Communicate out there! You need to talk to each other to tell them where you are and where the opposition is.
• Don’t panic with the puck!
• Give 110% every shift. If you are tired, then get off (at a convenient point in the game).
• When changing on the fly, don’t put the team in any bad situations. Don’t have the entire line changing at the same time. General rule is 3ft within the bench area, another player can get on. Know who you are changing for to avoid “Too many men” calls.
• Improve your skating. Particularly focus on tight turns, stopping, quick starts and power skating.
• Never turn your back on the puck. If you are a forward skating up the ice, you make it hard to receive the puck from behind. Instead skate at an angle (i.e. to the boards) so you can see the pass. Skate backwards if need be.
• At face-offs always try to pass back to your defence.
• The boards are your friend, use them!
• Skating to a puck is easier than stretching for it.
• Always skate with your head up. Ice hockey is a fast game and you need to see what is happening. It helps to know where everyone is on the ice BEFORE you get the puck.
• Know your offside rule!!
Defensive zone – defensive
• Watch the player in front of the net. The defence needs to move them out of the crease.
• Let the goalie see the shots! If they can’t see the shot coming, how can they save it!
• Behind the net is the safest place on the ice, second are the corners. If the defence are skating round the back of the net and are being followed by one of their forwards, just flick it behind you (keeping the puck behind the net). The centre or the other defence should pick it up.
• Our forwards must mark their point men (i.e. their defence). Stick to them like glue! Once we have possession, then step away.
• If the play is very tight and our players are tired, it is ok for the defence to clear the puck over the blue line and forwards chase. If this happens, the puck should NOT be played down the middle of the ice and it should be hit hard enough (or high enough) to prevent the opposition defence from keeping it in the zone.
• Watch for the player on the back post, they are sneaky and often missed by the defence.
Defensive zone – offensive
• When breaking out of our zone, the forwards must come back to help the defence. Wingers should at least be at the hash marks and definitely not over the blue line. Short passes are less likely to be intercepted.
• Never pass in front of the net.
• Make sure the puck gets over the blue line.
Mid ice – defensive
• The forwards should skate back (HARD) and backcheck (where you force the play and try to get them to give up the puck from behind). The forwards should act as the first line of defence and not just watch the opposition skate down the ice.
• When their forwards are coming down, the defence should stand up to them, no later than the blue line (ideally).
• Make sure you angle their forwards to the boards. Don’t let them come down the middle.
Mid ice – offensive
• If the forwards get stuck on the boards and there are no passing opportunities, there’s always the option of passing back to the defence to give you a breather and set-up the play. This allows the defence to pass across the ice where there’s free space.
• If the defence gets stuck and there are no passing opportunities, dump the puck into the zone (making sure you are over the centre red line first) or shoot!
• The forwards shouldn’t skate in a straight line up the ice, they should stagger themselves. There’s no point in passing to someone at the same “level”, the person receiving it should be in front. Also, if you do give the puck up to the opposition, there is no one behind the play to help the defence out.
Offensive zone – defensive
• One forward should forecheck, hassle the opposition players, follow the passes and try to get the puck. They may make mistakes and the forward should be there to capitalise on this.
• The other forwards should start skating out ready to backcheck and prevent passes to the opposition forwards.
• As soon as the opposition has the puck, the defence should start skating back. Typically the defender in the middle of the ice is further back than the other, should anything happen to the defender near the puck. Don’t go for 50/50 pucks, as they will skate around you and possibly be on a breakaway if you miss.
• Watch for the cherry picker (i.e. their forwards behind our defence).
Offensive zone – offensive
• If the forwards are unsure of any passes, dump it into the zone or shoot. Remember to chase (HARD!)
• Never pass on the blue line as confusion can create offsides. Primary objective is getting it over the blue line, then set it up.
• Puck carrier skates the puck in, 2nd forward should crash the net, 3rd player should be high or wide (depending where the puck carrier is on the ice).
• One timers are good; their defence is not going to let you have any time on the puck, so you need to shoot. You can’t score if you don’t shoot!
• Forward should play back in defence if a defender skates the puck in/goes upfront (who should return immediately!!)
• Always have someone in front of the net, they hassle the defence, screen the goalie and can get tip-ins or rebounds. If you get pushed, push back!!
Penalty kill
• One forward should always forecheck (force the play) in their zone and mid-ice, other should be more defensive.
• Play the box (between the 4 of you) when defending.
• Don’t attack any players, instead attack the pass.
• Don’t take any more penalties.
• Aim to get the puck over the blue line, try to ice it. These should be good hard passes.
• If they have control of the puck, no one should go over the goal line… behind the goal line, the puck is safe and they can’t score.
Powerplay
• Don’t ice it.
• Set up the plays, you have extra man so use it!
• Have nice hard passes, you have time and space so use it, there shouldn’t be any long passes.
• Get it into the zone and set it up, typically centre in the corner, winger on boards at hash marks and the other winger on the net. Try to keep possession and shoot.
• Watch for the player coming out of the box. Goalies usually give 5 second warning using their stick.
Most importantly
Have fun!!
If anyone feels that something on here can be improved or is incorrect, please let me know, as I often hand this out to my players.
General
• Man to man marking – there are 5 of them, 5 of us!
• That puck is yours and make sure you get it - don’t miss it!! It is important to win your 1 on 1 battles.
• Communicate out there! You need to talk to each other to tell them where you are and where the opposition is.
• Don’t panic with the puck!
• Give 110% every shift. If you are tired, then get off (at a convenient point in the game).
• When changing on the fly, don’t put the team in any bad situations. Don’t have the entire line changing at the same time. General rule is 3ft within the bench area, another player can get on. Know who you are changing for to avoid “Too many men” calls.
• Improve your skating. Particularly focus on tight turns, stopping, quick starts and power skating.
• Never turn your back on the puck. If you are a forward skating up the ice, you make it hard to receive the puck from behind. Instead skate at an angle (i.e. to the boards) so you can see the pass. Skate backwards if need be.
• At face-offs always try to pass back to your defence.
• The boards are your friend, use them!
• Skating to a puck is easier than stretching for it.
• Always skate with your head up. Ice hockey is a fast game and you need to see what is happening. It helps to know where everyone is on the ice BEFORE you get the puck.
• Know your offside rule!!
Defensive zone – defensive
• Watch the player in front of the net. The defence needs to move them out of the crease.
• Let the goalie see the shots! If they can’t see the shot coming, how can they save it!
• Behind the net is the safest place on the ice, second are the corners. If the defence are skating round the back of the net and are being followed by one of their forwards, just flick it behind you (keeping the puck behind the net). The centre or the other defence should pick it up.
• Our forwards must mark their point men (i.e. their defence). Stick to them like glue! Once we have possession, then step away.
• If the play is very tight and our players are tired, it is ok for the defence to clear the puck over the blue line and forwards chase. If this happens, the puck should NOT be played down the middle of the ice and it should be hit hard enough (or high enough) to prevent the opposition defence from keeping it in the zone.
• Watch for the player on the back post, they are sneaky and often missed by the defence.
Defensive zone – offensive
• When breaking out of our zone, the forwards must come back to help the defence. Wingers should at least be at the hash marks and definitely not over the blue line. Short passes are less likely to be intercepted.
• Never pass in front of the net.
• Make sure the puck gets over the blue line.
Mid ice – defensive
• The forwards should skate back (HARD) and backcheck (where you force the play and try to get them to give up the puck from behind). The forwards should act as the first line of defence and not just watch the opposition skate down the ice.
• When their forwards are coming down, the defence should stand up to them, no later than the blue line (ideally).
• Make sure you angle their forwards to the boards. Don’t let them come down the middle.
Mid ice – offensive
• If the forwards get stuck on the boards and there are no passing opportunities, there’s always the option of passing back to the defence to give you a breather and set-up the play. This allows the defence to pass across the ice where there’s free space.
• If the defence gets stuck and there are no passing opportunities, dump the puck into the zone (making sure you are over the centre red line first) or shoot!
• The forwards shouldn’t skate in a straight line up the ice, they should stagger themselves. There’s no point in passing to someone at the same “level”, the person receiving it should be in front. Also, if you do give the puck up to the opposition, there is no one behind the play to help the defence out.
Offensive zone – defensive
• One forward should forecheck, hassle the opposition players, follow the passes and try to get the puck. They may make mistakes and the forward should be there to capitalise on this.
• The other forwards should start skating out ready to backcheck and prevent passes to the opposition forwards.
• As soon as the opposition has the puck, the defence should start skating back. Typically the defender in the middle of the ice is further back than the other, should anything happen to the defender near the puck. Don’t go for 50/50 pucks, as they will skate around you and possibly be on a breakaway if you miss.
• Watch for the cherry picker (i.e. their forwards behind our defence).
Offensive zone – offensive
• If the forwards are unsure of any passes, dump it into the zone or shoot. Remember to chase (HARD!)
• Never pass on the blue line as confusion can create offsides. Primary objective is getting it over the blue line, then set it up.
• Puck carrier skates the puck in, 2nd forward should crash the net, 3rd player should be high or wide (depending where the puck carrier is on the ice).
• One timers are good; their defence is not going to let you have any time on the puck, so you need to shoot. You can’t score if you don’t shoot!
• Forward should play back in defence if a defender skates the puck in/goes upfront (who should return immediately!!)
• Always have someone in front of the net, they hassle the defence, screen the goalie and can get tip-ins or rebounds. If you get pushed, push back!!
Penalty kill
• One forward should always forecheck (force the play) in their zone and mid-ice, other should be more defensive.
• Play the box (between the 4 of you) when defending.
• Don’t attack any players, instead attack the pass.
• Don’t take any more penalties.
• Aim to get the puck over the blue line, try to ice it. These should be good hard passes.
• If they have control of the puck, no one should go over the goal line… behind the goal line, the puck is safe and they can’t score.
Powerplay
• Don’t ice it.
• Set up the plays, you have extra man so use it!
• Have nice hard passes, you have time and space so use it, there shouldn’t be any long passes.
• Get it into the zone and set it up, typically centre in the corner, winger on boards at hash marks and the other winger on the net. Try to keep possession and shoot.
• Watch for the player coming out of the box. Goalies usually give 5 second warning using their stick.
Most importantly
Have fun!!
