Drill Setup:
- 2 lines. Offensive player starts against wall with puck. Defender line is in the middle and has NO sticks!
- Defender has no sticks to really stress their footwork and good positioning to defend the net(bucket).
- For drill offensive player skates the 3 cones as shown. The defender shadows the offensive player and then takes the1 v 1 rush.
- When rush is over the 2 players skate to wear the coach is. Defender picks up their stick.
- The offensive player starts on their knees ~15 feet behind defender.
- Coach dumps the puck in and now it is a puck retrieval and angling situation. The defender is trying to skate the puck past the blue line.
- The offensive player is trying to use angling skills to create a turnover.
Purpose:
- This is a 2 part drill to stress multiple areas we have reviewed. Looking for defenders to apply good footwork and body contact skills in a 1 v 1 rush situation. Looking for the offensive player to use get net drive, deceptive, lateral movement skills to throw defender off.
- With part2, looking for the defender to have good shoulder check and use good puck protection and contact skills to be at the forechecker and skate puck out of the zone. Vice Versa looking for the offensive player to use good angling skills to create a turnover and win the puck back from the defender.
Common Mistakes:
- Even though a simple drill it can encompasses every body contact skill we have gone over to date and therefore all mistakes highlighted in all drills.
Variations:
- Suggestion is to start defenders without a stick for the1 v 1 to highlight having good footwork and positioning habits. Once players show proficiency give the defenders there sticks back and talk about stick on stick skills. Stress that your stick is only a tool to help you defend. 90%of defense is good footwork and positioning.
- Note, it is common for players to actually be better at defending without a stick then with a stick. This is because they know they don't have a stick so they have to take the body, but when they get there stick back they forget the skills that made them successful and start worrying/looking at the puck again. Remind them of those skills, if continues suggest taking their stick away
