Four Basic Building Blocks Of Playing Defense

Play Smart:

Know Your Position:

Smart Stick 

                         

Posture

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

2-1-2 Defensive Zone System & Tactics

Czech Republic 2-1-2 Overload Defensive Zone Coverage

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Power Thoughts:

Coaching Tips

Sports Psychology Tips:

1 v 1 Defensive ZoneTactics and Drills

1 v 1 Show Away 

• F1 passes puck to forward
• D Skates to middle ice
• Show the forward away to go
• Play 1 v 1 to finish

1 v 1 Pressure Up

• F1 passes puck to forward
• D pressures up
• D plays Man-You-Goal
• Play 1 v 1 to finish

1 v 1 Protect Middle

• D passes puck to forward
• D pressures up, stops and protects middle ice
• D playing Man-You-Goal
• D shows away for forward to go
• Play 1 v 1 to finish

1 v 1 Take Away Forehand – Force Puck Carrier to Backhand

• D passes puck to forward
• D pressures up, protects middle
• D playing Man-You-Goal
• D shows  forward to go to backhand
• Play 1 v 1 to Finish

1 v 1 Take Away Boards

• D passes puck to forward
• D pressures up, takes away Boards
• D forces puck carrier to middle and pressures Up
• D shows away for forward to go
• Play 1 v 1 to finish

Teaching Points:
Tactics:

Protect the Middle  

• Force your man to boards
• Force the player to backhand
• Pressure up in slot

Take Away

• Take away forehand

Show the Way

• Square your skates and protect middle

Challenge the Shooter

• Body in shooting lane
• Stick passing lanes

Always Pressure Through Middle Ice

• Band things happen when puck is in middle ice
• Pressure and take away angle to net

Individual Tactics:

1. Good Defense Starts with Proper Body Position and Stance.
-Eyes Up
-low Stance
-Knees Bent
-Skates Shoulder width apart

2. The Low Man Always Wins On Defense

3. Stick out in front of you.
-Active Smart Stick (ASS)
-Body in Shooting Lane, Stick in passing lanes

4. Split the Ice in half.
-Do not let the puck carrier to other side of ice
-Initiate Contact if your players tries to enter scoring area
-Do not let a player break you down in center ice

5. Force the Player where you want him to go.
-Force to space on ice
-Force him to his backhand

6. Play the Body. Stick and Puck in that order.

7. Checking

a. Angle Check
-Low stance always win
-Head should be lower then the players arm pit
-Two hands on stick when initiating contact
-Knees bent and explode into puck carrier

b. Straight on Check
-Force the Puck Carrier in the direction you dictate
-Low Stance
-Head under Chin (General Rule)
-Two hands on stick when initiating contact
-Knees bent and explode into puck carrier

Keys:

• Speed but in control
• Get down low, but eyes up
• Come in on angle or circular approach
• Control where the puck carrier is going
• Show him away to go
• Open door to boards or backhand

Terms:

• No free shots
• ASS: Angle, Speed, Show
• ASS: Always Stop Set up
• ASS: Active Smart Sticks

Teaching 1 v 1 Curve Skating Tactics

1 v 1 Defensive Tactic – Force Puck Carrier to Backhand

Read The Puck Carrier Is On Backhand and Pressure Up

Two Playing Rules:

1.  Pressure the puck carrier when on backhand.

2. Defensive players need to  stop in passing lanes. 

2 v 4 Offensive Rush KHL Playoffs

Tactics:

• Keep your stick out in front
• Stay between the forward and the net
• Always play tight gap on even situations
• Always pressure up when outnumbering opposition 
• Maintain good angle

Reads:

• What do the defenders see?
• Read the situation;Uneven, Even or Out Numbered Offensive Team?

Terms:

• Read, Communicate, Pressure Up & Contain

Rules:

• Always know where your man is and the puck 
• Man to man coverage after blue line (Adjust to your system)

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Turkey Stops Set Up:

Turkey’s #11 HAMARAT Galip & #10 TASDEMIR Gokturk Playing Great Defense on Penalty Killing – IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship DIV III 2012

1 v 2 Teaching Tape World University Team

Six Critical Mistakes on Defensive Rush – Japan v. Turkey 2011

Power Thoughts:

Sports Psychology Tips:

Teaching 1 v 1 Curve Skating Tactics

Teaching Points:

1. Good Defense Starts with Proper Body Position and Stance.

-Eyes Up

-low Stance

-Knees Bent

-Skates Shoulder width apart

2. The Low Man Always Wins On Defense

3. Be disciplined and take a curved approach when pressuring. 

4. Stick out in front of you.

5. Force the Player where you want him to go.

-Force to space on ice

-Force to backhand

6. Play the Body, Stick and Puck in that order.

Curved Skating  1 v 1 Side Game:

Instructions:

1. The goal is positioned on side boards in middle ice.
2. Group 1 is lined up on goal line. Group 1 is the offensive players.
3. Group 2 is line up on other side of rink at goal line. Group two is the defensive players.
4. On “whistle,” #2 skate forward to goal crease and passes to Player # 1.
5. Player #1 is on offense and attempts to score a goal. 
6. Player #2 follows the path of the goal line and forces the puck carrier to middle ice.
7. Player two executes curve skating technique and plays 1 v 1.
8. Do not allow the defenders to skating backwards.
9. When the drills finish players change groups. 
10. The drill ends on “whistle.

1 v 1 Angling Drills

Defensive Zone 1v 1 Attack

Instructions:

1. Place 2 cones just short of mid-court on the right side of the court.
2. Players start on the goal line , opposite the cones.
3. The player on the boards has the puck.
4. On “whistle,” both players take off at full speed.
5. Both players go around to middle ice towards goal.
6. The player with the puck becomes offense and the player without the ball becomes the defense.
7. Drill and with shot and rebound
8. Pick up puck and play, second 1 v 1.

*The advantage in this drill is to the offensive player.

Full Ice Double X 1 v 1:  Shooting Under Light Pressure

Instructions:

1. Place 2 cones on the rink, a little higher than the face off circle.
2. Place 2 cone at red line.
3. Players start on the goal line.
4. The player middle ice has the puck.
5. On “whistle,” both players take off at full speed.
6. The players with the puck and the defender cross around the cones two times.
7. Once clearing the second set of cones, the puck handler attacks the goal. The defender plays the 1 v 1. 

*Great drill for developing speed with puck and shooting under light pressure.

Double X 1 v 1:  Angling

1. Place 2 cones on the rink, a little higher than the face off circle.
2. Place 2 cone at red line.
3. Players start on the goal line.
4. The player on boards has the puck.
5. On “whistle,” both players take off at full speed.
6. The players with the puck and the defender cross around the cones two times.
7. Once clearing the second set of cones, the puck handler attacks the goal. The defender plays the 1 v 1. 

*Great drill for developing speed, angling and toughness and shooting under tight  pressure.

                                                                           Shooting Under Light Pressure           

                              Angling



Angling 1 v 1 Plus Offensive Control

                                                 Adjust the cones to, change difficulty. 
Instructions:

1. Place cones on the side rink.
2.  F1 must skate forward around the cone before cutting to middle.
3. The Defender take a good angle on the puck carrier.
4. On “whistle,” both players take off at full speed and play 1 v 1.
5. After shot or check, both players play a second 1 v 1 in offensive zone. 

These drills work on puck handling, explosiveness, decision making, defense in transition, finishing and are great conditioners. They are also high intensity and a lot of fun so players will enjoy them.

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

1 v 1 Defensive Tactic – Force Puck Carier to Backhand

Defense Pressuring Up Finishing Check and Going Up on Rush:

Power Thoughts:

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
– Jim Rohn








There is a real magic in enthusiasm.

It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.
– Norman Vincent Peale

The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling,
but in rising again after you fall.
– Vince Lombardi

Teaching Tips:

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HSC Csíkszereda Offensive Tactics – No Space Play

Tactics:

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

DPR Korea Reading Passing Lane and Making No Space Play & Forcing Pass

Power Thoughts:

Sports Psychology Tips:

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Be Aware Of Your Players Mind Set:

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Luxembourg – Korea, 1-2-1 Trap

Strategy & System:

• 1-2-1 Penalty Killing Trap

Keys: (1-2-1)

• First man has to pressure puck carrier
• Force the puck to be moved to boards
• Pressure the pass receiver as he\she receives puck 
• Defense must hold blue line

Teaching Points:

Three reason DPR Korea was successful with trap in World Championships
2012. 

1. Circular approach to pressure puck carrier
2. Forcing the puck carrier to back hand
3. Circular approach to pressure pass receiver

Power Thoughts:

Sports Psychology Tips:

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HSC Csíkszereda v. Baskent Offensive Tactics

HSC Csíkszereda Regroup Defense to Defense to Defense Cross

Tactics:

HSC Csíkszereda Center Ice Cross & Rush 2012

Tactics:

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Baskent Bad Defensive Rush

Power Thoughts:

Coaching Tip:

 

Defensive Zone Coverage – The Puck Carrier is Behind Goal

System/Strategy:

Positioning:

• Box in One Positioning

• Tight Box and defense pressure puck carrier on to his backhand

Reads:

• The Defense must read we are in a tight box and one
• The Defense must read and pressure puck carrier on to his backhand
• The Center must read and replace the defender at the post 

Keys:

• The defense go to the corners of the net and stop all pass out attempts
• The three forwards must come down low and tight in front of the net

• The center takes the spot of the defender pressuring the puck carrier
• The center, one defender, and two forwards form a tight box
• The players must  keep their ‘head on a swivel’ with sticks on the ice 
• The defense must read the play and force the puck carrier to his back hand
• The center takes the spot of the defender pressuring the puck carrier
• The players must  keep their ‘head on a swivel’ with sticks on the ice 

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Teaching Points 2-1-2 Woman’s World University Games 2011

Canada 2-1-2 Overload Defensive Zone Coverage IIHF WC 2012

Power Thoughts:

Sports Psychology Tips:

• Change I can’t to I can
• Use cue words to direct your focus and performance
• Change negative stories created in your mind to positive stories

Coaching Tip:

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