Guidelines You Need to Know to Be Successful As a Team

GUIDELINES YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A TEAM

DEFENSIVE ZONE

Think DEFENSE FIRST and offense only when in full control of the puck.

Keep your head up and take the man first and then the puck.

Take the offense man out after he has passed the puck to eliminate a return pass.

Only one man moves to cover the point, the 2nd man should drop back on the weak side. Don’t let the opposing defenseman move around you.

COVER THE SLOT at all times. Move to a man coming from behind the net only when he is a direct threat to score.

One defenseman should always be in front of the net and control any player in the low slot. To watch the play in the corner, defenseman should turn his head but keep his body square up the ice. Don’t turn your back from the slot area.

When a defenseman has the puck just inside the blue line and is being pressured, he should dump the puck out over the blue line on the weak side.

When experiencing difficulty in moving the puck out under pressure, FREEZE OR ICE the puck to get a face-off.

Don’t shoot the puck around the boards unless a man is in position to play it, or the far defenseman is not in a position to pinch it.

Never pass the puck rink wide or through the center of your own DZ; pass to the wingers on the boards or the other defenseman in the corner.

Never pass the puck without looking.

Never go backward in your DZ.

Never allow your team to be outnumbered in the DZ.

NEUTRAL ZONE

PLAYING OFFENSE:

• If your teammates are covered, dump the puck in or turn back and pass to the defense, regroup and attack again.
• The forwards without the puck should move to open ice with their sticks on the ice ready to take a pass.
• Never try to stickhandle past the opposition when teammates are with you.
• NEVER GO OFFSIDE; straddle the blue line or cut in front of or behind the puck carrier.

PLAYING DEFENSE:

• Back check by picking up the opposite forward. Take the man to the net if he stays outside the defenseman. If the player cuts to the middle in front of the defense, stay in the lane. The back checker should be on the inside of the offense man and should be slightly ahead of the man. MAKE CONTACT WITH THE MAN!
• If 2 forwards are back, pick up the lanes or one lane and the middle of the ice. The defense can force the play at the defensive blue line.
• If the back checker is trailing the play, pick up the high slot area.

OFFENSIVE ZONE

One man always drives the net! You must want to score!

• Drive for rebounds.
• Release the puck quickly.

One man should always be in the slot with his stick on the ice, ready to score, or in position to screen the goalie.

Shoot the puck when in the scoring area (slot). Extra passes end up in missed opportunities.

The defenseman must shoot the puck quickly from the point. If the puck is mishandled or too much time is taken, the puck should be passed or shot back into the corner.

Never pass the puck blindly from behind the net. If you do not see a man and have to release the puck, shoot the puck at the goalies skates.

PENALTY SITUATIONS

Force the play in the opponent’s zone, but keep skating!

Pick up the lane in the NZ whether an offensive player is there or not.

Cover the slot for cross passes.

Force the play in the DZ until the offensive team sets up.

The man in the penalty box always replaces the missing forward position; no matter what position he usually plays.

Never go by the opponent’s point man in the DZ.

When down by 1 man, try and remain in a four-player box/diamond.

When down by 2 men, try and remain in a three-player triangle.

Do not chase the puck!

Protect the slot!

Be aware not to screen your goalie!

On intercepting or breaking up power play attacks in the DZ, IMMEDIATELY CLEAR the puck out over your blue line. Do not stickhandle or try to pass cross-ice. Use the boards whenever possible. Do not hold the puck! Get rid of it!

POWER PLAY

On a delayed penalty, the center on the next line replaces the goaltender. If the puck is in the DZ, the replacing player goes to the center line. In the OZ, the player goes in front of the net.

Try to use 4 teammates in the NZ to move the puck across the blue line.

Move the puck to the point in the OZ.

Move the puck quickly! If there is no man to pass to, the player should move. Don’t stand still with the puck. Moving the puck quickly allows a man to move to the opening.