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Without going into all the mechanics of why you should have three full lines, lets just start by saying this....
For every minute of work, you need two minutes of rest for the muscle to recover! If you don't, lactic acid forms in the thigh muscle and it starts to cramp.
To relieve this pain, the skater stands more up right and the pain goes away. When this happens, the power behind the stride is reduced and the players speed is reduced because he or she can nno longer push to full extension in the stride.
So when does this pain start? Depending on the condition of the athlete, 8 to 10 seconds of exercise.
So when it's about 45 seconds into the shift, the player's legs are really hurting. Well, unless he or she is not giving it all he or she's got.
You will know this when the player is coasting all the time instead of skating.
So the rule of thumb is to change them every 45 to 60 seconds...no more.
That time equates to sending the line off the bench, at full force into the attacking zone, to recover or regain control of the puck.
Then having the attacking line back check into the defensive zone for a full break out.
Regroup in the neutral zone for the attack. Start the attack, change defensive pair and put a fresh pair out.
On the attack, get the shot on net or in the goal. Forecheck in the attacking zone to reagin control. Back ckeck into the defensive zone for a full break out. Regroup in the neutral zone, dump the puck into the attacking zone, change forward line.
This will take a total of about 45 seconds to do. Recap!
Regain control.
Back check.
Break out
Regroup for the attack.
Attack - Change defense.
Regain control.
Back check.
Break out.
Regroup for the attack
Dump and Change the forward line.
A good drill to teach your players changing on the fly.
Have then all on the bench. On the whistle, have the attacking line forecheck in the attacking zone. Have your assistant take the puck and ice it. Then have them go down and get it. Break out and regroup, change the defense.
Attack in the attacking zone, take a shot. Have assistant coach ice the puck. Forward line goes back and gets puck for breakout. Regroup in the neutral zone and automatically dump and change. Next line out.
Run this drill for about 10 minutes or untill they get the hang of it. This will help organize your change and you will not have to rattle the door or whistle call your players.
Forechecking - is what you want to do when regaining control of the puck in the attacking zone.
Backchecking - is what you want to do when the other team has contol of the puck and they are moving towards your defending zone. The word backchecking can some times be confused with checking some one on their back. This is known as "Checking from behind."
Lets talk about the first one...Forechecking.
There are two main forechecking systems that I use.
The first one is called: "One-Two-Two"
This is when you have One player on the main attack and the other two forwards as support players with two defeseman at the point.
The 1-2-2 is better known as an offensive trap. The whole purpose of the initial player is to drive the hunted to the hounds...so to speak.
The other two wingers, play a kind of fooseball pattern where they move side to side from board to board, cutting off the path of the hunted.
The two defensemen keep the puck from going out of the zone. This has a very high successful turn over rate which allows you to regain control of the puck in the attacking zone.
The second one is called: "Two-One-Two"
This is when you have two players on the main attack and the last forward is high in the slot area for support and two defenseman at the point.
The first two wingers enter the zone and cut off the escape of the puck carrier. The first wingers job is to play the body by checking or isolating the defending player up against the boards. The second players job is to go in and fish out the puck, then pass the puck to the third man high in the slot.
Defensemen are there at the points to keep the puck from going out of the zone. New and inexperienced defensemen sometimes stay out side the zone allowing the puck to come into the neutral zone.
Once this happen, the whole attacking line must exit the zone and regroup and start their attacking run again. So to keep this from happening, have the defensemen enter the zone by about 3 to 5 feet from the blue line.
Ok, lets take about forechecking "One-Two-Two."
Lets say you dumped the puck into the attacking zone.
Now you have to go in and get it. The first player into the zone (One) will go and pressure the player trying to control the puck.
The second and third player line up at mid slot level and control the puck flow to isolate the puck defensive carrier as he tries to exit the zone from behind the net.
This type of forechecking is kind of like a neutral zone trap, but in the attacking zone. Some people call this the Foosball play. Why?
Because the second and third man moves from side to side in the attacking zone like players on a Foosball table.
The last two players into the zone will be out at the point. They are generally your two defenseman.
However, some times you might have a defenseman come out of the defensive zone on the initial attacking run or rush. In this case, a winger or forward should fall back into the defensive position.
The whole purpose of this system is to force a turn over in the attacking zone. The hard part to this system is keeping the winger up against the board from pinching into the corner for the puck carrier.
Just give it a few extra seconds and the puck carrier will come to the winger of make the pass.
Last edited by Head coach; 04-03-2009 at 12:14 PM..
Ok! The second type of forechecking system that I use is the "Two-One-Two." Some might call this the F1, F2, F3.
How it works is....
The puck gets dumped into the attacking zone. The first player (F1) goes into the attacking zone and attacks the other team's player getting ready to recover the puck in the corner. His job is to hold or pin that player up against the boards with the puck.
The second man in the attacking zone (F2) will go and support (F1) by going in and retrieving the puck from the pinned play up against the board.
The third man into the zone will be high in the slot area in the attacking zone. Once (F2) has regained the puck, the will pass the puck out to (F3) to the shot. (F3) must get into position to receive the puck for the shot.
If (F2) loses the puck, (F3) will be high in the slot area to help regain control of the puck if the other team tries to break the puck out of there zone.
(F3) is there to assist the two defenseman out at the point by trapping the on coming player and forcing him towards the direction of the boards.
Ok, lets look at how the neutral zone is layed out. If you look at this picture below, you will see that there are two zones that lie within the neutral zone. They are called: "The Upper and Lower Neutral Zone"
Let me give you two examples of passes within the neutral zone.
Lets look at the first defenseman (D1) He is pass the puck to the left winger (L) You will see that he is passing the puck across two lines. This is considered a two line pass and in some places around the world you can't make this pass. If the linesman catches it, they will blow the whistle and the face off will be back by the defenseman (D1) on the left winger side.
If you look at the second defenseman (D2) you will see that he is passing to the right winger (R) across one line. This is a good pass.
So just remember....
You can pass from zone to zone or you can skate the puck from zone to zone. Plus, remember that the puck need to cross the attacking blue line first before any other players can cross the blue line. If a player on your team crosses the blue line on the far side before the puck crosses it will be off side.
Now, I have found that if you have the puck in the upper neutral zone, make sure you pass the blueline before you pass the puck. If you pass the puck laterally to your winger on the other side while you are in the upper neutral zone, odds are really good that you will go off side because the puck is moving side ways and you are moving forward. This will force you to straddle the line.
If you get to the blue line before the puck get to you, you will need to straddle the line. This means one leg on each side of the blue line, skating down the length of the blue line . If you straddle the blue line, it will not be off sides.
Last edited by Head coach; 04-13-2009 at 03:58 PM..
You will see from this diagram below that the attacking zone has several smaller zones inside.
The Green Area is know as: "The Shooting Zone"
This is the area where you will have a high percentage of scoring a goal in this area.
The White areas, which are located more in the corners of the attacking zone is called: "The Dead Zone"
This is the area where you will have a low percentage of scoring a opportunities.
If the other team has a smart defenseman, he will try and steer you towards the white zone. If he gets you into this zone, he has won half the battle.
The Gray area in the center is known as: "The Slot." This is the best place to take your shot from. "Here's a Rule"
"When in the Slot, Take the shot!"
The Blue Zone is the Goalie Crease. If your skate is in this zone when the goal is scored...It is not a goal. Well that is if the referee sees your skate. However, once the puck is in the crease, then you can enter.
Ok! Remember in this thread, we talked about "Linear and Diagonal Hockey." We talked about how important it was to move across skating lanes in the neutral zone because it makes it more difficult or more challenging for the defensemen to read your intention and which direction you want to go or pass.
Well if you notice in this drawing below, you will see that the Right Winger (RW) has weaved towards his "Off Wing." This is known as overloading the zone.
Which means he was a "Right Winger" and is now has become a "Left Winger." This had done a several of things for him.
One: It has placed him on the left wing by over loading the zone during the weave.
Two: He had brought on confusion for the opposing defense on the attack, instead of playing up the ice.
Three: However, because he shoots right, he now has the opportunity to protect the puck better on the left side, if he turn towards the center ice once he crosses the blueline in the attacking zone.
any tips for improving gap control? I find it hard to step up to guys , especially if they have any speed. Granted no one in my league back checks, I still feel like I am not doing my job.
any tips for improving gap control? I find it hard to step up to guys , especially if they have any speed. Granted no one in my league back checks, I still feel like I am not doing my job.
Well, that's coaching tip # 42. It's a little out of sequence...but here it comes.
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Coaching Tip # 22 Forechecking and Backchecking
