SKILLS
PURPOSE
The purpose of this small area game is to teach concepts of possession to generate a scoring opportunity and teach selflessness with the puck. Sharing is caring is goal scoring.
FOCUS
- Possession, possession, possession. Players will want to rush their passes and shots. Emphasize finding a good target with a good shooting lane and moving to a space to be an option if that falls through.
- Sharing the puck. Players inside will inevitably forget they aren’t shooters and players on the outside will forget they are.
HOW TO
- Designate a small area of play, in this case, cross ice between the circles.
- One team on one side of the play area, one on the other (can mix if it works with your team). Two players in the middle. Coach with pucks on the outside.
- Coach plays puck into the play zone. A team has to get possession and pass it to one of their outside players to shoot.
- Outside players are the ONLY ones who can shoot and they can shoot on either net.
- Outside players do not have to shoot if they don’t have a shot – they can pass it back to their inside teammate instead.
- Shooting on either net creates variability, forcing hockey sense engagement.
EXTEND
- Play 3v3 or 4v4
- Can mix & match with other games – maybe they have to regroup to someone on a turn over before passing to their shooters, maybe they have to carry behind their net first…
