Body Contact

Circle Puck Protection

SKILLS

SKATING

BODY CONTACT

STICK HANDLING

PURPOSE

This small area drill requires players to work on skating and defensive concepts while either protecting the puck or trying to beat a defender to gain possession.

HOW TO

Inside a circle (or other designated area) place one puck and two players.
One player is designated as a defender and the other is offense.
The defensive player must shield and protect the puck by using their body, stick, and skate positioning.
The offensive player is trying to beat the defender and gain possession of the puck.
Rotate players after a short interval, or if split off into pairs, the pair flips offense and defense at possession change.

FOCUS

Body position! Players must attack the puck at an appropriate opening with appropriate body contact and positioning.
Compete. Players must WANT to succeed and gain possession or keep possession.

VARIATIONS

Add extra players
Change it from the player in the middle defending a stationary puck to them having to gain possession, more like traditional keep away.

Shot Block Gauntlet

SKILLS

SKATING

STICK HANDLING

SHOT BLOCKING

PUCK PROTECTION

PURPOSE

This is a technical, multi-disciplinary drill working on blocking shots, skating, puck control, puck protection and shooting.

HOW TO

Set up a border patrol low in each half of the zone, a series of cones in the neutral zone for a weave, two cones as a “box” or “gate” (could use border patrols if that’s what you have), and a passer between weave and gate (could be a person, too).
Players line up in the corner, one coach at the point as the shooter and one in the gates as a gauntlet gate keeper.
Player 1 passes to coach at the point then rushes the shot – taking an inside lane while the coach drags to shoot. They MUST block the shot. If they do not block the shot, they get back in line and try again.
Once they block the shot, they must gather the puck and stick handle through the weave.
Just past the weave they must pass off the passer and re-gather their puck.
From here, they will proceed into the puck protection gauntlet where a coach will provide light to medium pressure/defense/body contact as the player must make a move to try to get through with possession.
After this, player drives to the net, taking a mid range shot over the border patrol, then avoiding it to get to a loose rebound. (This border patrol is optional, but helpful for accentuating lifting shots and driving to the net through traffic.)

FOCUS

On the front end, it is getting rid of fear of blocking shots and figuring out how to control a puck after
The rest of the drill is all technical puck protection concepts – players must use their bodies and skates to control and protect the puck

VARIATIONS

Alter the position of the cones and/or border patrols
Split so that the drill is run on both halves (cut down cones or change alignment)

3v1 Forecheck

SKILLS

FORECHECK

HOCKEY SENSE

D ZONE COVERAGE

PASSINg

SHOOTING

PURPOSE

Although labeled as a 3v1 drill, this drill fundamentally works on a 2-1-2 forecheck working to a shooting triangle. The focus is highly on the forwards being able to contain the D and gain possession quickly to convert a scoring chance.

HOW TO

Working down low from a face off circle and in, set up 1 D and a line of 3 forwards.
Coach puts puck into the corner. The D retrieves and the first two forwards attack – F1 hard to puck, F2 contains no more than a stick’s length away, looking to get the puck out of the scrum.
F3 heads to the slot area and keeps feet moving to be ready and an option.
Once the puck comes out of the scrum, F2 (hopefully) goes behind the net, F1 goes to the front with F3, D releases and tries to get back for the quick 3v1.

FOCUS

Contain, contain, contain! 1 is not enough, 3 is too many. If you can contain the play down low we have a better chance at getting possession or at least is not coming back at us.

VARIATIONS

Have the D start low in the corner with the puck and forwards attack on the whistle.
Have D and F1 start low in the corner and F2 has to join the attack
Add a second defender in the slot to transition to a 3v2
Play as continuous with putting a second puck in play to the other corner after the initial shot (hybrid of Carolina Attack)

USAH/HPEL Angling Drill

PURPOSE

Work on angling, body contact, and keeping players to the front and/or outside in a tight area, controlled manner.

SKILLS

Transitional skating
Mirroring
Angling

HOW TO – 1v1

One player at blue line and one player at top of the circle.
At the same time, player 1 will skate forward with a puck toward the top of the circle and player 2 will skate backward without a puck.
About halfway, player 1 will pass to player 2 (if necessary you can ad cones as markers for where to pass).
Player 2 will receive pass and transition back to forwards at the bottom of the circle. Player 1 will transition to backwards to the top of the circle. Player 2 will pass back to player 1, about half way again.
Player 1 will continue to skate backwards to the blue while player 2 will continue to skate forwards to the top of the circle. Player 1 will transition to forwards and drive down the boards, player 2 will step out and play D for the 1v1 trying to tie up the player on the boards and get possession. Player 1 will try to drive wide and then go to the net.
Player 1 then goes to player #2 spot. Player 2 gets in line at #1 spot.

HOW TO – 2v1

This is essentially the same as the 1v1 version except player 2 starts with the puck and passes to the D (3). Player 1 will receive the puck back from the D.
Player 1 will drive board side on the top transition while player 2 will curl inside. The D should still force the contact at the boards while player 2 should put themselves in a position to be an option.
Play 2v2 to either a shot or clear.

FOCUS

Keeping players wide and making contact as soon as possible. Players, especially those with body contact hesitance, will allow the puck carrier to continue to the corner or net.
This is a defensive drill, not a scoring drill. The whole point here is actually to NOT let shots and opportunities happen. The more bored a goalie is, the better, so to speak.