Descriptive: Playing with Pressure in the Defensive (DZ)

Coaching Points

Structure

Play five in the box and utilize all five players to apply pressure against your opponent.

The two reads a defensive player makes entering the DZ off a dump in: Is there going to be a puck battle for puck recovery and control or is there going to be time to recover the puck and exit the zone off the dump in? If the puck battle is going to be contested we set up five in the box and battle for recovery-control-exit of the zone. Is there is time to recover-exit the zone, if so we set up the zone exit play. When in doubt, set up five in the box strong side because you can always exit off the structure of five in the box.

The structure of five in the box must be set up in these game situations, the pressure triggers are:

-Dump of the puck into the zone (soft or hard rim or chip around the d-pairing) when puck recovery will be contested-Attack off the rush into the zone-Shot on goal-Loose puck in the zone-Face-off loss-Missed shot on goal-Carry in by the puck carrier and set up in the zone

Five in the box should be set up at the following puck locations in the DZ:

-Corner - Quadrants 1 & 2-Hash marks-Points-Middle ice (net and slot zones) -Behind the net-Just inside the blue line (stick length) when the strong side D is applying pressure

Roles and responsibilities of each player in the structure must be coached to perfection.

Maximum use of your resources (players on the ice) to apply pressure. Your wingers up top standing by the D-pairing don’t add value to a puck battle in the corner by your three players playing down low below the hash marks! Every player within the structure must be actively part of the puck recovery, puck control and exit of the zone process for your team to be successful.The five in the box structure plays a vital role in applying pressure. The tightening/collapsing of the box and expanding of the box can both be executed to apply pressure on the puck.Take advantage of the five in the box structure to exit the zone on the strong side.

Zone and Man Coverage

Play as much man coverage as you can get away with in the DZ. Always coach zone awareness and when to play zone but play zone only when necessary (the opponent has puck control) and it makes sense to play zone. Zone is a passive defensive tactic that doesn’t apply pressure to the puck and isn’t the best tactic to force puck turnovers.

Man coverage is the best way to shut down a pressure offensive team with skilled forwards below the hash marks that play the outnumbering game. Man up in every situation possible to defend against an overload or outnumbering situation and play man coverage. Zone coverage isn’t effective to defend against an offensive overload/outnumbering situation below the hash marks.

Corner Containment

Players must understand the importance of containing the puck battle to the corner. Any time the offensive team can carry the puck out of the corner above the hash marks, below to the area behind the net or middle ice defending becomes much more of a challenge.

D1, F1, D2 must in their technique contain the puck battle to the corner to recover the puck and gain control for an exit strong side.

Puck Recovery Plan (PRP)

Every good defensive team will defend their Neutral Zone (NZ) and use tactics to prevent their opponent from making plays in the NZ. Good defensive teams will do everything in their power tactically to prevent the opponent from exiting the NZ with speed and puck control so we see more dump-ins and recovery attempts as a pressure offensive tactic by opponents.

Every good defensive team must be able to defend against the offensive tactics being applied against them so a “Puck Recovery Plan” (PRP) off a dump-in is an essential part of playing with pressure in the defensive zone.

Most dump-ins see the puck being positioned below the goal line (puck recovery area) for recovery and usually in a corner puck location. Have a PRP for a corner puck location with the following features: a) outnumber on the puck in the corner (two or three on the puck), b) make sure the first three players on the puck know their role in the puck battle-recovery-control-exit process out of the corner, c) teach and coach body-stick-puck play for all defensive players, d) players must be interchangeable and know the role of each position in the structure in case changes have to be made in roles because of game situations, e) bring your wingers down to the hash marks and have them ready to receive a short pass or chip out of the corner to support the puck recovery-control-exit process. Try to play five against three with a collapsed or tightened box as much as possible to apply pressure and recover the puck.

Always outnumber on a dump-in so one player plays body-stick-puck and creates separation of the offensive player from the puck. The second player plays the loose puck or is positioned to receive a short pass or chip from his teammate.

Numbering up and Outnumbering

Well coached offensive teams play with pressure. Outnumbering or overloading on the puck side in a tight space is a tactic used to isolate on defensive players to play two against one or three against two or work a cycle game below the hash marks with give and goes etc. as part of their game plan.

A zone coverage system is exploited by offensive teams that outnumber on the puck side. Bring defensive players down low on the puck and number up/man up and play man coverage to take away passing lanes and shut down give and goes, the cycle game and their down low game. That will force the offensive team to start trying to move the puck up top to their D pairing or make passes to them coming down from up top into passing lanes.

NEVER outnumber always outnumber is our saying at TLPF. At the least number up and play man on man.

Pressure Triggers

Teach and coach individual triggers and group tactical triggers where setting up five in the box is essential to playing with pressure as a team.

We have shared the triggers for getting five in the box to play team defence but there are individual pressure triggers when we should attack the puck; loose pucks, bobbled pucks or where puck control is clearly at issue, puck carrier has his head down (lack of awareness to pressure) or turns back on the defenders or simply has no offensive puck support.

Centre low – Winger’s high Concept (five in the box)

Playing five in the box can be accomplished different ways with different roles for players. We recommend the coaching of the Centre position down low supporting the D pairing below the hash marks in the DZ. The Centre plays like a third defenceman below the hash marks and works both sides of the ice.

Of course there will be game situations where the Centre won’t be the first forward back into the DZ to play the F1 role below the hash marks however that’s an expected situation that has to be coached. It’s why every player on the team has to know the role of every player within the defensive structure. Players can change roles during the play or simply on the next whistle or break in the play. What is important is the players fill the roles by order of priority not necessarily by position. Getting two on every puck and three when you can is part of good strategy for playing with pressure to ensure puck recovery-puck control-exit of the zone. Having five in the box and playing five against three below the hash marks should be part of your PRP.

Any player can be coached to play zone coverage. A defenceman isn’t the only player on the ice in a five player unit that should have the responsibility for NET ZONE coverage. When you play five in the box with the Centre down low below the hash marks you should use both defenceman in the puck side corner of the rink in puck battles as often as possible and have your Centre cover the net zone.

Should the opponent have three down low in the corner we recommend bringing the Centre from the net zone to the corner to number up and play three against three in the corner as much as you can. The weak side winger then must drop down and collapse the box and cover both the net and slot zones while still having regard for his man assignment (weak side offensive defenceman).

The coaching of three players below the hash marks is coached different ways but we recommend you utilize your resources (every player on the five man unit) to apply pressure to recover the puck and exit the zone. You cannot afford not to utilize every player on a puck battle/recovery to regain control and exit your zone.

The Winger’s are responsible for play above the hash marks and to block passing lanes to the D pairing up top. The Winger’s have to have their heads on a swivel to prevent their D from dropping down and setting passing lanes in the offensive zone. The Wingers can also drop down to the hash marks (provide offensive puck support) to set passing lanes for the three players playing down low and be integral part of your break out strong side.

Read and React Skills

Coaching your team on the importance of playing good situation hockey is critical to playing with pressure in your DZ. In order to play sound situational hockey players must be coached on the importance of ice awareness, player awareness and pressure triggers (when to apply pressure).

Teach and coach group and individual triggers for pressure.

Teach and coach the importance of ice awareness; know where your man is at all times when playing man coverage and zone coverage. Good offensive teams aren’t stationary so your ice awareness is a big part of your game when defending. Player awareness is about knowing your opponent and their tendencies. Alex Ovechkin for example is a right hand shot who likes to enter the offensive zone on the left side of the ice as much as possible. He likes to set up on the left hand side of the offensive zone to move the puck to a teammate on the right hand side of the zone. He then looks to set a passing lane on the left had side of the ice so he is always on his forehand going to the net.

Pressure Up

How to pressure up on a player is one of the skills that must be coached.

Teach and coach players the importance of being in a good athletic posture when we pressure up to play body-stick-puck or are anywhere within three feet of the boards. Too often you see players standing erect and not in a good athletic posture close to the boards or when trying to check which is ineffective. You see a lot of kids today standing tall and reaching and pushing a lot when trying to check.

Teach the importance of the right angle of approach and how to take away ice.

Teach how to take away ice as a group tactic with more than one player and pressure up to force a turnover.

Being in a good athletic posture is key to checking properly, using the body and stick in balance and full control with a proper weight transference.

The importance of good posture in preventing injury must be communicated to players.

The Right Mind Set

To play with pressure you absolutely must play as a team and utilize all five players in the box. Players must be coached on the importance of competing and making sure that we are all accountable as individuals to our team goals. The following cannot be over emphasized when coaching defensive hockey in the DZ with pressure, we:

- win races to loose pucks,- win puck battles individually and as a group,- play 200’ of the ice rink as a team,- pursue the puck individually and as a group,- play team defence with all “five in the box” on every contested puck and when forcing turnovers,- play body-stick-puck better than anybody – NOT puck first,- Always self-aware and stay emotionally in control at all time.

Individual Skills CoachingTo coach playing with pressure in the DZ you following individual skills must be coached:

- Playing body-stick-puck never puck first,- Shoulder checking and pinning a player,- Proper use of the stick when applying the body (two hands and control of the stick)- Angling technique and fundamentals,- Swivel head,- Playing D-side of the puck and boxing out,- Playing Man You goal,- Shot blocking; kneeling and leaving feet last resort,- What covered means in the net and slot zones and use of the hockey stick and body,

Diagram # 1 – Four Quadrants and the Net and Slot Zone Areas

Coaching Points

You must apply pressure in all four quadrants to be successful in defending your DZ.

The puck ends up in the corner often during a hockey game. Coach a plan to recover the puck, gain control and exit out of the strong side corner! Your shots on net against will go down as will you GA average. We have given you the basis for a PRP and owning the corners in your own end of the rink!

Playing with pressure in Q3 and Q4 will be reviewed in coming weeks.

Diagram # 2 - Zones to defend with a Corner Puck Location

Coaching Points:

The most common method of filling the zones with a corner puck location is for D1 the strong side defenceman to be first on the puck in the Contact Zone.

D1 is supported by the first forward into the zone F1, usually the Centre, to fill the Support Zone. D2 fills the Net Zone coverage area while the Winger’s F2 and F3 fill the Slot Zone and Point Zone respectively. You can see the shape of the box when all five players fill their respective zone responsibility.

The importance of executing stops and starts within the zone to defend must be emphasized. When the opponent outnumbers in the zone the players in supporting zones must drop down or move up in their zone area to provide defensive puck support.

Diagram # 3 – A diagram of the defending team (blue) in zone coverage. Defending against two offensive players in the corner with a third player high at the top of the face-off circle.

Coaching Points:

Is the blue team positioned to regain puck control and exit the zone off the strong side in this position? We think not. The defensive team would be better served to bring their weak side defenceman down into the corner or below the goal line to provide offensive puck support or to provide additional assistance with the puck recovery process. If D2 moves down into the corner and the offensive team leaves their LW as a third player high, the defensive team is at an advantage if the third player is used to support the process of puck recovery-puck control-exit of the zone.

NEVER outnumbered on the puck and always outnumber whenever possible and play aggressive.

We don’t think the defensive team is using their resources effectively if they have their two wingers and their weak side D not engaged in the puck recovery-control-exit process. Standing guarding other players when there is a loose puck or puck battled in process isn’t playing with pressure.

Diagram # 4 – Defensive team in Zone Coverage – Offensive team Outnumbers Strong Side

Coaching Points:

The blue team is defending in zone coverage. The correct read and reaction you coach in this situation is to man up or number up and bring D2 down into the corner. Moving D2 down into the corner requires an adjustment by F2 covering the weak side opponent’s D in the point zone – F2 must move down to cover both the net and slot zones.

In most cases F3 can move down to the hash marks to get five in the box during this puck battle recovery process to provide both offensive and defensive puck support.

F2 and F3 still have their zone responsibilities and coverage of the opponent’s D-pairing.

Diagram # 5 – Defensive team Outnumbers on Corner Puck Location

Coaching Points:

Five in the box down low below the hash marks is executed to support the puck battle-recovery-puck control-exit of the strong side corner puck location.

F2 and F3 are positioned to support the puck offensively – set passing lanes for a short pass or chip out of the corner.

D1, F1 and D2 are executing the PRP; D2 boxing out the LW, D1 positioned to chip the puck to F1.

Playing five against three in this tight space is playing with pressure. All five defensive resources are positioned within the structure to support the best outcome which is puck recovery-puck control and exit from the structure hopefully trapping the opponent’s forwards down low in the corner creating a three on two in the other direction!

Coaching Recommendations

Use play animation software to demonstrate zone coverage to players.

Use play animation software to demonstrate overloads and outnumbering and how to move from zone to man coverage and even your PRP and exit of the DZ strong side off structure.

Use video of games where five in the box is used effectively to support your coaching points on how to play with pressure.

What’s Next T L P F?

Review of playing with pressure at different puck locations; hash marks, points, behind the net and middle ice (net and slot zones).

Puck recovery plan for the corner puck location and hash marks.