The 5 v 5 Neutral Zone Face-Off Possession Game is a great game to practice face-offs, possession, and gaining the red line.
Setup
- Setup a 5 v 5 face-off in the neutral zone circle.
- After the puck is dropped, each team works to gain possession, and attack the gates on the center red line. Teams score points by skating the puck through a gate (it does not count if teams pass the puck through a gate)
- Each gate is worth different points:
- The Green center gate is worth 3 points
- The Yellow gates are worth 2 points
- The Red gates are worth 1 point
- Coaches should keep track of points and after a team scores points they can regroup and re-attack the red line if they are able to keep possession.
- Coaches can drop the puck or they can have one player on each team drop it (make sure to alternate which team drops it if you go this route).
Coaching Points
- Offense: support your teammates when you do not have the puck. Work to get open and be an outlet.
- Defense: keep sticks on the ice and defend the middle of the ice.
- Everyone: there are a lot of moving players in this game so make sure to communicate!
Variations
- Coaches can include goalies if they would like. Coaches can require a team to go through a gate before they can go down the other end of the ice and shoot, or they can require a specific gate (example - if you go through the center ice gate you are able to go down and shoot).
- Can play 5v5, 5v4, or 4v4.
- Can make a rule where the puck must exit the center ice face-off circle before a team can attack.
