Breakouts to 3 Forecheckers

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Breakouts to 3 Forecheckers, Breakouts to 3 Forecheckers
By: Phillip Barski
Phillip Barski

The Breakouts to 3 Forecheckers from Phillip Barski focuses on structured breakouts under increasing forechecking pressure, encouraging communication, puck movement, and decision-making through progressive reads.

Setup

  • Three forecheckers positioned by the far blue line: one on each faceoff dot and one in the middle of them.
  • Breakout team includes a defenseman, centerman, left winger, and right winger.
  • Drill begins with the centerman dumping a puck into the corner.

Execution

  • Defenseman skates backward, pivots, and retrieves the puck.
  • Forwards execute a structured breakout: centerman supports low and slow, wingers come through the dots.
  • Optional: Can require 3 players to touch the puck before they pass to one of the three forecheckers, or 4 players, or all 5.
  • Whichever forechecker receives the puck becomes active and initiates the forecheck on the next rep.
  • The breakout group works to break out 5-on-1 against the activated forechecker.
  • As each forechecker is activated and the previous one clears center ice, the next forechecker receives a pass, dumps the puck, and applies pressure.
  • This sequence builds up from 5-on-1 to 5-on-2 and eventually 5-on-3 as each forechecker is activated in progression.

Coaching Points

  • The team breaking out needs to practice their structured breakout and communicate with each other.
  • Defensemen should work hard to support each other and scan the ice before retrieving the puck.
  • Centers should go low and slow to help their defensemen breaking out.
  • Forecheckers should work on angling with their stick on the ice to block passing lanes.

Variations

  • Optional: Can require the 3 players breaking out to touch the puck before they pass to one of the three forecheckers, or 4 players, or all 5.

Supplemental Materials