The Cutting Hands Warm-Up from TJ Manastersky, Head Coach of Brock University allows players to practice offensive puck protection, and escape techniques along with defensive angling concepts.
Setup
- Set up two lines by the neutral zone face-off dot on opposite sides of the rink.
- On the whistle, the player along the boards takes a puck and skates up the boards.
- The player on the inside of the ice acts as a backchecker and takes and angle to lift their stick and take the puck from them. This player then takes the puck and practices deception and escape to head back up ice.
- As the puck carrier returns back up ice, they practice getting off of the wall with the puck and cutting the defenders hands to protect the puck as they head up ice.
- They then pass the puck to the next player in line and the drill is continuous.
Coaching Points
- The backchecker should work to take a proper angle on the puck carrier and lift their stick to remove them from the puck before taking the puck away. After gaining possession they should practice a deceptive fake before transitioning back up ice and cutting the defenders hands.
- Defenders should keep their sticks on the ice at all times as a habit to block passing lanes and work on good angling technique.
