D to D Up Half Ice 1 vs 1

This is a good drill you can work on with your defense in a half ice situation. Split the players up into each corner and place a coach at center ice. The drill will start with one of the defensive players carrying a puck up the wall and making a long pass to the coach at center ice. Both players from the corner will skate along the wall to the red line, stop, and skate backwards towards the top of the circles. The coach will give a pass to one of the players. The player that receives the pass will control it and make a D to D pass. The player that receives the second pass will transition forwards with the puck and make another pass to the coach at center ice. The player that makes the pass to the coach skates into the neutral zone and receives the puck back from the coach. The other player gaps up to play the one on one.

Coaching Points

• Defensive player needs to gap up as much as possible.
• When making D to D pass have player show good targets with their forehand.
• When making D to D passes the receiving player should move away from the player when making the pass.