Houda Angle

Get Full Access

Objective

To develop players' angling skills, emphasizing how to protect the middle of the ice, force turnovers, and transition quickly into offense. This drill also focuses on decision-making, defensive positioning, and hockey intelligence.

Set-Up

Players are split into two teams, blue and red, and positioned on opposite sides of the ice with the coach at center ice holding pucks.

  1. The coach places a puck below the blue line on one side of the ice, and two blue players retrieve the puck to initiate the attack.
  2. Three red players must first circle below the close neutral zone face-off dot and then gap up through the middle of the ice, protecting the good ice and angling the puck carriers toward the outside.
  3. Red Player Roles:
    • The first angler focuses on the puck carrier, skating forward with stick-on-puck and cutting off their hands to limit options.
    • The second angler tracks the supporting offensive player, denying time and space.
    • The third player reads the play and adjusts their position:
      • If their teammates are in position to create a turnover, they transition offensively.
      • If teammates are out of position, they provide defensive support.
  4. The offensive team (blue) must use creativity to maintain possession, utilizing give-and-go plays or 1-on-1 moves, as dumping the puck is not allowed.
  5. If the red team creates a turnover they can transition up ice for a shot
  6. The drill continues until a turnover, a defensive stop, or a scoring opportunity.
  7. On the whistle, the coach places a puck for the opposite team (red) to retrieve, and three blue players transition into defensive roles, continuing the drill back and forth.

Coaching Points

  • Angling Technique:
    • Protect the middle of the ice by maintaining a strong position in the “good ice.”
    • Push attackers to the outside (“bad ice”) before closing on them.
    • Use forward skating and stick-on-puck to create turnovers.
  • Defensive Reads:
    • Focus on denying time and space for the offensive players.
    • Ensure proper positioning relative to the puck and other players.
    • The third player must make intelligent reads to either support defensively or transition offensively.
  • Offensive Creativity:
    • Encourage players to work on creativity under pressure, including passing, skating, and deking.
  • Transitions:
    • Emphasize quick transitions to offense after turnovers to take advantage of opponents being out of position.

Membership gives you access to: