Setup
Place one net in the normal position and two sets of two cones to form gates at about the top of the circles (see diagram). The coach has the pucks in the middle of the ice just inside the blue line. Place one team of three players in the zone as the defenders. The attacking team of three waits behind the coach for a puck to be dumped into the zone.
How to Play
The puck will be dumped in by the coach. The team of three defenders will have a slight advantage to retrieve the puck first. They need to try and skate the puck out through one of the gates with possession. The three attacking forwards are trying to create a turnover and score. If the attackers score the coach plays a new puck into the zone. The attackers can score as many times as they want until the defenders accomplish their goal of skating the puck out through one of the gates.
When the defenders skate it out through the gates then they are out o the game. The attackers become the defenders and a new team of three become the attackers. The coach plays a new puck into the zone and the play resumes.
Points of Emphasis
- The defenders must control the puck and make plays to keep possession of the puck. If they throw the puck around they will never get out of the game.
- The defenders need to use deception and "false information" to get the attackers cheating to one side before switching or reversing the play to the other side where there is more open ice.
- The attackers need to be relentless as they know they can steal back any puck because the defenders cannot just throw the puck out of the zone.
Related Game / Variation
A very similar version of this game is the 2 vs 2 version in which the pay play occeurs in a smaller are of the ice. It uses about half the zone. The smaller area creates a faster paced game and quicker decision making but there is only one outlet option. Watch a video demonstration and view the 2 vs 2 picket fences drill.
