Races for loose pucks, and races to create space are a part of every shift, in every game, at every level of hockey.
The next time you watch a game, notice how often the puck is up for grabs. In an average game, neither team has clear puck possession roughly 50% of the game. This makes it crucial for teams to practice their ability to win these loose pucks, and create space to keep possession after they win them.
The team at IHS has put a list together of 10 races to give coaches ideas on different types of races they can incorporate into their practices. The best part? Races are fun for all age and skill levels, naturally brings out the competitive spirit in players and allows coaches to work on a variety of skills and game concepts.
Types of Races to Add
In the article below, we give 10 video examples of 4 types of races that coaches can add to their hockey practices.
- Individual Races - players compete 1 on 1 against another player.
- Team Races - teams compete against other teams.
- Situational Races - players race to win the puck in a game like situation.
- Bonus: Scoring Races - scoring races are a little different than the 3 categories above, but adding a race element into scoring games adds an additional level of fun and competition.
In any race, consider varying the starting points to create different challenges for players. This helps simulate real-game situations where players may be at an advantage or disadvantage, such as in 60/40 or 40/60 battles, rather than always starting at an even 50/50. This variation benefits both the player in the lead and the player behind: the player behind works on determination, taking better angles, and battling from behind, while the player ahead practices maintaining their advantage and using body positioning to avoid getting beaten. You can also apply this concept to scoring races—by having one team start ahead by a goal, introducing a sense of adversity before the drill or game even begins.
10 Examples of Races
Individual Races
Race 1 - The Start & Stop Loose Puck Battle from Global Hockey Network is a competitive drill that sets up two players to race for a puck. Whoever gets the puck first is on offense and works to score a goal while the other player is defending. This drill can be modified to be in other areas of the ice or skate different lengths, or perform tight turns, or other skills, like pivots, instead of stops & starts.
Race 2 - NZ Pad Skating Race with Shot works on edges, tight turns and body positioning. Rewards the winner of the race with a shot. This drill can be modified by using cones or tires as obstacles, or having players skate through different skating patterns in different areas of the ice, like the 3/4 Ice Skating Race.
Race 3 - Puck Race to 1 v 1 by Mark Zarbo Hockey from his Body Contact & Checking Course is a shorter race where two players race to get a puck and then try to skate through the center of the face-off dot to score points. Even though it is a shorter race than other examples shown, it is still an excellent chance for players to work on quickly jumping to loose pucks and protecting the puck after they get possession. Coaches can modify this drill by placing the puck in different areas of the circle.
Team Races
Race 4 - Puck Stack Races is a fun team race that works on skating, coordination and concentration. This drill can be modified to have the teams race together to complete different tasks, like tic-tac toe, or just be an overall relay race. Can also require players to skate with their stick or stickhandle the puck before putting it on top of the other pucks.
Race 5 - The Ramsay 3 v 3 Race from Jason Lammers is a fun and competitive 3 v 3 game where each team has the opportunity to start on offense if they beat the other team to the puck.
Situational Races
Race 6 - 2 v 1 Rebound Battle is a situational race where two players race for a puck after a rebound. The winner must pass the puck to the point player and they are rewarded with a 2 v 1. This can be modified to be a 2 v 2 setup, and the winner of the puck can only pass to their teammate at the point, or coaches can set it up where there is no point pass and just have the winner of the puck be on offense and try to score while the other player defends the net.
Race 7 - Neutral Zone Puck Races With Support from Darryl Belfry is a situational race where two players work to win a loose puck in the neutral zone. The puck winner works with his two other teammates to complete a 10 foot pass, and then a second pass to a teammate that enters the zone on the weak side. This can be modified to allow the puck winner to skip the 10 foot pass and just go for the weak side pass. Coaches can also set up different situations like this throughout the ice.
Race 8 - The Ricky from Tyler Bielby is a fun race between two groups of players that are working to break out the puck faster than the other group. The winning group is awarded the puck to begin a 3 v 3 on the other end. Coaches can use this drill setup to practice other skills or situations.
Bonus: Scoring Races
Race 9 - Slovakian Scoring Game from Steve Wiedler puts two teams together to race to complete a scoring challenge: score goals in 1v0, 2v0, 2v1, and 3v2 situations before the other team does. Coaches can modify this and have a 5 to 8 minute time limit to see who gets further, or they can have a simple scoring challenge, the 5 puck breakaway race where a teams compete with each other to try to score 5 goals before the other team does.
Race 10 - Triangle Scoring Game from Kendall Coyne Schofield is a race between two groups to try to score first. It is a great game to practice quick passing & shooting. Coaches can modify this game to allow players to move up and down the triangle or can use the circles to play the Circle Scoring Game.
Conclusion & Coaching Points
As stated above, races are a part of every single shift in the game of hockey. Therefore, it is important for coaches to add races into their hockey practices. Whether it is individual races, team races, situational races, or scoring races, each type of race will bring out fun and competition while you are able to work on a variety of skills and concepts.
3 coaching points that coaches can utilize when players are racing for the puck:
- Gain the lane & body position on your opponent before you get the puck (position before possession)
- Stick on puck & strong stick
- Exit with speed, curl away from pressure or pass to a teammate to keep puck possession