Please Note: The Practice of the Week is usually designed to be utilized across multiple age levels.  With that being said, we highly encourage you to adjust the drills based on your team's age and skill levels.  These drills and practices can be modified to become more basic or more advanced.

This practice plan is focused on developing skills, both without and without the puck, for zone entries as well as gap control for defensemen.

Key Coaching Points

1. Forwards with the puck should focus on using deception and change of speed to open lanes and create scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates
2. Forwards without the puck should provide support for the puck carrier by finding the soft areas of the ice or drive hard to the net 
3. Defensemen need to maintain a tight gap to dictate the movements of the attacking forward and eliminate scoring opportunities

Zone Entry Habits

1. Communication - using verbal and non-verbal cues to communicate with your teammates 
2. Support - when you don't have the puck, get to the open lanes to support your teammate or drive the net to open space for the puck carrier
3. Cause Chaos - when entering the zone one of the forwards needs a hard net drive to cause confusion and chaos

Zone Entry Skills

1. Change of pace - changing the speed at which you enter the zone can help create more space and/or beat the defender to the outside
2. Deception - using a fake shots and fake passes to throw off defenders and open lanes
3. Mohawks/Jam Turns - will help create time and space along the boards if the play is developing slower than expected

Gap Control Habits

1. Match the speed of the forward to maintain a tight gap
2. Proper stick and body position to dictate where you want the forward to go - don't let them gain the middle of the ice
3. Finish through the body or hands (depending on the angle) when the opportunity presents itself