2 v 2 Tire Pass Game With Support is a great game to start practice with, and / or to work on passing & puck support.

Setup

• Set up 4 gates inside the zone as shown in the diagram.
• Play 2 v 2 in the middle of the ice.
• Each team has 2 players (1 on each side of the ice) inside the gates.
• The players playing 2 v 2 work to pass to their teammates inside the gates. 
• A completed pass to a teammate in a gate is 1 point.
• After 30 - 40 seconds coaches can blow the whistle to rotate the players on the outside, into the inside. The inside players rotate out, and players in line fill the gates.
• Play to 10!

Coaching Points

• Offensive team: support your teammates! Get open to be an outlet, and after you pass the puck to your teammate in the gates, get to an area to support them.
• Defensive team: keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes and angle players to the outside of the ice.

Objectives: Teaching principle of pass and moving to open space as well as defending against players without puck

Description: Two versus two with four neutral support players on the perimeter. Player with puck move and pass the puck to any supporting player.   Encourage the players on the outside to move their feet and not stand still.  Work to get open no matter where you are on the ice.  

Points of emphasis:

• Defensive pressure to prevent the opponent from winning space 
• Stick pressure to intercept the pass and/or steal puck 
• Skate through defenders to get open for a pass

The 3 on 2 Keep Away Game from Jeff Meredith is utilized to reinforce good defensive habits and concepts. Two games are set up in zone with one going at a time.

Setup

• Setup two 3v2 games around each of the face-off circles in the zone. 
• Coaches can create boundaries of the game by using the line of the face-off circles, paint, makers, cones, tires (or anything else).
• On the whistle, 3 offensive players work to pass the puck around while the 2 defenders work to block and deflect passes.
• One 3v2 goes until a coach determines a winner. After the game ends, the second 3v2 game starts.

Coaching Points

• Defense:
  • Keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes.
  • Practice stick on puck poke checks.
  • Work to return to the middle of the circle with your stick on the ice to block passing lanes.
• Offense:
  • Keep sticks on the ice to let your teammates know when you want the puck.
  • Utilize flat crisp passes around the outside of the circle. You do not have to force a puck through the middle.
  • Utilize fakes & deception to create passing lanes.
  • Make area passes if needed.

Variations

• Can set up one game instead of 2 games as shown.
• This game can be played 3v2 or 3v1.
• If offensive players are struggling to complete passes, coaches can have the defenders start by flipping their sticks over. Once the offensive players are able to get the hang of it and complete passes, coaches can progress to have defenders use their sticks normally.

The 2 vs. 2 No Sticks Game is a fun small area game from Topher Scott where the forwards are trying to score and the defense is trying to stop them from scoring. The one major modification to this game is that the defense does not have any sticks! It is a goal scorers game! The only way the defense can stop the game is to kick the puck out of the zone, have the goalie freeze the puck, have the coach blow the whistle (or the offense scores a goal).

Setup:

• Half ice 2 vs. 2 with one net and a goalie.
• A coach passes the puck to a forward and the game begins. The forwards try to score a goal while the defense tries to defend them.
• Depending on the age level, you can give your defenders something to carry (a cone, tire, ball, upside down stick, etc) to hinder them.
• The coach should have forwards and defense rotate positions.
• Switch the players when the coach blows a whistle, the forwards score, the defense kicks the puck out of the zone or the goalie freezes the puck.

Coaching Points:

• Defense: This game is a reminder that it is really hard to play defense with no stick or your stick in the air. Keep your stick on the ice when you have it!
• Offense: Give & go's. Jump to open space and communicate.

Variations:

• Modify the playing area.
• Have the game be 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3.
• Modify what the defense is holding. It can be a cone, tire, ball, upside down stick, etc)

Pass Through The Cones 2 v 2 Game is a station based game that helps players practice passing, puck support, puck protection, and awareness. This game is great for all age levels and can be modified in a variety of ways. IHS Members might be familiar with the half-ice versions Gates of Buffalo Passing or Gates of Buffalo 3 v 3.

Setup

• In a 1/4 station setup, create goals with cones (or tires).
• On the whistle players play 2 v 2 in the station and try to score points by passing to their teammate through the cones. 
• Players can not pass though the same tire twice in a row.
• Coaches keep score!

Coaching Points

• Offensive:
  • Players with the puck keep their head up to look for their teammate and open ice.
  • Players without the puck should jump to open space to support their teammate.
• Defensive:
  • Keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes. 
  • Communicate with your partner.

Variations

• Can be set up in different areas of the ice.
• Can play 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, 5v5, or have power play / penalty kill situations.
• Can add more or less goals.
• Goals can be created with tires, cones, or other objects. The smaller the goal, the harder it is to score.

The 4 Corner Possession Game (with Offensive Advantage) is a fun small area game that encourages players to use their teammates in the corners for support. The setup of this game allows for a lot of creativity.

Offensive players should focus on give & goes, using their point players, and net front presence to create tips, deflections, and react to rebounds. The defending team should focus on boxing out in front, keeping their sticks on the ice to block passing lanes, and react quickly to clear rebounds.

Setup

• Two nets back to back in the center of the zone (as shown in the diagram)
• 2 v 2 and each team has 2 extra support players in their offensive end
• The support players must stay in their boundary (can be cones or tires)
• Coach dumps puck in to start
• Change players every 30 - 45 seconds - the 2 v 2 players can rotate to become support players, then rotate out
• The defensive point players can only go d to d once then they must shoot or pass to a forward (they can not keep passing d to do over and over)
• The defensive point players can only hold onto the puck for 3 seconds (or less).
• Keep score!

Coaching Points

• Goalies - be aware of the puck at all times, especially with the reversed nets! Practice following the puck when it is in the other zone and be aware of where all of the players are.
• Defense - keep sticks on the ice, and use good angles to block passing lanes & opportunities. Box out the forwards in front of the net. React quickly to clear rebounds.
• Forwards - use your support players and work on give & goes. Utilize the nets in the middle of the ice as areas you can hide behind and then jump to space. Use your point players and crash the net to create tips, deflections, and react quickly to rebounds.
• Everyone - communicate! This is a fast pace game, so make sure to communicate with your teammates. 

Variations

• Can set up to be 2 v 2 (as shown above) or 3 v 3
• Can set up Defensive Advantage - see video here - (place the support players on the defensive side of their zone)
• Can set up Cross-Ice Advantage (place one support player on the defensive side and one support player on the offensive side, but have them on the same side of the ice so they can make cross-ice passes)
• Can set up Cross-Ice Advantage Mixed (place one support player on the defensive side and one support player on the offensive side, but place them on opposite corners of the ice so they can NOT make cross-ice passes)