Jason Lammers describes the Ramsay 3 V 3 Race. This competitive small area game incorporates racing to the puck to determine which team is on offense.

Setup

• Full ice setup with goalies in both nets.
• On each half of the ice, put 6 players on the goal line (so each side of the ice can play 3 V 3).
• On the whistle, the coach places a puck somewhere in the zone, and all 6 players race to the puck.
• Whoever gets the puck first, their team is on offense and the other team is on defense.
• Offense is trying to score. If the defense gets the puck, they work to keep puck possession before the next whistle.
• Play out 3 V 3 inside the blueline.
• On the second whistle, all 6 players on each half of the ice skate down to the other end of the ice to race for another puck. Coaches can have the players race for the previous puck that the other group was playing with, or the coach can collect the old puck and place it in a different part of the zone.
• Whoever gets that puck, their team is on offense and the other team is on defense.
• Keep score!

Coaching Points

• Race hard to get the puck!
• Offense - support your teammates and be an outlet when you do not have the puck
• Defense - keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes
• Everyone - communicate with your teammates

Variations

• Can make this game 2 v 2, 3 v 3, or 4 v 4.
• Can create different variations within the game:
  • Can have the offensive team be all time offense and if the defense gets the puck, the defensive team tries to keep puck possession and they get a point if they make 4 consecutive passes.
  • Can have the offensive team start on offense if defense gets the puck they can tag up at the blue line and then that allows them to attack on offense.
• Can be half ice instead of full ice. Just divide the zone into two halfs and put the nets by the half-wall by the face-off circles.