Body Contact & Checking Practice # 4 of 5

Drill Setup:

• Split players into small groups at the circles.
• Draw a line to split the circle in half. X1 starts with the puck, passes to X2 at the opposite side of the circle. X2 passes the puck back to X1.
• X1 must choose a 1/2 of the circle and skate attempting to skate on that half and ge tto the opposite half of the circle.
• X2 angles, X1 and does not allow them to get to other half/side of the circle.

Drill Purpose:

• Purpose of the drill is to introduce angling. BecauseX1 and X2 start across from each other, the drill stresses that"X2" cannot skate straight atX1 but must angle and push X1 one direction.
• Can introduce the concept of using your stick to help steer the player as well as going stick on stick and body on body at the right moment.

Common Mistakes:

• "X2" giving up the middle behind them and not being patient. "X2"looking at the puck and/or only going for the puck instead of body &puck.

Drill Setup:

• 2 Lines on goal line. Inside line has pucks (offense).
• Outside line are the defenders.
• On whistle the offensive player is skating from the goal line around the cones in the neutral zone and curling back into the offensive zone.
• The defender is performing a sharp turn around the dot and then fronting and angling the offensive player. The defender doesn't go around the cones.
• The players play the puck out.

Drill Purpose:

• Two purposes of the drill are angling and net driving.
• With angling we are looking for the angler to be patient, take back ice and force the offensive player down the wall and to outside/corner.
• Player should use their stick to steer the offensive player and go stick on stick and body on body to create a turnover.
• For the net drive player we are looking for good weight shift puck protect position, good playing in contact skills (cut through defenders hands and gain the corner) as well as use of changes of speed.

Rules:

• To start I recommend performing the drill with the rule that the offensive player is not allowed to turn back and must drive the net. This forces them into using other skills such as changes of speed or fake turns to throw off the angling player. In addition, being an intro angling drill it allows the angler to get used to angling a player and creating contact.
• As players improve angling skills then can allow the offensive player the ability to turn away and protect the puck if unable to get to the net.

Common Mistakes:

• Angling player giving up the middle of the ice and not being patient. Angling player looking at the puck and not taking the body. Net drive player skating toward the corner and not cutting through the contacts hands to gain body position. Net drive player not using proper positioning to protect the puck (exposing the puck to defender).

Drill Setup:

• 1 player starts as puck retriever, 1 player as forechecker.
• Puck retriever should be given an adequate head start.
• Forechecker has to angle the player off and attempt to create a turnover.
• Forechecker is trying to create a turnover to score on the net.
• Puck retriever is trying to skate the puck past the blue line. Play the puck out.
• Start the drill is 1 v 1, can move the drill to 2 v 2 or even 3 v 3.

Purpose:

• Purpose of the drill is to isolate an F1 forechecker angling situation and that player taking a good angle and creating a turnover on the forechecker.

Drill Setup:

• 1 Line on each blue line. Cones as shown.
• On whistle players skate around there respective cones.
• Coach passes puck off the far wall to either side. This cues the opposite player that they need to angle.
• Players play the1 v 1 out trying to score on the opposite teams net. Keep score.
• Drill can be done 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 as well. Adding players to the drill brings in other factors.

Drill Purpose:

• Purpose of the drill is to challenge a players ability to recognize an execute an angling situation. The drill is difficult. If not done well it is easy to expose a bad angle.

Drill Setup:

• Split players into 2 teams. Whoever coach passes the puck to, that team must skate around their net with the puck before moving into playing.
• The opposing team (defenders) now angle the puck carrying team. After this the players play cross ice until coach changes lines.

Variations:

• Start with the "small area version." Start1 v 1. This is easier for the players to angle and work on angling skills in.
• Can move to 2 v 2 in this small area version as well. Once shows proficiency can move to full zone 3 v 3. Being bigger area makes it harder to angle.
• Can also set up situations where the offense has the advantage - like 3 v 2 or 3 v 1, or 2 v 1 games.

Purpose:

• Purpose of this drill is to work on angling and creating a turnover to be able to transition into offense. Focus on all the skills of angling as well as tight gaps and taking away passing lanes/options.
• Let the players play the game out for a little bit and continue to stress looking for new angling situations as well as using all body contact skills previously reviewed.