Breakout Stations

The Bourque 3 on 3 cross ice game is similar to the Gretzky Game but now the designated passers behind the nets are referred to as "Bourque." The "Bourque" is behind their own goal line and helps to initiate breakout passes to their teammates. It is important that players regroup to support their "Bourque."

Game Rules

• Players must use their "Bourque" on a change of possession before making an attempt to score.
• Players may attack the other team's "Bourque" but they may not shadow them.
• Players that are playing in the 3 on 3 can go behind their own goal line to help out their own "Bourque".
• There is no limit to how often a team uses their "Bourque."
• Shifts should be 30 - 40 seconds to keep a good pace and high intensity.
• If a puck goes out of play, the coach can dump in a new one.

Coaching Points

• Have the "Bourque" work on a good first pass.
• Use "false Information / deception" (fakes & looking off the pass) to get their players open.
• Players need to skate back to support their "Bourque."
• Fill three lanes and skate to open ice.

Variations:

• Can be 3 on 3 or 2 on 2. 
• Can have 2 Bourque's to allow for D to D passes before the breakout starts. 

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The D to D Reverse with Shot is is a simple but effective drill that lets players practice using a reverse on the breakout.

Setup

• The drill starts with 2 lines of D up by the blue line.
• On the coaches whistle, the puck is chipped in behind the goal line.
• The coach applies passive pressure while the defender closest to the boards picks up the puck.
• The defender with the puck wheels behind the net, while the defender in front of the net calls for a reverse, and jumps in to collect the puck.
• The defender that now has the puck skates up the boards and makes a give & go pass to a coach (or a player) at the blue line and then circles back in to take a shot on net.
• Get reps on both sides of the ice.

Coaching Points

• Communicate with your teammate when you want them to make the reverse pass.
• Bank the puck off the boards so there is enough space for your teammate to easily pick up the puck.
• Both defenders should keep their heads up to time the reverse properly.

This is a great warm-up drill for defensemen from NewEdge Hockey that can be used all of the time. This setup offers tons of repetitions for common defenseman movements. Deception is a critical, must-have skill for defensemen, and sending false signals takes work to do well. Lots of versions from toes and head left to right take, fan at puck, and so on. Puck on hip, eyes up, and superior passing are skills and habits that defenseman need to make a difference in today's game.

Setup

• Each player has a partner. Player 1 chips the puck to the boards, retrieves it, and passes it to Player 2. Player two then chips the puck and continues the drill.
• Progression # 1: Fake forehand to reverse curl.
• Progression # 2: Head up quick pass.
• Progression # 3: Any variation you want! This setup can allow defenders to reinforce retrieval movements. Use deception and keep your head up!

Coaching Points

• Head up!
• Look over your shoulder as you are skating to the puck (make sure to practice this habit!)
• Practice deception in retrievals with your toes, hips, stick, head & eyes!

The Breakout Regroup Shooting drill helps players work on breakout principles, edge work, and quick release shooting.

Setup

• Player 1,  at the top of the circle passes to Player 2 on the goal line. 
• Player 1 pivots and opens up at the boards to get a pass back.
• Player 1 passes back to Player 2 for a give & go and jumps to the slot for a one timer shot.
• After player 1 takes a shot, and plays the rebound, they go to the goal line and wait to receive a pass from Player 3, the next player in line.
• The drill is continuous.

Coaching Points

• Keep stick on the ice to give your teammate a passing target.
• Communicate and call for the puck.
• Keep your head up and scan the ice when heading into breakout position along the boards.

The goal of this drill is to get players a more comfortable handing pucks along the wall and provides a situation you can use to teach them various techniques.

Setup:

• This station can be set up to use half of one of the zones.
• Pucks should be set behind the goal crease in the middle of the ice with the coach or other player.  If you are using both sides then two coaches can share the pucks and each will rim the puck to opposite sides.  
• A tire or cone can be placed inline with the dots at around the top of the circles.  
• Players are lined up along the blue line with the first player inline with the dots.  
• Player 1 will skate up around the tire towards the wall, open up to face the puck as it is rimmed around.  The players should time it so they are skating up ice as they gather the puck.
• Once they gather the puck they will make a pass to the next player in line, go around the tire, open up and call for the puck, then receive the puck back to take a shot on net.

Coaching Points:

• Encourage players to move their feet and keep their heads up as they gather the puck along the boards.
  • Players should look at the point to see where the defense is. You can do this with no defence just to get them in the habit of looking at the point, or you can have the defence add pressure so the drill can be variable. 
  • Players should get to the wall.
  • After they get the puck, they should skate away from the wall so they have space to play to the center or to the boards.

Variations:

• You can add a defender playing the point that occasionally jumps in, which will require the forwards to be more aware of the situation.
• You can add obstacles that the player needs to pass through when they pass to the point.
• You can require the player to shoot in stride, change their shot angle or practice their one-timer when they are shooting on net.
• You can make this drill half ice so more skating and longer passes are required.
• You can have the forward go to the net and have the defense take a shot so the forward has to tip or deflect it.

Jason Lammers explains The Breakout Game. The game is setup to help teams practice breaking out and forechecking. 

Setup

• Place one net on the goal line and the other net at the far blue line.
• One the whistle, the coach dumps the puck into the zone. 
• 5 players on the defensive team rush to retrieve the puck and practices their breakout concepts, while 3 forchecking players work on forechecking concepts and work to disrupt the breakout.
• Goals scored by the forechecking team are worth 2 points and goals scored by the team breaking out are worth 1 point.

Coaching Points

• Breakout Team - defense support your partner. Center come back low and slow to be an outlet. Wingers get back.
• Forechecking Team - keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes and angle players to the boards.

Variations

• Can be 5v1, 5v2, 5v3, 5v4. The more forecheckers, the harder it is for the team breaking out. If your team is struggling with breakouts, start with a low amount of forecheckers and work your way up to more.
• Can place second goal at center ice instead of far blue.
• Coaches can have players work on a variety of breakout & forechecking concepts

One of the hardest things to teach centers on the breakout is the timing. It is critical that the centers have a good sense of timing so they can support the defense and wingers when they have the puck. If they get too far ahead of the play they create a bad angle for a pass and put themselves in a bad position to receive a pass. By staying low and below the puck then they give their teammates better options.

Tips for the Centers on Breakouts

• Stay low and slow.
• Support your defense and wingers.
• Be ready to skate into the puck.
• Communicate with your defense and wingers.

Here are some breakout tips for wingers on their strong side when the puck is rimmed along the wall. There are three situations listed below but on all situations the wingers should do the following three things:

• look up ice to see what the defense is doing.
• get to the wall before the puck gets to your spot.
• get separation from the wall so you have more options.

Option #1 - No Pressure

• Skate with direction of the puck.
• Let puck come to you as you are headed up ice.
• Get separation from the wall.

Option #2 - Hard Pressure

• Stop the puck with backhand.
• Protect puck with body.
• Get separation from the wall.
• Chip high off the glass.

Option #3 - Hard Pressure

• Get to the wall and stop puck with skates.
• Angle skates to get puck off wall and to your stick.
• Protect puck with body if needed.
• Get separation off of the wall.
• Use forehand to chip puck high off the glass.

Here are a few options for wingers on their off-hand (weak) side when the puck is rimmed around the wall. First and foremost you always want to check what the opposing defense is doing. Are they allowing you time and space to gather the puck or are they applying pressure?

Option #1

• Get to the wall and gather puck at the wall.
• Use forehand to collect the puck faceing your own net.
• Get off the wall and look to make a play to the center or high off the wall and out of the zone.

Option #2 - No Pressure from Defense

• Get to the wall and face up ice skating with the direction of the rimmed puck.
• Once you collect puck get head up and try ot get off the wall as you head up ice.

Option #3 - Heavy Pressure

• Get to the wall and trap puck using skates.
• Use your body to protect the puck from the defense.
• If possible use the angle of your skates to get puck off the wall.
• Once off the wall look to make a play or chip the puck into the neutral zone.