Playing Strategy

Novice B Team – 2008 / 2009

This handbook is to help the players progress and understand the basics of the different zones, off sides, player positioning and some basic plays we will be using during the year.

The handbook is interactive and meant to be a fun learning guide. Please take the time to go over the handbook with your daughter.

Thank you

Dominick Hardy

Parent and Player Strategy Handbook


The Rink

Hornets Player PuckOther team

The Zones

Defensive Zone

Neutral Zone

Offensive Zone


The Ice

How many blue lines?– 2 blue lines

Which blue line do we need to worry about for offsides?

– The one in the offensive zone

Where are the hash marks?– Where the wingers

stand for face-offs– Can you find more

hash marks?

How many face-offs circles are there?

– 9 in total


Left Wing

Player Positions - Wingers

Wingers– Wingers rule the rink.

They are fast and attack any pucks entering their areas of play. Wingers are the key to winning battles on the boards and getting the puck back from the other team.

A few important points– Winger are responsible

for all pucks behind the other teams net, regardless if is on their side, or not.

– Wingers need to avoid getting ‘sucked’ into the play on the other side of the rink in the neutral zone.

– Wingers are to cover the front of our net if the centre and defense are fighting for the puck in the corners or behind our net. They should not be behind our net.

Right Wing


Player Positions - Centres

Centres– Centres are like Batman.

They support the wingers, defence and goalie. Centres must always be the first to backcheck and be the first or second player on the puck

A few important points– Centres play high in the

other team zone to stop the other team from leaving their zone. Centres will support wingers if they need help on the boards to win the puck. Centres should aslo be ready to receive a pass from our wingers or defense

– Centres are the third defense in our zone and are responsible for all loose pucks in the corner, behind the net and for covering the other team players in front of our net

High Slot area

High Slot area


Left Def

Player Positions - Defence

Defence– Defence are like

superheros. They are fast and attack any pucks in our zone. Wingers are the key to winning battles on the boards and getting the puck back from the other team.

A few important points– Defence must defend

the blue line and keep the puck in the other team’s zone.

– When the puck is in our zone, one defence needs to be in front at all times.

– Defence pairs work as a team to keep the puck away from our net.

Right Def


Offsides


Off-Sides

Identify which Hornets player is off-side? Why?

– Correct. The Hornets player entered the other teams zone before the puck.

In this scenario, what happens if the player carrying the puck enters the zone with the puck?

– This will cause on offside and the ref will blow the whistle

Can the offside player get back ‘on-side”?

– Yes by either, leaving the zone before one of our players touches the puck, or

– If the puck if already in the zone, all off side players should all leave the zone to get on side (that is when we yell “CLEAR”).


Face-Offs


Face-Offs – Neutral Zone

Objective is to get control and set up an attack.

– C should send the puck back to our defence.

In the case, the LD gets the puck and has the option of:

– Passing to the RD (#1), or

– Passing the puck up the boards (#2)

LW

RDLD

RWC

#1

#2


Face-Offs – Neutral Zone

What happens if we lose the face-off.

– C covers their centrewoman.

– The winger on the side of the puck (LW) forces their defence carrying the puck.

– The open side winger (RW) skates in front of her winger and is ready to intercept any passes to either their winger or the other defence.LW

RDLD

RWC


Face-Offs – Defensive Zone

Objective is to get control of the puck and stop the other team from shooting on net.

– C should send the puck in the corner or on the boards.

– RD job is to protect the front of the net and stop the other team’s centre from taking a shot on net.

– RW job is to stop their winger from getting the puck

LW

RD

LD

RWC



We have just lost the face-off, what should we do?.

– C stays with her players to slow progress to the net.

– LW rushes the puck carrier.

– RW move up ice to stop any passes to the open side defence

– LD protects the net.

LWRD

LD

RWC



We have just won the face-off in our zone, what do we do?

– LD starts the break-out but must move the puck away from the other team.

– LD should skate towards the back of the net.

– RW goes to her hash mark

– C get ready to curl around for the break-out.

– LD has the option to pass either to the RW or the C

LW

RD

LD

RWC


Face-Offs – Offensive Zone

Objective is to get control of the puck and get a shot on net.

– C should send the puck to the board side winger of the board side defence.

– C could also have pass it to the RW for a quick shot on net.

– C could try to get to the net, if the other team’s defence is not covering the front of the net. Not the best option.

LW

RDLD

RWC


Defensive Zone Coverage and Break-Outs


Playing in our zone

In our zone the wingers and defense set up in a box formation.

– Wingers cover the other team’s defense

– Defence protect the front of the net and get the puck in the corners

– Centres helps the defense.

Who’s puck is it?.– The left defence gets

the puck.– Centre provides

support– The right defense

covers the front of the net

As soon as we win the puck both wingers should go to their hash mark to get ready for a break-out.

LW

RDLD

RW

C


The Break out

We have control of the puck in our zone.

– Wingers go to their hash marks.

– LD passes to open winger

– Centres curls to the puck side.

LW

RD

LD

RW

C


The Break out

We have control of the puck in our zone.

– Wingers go to their hash marks.

– LD passes to open winger

– Centres curls to the puck side.

RW should start skating with the puck and has two passing lanes

– Option 1: Pass it to the centre

– Options 2: Pass it off the boards so the centre can get it.

– The LW wing moves forward on the play

LW

RD

LD

RW

C

#1

#2


Break-Ins and Offensive Zone Coverage


The Break-In

Objective, get a shot on net or set up a play behind the net.

On a 3-on-2, puck carrier should enter the other team’s zone using the boards.

– Defence always gives you the board.

– Watch the offsides.– Second player in the

zone (C) goes hard for the net.

– Third player in the zone (RW) stays in the high slot area to either receive a pass or help our defence.

Option 1: Pass the puck in front of the net or take a shot.

Option 2: Pass the puck to the player in the high slot

– Make sure the other team will not intercept the pass.

Option 3: Carry the puck behind the net and look to make a pass in front of the net.

– Excellent heads up play.

#1

#2

#3

LW

RDLD

RWC


Playing in their zone

We will use a 2-1-2 system in their zone.

– That means that the wingers are deep in their zone attacking the puck (LW) or cutting off passing lanes (RW)

– The C plays in the high slot to stop the other team’s break-out.

– Notice the defence on the puck side (LD) inside the blue line and near the board to stop their break-out.

– The open side defence (RD) stays further back of the play and in the middle. The RD should not get sucked-into the boards just in case the puck comes back on her her

LW

RDLD

RW

C


Playing in their zone

What happens when the puck in their zone is headed up the boards towards our defence?.

– The defence (LD) must pinch in. That defence must play the puck and send it in the corner

– The C job is to cover for the LD while she is playing the puck. Alternatively, the LW can also cover for the LD.

– If their winger has the control of the puck and is skating up ice, then our LD should not pinch in. Both defence should start skating backwards

How do we make sure we do not give up a break-away.

– When a defence pinches in, the open side defence (RD) goes back to the face-off circle on the red line.

– Once we have control of the puck, the RD goes back to the blue line.

LW

LD

RW

C

RD


Passing Lanes


Playing the puck in the Neutral Zone

The other team has just passed the puck into the neutral zone

– The puck should be played by the RW, however the winger is not back so the RD will play the puck.

– The C must cover for the RD.

– Notice the LW stays on her side.

LW

RDLD

RW

C


Playing the puck in the Neutral Zone

The other team has just passed the puck into the neutral zone

– The puck should be played by the RW, however the winger is not back so the RD will play the puck.

– The C must cover for the RD.

– Notice the LW stays on her side.

What do we do when we get the puck

– The RD can pass it up the boards but then the other team will recover the puck.

– Pass it back to our C, who in turn can pass it to the LD or the LW.

#1

#2LW

RD

LD

RW

C


Passing Lanes in the Offensive Zone

Our winger has the puck in the other team’s corner but cannot skate out of the corner to take a shot on net. What are her passing options?

First try passing it to the player in front of the net, however if the player is covered then:

Option 1: Pass it to the supporting centre positioned behind the net.

– This is the best option.– The winger should then

skate towards the other team’s net

Option 2: Pass the to the right defence


– The player must avoid passing the puck to the high slot as this will give the other team a chance to break out of their zone.

Option 3: Do a ‘give and go’ with the supporting centre.

– Excellent heads up play. Make a pass and skate to open ice to receive the pass back.

#1

#2

#3


Passing Lanes in the Offensive Zone

Our defence has stopped the other team from clearing the puck out of their zone. What are her passing options?

Option 1: Send the puck back into the corner and let our winger chase it.

– This is the safest choice.

Option 2: Pass the puck to one of the forwards in front of the net


Option 3: Pass the puck to the other defence.

– Excellent heads up play but look to make sure their player does not intercept the pass and gets a break-away.

#1

#2

#3

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