
For a bonus, if you have goaltenders around, you can award the winning team that gets the specific number of consecutive passes to go down and shoot on net. You can also have the defense flip their stick. Depending on the skill level of your team, you can drop it down to 3, 4 or 5 consecutive passes. The goal of the drill below is to protect the puck and make 7 consecutive passes before the defense knocks the puck away. The 7 Pass 2 vs 1 drill: Small area games are great because they can show why a skill is relevant and should be applied in game situations. The drill is good to allow players to get reps at both sides.ĥ) Integrate a fun small area game into the coaching Or you can add another forward into the circle so there are 3 players and one defenseman. If the defense is knocking the pucks away too easily, you can have the defense flip their stick so that their butt end is on the ice. The goal for the defensive player is to knock the pucks away from the players and out of the circle. The goal is for the offensive players to skate around and work on protecting the puck with moves, their body and stick. He uses these techniques in all areas of the ice, not just the corners.Ĥ) Drive home the skill with an additional drillĢ to 1 Puck Protection Drill: The drill setup is simple, place two offensive players and one defensive player in a circle (or area with boundaries). He is masterful at using all parts of his body, great edgework and top hand stick strength to create a barrier from the opposing team. This will allow them to fully grasp what the skill is, why it is beneficial and how it can be applied in practice or a game situation.īelow is a video montage of Sidney Crosby, one of the best in the world at puck protection.
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Show video examples of puck protection: It is extremely beneficial to show players video clips so the teaching can come full circle.Links to these individual skills and leg exercises are at the very bottom of this post. Depending on the skill level of your players you can break out and work on specific puck protection skills (control turns, mohawk turns, inside & outside edgework, one-handed stickhandling, etc). Contrast puck protection examples with examples of players leaving the puck exposed or forcing a play.

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Learning how to properly protect the puck will give you the confidence to be patient with the puck, and allow you to keep possession until you are ready to make a play.

Forcing a play will result in an easy turnover for the opposing team. When you are ready to make a play with the puck, look up, expose the puck, and make the play!Īfter most players win a 1 on 1 battle or receive a pass, they leave the puck exposed or quickly force a play. As discussed in the video above, it is important to use your body, hips, and stick to create a barrier between the puck and the other team.
