Head Up

As with any shot, you need to keep your head up. Having the confidence to keep your head up during a shot takes practice, but it is worth it. By keeping your head up you will be able to find the openings more effectively and increase the accuracy of your shot.

Follow Through

As with all shots, it is important to follow through with your wrist shot. Follow through increases accuracy and power. Also, make sure you move your bottom hand down on the stick to increase your leverage.
A quick note: Knees bent, head up and back straight.

Training

When a player gets to training camp in September and is out of shape, he will most likely be overlooked as a vital player. Off-season workouts are crucial to improving your hockey skills because they keep you in shape for the upcoming season.

How to play defense in the defensive zone.

Hockey Defense In the Defensive Zone
* Cover the front of the net - always one man in front - tough.
* Be alert for opposition face-off plays.
* Finish all checks in the corners and beat your man back to the net.
* On 3 on 3´s and 4 on 4´s one man take the shooter.
* Avoid backing in.
* When the puck at the point - clear the front of the net and control the opposition sticks by sealing them to the outside.

2-1-2 Forecheck with a Pinch on a Wide Rim

COACHING PRINCIPLES FOR AN AGGRESSIVE 2-1- 2 PLAYING SYSTEM WITH A PINCH ON A RIM
1.Forechecking
A 2-1-2 forechecking system and it´s variations focus on causing turn-overs and regaining the puck in the offensive zone by pressuring the opponent and limiting their time and space to make plays.
To do this the team must be good skaters and hard working in order to put constant pressure on the defense.
* The closest checker should create immediate pressure and steer the puck wide angling off back shoulder and make contact. Skate to the mid slot when
the puck is passed away from you. This is important as the original number one must now become either the second or third forechecker and he can read
this situation from the mid slot area.
* The second checker skate to the middle lane and read to get the loose puck if the first checker makes contact, cover the other defenseman on a to D to D pass or give back pressure on a rim.
* The third checker should mirror the play from the mid slot and check the winger on the boards if he gets a pass. When the weak side defense pinches
the third forward covers the mid point area and must play as a defenseman if the opposition breaks out.
* The fourth man supports from the far post and should pinch on a rim with the rule that "both the attacker and the puck cannot get over the blue
line".
* The fifth man, support from the strong side point, and slide across and cover the other point when number four pinches.

Playing defense in ice hockey in the neutal zone

COACHING PRINCIPLES FOR PLAYING DEFENSE
DEFENSEMEN
Neutral Zone - defensively
Diagrams and descriptions of team play.
These are diagrams of many of the systems described below. http://hockeycoachingabcs.com/index-8.html
* Weak side defenseman covers the wide winger unless the backchecker has him.
* Stay up at the blue line if the wingers are covered.
* Try to meet the play before the blue line on a 2 on 2 and 3 on 3.
* Turn and go with an uncovered breaking winger.
* On a one on one always look through the play and your man, eyes up looking at chest or eyes.
* Talk to forwards and defense partner all the time.
* Don´t let an opponent coming out of your zone hang behind you uncovered.

Back checking through the hockey neutral zone

A big change in hockey today is that the first back checking forward chases the puck carrier and creates back pressure through the neutral zone. In the old days this player would cover the wide offensive wing.

If the backchecker has a checking angle he/she finishes the check. If the attacker is too far ahead then he will cover a supporting forward.

The wide defender covers the attacker in the wide lane. The last two players coming back must beat the attacking defensemen up the ice and if possible get back quickly to outnumber the attackers by the red or defensive blue line.

The coverage varies depending on the forchecking system being used by their hockey team.

Hockey Defensemen in the Offensive zone

Defensemen In the Offensive End
* Be ready to pinch if a forward is in position to cover for you.
* Stand a few feet inside the blue line to prevent the puck from getting out.
* Weak side defense play even with the far post if the puck is in far corner and then adjust to where the attackers are.
* Be alert for breaking forwards and go with them, don´t gamble on knocking down the pass.
* Shoot low, just above height of stick blade or on the ice hard, be sure to miss the first man.
* When on your backhand at the point, shoot the puck into the corner.
* Look for forwards uncovered off either post and try a shot pass wide of the net for a tip.
* No unsafe stick handling as the last man, instead shoot the puck behind the net.
* No blind point to point passes, you must be sure they are safe.
* Keep the puck in front of you.
* Jump into the far corner if your forward rims the puck to keep possession.

1 on 1 stituations

1 ON 1 SITUATIONS
1 - 1 offense
* The goal is to have the puck carrier become a threat to score and force the defender to challenge him instead of allowing the defender to dictate the play.
* In an outside lane, attack from the side of defender and use change of pace and big moves. At the offensive blue line read if the defender gives up the
blue line. If he backs in, cut inside, if he stands up or is slow then go wide.
* Using various moves, and speeds forces the defender to think of various ways to defend and this slows his reaction and gives the attacker the advantage.

1 - 1 defense
* Try to stop the attacker as far as possible from the defensive zone.
* The goal is prevent the attacker from getting a shot from the slot.
* If attacker is very fast give room wide rather than back in.
* When the attacker is in an outside lane turn when he is parallel to you and flare out square to attacker, then angle him to the corner and finish.
* Stay on defensive side blocking way to net or angling attacker into corner.
* If the attacker delays you must stay with him and continue 1-1 beating him back to the net if he passes.

Hockey Helps Keep You Fit

Many people think that if you play a sport, you´ll be in shape in no time. This is partly true, but with hockey, like any other sport, you need other exercise as well as healthy eating to develop a stronger build.

1-2-2 Hockey Trap with a Swing

1-2-2 TRAP FORECHECK WITH A SWING
When the offensive player stops with the puck behind the net.
* First checker, forward one, swing in front toward to other side and replace forward two just above the face off circle.
* Forward two swing in front the other way and if the puck carrier stays behind the net he replaces forward three who is above the other face-off circle.
* If the puck is still behind net the original forward would swing, etc.
* When puck is moved from behind then trap as described in 1-2-2 trap.
* In the neutral zone defend the same as 1-2-2 trap.
Defensive Zone Coverage is the one man on and a box behind in all of these systems.

Playing the Trap

PLAYING A 1-2-2 TRAP FORECHECK
1-2-2 Trap
* First player force puck to the outside lane.
* Strong side forward play body on the puck carrier.
* Weak side forward fill the middle lane.
* Strong side defenseman, stand up and defend red and blue line.
* Weak side defenseman cover the weak side forward.
* Outnumber the offense in the neutral zone, dividing ice in half, weak side defenseman cover wide winger.
* When defenders regain the puck, the wide winger should break through the middle for a penetrating counter attack pass.

Defensive Zone Coverage
All systems use the man on and a box behind coverage as described before.

Constructive Practices

Each team practice should have a specific purpose or skill-building goal. If your team played poor defense last game, then focus on defense. Likewise, if they couldn´t score, be creative with drills. At the end of a practice, play a game so they can apply the skills. Give your players positive reinforcement if they show improvement in these areas.

Playing a 2-1 in Ice Hockey

2 ON 1 SITUATION In Ice Hockey
2 - 1 offensively
* Challenge the defenceman and use forehand passes whenever possible. This forces the goalkeeper to expect either a shot or pass and creates good passing
angles.
* "One high one low one fast one slow," is a poem to remember about not allowing the defenseman to stay in between you and your partner.
* Puck carrier must be a threat so defender cannot overplay pass.
* Make first pass by the top of the slot, this makes second play possible.
* Attack as quickly as possible to eliminate back checkers

2-1 defensively
* Stay in middle of attackers, delay play as much as possible, goalie take the shooter defender deny the pass.
* The most dangerous attacker is in the middle of the ice; so play him. If the puck carrier´s is on the off wing and his stick is in the slot he is the most dangerous attacker.
* Don´t allow puck carrier to break in post to post but go to him if he cuts in.
* On trailer in middle lane line up with trailer and rush him with the stick in the passing lane when a trailer pass is made,.

What a player faces in a hockey game

During a game the player is faced with many situations that he must solve. In most cases the defender has the advantage because of the goaltender. For the defender a 1 on 1 situation is really a 1 on 2 etc. This is why communication between the goalie and his team-mates is critical in order to maintain this advantage.

Snapshots are for Scoring!

As with most sports, scoring is the ultimate goal in hockey. This means you need a shot with quickness and accuracy. The best shot for this is the snapshot, which is the quickest shot in the game.

Encouragement

The most important element for children playing hockey is to have the support of their parents. Encourage participation in practices, good sportsmanship, and attend as many of the games as possible.

Duties of the first forward backchecking into the defensive zone

First forward into zone:
* Play 3-3 with defensemen, usually as the support man.
* Maintain defensive side positioning when they have two players fighting your defenseman for the puck in the corner.
* Be in a position to maintain the defensive side and get immediate pressure if they pass to your man deep in the zone.
* Mirror the puck on a breakout.
* Give middle support on a pass to the winger.
* Give close support to the winger and help to get the puck over the blue line on a pinch.