Forechecking system

Paul it is critical that they play with good habits.
-always face the puck.
-closest player pressure the puck with a good forechecking angle and the stick on the puck and body on body.
-read when they are on defense and backcheck hard through the middle lane.
-get on the defensive side.

Attack with 4 players on the rush and get a shot and crash the net for rebounds.
-cycle with 3 players on each side.
-create 2 on 1's all over the ice.

Pressure, pressure, pressure.

Use all the players and have short shifts with high intensity.

If your team dictates the pace of the game they will do fine.

First game tonight with the Torpedo system. Looking forward to mistakes and bench management problems. I can handle the mistakes. Want the kids to play with creativity. I will keep everyone posted about our success and failures.

Ouch. Played a very skilled and fast team. Lost 10 – 3. Made some mistakes due to bad decisions, which I can understand. Really struggled with getting the puck out of our zone. Part of it is due to system and part of it is lack of passing skills. Canadian hockey lacks passing skills. Kids can't pass. Need to work on this.

Only the first exhibition game and kids are doubting the system. I told them hockey is hockey. You still have to make a play with the puck. I need to stick with this and make them better players. I know it and I can't waiver. I saw some good rushes and then other promising rushes that ended with bad passes. Many of these turned into rushes to our end.

I need some drills to get the halfbacks and libero breaking the puck out under pressure, where they make a decision.

In our zone I play with a man on and a box behind. The torpedo's have to give an oulet pass if the D is under pressure. In youth hockey the forechecking is usually hard and controlled breakouts are not common. Go to the files section here and look at the breakout practice drills by Bob Murdoch. I use them all of the time.

That being said the most important thing in a breakout is that the defender who regains the puck must skate hard to open ice. If he just stands there then the forechecking team knows his only option is to pass and holds the line. If the D gets the puck and skates up ice then the other D must back up. If he skates hard to the back of the net it sets up the wheel, reverse or counter.

The game is played with the feet moving.

A rule Jursinov uses is for his D to try to beat the first forechecker. This causes him to skate hard with the puck instead of stand still.

Here's diagram of warm up/ system play drill that we (actually i think many finnish teams use) use at our practices. I think I posted thes to the old forum some time a go.

D-D reverse
we allways try to get our first break out pass to middle line.
after first attack cycle to D to shoot from the point

Kai K wrote:

Kai K wrote:
Here's diagram of warm up/ system play drill that we (actually i think many finnish teams use) use at our practices. I think I posted thes to the old forum some time a go.

D-D reverse
we allways try to get our first break out pass to middle line.
after first attack cycle to D to shoot from the point

We have few variations of this drill starting from DZ or NZ.
this is basic D-D pass. and once more after first shot cycle and the D shoots

here's the NZ variation. this end with a cycle too.

Two quick comments, if I may.

1. I tell the D Man to skate the puck wide ( to open ice ) and make them change their forechecking angles. It makes for a tougher read. Trying to beat the first forechecker is to dangerous for an old-school guy like me.

2. As for 2 coaches from the same league being participants on Tom's board, both 'Left Wing' and I coach in the Metro Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association. He's better looking but I'm funnier….right, Lefty ?