Logical Way to PK vs. 1-3-1
I watched an NHL game last night where the home team lost 2-1 on two power play goals against that are totally preventable. Basic principles:
A. Defend from the net out.
B. Forecheck from the inside out.
C. Play 4-4 with the closest attacker and give them the player two passes away. (you can rotate back after one pass)
Someone invented the Fall Under pk vs. the 1-3-1 and it violates many principles of defense. The first goal was scored when the top F chased a pass to the side and left the attacker at the mid-point alone to shoot. Result – GOAL. The winning goal was scored when the attacker on the goalies left was passed to from the mid point, walked in alone and the goalie made a great save, ten seconds later same thing but this time he shot bar down – GOAL.
This fall under scheme that is used to kill the 1-3-1 Diamond pp violates a lot of basic hockey principles. I dress beside a former NHL coach of the year at +55 hockey and he shakes his head. He says the basic principle is you 'always defend from the net out.' and you never chase passes.
So the solution is that instead of all of this switching and chasing passes the PK should defend from the net out with a diamond that covers the 4 most dangerous players.
When the puck is at the mid point the diamond should move out and leave the player in front to the goalie and the mid D get halfway to the middle attacker. The D and F on the side cover one stick length away on net side of the attackers on each wing.
The puck moves to the side the defender on that side close the gap, block a shot. The low D front the player screening, high forward drop down, wide defender move to cover shooter in the middle.
Simple rotation that takes away the one timer and is soft on the player two passes away but denying the passes with sticks in the lane. Simple but much more logical rotation where you don't give up shots and the four most dangerous attackers are defended from the net out.
Last season teams went back to a tandem I forecheck on the pk. For about ten years everyone was doing this equally illogical swing to the sides. Come on boy's.
Defend from the middle and force the puck with on the forecheck and defend from the net out in your zone. Stay with the puck carrier 1-1 but don't chase passes. The game isn't that hard.
Forecheck:
Most high level teams now have two forwards follow the play on the breakout and they pass back to them for the zone entry.
Why wait for them. They only have a 3-3 if the F1 forechecker pressures the player who gets the back pass. Force the second pass and F2 pressure the puck to the side while F1 comes back through the middle. The other attackers are standing still at the blue line and are not dangerous.
Just some thoughts.
* Just read an announcement from Hockey Canada on 26 players that are trying out for the Olympic men's team at a tournament in Finland Switzerland. Two players who I had on the ice for lots of practices when they were 12-13 (in the golden years of learning) were named. One had a good NHL career and the other is a little on the small side and was up and down from the American League and now plays in Europe. It is neat to see former players do well.
I was an assistant coach for 6 seasons at the University of Calgary with Willy Desjardins, Canada's head coach. So I am very interested to see how they do. Lots of former NHL players. There are many players released by NHL teams now when they are near 30 because they have to pay them a lot compared to young guys coming into the league. Only the top players get that lucrative 3rd contract. So they should have a good team.
'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'