Reply To: Cougars Pounce – Clarification

[Tom Molloy]

Dean, no appology needed. I didn't take it as a negative at all.

I am saying that the coach can devise a style of play to counter what the 'Star' on the other team is doing. Adjust so that he/she is attacking vs an outnumber situation. Don't so much worry about the forwards matching up but match up the defense and have the forwards come back hard to the net and always back pressure. If your team is in the same league then you should have more than one D who is capable of playing on the defensive side.

I watched a player on my grandsons team last season score about 130 goals and most were scored because the other team skated right at him. He would make a move and be gone (we play full ice with everyone here) and the teams would watch him skate down and score. Simply staying between him and the net would have prevented half his goals.

Back checking and playing D side cures most defensive problems.

My team is 15-16-17 years old and we have players who play even strength, pp, pk and some who play even and pk and a couple who play only even strength. When I coach younger kid's I simply roll lines.

This is a good place for this conversation as the system or style of play should reflect the needs of the team. 'If it doesn't matter who wins or loses then why keep score."

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'