Reply To: Defensive Zone Overload – Swarming and Other Team Play Ideas

[Tom Molloy]

I have been watching the dzone coverage carefully and just got back from the Flames-Blues game. Columbus overloads all of the time and has one of the best GA in the league.

When the offense is battling on the boards with their backs toward the boards the defenders overload. One defender on the puck, strong side F2 comes down, F1 creates a defensive 2-1 reading the battle from the dside, D2 covers a low rim and F3 has net coverage.

On the pk it is the same but F3 is near the face-off dot.

Flames changed the rotation up top and the F's held their sides much better and didn't chase passes nearly as much. Much more straight line skating.
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What a difference when you skate straight lines and don't chase passes. Flames have corrected this in their pk and killed 5 or 6 vs. Chicago tonight and did the same vs. the Blues on Sunday. Dzone a lot more orgainized as well. Stayed with their men and no goals on passes from below the goal line.

Too bad they haven't been doing this all season. (I am a Flames season ticket holder)

Chicago does a great job of outnumbering the opposition on offense and defense and always attacking with four.
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Last night game vs. Colorado. Flames were swarming early and only allowed 2 shots against in the first. They were protecting a 4-2 lead in the third and went into a passive shell. This resulted in two reaching penalties and a two man short that made it 4-3. They continued in the shell and held on with some great saves but played at least 15 of the 20 min. in their zone. (It was the first game of the post Iginla era for the Flames)

Why do teams do this (Canadian Jr.s blowing a 3 goal lead vs. Russia) instead of playing the same but making sure they don't try to win 1-1's or 1-2's at the blue lines.

That is my question of the day.

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