Reply To: Diary of a Season 2011-12

[Tom Molloy]

This is a week off from games and we start the 2012 segment next weekend. Four players were on vacation. So we had 11 skaters and 2 goalies. Goal of the practice was to do everything with the feet moving and making quick decisions and quick transition from defense to offense and offense to defense.

I did a lot of coaching the principles of 1-1, 2-1, 2-2 and outline them below.

75 Minute Practice

A300 – Russian big moves while skating around the ice. Goalies do crease skating to warm-up.

B6 – Shots while skating at each end. Rotate clockwise after all have shot.
Shot one – walk out of the corner around the top of the circle and shoot with the feet moving.
Shot two – walk out of the opposite corner.
Shot three – skate from the boards to inside the dots and take a point shot from the original side.
Shot four – slide to the slot and shoot from the other point.
Shot five – breakaway from the blue line.
Rotate and repeat.

C2 Overspeed:
Carry the puck in the neutral zone as fast as possible making moves and fakes. Go in as fast as possible and pass to the player on the goal line and shoot without handling the puck. The second attacker do a full pivot with the puck before passing low.

Sequence is to carry the puck, pass low, shoot and then stand on the goal line to pass to the next players.
Greens attack one net and whites the other. To make a 1/3 w/r ratio alternate between 2 greens and 1 white leaving and next time 2 w and one g. Whistle goes every 7".
I stressed to attack the 85% scoring zone with speed and don't coast. Also only one pass is allowed in the offensive zone and all rebound. Speed, speed and more speed.

C2 Overspeed with Passing.
– 3 players leave from the boards always facing the puck and change directions when they get it. Make as many passes as possible in 10 seconds and then attack with speed.
– 11 players so attack alternating ends, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0.

B600 – two D at the top of the circles at each end and Forwards at the bluelines on each side.
Do a sequence always regrouping with the D at each end and then attacking the end you originally faced.

Drill One:
2-0 leave and regroup ithe opposite D who HINGE and pass up. Regroup with two at the oringinal end who HINGE and pass up and attack 2-0. Only one pass in the offensive end. Rebound.

I stopped them to give instructions on supporting from the puck side boards and the middle. On the hinge the strong side F had to cut across the middle giving the skate and stick as targets, instead of skating right at the D giving the wing-wang as a target and the new strong side forward has to face the puck skating to the new strong side boards.

Drill Two:
Regroup with only one D who pivots and up and then regroup with the opposite D who makes a skating move and passes and then attack 2-1 vs the original D.

On the 2-1 I stopped them and gave some principles of attacking. The first pass should be made early, i.e. near the blue line to force the D to make a decision and give the pass receiver more than one play. The attack must be made with speed so it doesn't become a 2-2. Also avoid skating parallel but follow the principle of "one high one low, one fast one slow.' i.e. if I have the puck and slow down my partner should go fast so I can pass behind the D's skate. If I am really fast then the partner should stagger back a bit. 2-1's are much more effective when the attackers pass on the forehand because it creates passing lanes and sets up a toe drag and in if the
D overplays it (i.e. Gretzky and Kurri, cross and drop before the blue line, Gretzky face Kurri on the right side, saucer over the stick if the D lays it down, slide and drag and go in if the D overplays it. Pass to Coffey in the high slot if the backchecker doesn't pick him up. On the forehand you can see 180 degrees and are in a strong passing posture. On the backhand you see 90 degrees and are in a weaker passing posture and usually must pass through the defender.)

D must recognize the most dangerous player and allow the goalie to only have to cover on half of the net. It is really a 2-2 (goalies are people too)

Drill Three:
Regroup with both D and attack the original D 1-1.

Attacking point – don't simple skate at the D but use change of pace and protect the puck. Do some zig zag skating to force the D to go laterally and try to catch them on the way back. Don't attack where they are going to but where they came from. If you are in an outside lane skate toward the inside to force the D to protect the middle, then go outside a bit and catch the D when they adjust outside. Also you must sell fakes like a fake shot, change of pace, fake inside to force the D to either reach or straighten their legs and give you a half second to get on the offensive side and accelerate to the net.

D must realize they don't need to do anything but create a tight gap from the D side. The attacker is licking their lips waiting for them to reach for the puck.

Nat my goalie coach got there from work and took each goalie for 15 minutes. So I had one end of the ice.

D400 – 2-2 game of quick transition. Extra players wait at the blue line for a pass and attack right away. Sequence is attack-defend-pass leave. On a goal or the puck is frozen the new attackers get the puck.

Instruction points after a few minutes of simple 2×1-1 coverage. The 2 attackers should create a 2-1 on one of the defenders by crossing and one take the ice behind. Options are to cross and drop, fake c and d and go through the middle. Cross and pick, two quick passes, etc. Force decisions.

D must stay with their check if the play is made from near the top of the circles and in. At the blueline they have time to switch but they must talk. See the puck, see their man, box out, seal sticks to the outside and always D side.

D4 – 3 on 3 game with 3 Jokers on each team. One joker behind goal line, one one at the point, one at the half wall Jokers can check Jokers. (I played to make it 3-3)

Rules:
On transition from defense to offense you must pass to a Joker who can only shoot or pass.
Players are allowed only one second with the puck.

Conditioning Skating:
– Side ladder. Always face the same wall when stopping.
– Start at the boards and skate to the coach and back in 4 groups. I called out the number of the group in sequence. To get the proper rest they can't leave before the number is called.

1 – close faceoff dot
2 – middle dot
3 – far dot
4 – far boards
5 – far dot
6 – middle dot
7 – close dot

Skating 2
All player line up on one blue line and leave when the number is called.
Exercise – skate to the red line, back to the blue and hard to the far blue. Repeat in the other direction when the number is called.

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