Angling

[Frank]

Tom,

In your straight on angle game, do you have any examples on how the defending player should approach the puck carrier? Also, how would you explain to your players how to defend when approaching straight on.

Thanks,
Frank

[Tom Molloy]

Frank, good question. Straight on angling is a difficult skill because when you are far away the puck carrier can go left, right, back. So the first thing is to cut the ice in half and get the puck carrier into the wide lane. If you can't do that then you have to pivot to backward skating, without giving up the middle and defend from the net side.

If you deflect the puck wide then turn and angle the puck carrier toward the boards and close the gap a little behind approaching at the back of the inside shoulder so he/she can't cut in behind you. If you get then to the boards skate through the hands with the inside leg leading, lift the stick and take the puck.

There are many great examples in this posting on angling. Gene Reilly runs a full ice drill with the Red Bull second pro team. He also does a great job of showing blade on blade while defending. The Canadian women's team does a really good 2-1 angling drill, there is also a great drill from Sweden and a reference to a classic job of angling and controlled skating with Spezza va. Crosby.

https://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/forums/topic/daily-drill-section-fifteen/page/2/#post-7824

15 Minute Video – Angling Skills

YouTube Video

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I have added this elite pro 1-1, 2-2 drill that practices all of the skills.
T3 – C5 – 1-1 x 2 – 2-2 – Pro
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.comhttps://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/forums/topic/daily-drill-section-fifteen/#post-7806

Gene Reilly is the coach giving instruction to the Red Bull players. I coached with him that season. Gene is a top skills coach and was in the AHL working with the Senators team for two seasons and his main assignment was to teach Jason Spezza how to play when he didn't have the puck.

This video is often used to show how Crosby school's Spezza but instead it is a great example of how to play low 1-1 defense. I think it is a great example of stick on stick from the D side, hand on the hip, stick always on the ice. Spezza prevents Crosby from getting to the net and at that time Crosby was the top player in the world. Spezza denies the slot and then stays with Crosby after he passes. The goal is on the winger who allowed the shot from the point and not on Spezza who did a fantastic job.

Attachments

• T3 – Teaching Angling Skills – Pro and International Drills.pdf (605 KB)

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

[Frank]

Thank you, this really helps I was having trouble trying to figure out how to explain it to my players. This is one of my favorite game like drills, it keeps all the players involved and they love it which increases their compete level.

Thanks again!

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It is a really good game that keeps everyone on their toes. I use it along with the cross ice angling game and have added a few things.
– on the whistle pass to your team coming on, so it doesn't just alterante and it also changes who you play against. (good puck management as well)
– vary the size of the team from 1 to 3. A coach sends out from 1-3 players and the opponents must read the situation and play accordingly. (up to 4 if there is a lot of players; try to never exceed 3 times rest for every time active)

Another great game to work on straight on angling is a game of quick transition on one net. You can have a game at each end or it can be part of a circuit. The offense must get on defense right away when the puck is passed to the next attackers. There are no whistles. I will attach both games.

Attachments

• T3 D200 Straight on Angling Game.pdf (126 KB)
• DT400 Quick Transition Game – U15.pdf (359 KB)

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