Pass the Puck

Mirror Up Your Defense: Ok, in the last post, we talked about splitting the ice in two so you have two zones.  Now, in order for you to keep the puck out of your defensive zone, the defensive pair needs to mirror each others move.  This is known as "Puck Support".

However, puck support within the defensivepair means that if one defensemen does something, the other defensemen does the same thing, but on his side.



Ok, lets look at this picture above.  This is the basic set up when the puck is being dropped at the start of the game or after a goal is scored.

Notice that we have the centerman winning the puck back to his defensemen.  The first thing the defensemen is going to do is pull the puck back deep into this defensive zone, skating with the puck as he moves backwards.

Now, the other defensemen's job, is to puck support his partner.  If the defensemen with the puck skates backwards, the other defensemen skates back as well.  This will allow the puck carrier to have someone to help him if he gets in trouble.

Now, one of the main reason why you pull the puck back into the defensive zone to to do one of two things.  First, by skating backwards with the puck, you open up time and space between you and the attacking player.

Secondly, when you skate backwards with the puck, you open up time and space between you and your three forward attacking unit.  If you pull the puck back, you allow the attacking team to move towards you and leave your forwards unit uncovered, thus allowing you to pass the puck with a "D to D" pass and out to your attacking forwards.