How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck

How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck

Defensive Zone, Team Systems
How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck I've had a few questions come in recently on the 1-2-2 Forecheck. Specifically, coaches are looking for ways to beat it. The 1-2-2 is a great forecheck, but, as is the case with any system, it's beatable. Your objective is to control the puck, drawing players out of position, then beating them with a pass. Here are the key points: How to Beat the 1-2-2 Forecheck 1. Defenseman carries the puck to open ice 2. Defenseman walks the puck until someone comes to get him (if nobody comes, he walks all the way down the ice!) 3. As soon as F2 or F3 leaves their coverage to attack the Defenseman, he or she moves the puck to that side of the ice, hitting the…
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Controlled Skating Breakout Drill

Controlled Skating Breakout Drill

Breakouts, Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing, Team Systems Drills
Controlled Skating Breakout Drill Although this drill loosely mimics a breakout drill, the real purpose behind this one is to introduce Timing and Support concepts to youngsters. Players must time their skating to arrive at the designated receiving zones on time for a possible pass. Here's the diagram: Controlled Skating Breakout Drill 1. 2 lines of Fs and Ds on the blue lines (out of the way) 2. D starts drill on dot 3. On the whistle, F passes to D, who pivots toward the boards, then skates behind the net to initiate a breakout 4. F control skates through each of the 4 receiving zones, presenting him or herself as a passing option in each zone (never taking eye off puck) 5. After receiving pass, F attacks 1 on…
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Post Awareness Drill

Post Awareness Drill

Goalie, Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Shooting
This is a great 3-sequence goalie drill that works on many different aspects of Post Awareness This post awareness drill offers lots of possibilities. If you want to progress past just taking shots on this drill, give the players the option to carry the puck across the net/zone before they shoot. Here are the goalie's objectives on this drill: 1. Post Awareness 2. Rebound Control and Recovery 3. Post Recovery 4. Post-knee-up position (Post Load) Here's the diagram and drill explanation: Post Awareness Drill 1. Goalie starts on the post 2. Player 1 leaves without puck, pivots from forward to backward at about the hashmarks, and receives a pass from Player 2 3. After receiving the pass, Player 1 pivots and skates forward around the far cone, then drives to…
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3 Cone Rebound Drill

3 Cone Rebound Drill

Goalie, Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Shooting
Here's a great half-ice drill that works on many aspects of the goaltender's game The 3 Cone Rebound Drill will work on stopping the puck from outside shots, rebound control, recovering, covering the puck, handling rebounds and more. Here are the goalie's objectives: 1. Stop the Puck! 2. Rebound Control 3. Proper Recovery Here's the diagram: 3 Cone Rebound Drill 1. Players line up in corners with pucks 2. 3 players leave at the same time from the same line 3. Player 1 skates puck around near cone, shoots from above the circles, and stays at the net for the rebound on the next shot 4. Goalie tracks, squares up, and fields shot 5. Player 2 skates puck around the middle cone, shoots from above the circles, and stays at…
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Figure 8 Angling Drill

Figure 8 Angling Drill

Checking & Angling, Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Skating & Agility, Team Skill Drills
One of my favorite Hockey Body Checking Drills to work on body positioning and angling Remember, as you progress into hockey body checking drills, to stress that the purpose of body checking in hockey is to separate the man from the puck. To do this effectively, players need a strong base in the following areas: "Raw" Skating Ability Agility Body Positioning (Angling, Gap Control, etc...) Stick Positioning Make the Hit Here's the explanation: 1. Players start facing each other on dot 2. (F) picks up a puck and drives wide 3. (D) skates around cones as shown, then angles 4. (F) has to drive around lower cone before cutting to the net Variations: (a) take out the cone at hashmarks (b) allow forward to cut inside earlier Cheers!   USE…
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