How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Strategy, Team Systems
How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, I did a video dissection of Ryan Carter's game-winning goal against the New York Rangers. The video got quite a few hits that night, and I had a number of requests to dissect the play from the defensive point of view. People wanted to know what went wrong, and what the Rangers could have done differently to prevent the goal. So I put together a follow up video, showing how I would have beaten the 2-1-2 Forecheck the Devils were using. Since we're ramping up for the new season, I thought it would be a good idea to brush up on beating the most commonly run forechecking system, the 2-1-2. 2-1-2 Stack vs Spread There are two types…
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Timed Delay Drill

Timed Delay Drill

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Offensive Zone, Passing & Timing, Team Skill Drills
Use the Timed Delay Drill to introduce basic passing and timing concepts, as well as offensive attack and delay tactics Passing and timing are extremely important concepts for hockey players to understand. This is a drill you can use to introduce these ideas at a young age. As is the case with many drills, you can progress this through from simple to more complex versions as your players progress. The first part of this drill develops basic passing and timing skills, the second part can be progressed to work on attacking the offensive zone in "waves," meaning if the first attack option is shut down, a player can "delay" by misdirecting, then wait for his trailer man to come in late. Here's the diagram: Timed Delay Drill: 1. First player…
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Center Lag Timing Drill

Center Lag Timing Drill

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing
The Center Lag Timing Drill Timing in hockey is a skill that requires not only physical ability, but mental ability as well. It is not uncommon to see young players buzzing around in practices or games - they appear to only have one speed: FULL SPEED. Since they're working hard, they think they're doing a good job... In reality, it is the player who arrives in the right spot, at the right time, with speed that will be the most effective. Teach your players to pass to designated receiving areas, not necessarily to players. The responsibility lies with the receiver to make the play work. The receiver must select the proper route to the receiving zone so that he or she arrives on time, with speed. He or she must…
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