(Transcribed from How to Play Hockey: Our Minor Hockey Coaching Course.)
This video explores a neutral zone for check called the 2-1-2 which is very common off a lost face off in the neutral zone. Its also good to use it against a team that likes to go D to D. It instantly gets those D covered and it takes the weak side of the D1 with the puck away.
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We lost a face off on the left dot outside of the opposing teams blueline, after we were called for an offside play…
Example:
- We lose the puck back to the opposing teams RD along the wall.
- Instead of the C going through and chasing, or all three players going through we want our LW instantly goes to their D1 and try just to check inside out to prevent a D to D pass.
- Our RW jumps ahead ready to pounce on a D to D that happens to the opposing teams LD.
- As well the RW shouldn’t try to take away the passing lane on that D to D because the opposing LD could jump and we end up with too many players sucked in.
- The C releases to cover the middle lane or stay with the other team’s C which is most common.
- Our D1 and D2 are sliding up again trying to hold the red line and if they can’t hold the red line then they’re holding the blue line preventing an easy zone entry.
It’s a little bit of a man on man situation, isn’t it? Our two FWD’s take away their D, our C is locking up the opposing C and our D are responsible for their W’s.
I really like to use this off of a neutral zone face off. The alternative which we will discuss in the future video on that faceoff loss, is the C goes through and the W’s hang back. What you’ll see is a 1-2-2!
Thanks for watching, will see you there!
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