(Transcribed from How to Play Hockey: Our Minor Hockey Coaching Course.)
This video explores Offensive Rushes. We are going to talk about options on 1-on-1, 2-on-1, 2-one-2, 3-on- 2 and 3-on-1. Now the most important thing in any of those scenarios is to read where the ice is, how aggressive the defender’s being, and what your options might be.
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1-on-1:
First let’s take a look at two different 1-on-1’s, without getting into the actual tactics of how you might be to defend a 1-on-1. Let’s first decide what you might choose as your attack. You need to look at where the white ice is.
Example:
- If you’re skating up ice along the wall and the opposing D is holding the blue line and there’s a bunch of white open ice in behind, then it would be smart to either try to beat him/her wide and be able to take it back to the net or trying to chip it past and get in behind. Because this opposing D has a good gap, your options are going to be a little bit dictated by that.
Example:
- Now let’s say the opposing D has backed up a little too far and isn’t holding the line at all. Because this D is back too far with not the best gap, that means the white ice is in front of him/her. So in this case you may want to try to attack that D, using him/her as a screen for a shot, or a pass to your secondary support if any. Another option for when the D backs in too far is taking advantage of that white ice and maybe cutting across switching lanes causing that D to have to move. When doing this though you need to make sure to take into account of back pressure on you as well if you have any options for a passing play, so we still need to read the situation well.
2-on-1:
Here we will discuss some options for you to consider while on a 2 on 1 play entering the attacking zone.
Example:
- F1 is entering the zone just off the wall, F2 is coming in zone down the middle lane.
- If the opposing D is overplaying the pass to F2, which they might be because they’ve learned to give the shooter to the goalie, then you may be able to take the puck surprisingly right into the net and score.
Example:
- If the opposing D is playing the F1 a too tight, it means that your F2 is wide open. So you need to be able to make a pass in front of that D’s stick, under the stick, over the stick or even in behind the D to your partner moving in.
As the player without the puck on a 2-on-1, you need to decide, “Will I drive the net with speed and try to get in behind the D and maybe then my partner would shoot for a rebound? Or try to pass through?” You should be aware of where you are in relation to the center line dot. We need one player generally on either side so that any kind of pass through beyond center, really makes that goalie move and have to commit and there’s a better chance of an open net.
2-on-2:
A 2-on-2 is probably the hardest scenario to create offense. Here are some tips for you to try and take advantage of these opportunities the best you can.
Tips:
- If the opposing D have backed in to far then we may be able to try to shoot through the screen and at least get a shot on goal. Speed on your attack will help you have a better chance of the D backing in.
- You may be able to drive right at the D and drop it in behind you to your F2 cutting in across and continue on through. Then those D are going to have to communicate and decide who is taking whom with letting you through.
- Try to really make those D think and communicate.In general the opposing D1 thinks he/she has the F1 and D2 thinks he/she has our F2. If our F1 decides to cut across and drive at the opposing D2 that forces their D1 to come across and now they have to communicate who is going to take whom and maybe a straight drop in behind and keep driving through gives us a shot from this prime scoring area.
- So the focus is to make those defensemen communicate and choose rather than just being simple and staying in your own lane and letting them take two sets of 1-on-1. That makes the job too easy for them!
3-on-2:
We have previously been through this scenario with options briefly in a previous video. discussed in the other video. In general the goal is to create some kind of triangle if possible, and on a 3-on-2, you want to think about it as a 2-on-1 and a 1-on-1 so two of you want to try to isolate one of their D which will give you some pass options.
If the supporting F2/F3 don’t make any movements to come and either support the puck carrying F1 or push back the opposing D then you’re allowing that strong side D1 to just worry about the puck carrier in a 1-on-1 situation and isolate him/her. Now we’re no longer out that numerical advantage.
As I mentioned in a previous video I really like the ‘drive and drop’, driving at D with support coming in directly from behind and a little drop pass back and keep going through with net presence, pressuring the D, taking a step to the middle taking a shot. That’s kind of the most effective drop pass in my opinion.
3-on-1:
If you are so lucky to ever end up on the 3-on-1 the number one thing you need to do is get a shot on goal. You cannot be too fancy on a 3-on-1, giving up that scoring chance. We generally don’t want to try and make a pass through the opposing D while you have a wide open trailer on a 3-on-1. That really gives the advantage back to the D. We’ll talk about it more in depth in defensive coverage but that D is really just hoping to stall you guys long enough that they have backchecking pressure.
Example:
- A simple play would be having the F2 driving that D back, allowing the F3 trailer to be high and open. Once the D has been driven back far enough to become a helpful screen, F1 makes the pass to F3 who then shoots to score.
Example:
- A more advanced play has F1 carrying the puck.
- F2 skating to the net, in line with the far post.
- F3 is staying high maybe a little to the F1’s side on his/her inside shoulder.
- F1 passes back to F3, who returns it back to F1.
- Usually when this happens quickly the D is going to turn to F1 now, because he/she needs to make a choice once in deep enough towards the goal.
Once that D goes towards F1, F1 makes a slip pass back door to F3 who hopefully has an open net tap in if executed perfectly.
So there are some options on a 1-on-1, 2-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on-2 and a 3-on-1. Now executing those comes down to individual skill and awareness. But hopefully some of those options can give you some structure in your attack.
Thanks for watching, see you in the next video!
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