Playing Strategy

Novice B Team – 2008 / 2009
This handbook is to help the players progress and
understand the basics of the different zones, off sides, player
positioning and some basic plays we will be using during the
year.
The handbook is interactive and meant to be a fun learning
guide. Please take the time to go over the handbook with
your daughter.
Thank you
Dominick Hardy
Parent and Player Strategy Handbook

The Rink

Hornets Player PuckOther team
The Zones
Defensive Zone
Neutral Zone
Offensive Zone

The Ice
How many blue lines?
– 2 blue lines
Which blue line do we need
to worry about for offsides?
– The one in the
offensive zone
Where are the hash marks?
– Where the wingers
stand for face-offs
– Can you find more
hash marks?
How many face-offs circles
are there?
– 9 in total

Left Wing
Player Positions - Wingers
Wingers
– Wingers rule the rink.
They are fast and attack
any pucks entering their
areas of play. Wingers
are the key to winning
battles on the boards
and getting the puck
back from the other
team.
A few important points
– Winger are responsible
for all pucks behind the
other teams net,
regardless if is on their
side, or not.
– Wingers need to avoid
getting ‘sucked’ into the
play on the other side of
the rink in the neutral
zone.
– Wingers are to cover the
front of our net if the
centre and defense are
fighting for the puck in
the corners or behind our
net. They should not be
behind our net.
Right Wing

Player Positions - Centres
Centres
– Centres are like Batman.
They support the
wingers, defence and
goalie. Centres must
always be the first to
backcheck and be the
first or second player on
the puck
– Centres play high in the
other team zone to stop
the other team from
leaving their zone.
Centres will support
wingers if they need help
on the boards to win the
puck. Centres should
aslo be ready to receive
a pass from our wingers
or defense
– Centres are the third
defense in our zone and
are responsible for all
loose pucks in the
corner, behind the net
and for covering the
other team players in
front of our net
High Slot area
High Slot area

Left Def
Player Positions - Defence
Defence
– Defence are like
superheros. They are
fast and attack any
pucks in our zone.
Wingers are the key
to winning battles on
the boards and
getting the puck back
from the other team.
– Defence must defend
the blue line and keep
the puck in the other
team’s zone.
– When the puck is in
our zone, one
defence needs to be
in front at all times.
– Defence pairs work
as a team to keep the
puck away from our
net.
Right Def

Offsides

Off-Sides
Identify which Hornets player
is off-side? Why?
– Correct. The Hornets
player entered the
other teams zone
before the puck.
In this scenario, what
happens if the player
carrying the puck enters the
zone with the puck?
– This will cause on
offside and the ref will
blow the whistle
Can the offside player get
back ‘on-side”?
– Yes by either, leaving
the zone before one
of our players touches
the puck, or
– If the puck if already
in the zone, all off
side players should all
leave the zone to get
on side (that is when
we yell “CLEAR”).

Face-Offs

Face-Offs – Neutral Zone
Objective is to get control
and set up an attack.
– C should send the
puck back to our
defence.
In the case, the LD gets the
puck and has the option of:
– Passing to the RD
(#1), or
– Passing the puck up
the boards (#2)
LW
RDLD
RW
C
#1
#2

Face-Offs – Neutral Zone
What happens if we lose the
face-off.
– C covers their
centrewoman.
– The winger on the
side of the puck (LW)
forces their defence
carrying the puck.
– The open side winger
(RW) skates in front
of her winger and is
ready to intercept any
passes to either their
winger or the other
defence.LW
RDLD
RW
C

Face-Offs – Defensive Zone
Objective is to get control of
the puck and stop the other
team from shooting on net.
puck in the corner or
on the boards.
– RD job is to protect
the front of the net
and stop the other
team’s centre from
taking a shot on net.
– RW job is to stop their
winger from getting
the puck
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

We have just lost the face-
off, what should we do?.
– C stays with her
players to slow
progress to the net.
– LW rushes the puck
carrier.
– RW move up ice to
stop any passes to
the open side defence
– LD protects the net.
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

We have just won the face-
off in our zone, what do we
do?
– LD starts the break-
out but must move
the puck away from
the other team.
– LD should skate
towards the back of
the net.
– RW goes to her hash
mark
– C get ready to curl
around for the break-
out.
– LD has the option to
pass either to the RW
or the C
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

Face-Offs – Offensive Zone
Objective is to get control of
the puck and get a shot on
net.
puck to the board side
winger of the board
side defence.
– C could also have
pass it to the RW for
a quick shot on net.
– C could try to get to
the net, if the other
team’s defence is not
covering the front of
the net. Not the best
option.
LW
RDLD
RW
C

Defensive Zone Coverage and Break-Outs

Playing in our zone
In our zone the wingers and
defense set up in a box
formation.
– Wingers cover the
other team’s defense
– Defence protect the
front of the net and
get the puck in the
corners
– Centres helps the
defense.
Who’s puck is it?.
– The left defence gets
the puck.
– Centre provides
support
– The right defense
covers the front of the
net
As soon as we win the puck
both wingers should go to
their hash mark to get ready
for a break-out.
LW
RDLD
RW
C

The Break out
We have control of the puck
in our zone.
– Wingers go to their
hash marks.
– LD passes to open
winger
– Centres curls to the
puck side.
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

The Break out
We have control of the puck
in our zone.
– Wingers go to their
hash marks.
– LD passes to open
winger
– Centres curls to the
puck side.
RW should start skating with
the puck and has two
passing lanes
– Option 1: Pass it to
the centre
– Options 2: Pass it off
the boards so the
centre can get it.
– The LW wing moves
forward on the play
LW
RD
LD
RW
C
#1
#2

Break-Ins and Offensive Zone Coverage

The Break-In
Objective, get a shot on net or
set up a play behind the net.
On a 3-on-2, puck carrier should
enter the other team’s zone
using the boards.
– Defence always gives
you the board.
– Watch the offsides.
– Second player in the
zone (C) goes hard for
the net.
– Third player in the zone
(RW) stays in the high
slot area to either
receive a pass or help
our defence.
Option 1: Pass the puck in front
of the net or take a shot.
Option 2: Pass the puck to the
player in the high slot
– Make sure the other
team will not intercept
the pass.
Option 3: Carry the puck behind
the net and look to make a pass
in front of the net.
– Excellent heads up play.
#1
#2
#3
LW
RDLD
RW
C

Playing in their zone
We will use a 2-1-2 system in
their zone.
– That means that the
wingers are deep in
their zone attacking
the puck (LW) or
cutting off passing
lanes (RW)
– The C plays in the
high slot to stop the
other team’s break-
out.
– Notice the defence on
the puck side (LD)
inside the blue line
and near the board to
stop their break-out.
– The open side
defence (RD) stays
further back of the
play and in the
middle. The RD
should not get
sucked-into the
boards just in case
the puck comes back
on her her
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

Playing in their zone
What happens when the puck in
their zone is headed up the
boards towards our defence?.
– The defence (LD) must
pinch in. That defence
must play the puck and
send it in the corner
– The C job is to cover for
the LD while she is
playing the puck.
Alternatively, the LW can
also cover for the LD.
– If their winger has the
control of the puck and is
skating up ice, then our
LD should not pinch in.
Both defence should
start skating backwards
How do we make sure we do not
give up a break-away.
– When a defence pinches
in, the open side defence
(RD) goes back to the
face-off circle on the red
line.
– Once we have control of
the puck, the RD goes
back to the blue line.
LW
LD
RW
C
RD

Passing Lanes

Playing the puck in the Neutral Zone
The other team has just passed
the puck into the neutral zone
– The puck should be
played by the RW,
however the winger is
not back so the RD will
play the puck.
– The C must cover for the
RD.
– Notice the LW stays on
her side.
LW
RDLD
RW
C

Playing the puck in the Neutral Zone
The other team has just passed
the puck into the neutral zone
– The puck should be
played by the RW,
however the winger is
not back so the RD will
play the puck.
– The C must cover for the
RD.
– Notice the LW stays on
her side.
What do we do when we get the
puck
– The RD can pass it up
the boards but then the
other team will recover
the puck.
– Pass it back to our C,
who in turn can pass it to
the LD or the LW.
#1
#2
LW
RD
LD
RW
C

Passing Lanes in the Offensive Zone
Our winger has the puck in the
other team’s corner but cannot
skate out of the corner to take a
shot on net. What are her
passing options?
First try passing it to the player
in front of the net, however if the
player is covered then:
Option 1: Pass it to the
supporting centre positioned
behind the net.
– This is the best option.
– The winger should then
skate towards the other
team’s net
Option 2: Pass the to the right
defence
the pass.
– The player must avoid
passing the puck to the
high slot as this will give
the other team a chance
to break out of their
zone.
Option 3: Do a ‘give and go’ with
the supporting centre.
– Excellent heads up play.
Make a pass and skate
to open ice to receive the
pass back.
#1
#2
#3

Passing Lanes in the Offensive Zone
Our defence has stopped the
other team from clearing the
puck out of their zone. What
are her passing options?
Option 1: Send the puck back
into the corner and let our
winger chase it.
– This is the safest
choice.
Option 2: Pass the puck to
one of the forwards in front
of the net
the pass.
Option 3: Pass the puck to
the other defence.
– Excellent heads up
play but look to make
sure their player does
not intercept the pass
and gets a break-
away.
#1
#2
#3

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