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PHASE THREE

PHASE 3 - Defending our zone.

There are two parts to Phase 3: the other team skating in against us (At this time their defensemen are not in the play because they are outside the blue line.), and the other team continuing the attack well inside our zone (defensemen inside the blue line). This is really just a continuation of Phase 2. We didn't recover posession in center ice, so now we have to do it in our zone. The closer we let them get to our goal, the better chance they have for a good shot. Now that they have the puck in
our zone, our job is first to keep the puck out of the slot and second to get it back and start our attack.

a. The other team is skating into our zone. The defenseman nearest the puck-carrier should try to force the puck-carrier towards the boards and poke check the puck away, following him all the way to the corner. The first forward back should also follow the puck-carrier in such a position that he can intercept the puck-carrier's pass or prevent the puck-carrier from turning inside our defenseman. But don't follow him all the way to the corner. When you reach the face-off circle start moving towards the slot to help cover in front of the net. See Figure 3.

One of the most dangerous situations in this part of phase three arises when the puck-carrier loses our defenseman by turning sharply inside and heading for the net or by stopping short just inside the blue line. In this situation IT IS THE JOB OF OUR FORWARD to cut off the attacker before he can do anything dangerous. The defenseman should never try to outmaneuver an attacker near our blue line. He keeps backing up to cover the other attackers who will be rushing to the slot area. Let me say that again. If the attacker stops at the blue line or turns laterally toward the slot, it is the job of our forward covering (or chasing) him to take the puck away or at least spoil his shot or pass. This is what I mean when I say you should never give up even if you are at first way back behind the play. When the attacker stops at the blue line, suddenly you immediately catch up and are in the play. This is absolutely necessary to prevent him from taking a free shot or making a good pass. If you are in the right position you'll be right on top of him and able to
prevent a shot or pass. See Figure 4.

If the play goes all the way to the corner, our defenseman should stay with the puck-carrier, and the forward should move to a position in front of the net to help defend there. If the puck-carrier passes the puck, then both our defenseman and our forward should move to defensive positions in front of the net. They both have to watch what the other team's forward is going to do, however. Don't forget him just because he is temporarily out of the play, because if he's smart he will try to maneuver himself into a good position in the slot.

Our other defenseman must stay with the next attacking forward. Maintain a position just ahead of him and on the side toward the puck. Be ready to intercept a pass or stick-check him to prevent his taking a shot. DO NOT LET THIS GUY SKATE AROUND YOU. If you do, he will be wide open. You have to defend
against the attacker closest to the net.

Our other two forwards should stay with the other two attackers to prevent their getting a pass and taking a shot. It is most important to cover the "trailer" (the third attacker) who will be skating right down the slot if he's doing his job right.
See Figure 3.

Let's review, because this is very important. Our defensemen are covering the first two attackers. Our first forward back is helping one of our defensemen cover the puck-carrier. Our other two forwards are covering the two attackers who don't have the puck, especially the trailer.

All of this sounds almost too simple to be spending time on, but time spent on it will prevent two-on-one, three-on-one, and one-on-zero situations, as well as open-man shots in front of our goal. These are the situations that allow goals against us. These are the situations we want to prevent, and prevention starts way back in the other team's zone when they first get the puck away from us.

b. The other team is in our zone with the puck (Their defensemen are inside the blue line.).

The first rule here is that we must have at least two players defending in front of our goal at all times. That's why in the first part above our first forward back must move to the position in front of the net when the play goes all the way to the corner. These two or three can be either one forward and one defenseman, two defensemen, or one forward and two defensemen. DON'T LEAVE THIS AREA UNLESS THE THIRD PLAYER IS THERE TO COVER FOR YOU.

These three players (2 D and 1 F) are responsible for the area bounded by a triangle with two points in the middle of the corners and the third point in the slot about halfway to the blue line. The other two forwards are responsible for the area between the slot and boards outside the triangle, including the points. As the opposing team's defensemen cross the blue line into our zone, these forwards (usually wingers) move to cover the defensemen at the points. See Figure 5. They try to stay near the opposing defensemen at the points to intercept passes and prevent shots. They hold a position on the side of the defenseman towards the puck. This helps them to block the defenseman's view, to block the view of the passer so he can't
see the defenseman, and to stay in position to intercept a pass. Stay close enough to reach out and touch him. See Figure 6. These forwards also have to pick up attackers who are trying to find a good position around the face-off circles and in the
corner. Obviously there is some overlap and players must cross these lines to continue effective defense. But it's important to think about what happens when a player must move outside his normal zone. A good example is the defenseman chasing an attacker out of the corner towards the point. The forward covering the point should see this and move to replace the defenseman in front of the net. Another example is the forward chasing an attacker from the top of the face-off circle into the corner. When this happens the forward in front of the net should move to replace the other forward at the point, but ONLY IF BOTH DEFENSEMEN ARE IN FRONT OF THE NET.

Let's go over it again. Two defensemen and one forward in front of our net. If one leaves this area (defenseman chasing into a corner) the other two must stay in front of the net. The other two forwards work mainly to prevent the attacking team's
defensemen at the points from getting into the play and they help in the corners. Again, the principle of never giving up applies. If you are a forward over by the boards near the corner and you see the puck heading for the defenseman at the point, get there as fast as you can ("Explode on the point!" as one coach used to say). Never assume it's too late. He may bobble the pass or miss his shot. The fact that he sees you coming will cause him to rush what he's doing. If you are skating your best he will HEAR you coming and this will make him really nervous. He may make a mistake or a bad shot just because you were coming, even though you didn't get there before he had his chance.

Defensive play in front of the net is fairly simple, but not always obvious. It may seem obvious you should get the puck, but that is clearly secondary to preventing an attacker from taking a shot. This why we say, "Play the attacker's stick." First priority is keep the attacker's stick off the puck, usually by lifting the stick. To do this you must be in position near him. Good attackers will try to move around to keep their stick away from you. You have to maneuver with them and be ready to lift their stick before the puck gets near it. Second priority is to clear the puck laterally towards the boards. Remember the rhyme, "Towards the boards." NOT UP THE SLOT TO THE BLUE LINE. Sorry for yelling, but we MUST get the habit - Towards the boards.

Finally, subject to the rules above, if you are the player on our team closest to the puck, get it!

We are short-handed, 5 on 4.

Phases 1, 2, and 3 don't change much. In Phase 1 the second forward should NOT wait in front of the net for a pass in case we regain the puck. Instead he should move immediately to cover the other team's second forward and stay with him. Unfortunately, we have to leave someone uncovered, and it should be the trailer. He is the least dangerous, at least until he gets into our slot. Once in our defensive zone (Phase 3), don't chase someone into the corners or behind the net. They can't score from there! Concentrate on the action in front of the net. The least dangerous area is the point/circle on the side opposite from the puck. This is the area to leave less covered. So the forward who would normally cover that point moves in to help in front of the net. As the action shifts to the other side, we have to shift our defense as well. This is not "Playing the box." I don't like "the box" because it leads players to stand still in the box formation and it leaves an opposing forward uncovered in front of our net. Both are bad news. I prefer to think of it as, "Keep two defensemen and a forward in the net/slot area (defensemen don't chase into the corner, and the forward tends to be in the high slot area), and the other forward plays the point, the faceoff circle, and the boards. When the play shifts to the other side, the two forwards exchange jobs." This is no different than normal, except that no one covers the defenseman at the point on the side opposite from the puck and you don't
chase into the corner.

Basically, when we are short one player, we give up one winger at one point because he helps the defense in front of the net.

We are short-handed, 5 on 3. Stick to the same plan, except don't cover the points and don't chase into the corners. Two defensemen and one forward in front of the net at all times.

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