It is often said about any sport, that defense wins championships. That statement is especially true in the game of ice hockey. A strong defensive unit is often the difference between watching the playoffs from home and raising the trophy at the end of your season. Hockey defense takes more than individual efforts from your defenseman, it requires effort from everyone on the ice to pressure, cover and effectively break the puck out of the zone. An effective defensive effort will springboard the offense, and create chances at the other end of the ice allowing your team to dominate your opponents.
Defensive Pressure
Pressuring your opponents before, and as they enter your defensive zone makes it difficult for your opponent to set up, and get comfortable. Defensive pressure is essential for disrupting the offense and forcing them to play on your terms. Putting pressure on your opponent, and closing space forces the opponent to make quicker and more accurate decisions to beat the defense. Quick pressure on the puck carrier can easily cause mistakes and lapses in decision-making. Allowing the defense to regain control of the puck and attempt a breakout.
Coach Nathan Leslie, a former professional European hockey player and professional coach explains the importance of defensive pressure and holding your blue line in his ‘How to Play Hockey Module 2: Defensive Zone Tactics’ course. Coach Leslie is the owner and director of Leslie Global Sports and has a strong focus in player and coach development. Hosting camps and events around the globe.
Winning Hockey Defense featuring Coach Red Gendron
Hockey is a game of space and options. Pressure starts during the transition, in the neutral zone, and at the blue line. Maintaining a tight gap, and holding the blueline are crucial for generating pressure and taking away an attacker's options when entering the zone. Forcing your opponent to fight for every inch of space is important in disrupting and snuffing out any developing plays during the zone entry. As Coach Leslie mentions, it is important that the defenseman’s gap control is tight through the neutral zone, and matches the attacking player's speed holding a 1 stick-length gap. A gap too large will afford the attacker too much space, and force the defenseman to make a play against momentum. A quick and skilled attacker can easily beat a flat-footed defenseman, or skate the defender straight into his goaltender's lap for a screened shot on goal.
Once the play has reached the blue line, Coach Leslie mentions the importance of keeping the play to the outside. The goal is always to defend the middle of the ice. As mentioned previously, hockey is a game of space and options. By angling and steering the attacker toward the boards, you effectively take away his/her time and space and create an opportunity to steal the puck or make a hit on the attacker. The outside of the ice is the least dangerous area for an attacker to be. Their options (and space) are very limited, making this the ideal position for an attacker to be for the defense.
Defensive zone coverage
If the attackers successfully enter the zone it is time to defend the scoring areas of the ice. As mentioned earlier, the middle of the ice is the most dangerous area for attackers to be. As a defensive unit, the goal is to eliminate any threats or scoring opportunities from entering this dangerous area of the ice.
Also from the ‘How to Play Hockey Module 2: Defensive Zone Tactics’ course, Coach Leslie breaks down defensive coverage into 4 equal quadrants in the defensive zone. One quadrant for each defenseman and winger, leaving the center to help support the defensive efforts below the goal line and around the net.
Ideally, the defensive unit maintains a tight box, each player staying in their quadrant and covering pass options or pursuing the puck to force a turnover. As the puck moves around the zone, each player should react and shift to follow the puck and close off passing opportunities. It is important that players attacking the puck keep good body positioning, between the puck and the net. By over pursuing the puck, and getting beat by the attacker it opens the attacking player to the middle – more dangerous areas of the ice.
Players not directly pursuing the puck and pressuring the puck carrier should be positioned in the passing lanes and on/between their opponents. For example, if the puck is in the right corner, the right defenseman and center should be pressuring the puck with the left defenseman protecting the front of the net. The right winger should be positioned in their quadrant between the puck and the opponent's right defenseman taking away that passing option. The left winger should be at the edge of their quadrant (middle ice, down toward the slot) taking away passing options to the high slot and to the far-side defenseman.
Breakout
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Once the defensive unit has dispossessed their opponent and gained possession of the puck, it's time to break the puck out of the zone. There are many different ways to break the puck out of the zone, but all of them start with a strong first pass. The first pass is the most crucial, as it creates momentum for the defensive unit to exit the zone.
After regaining possession of the puck in the defensive zone, it is likely that the puck carrier will be under heavy pressure from the attacking forwards. It is crucial that this first pass is accurate and pushes the play up ice, effectively alleviating the pressure. While possession is regained, the defensive forwards will look to activate and open themselves up for that initial pass. A basic breakout usually consists of a winger along the wall, a swinging support forward, and the final forward pushing up ice for a stretch pass.
It is important that the initial passer does not try to force the play or make any risky passes. Turnovers are breakout killers and can lead to high-danger scoring chances for the attacking team. The golden rule of the breakout is to never pass the puck through the slot, especially if there is a forechecker there. A turnover in the slot is a gift to attacking players and a goal scorer's dream. It is best to avoid high-risk passes on the breakout at all costs.
Once the puck has exited the zone and entered the neutral zone, it is best to keep the puck moving and for players on the rush to frequently cross over one another. Following passes is a good way to do this. These frequent passes and crossing over of players create confusion and movement for the defense and help create more space for the zone entry. This gives your team the best opportunity to get to dangerous areas and set up in the offensive zone to score.
