Hockey is a game similar to many other games (Football, Soccer, La Cross, Basketball etc.) and many other team sport, where only the team in possession of the Ball or Puck, has the opportunity to score a goal or a point. Understanding this simple fact and learning a simple Do's and Don'ts about the Game, will help your individual game and your Team have a Successful Season. Hockey is a Team Game. I'm sure all of you have heard this cliché' many times before but how many of you truly understood what it meant.
Team
A Team is a collection of players, with a common goal, each player with a specific role to
perform to achieve a desired end result which is to win the game or a Championship. It is
important to understand that a team has many components. In hockey a line of five skaters
is a team. with in this team, is a team of (3) forwards working together to move the puck
in to the offensive zone and score a goal, a team of (2) back court players, commonly
known as Defenseman, who's primary role is to keep the opposing team out of the danger
zone (the slot) and to gain back possession of the puck. Last but not the least is the
Goalie, (the final defenseman) whose job is keep the opposing team from scoring a goal.
Face Off
As you all know, The Game Begins with the Face off, this is your first opportunity to take
possession of the puck and control the game. The team with the best Face off winning
percentage will usually win the game. Remember, If you have the puck the other team can not
score. We must master the art of winning Face Off.
Defense
We will concentrate on Our defensive game first because through good defense comes good
offense. We can not loose a game If we keep our opponents puck out of our Goal. We need to
clear the front of Net and try to keep the Puck in our opponents zone. Challenge the puck
carrier early as he crosses the blue line. Keep him out of the Slot to keep him from
getting a shot off or making a good pass to his line mate in front of your
Goal.
Offense
Hockey is a very fast moving game and hard orchestrate a planned offensive set, however,
There are a few basic things you can do to gain a numerical advantage over our opponent.
We should look to get the puck as quickly as possible to the lead forward to take advantage
of our team speed. This will force the other team to keep their defenseman high at the
blue line and keep them from jumping into the offense. Many more stuff will be covered
during practice and on our playbook to be online soon.
Position
Playing your position is critical to the effectiveness of your line. You must know your
responsibilities and play accordingly. Defensively, If you abandon your position at the
blue line, there will be no one to prevent the other team from getting a breakaway chance
at your goalie. If we can keep our defensive mistakes to a minimum we will increase our
chances of winning the game. Keep in mind that if your opponent has the puck your only
objective is to get it back. You should always be positioned between the puck carrier and
your goal and ready to take back the puck. The team that with the ability to transition
from offense to defense and vice versa efficiently will be hard to beat.
Pre-game
Visually Inspect Your Gear, Before and After Games, And Practices. Check Your Blades For
Nicks and Sharpness. Check For Mouth piece. Check Stick Blades And Shafts, For Wear And
Tear. All Of This And More Only Takes A Couple Of Minutes, And Can Prevent Injuries, And
Better Quality Production.
Practices
Gentleman we must make the most of our 1 hour a week practices. It has been said that
games are won or lost during practice. What it means is simply this, the effort and
attention you put forth to learn during practices, will give you the tools to execute your
best during games. Show up ready to work and listen to your coaches and become the best
hockey player you can be.