Zone Defence
Responsibilities
Click on a position to learn about their responsibilities:
Strong Side Defence (D1)
- Take away time and space
- Angle puck carrier up the wall
- Always stay square
- Stick on puck is key
- NO ONE beats you back to our net
Weak Side Defence (D2)
- Own the area in front of the net.
- Do not allow anyone to have a stick on the ice around our net
- When puck carrier goes to their side they become D1 and take away time and space
Centre
- The centre takes the second layer, if D1 gets beat by puck carrier they need to support
- When D1’s man moves the puck the centre has to engage and take away time and space
- Stick on puck is key
- Contain opponents to outside if necessary
- NO ONE beats you back to our net
Strong Side Wing
- Eliminate their strong side defence
- Take away the top half of the circle
- No one goes around the circle past you
- Head on a swivel to see puck carrier in corner and your defence
- Stick position is towards the wall to discourage pass to your D
- If your D gets the puck you pressure inside out with stick in passing lane to discourage D to D pass
Weak Side Wing
- Angle puck carrier up the wall
- Always stay square
- Stick on puck is key
- NO ONE beats you back to our net
Video Explanation
Defensive Position Shifts
When the puck moves to the other side of the ice, the defensive responsibilities shift as shown in the following:
D1 – Moves to Netfront
D2 – Engages puck/puck carrier
C – Shifts to the other side of the ice HARD
Strong Side Wing – Falls back into the high slot
Weak Side Wing – Takes away wall/defensive option
Once the shift has finished, the D Zone coverage is a mirror image of the original coverage
The KEY is to get there FAST
