Quick 2 vs 1 Attack Situational Drill

By: Ben Eaves

This situational 2 on 1 drill practices attacking and defending 2 on 1's off of a turnover. This particular situation comes up frequently after a turnover occurs in the offensive zone and the loose puck is obtained by the attacking team. It is important for the forwards to transition quickly to the net while the defense holds their ground and works to force a bad angle shot.

Setup:

A coach or player passes to one of the two forwards to start the drill. The two forwards cross each other and attack the net as quick as possible. The coach or player that is passing the pucks should alternate what side they are passing to so all players remain alert.  

This can be set up as a half ice drill or as a 1/4 ice station drill. The 1/4 ice set up is great for younger players, limited ice space or if you want to reduce the amount of time and space available to make decisions.

Forward Coaching Points:

Forwards starting with the puck should attack quickly and consider a few options to create space from the defender so they can get off a shot or slide a pass to the other forward. A few options consider:

• Drive wide
• Drop pass
• Fake shots and passes to freeze goalie and the defender (use deception with eyes, head, body, and stick)
• The forward without the puck should be reading the play, communicating and jumping to space to give your teammate an outlet. 

Defending Coaching Points:

• Hold the middle and try to force a bad angle shot. 
• Have good stick position with the blade of the stick flat on the ice. 
• Do not swing and sweep your stick. Swinging your stick opens up passing lanes and gets you off balance.
• Use peripheral vision to watch both players.