KEY POINTS

• Forwards: Forwards must attack the net with urgency; the point of the drill is to get off the back wall and to the net as quickly as possible; this is not a slow-down drill. Forwards must communicate with each other; talking is key as F1 is often making a blind retrieval of the puck. F2 must go to the net with his stick on the ice, as the puck might show up at any point. Forwards should be encouraged and reminded to make the play off the back wall quickly because they have the advantage of numbers as D2 is a half step behind F2 when F1 reaches the second puck.
• Defense: The defense players must try to keep the forwards on the wall and in the "bad" ice. As F1 retrieves the second puck, it is important for D1 to delay his play to the net as long as possible so as to allow D2 time to catch up to F2. This is an important skill. You want to teach D1 to get to the back wall and end the play as soon as possible; don't delay. D2 should attack the strong hand of F2. Because D2 is behind F2, it is imperative that D2 gets his stick on the strong side of F2 to disrupt F2 as much as possible. As always when working on defense, keep harping on taking away time and space, and keep coaching ACTIVE STICKS.
• Goalies: Goalies should use this drill to work on communication, stick placement, anticipation, and vision. The goalie should constantly be talking with his defenders and calling out what he sees. Two, he should have his stick in the passing lane, denying any passes from the back wall through his crease. Three, he should also be anticipating where the puck is going and where the offensive players are. Lastly, he needs to work on protecting the net while also looking behind him, using his body to stay in position while also locating the puck; this teaching will vary greatly depending on the age and size of the goalie. 

DESCRIPTION

• F1 has a puck in the corner with D1 facing him. On the whistle, F1 checks up with D1 and then attacks D1 to the net. F1 must attack D1 and go to the net; anything above the dots is blown down. 
• F1 and D1 play one-on-one until D1 gets a clear, the goalie freezes the puck, or F1 scores, at which point there is a second whistle.
• On whistle two, F1 goes behind the net to retrieve the second puck, and D1 chases to defend him. When F1 touches the second puck, F2 breaks for the net, and D2 must play catch-up and defend from a position of being beaten.
• Note: D1 and D2 do not need to be defensemen; we do this drill with lines so the forwards play defense as well.

Variation 1

• Do this drill from a rim instead of a stationary puck. I really like moving the coach to the 1/2 wall and starting both pucks off a rim instead of a stationary puck. It adds a layer of skill; working on getting pucks off the dasher, it adds a layer of gritty competition because there is more body contact, and I believe anytime you can start a drill with a rim, it is so good for players as so much of the game is played along the walls. Players must be able to handle pucks off the dasher and get themselves off the walls and into the scoring areas.

Variation 2

• Add a third D, a third Forward, and a third puck. The drill runs exactly the same but with three whistles, three pucks, and three players on each side.
• Now players use both sides of the ice and practice attacking and defending from both dot lines. Doing this drill 3v3 is a great way to work on the concept of Center/D exchange down low without specifically working on that system.