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Hi, my name is Brian Mullen. I spent my whole life around the game of hockey.
Beginning with my roller hockey days in New York through my 11 seasons in the
National Hockey League. During this time I found that learning the fundamentals
of the game is essential to succeeding in this sport. And I would like to pass
along my knowledge to you. So lace up your skates,
grab your stick and learn the game of hockey online with me.
DEFENSE
Last week we finished the section on offense with a discussion on
face-offs. The
one point we stressed during that section was the importance of
maintaining control of the puck. In hockey, unless the
opposing team scores on their own net, the only way to score is
by having possession of the puck. Due to the nature of the game, however,
your team will not always have control of the puck, when this occurs your team must
switch into defensive mode.
It has been said in team sports that offense wins games but
defense wins championships. No matter how good your offensive
players are, your team cannot win without a solid defensive game.
When I say defense, do not think only of defensemen. Defense is a
total team effort, all six players on the ice must be working together at all times.
As a skater, you can't stop a goal from being scored -- only
a goaltender can essentially do that -- you can do some other things, as a defensive player,
to help prevent from crossing the goal line.
Positioning
We often hear of players being "out of position." Each player on the ice
is assigned a player which is known as their "check." As a defensive
player you are responsible for that player. You want to be no more
than two stick lengths away from your check (see Fig. 1).
In addition, your
body should be between the opposing player and the net in the
defensive zone. When doing this however, keep in mind not to
block the vision of your goaltender. In a backwards skating position,
line up your outside shoulder with the shooter's inside shoulder
(see Fig. 2). This
will not only allow your goaltender to see the puck but also cut off the passing lane
to the center of the ice.
Angling
Angling simply means forcing the attacking team to do what you
want them to do with the puck. If your team cannot keep the opposing team out of your zone, the next best thing is to move the play to the boards. You want to keep the center
of the ice clear. Shots from the "slot" (the area directly in front
of the goaltender and in between the two face-off circles) are the most
difficult for your goaltender to stop because players have much more
of the net for which to shoot.
Pressuring the Puck
Another aspect of angling is pressuring the puck. As soon as the
puck in turned over, the defensive unit should attack the player with
the puck and disrupt his/her game plan. This means cutting off
passing and skating lanes forcing the player to either pass the puck to a
teammate or ideally give up the puck. The sooner you can get to the
player with the puck, the less time they will have to set up a scoring opportunity.
Read and React
As one player puts pressure on the puck carrier, the rest of the
team needs to read the play and react accordingly. If the defender
cuts off all passing lanes except along the boards, the other
players need to see that and skate in the same direction to intercept the
pass. Anticipating what the other team is going to do, is the key to
becoming a sound defensive team.
Clearing the Front of the Net
Many set offensive plays involve one player parking in front of the net
in an attempt to either screen the goaltender or look for rebounds. Your job
is to keep the crease clear of opposing players. The goaltender should be
able to move around freely and keep his/her eye on the puck at all times. Simply
remember the rule: keep your body between the attacking player and the net, no matter
where the player happens to be on the ice.
DEFENSIVE NO - NO'S
We have already discussed the "to do's" of defense, now let's discuss the "do not's."
A good portion of all hockey injuries are causes by careless use of a
player's hockey stick. You need to be aware of where your stick
is at all times on the ice. Your stick is a tool not a weapon.
Never use your stick with the intent of hurting another player.
- Never high stick your opponent or carry your stick above your waist (see Fig. 3).
Your stick is most effective when it is on the ice and can only get you in trouble anywhere else.
- Never jab your opponent with the butt-end of your stick (see Fig. 4).
- Never cross-check your opponent in the back or any other region of their body
(see Fig. 5).
- For older players who participate in leagues which allow checking,
never hit your opponent from behind especially along the boards. This can
cause serious injury to your opponent.
Hockey is a very physical game but there is never a need to use your stick for any other reason than to score goals.
Next Class
I hope you enjoyed this session of "The Hockey Clinic with Brian Mullen."
The next time
we get together we will talk about the second topic in the defense section: stick checks.
"The Hockey Clinic with Brian Mullen" Archive
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