Penalty Kill 


Skill:    Protect the House, rink awareness, defensive positioning

Purpose:    Develop a standard TEAM defensive zone coverage that assigns specific responsibilities to specific positions for keeping the puck out of the House. Develops players ability to react to specific game scenarios to control the movement of the puck and attack of the opposite team. Players should develop restraint from attacking the puck handler and learn the possible angles of attack. 

Directions:    4 players set up to protect the House. Send in a 5 player attack. If the attack is high or low then the penalty kill team should form a square formation to cut off shot, pass and attack angles. If the attack is wide from the wings then the penalty kill team should form a diamond to cut off shot, pass, and attack angles. Defenders should use their sticks in such a way to create to close passing lanes from the attackers.

It is very important that the penalty kill team recognize when to break formation to take the advantage (and the puck) from the attackers and when to hold their formation to protect the House. Remember most goals are scored inside the House. Control this area and you control/reduce the percentages of scoring from the attacking team. The end goal is to prevent a score and kill the penalty time.

Variations:    A well developed penalty kill team can change a turnover into an offensive team attack. An inexperienced team should clear the puck or allow one chaser to attack when there is a turnover.