Defense: playing the corner

[Norm 0]

I've been playing for a little over a year and I play defense. There's a situation that I run into and I was wondering how I can play it better.

The other team is in our zone. The winger on my side has the puck in the corner and they are setting up your basic cycle. I am basiclly in front of the net; that is this isn't a situation where I've ridden him into the corner.

What do I do?

WHAT DO I DO???

Thanks!!

[technophile 0]

If there is any other opposing player in front of your net, and your partner is not also in front of the net, stay put and wait for your winger to help out. (Maybe cheat slightly towards the corner to cut down his options.)

If your partner has the front of the net, or there's no opposing player in front of the net or in the slot, then attack. Pressure him to make a play before he's ready.

Basically, you don't want to be outnumbered in the slot; if you are, stay there and let a forward come down to put pressure on (and let them know you need them to). If you can, you also want to make the offense hurry; giving them time and space is dangerous. Making them hurry the play will open up the possibility of a mistake; a bad pass, an off-angle shot, whatever.

Try to keep them to the outside; they can shoot from the boards all day long and unless you give up the front of the net or your goalie falls asleep it will never go in.

Whatever you do, don't go behind the goal line; stay out in front of it. He can't do much damage from back there, the puck has to come back before it can go in the goal.

[Hooah4 12]

If there is any other opposing player in front of your net, and your partner is not also in front of the net, stay put and wait for your winger to help out. (Maybe cheat slightly towards the corner to cut down his options.)

If your partner has the front of the net, or there's no opposing player in front of the net or in the slot, then attack. Pressure him to make a play before he's ready.

Basically, you don't want to be outnumbered in the slot; if you are, stay there and let a forward come down to put pressure on (and let them know you need them to). If you can, you also want to make the offense hurry; giving them time and space is dangerous. Making them hurry the play will open up the possibility of a mistake; a bad pass, an off-angle shot, whatever.

Try to keep them to the outside; they can shoot from the boards all day long and unless you give up the front of the net or your goalie falls asleep it will never go in.

Whatever you do, don't go behind the goal line; stay out in front of it. He can't do much damage from back there, the puck has to come back before it can go in the goal.

I agree 100%. Also learn to communicate with your partner. Talk, yell, shout whatever you have to do to let him know where things are. D men should work as a team. One covers far side post and the other one attacks.

[All Torhs Team 0]

If youve got to guard that guy in the slot and the winger from the corner is working his way to the net, watch out for the pass, and dont let him walk into an angle. I think the best/safest thing to do in most cases is lay down in that case.

[ktang 34]

In one system, you can "count forwards" (the opposing ones). If you count 3 (opposing) forwards in your defense partner's side, you can cheat up to about the faceoff dot on his side to help break up the cycle. But, if a foward goes behind the net, you have to get back.

While you are cheating onto the other side, the winger covering the high slot has to get ready to cover the crease area in case somebody gets beaten.

[Sven 1]

This topic is a good one, im a total bummer in the corners. I guess if someone would put a rock on to the ice would be more effective then me in the corners ;)

[technophile 0]

If youve got to guard that guy in the slot and the winger from the corner is working his way to the net, watch out for the pass, and dont let him walk into an angle. I think the best/safest thing to do in most cases is lay down in that case.

From what I understand, under the new enforcement standards if you leave your feet and the other player falls down, it's an automatic tripping call. I got called for a trip the last game I played because the other player (who outweighed me by probably 100 pounds) ran into me (drawing a checking penalty), knocked me down, and then stepped on my stick as I was laying on the ice--leading to coincidental minors.

In any case leaving your feet is a desperation move; you should try to stay up and moving as much as you can. Laying down gives the offensive player more time, and a smart, patient winger will fake you down and then burn you for it. Just stay in the passing lanes and pressure him as much as you can, someone will help or he'll have to make a play.

[FatAndSlow 0]

Norm, first of all, great topic... All the replies are fantastic. I too am a newbie. Not everyone on my team can skate well (beginner beer league). Too many times when our defenseman attacks the corner guy, he gets beat; leading to a 2-on-1 in front of our net. :o Personally at the beginner level, I think it's ok to leave the guy out there and just try to cut off passing lanes to the middle or weakside. He ain't going to score from there. If he starts to move out of the corner, just try to keep them along the boards and attack if he starts trying to come to the front of the net. In a beginner league the attacking team will make a mistake (ie lose the puck or make an errant pass), most of the time sooner than later. But by all means keep playing!!!

[All Torhs Team 0]

If youve got to guard that guy in the slot and the winger from the corner is working his way to the net, watch out for the pass, and dont let him walk into an angle. I think the best/safest thing to do in most cases is lay down in that case.

From what I understand, under the new enforcement standards if you leave your feet and the other player falls down, it's an automatic tripping call. I got called for a trip the last game I played because the other player (who outweighed me by probably 100 pounds) ran into me (drawing a checking penalty), knocked me down, and then stepped on my stick as I was laying on the ice--leading to coincidental minors.

In any case leaving your feet is a desperation move; you should try to stay up and moving as much as you can. Laying down gives the offensive player more time, and a smart, patient winger will fake you down and then burn you for it. Just stay in the passing lanes and pressure him as much as you can, someone will help or he'll have to make a play.

I dont think you would get called for tripping when you lay down unless the winger skates into you. I mean he could, but I dont see that happening.

But if you lay down and your body covers from the post of the goal all the way to the bottom of the circles and hes coming in at an angle then he has to go all the way around you or behind the net. Any guy thats at least 5'0 can do this effectivly. And if the winger has to go up and around you, yes you might not get up quickly but your offensive men can swoop down and catch him.

Seems logical to me.

[DamnLocust 0]

seems like you're just taking yourself out of position to me. all he has to do is pass behind the net or to the point for a give and go and you'll never recover in time.

[xMenace 0]

Leaving your feet is a last resort. You want to be sure it will be efective. Being outnumbered in front of your net IS NOT THE TIME to leave your feet!

I hope I've read this situation correctly: FW with puck in corner and FW in fron, you are D in front.

here's what I'd do. Treat it as a 2 on 1, which it is. Your first priority is the guy in front of the net. Your objective is to get the puck carrier to shoot from a bad angle then to stall enough for help. You can't stop him. You can't worry about a trailer either. Give it to your own FW's on the bench for not covering trailers! Stay in a straight line between the 2 FW's and creep towards the corner enough to encourage a shot but not to pass. Always stay in a more-or-less straight line between them. If corner FW commits to where you can safely stab at him, or he gains too good a scoring position, go for him. You have to constantly weigh the threats. You and your goalie should know from practices that the carrier is his man, not yours. That's the safest and highest prob of defense.

[M-Cohen 0]

Ontop of what everyone said. When they get the cycle going and then decide to break to the net. Don't let that guy have an open lane. If you do, thats pretty much a perfect angle for a shot on net.

[Ogie 0]

Another thing to keep in mind--pay attention to where you are in front of the net. If it were me in this particular situation, i'd leave the guy in the corner. but make sure you don't cover the guy in front and screen your goalie out in the process. They hate that. Also, somewhere in this scenario, the center should be around to help out. I notice in our beer league--lower level players--that the center player is failing on his defensive responsibilities a lot of the time.

[gavin 0]

Don't forget the classic, put your butt against the near post and bend over, then sweep your stick side to side (with the full length of the stick on the ice). Be prepared to straigten up and check the winger hard if he comes near/behind the net. Move out if he cuts back, to the centre, or into the slot.

Last night at a skate, a defencemen for the other team was doing this VERY effectively, he had played 4 years at Michigan Tech so I'm guessing he was coached well.

[gavin 0]

Don't forget the classic, put your butt against the near post and bend over, then sweep your stick side to side (with the full length of the stick on the ice). Be prepared to straigten up and check the winger hard if he comes near/behind the net. Move out if he cuts back, to the centre, or into the slot.

Last night at a skate, a defencemen for the other team was doing this VERY effectively, he had played 4 years at Michigan Tech so I'm guessing he was coached well.

[chippa13 1844]

Rule 1: Always be between the man with the puck and the net.

[technophile 0]

Rule 1: Always be between the man with the puck and the net.

Corollary to Rule 1: Never screen your own goalie.

[hockeymom 2]

My daughter (a centre) was just talking about this last week. She was 3rd in - one D battling in corner, other D at net. She put herself on the dot to protect the funnel, but didn't enter the battle - on the principal of "where the puck is it won't be" she was ready to move if one of them got it or it squeezed out.

The D at the net was yelling at her to "help out". She felt with two sticks already on the puck she was making the right move. Comments?

[warrior37 0]

so is her D thats in the corner in a one on one battle with the opposing forward, while the other D is protecting the net?

[hockeymom 2]

so is her D thats in the corner in a one on one battle with the opposing forward, while the other D is protecting the net?

Yes that's right

[warrior37 0]

hmmm okay, i think she should go in the corner while her D 'pins' the opposing forward, get the puck, and start the break out by either a pass to the strong side wing, skating it, or swinging it around the net to the weak side winger

[hockeymom 2]

hmmm okay, i think she should go in the corner while her D 'pins' the opposing forward, get the puck, and start the break out by either a pass to the strong side wing, skating it, or swinging it around the net to the weak side winger

That's actually the distinction she made - at that point it was a live battle, with no one pinned. She feels the line of "when to go in" and "when to be ready" is whether or not the opposing forward is pinned.

[warrior37 0]

well i think she made the right play. as for the d pinning the forward thats where communication comes into play. i know in lacrosse we do 'man/ball' where one player calls man (takes the body) other calls ball (takes the ball). sometimes we'd still call man ball, but do the opposite. really though in the long run that play is on the D to get the job done with the 'pin' so your daughter can jump in and get the puck

[technophile 0]

My daughter (a centre) was just talking about this last week. She was 3rd in - one D battling in corner, other D at net. She put herself on the dot to protect the funnel, but didn't enter the battle - on the principal of "where the puck is it won't be" she was ready to move if one of them got it or it squeezed out.

The D at the net was yelling at her to "help out". She felt with two sticks already on the puck she was making the right move. Comments?

Depends. Where are the other two opposing forwards?

If there's noone in front of the net or in the slot, she should attack the corner; the D in front of the net can pick up any late crashers.

If the D in front of the net already has someone to worry aboutt, she played it right; protecting the high slot is more important in that case.

IMO, of course, as a defenseman. ;)

[Norm 0]

Thanks everyone!! What you're telling me is exactly what I've been telling the guys on my three adult novice teams. But they don't want to listen. At least, I know I'm playing it right.

And while we're on the subject, the key to an effective offense is having all 3 forwards chasing the puck around trying to get it, right?