Roller Hockey Theory : Defense

[Fixxer 0]

Roller hockey is a goal scorers game. Games can often feature double digit scores. My feeling is that if a team can work out a great defensive system and execute it well, they will be a force to rekon with. What are your thoughts on this and are there any sites that show different roller hockey systems? I was thinking of using zone to man coverage although if 2 or more people are in the same zone some one will have to cheat out.

[Aussie Joe 0]

In 10 years of playing roller the best system I have seen is as follows...

Basic box with a twist. X2 staggered by a foot or two distance fwd/backward. When the rush comes on the D's will stay about 5-6 feet apart and move for zone coveredge. 3rd man in is a back checker and pressures the puck carrier where best he can. The last man in will generally try and prevent a point pass. This works in his favour because the 4th man will generally start his own forward rush with an interception or play break up. If it was a soccer play you would call it the 1-1-2 play, from forwards to defense.

[Hoffer 0]

The travel team I play on has always played man to man. Where once the other team receives the puck everyone finds a man and sticks on them. If there is a cross over yes teammates may switch men. The goal is to also always be between them and out net and never behind them. While in there zone you should be around 2 stick lengths apart and in the neutral once and a half or one stick length apart depending on there speed and skill. Once in our zone 1 stick length apart and when there around or near our net right on them. When we execute it well it makes the game slow and the other team eventually always hands the puck over.

[TheBert 0]

In 10 years of playing roller the best system I have seen is as follows...

Basic box with a twist. X2 staggered by a foot or two distance fwd/backward. When the rush comes on the D's will stay about 5-6 feet apart and move for zone coveredge. 3rd man in is a back checker and pressures the puck carrier where best he can. The last man in will generally try and prevent a point pass. This works in his favour because the 4th man will generally start his own forward rush with an interception or play break up. If it was a soccer play you would call it the 1-1-2 play, from forwards to defense.

That sounds like it would make for a slower breakout though and less potential for hail mary roller hockey passes.

[Jim A 4]

You can't win at the highest level of roller without being able to play both man to man and zone..

how you play depends on how you match up against the other team talent wise...if a team has more horses..we tend to go with a zone/Y type of scheme, maybe a brazillian box...otherwise its man to man...or even manning up against certain people..like we will tonight against HockeyDoc's squad :)

[hockeydoc 0]

You can't win at the highest level of roller without being able to play both man to man and zone..

how you play depends on how you match up against the other team talent wise...if a team has more horses..we tend to go with a zone/Y type of scheme, maybe a brazillian box...otherwise its man to man...or even manning up against certain people..like we will tonight against HockeyDoc's squad :)

I can't disagree with that, except they have to put 3 men on some players, as they do against me. Tonight they are going to need 6 players on me though.LOL

Bring it Big guy!!!

[Jim A 4]

me...it won't be me..my insurance doesn't cover anything to do with you or Meek

Besides we all know I purely hide behind my defensive partner

[SickLife 2]

you really just have to see what the other team is like & adapt.

[opus22 0]

ive never been a fan of pure man on man. its too easy to exploit. if one guy loses his guy, which is inevitable it all breaks down. you can also end up with you best d following someone out of the d zone and basically watching the play go to where he wants to be because he cant leave his man.

i like the 1-1-2 as well. more man on man when a team is cycling in your end.

[Aussie Joe 0]

That sounds like it would make for a slower breakout though and less potential for hail mary roller hockey passes.

Those passes aren't possible as the rinks here aren't full international size. We also play offsides with the centre line. Hail Mary passes are too risky and just bad hockey at the top level.