Video Vault - Stepping Up & F-D Communication

Video Lesson #6 - Stepping Up & Forward-Defense Communication
 
In our last Zoom session a question was asked about when it is appropriate for a defenseman to “step.” College of Holy Cross assistant coach Jon Lounsbury’s response was, “if you know that you’ve got back pressure from the forwards and you partner is back, go ahead and step. Otherwise play it more relaxed.”
 
The answer provides a good barometer to help defensemen make quick decisions in game situations, but it is important to realize that very rarely is one approach the correct answer for every single situation.  
 
Coach Lounsbury even mentioned later that when playing a 3-on-2 rush he prefers that one defenseman is aggressive in playing the puck carrier.
 
In that specific situation, with an aggressive play on the puck, you may catch the puck carrier off guard and speed up the decision-making process, forcing a rushed or errant pass, or you may buy some time to allow your forwards to get all the back into the defensive zone. The worst-case scenario is that you eliminate a player from the rush, leaving a 2-on-1 for the other D and goalie to defend with a forward hopefully hustling back to rush the play and provide support.
 
That’s why being able to see plays and read the game situation are so important – for all players. All high-level hockey players have the ability to see the entire ice and process situations quickly whether they have the puck or not. This comes with experience – facing different situations hundreds of times, a little bit of trial and error and occasionally getting beaten.
 
“You’re going to get beat,” Lounsbury said. “That’s hockey. You try to play a situation the best you can and when it happens you just have to move on and learn from it.”
 
Learning from mistakes and applying that knowledge in the future is the key to improving, but it’s still important to have a solid base of knowledge to fall back on in game situations. It’s also essential in these situations for the backchecking forwards and defensemen to work together, understand what their teammates are seeing and trying to accomplish and to communicate. Any confusion or failure to communicate can lead to a breakdown and a golden scoring opportunity for the opposition.
 
So let’s break down the situation that the original question dealt with first so that everyone understands exactly what’s being discussed.
 
First, let’s look at what it means to “step” or “step up.”
 
There are many ways to say this, but by stepping up you are eliminating the gap and moving into the puck carrier to take the body or with an aggressive stick check. An old-school phrase to describe this was “standing up at the blue line,” which is a good way to visualize it.
 
When back-pressure is good by your team’s forwards and you have your partner back supporting you, the ideal play is to have created a gap where you are within a stick’s length of the approaching player and can engage with your stick or the body as the player approaches the blue line.
 
Forcing the player to make a lateral move or pass the puck at the blue line can lead to him forcing a teammate offsides, moving into the backchecker to create a turnover situation or forcing a pass into a crowd. Making the player dump the puck allows your team to go fight for possession. And hopefully if the puck carrier tries to enter the zone you are in the right position to break up the play with your stick or your body.
 
 
 
You have an old-school play all around here, including an old-fashioned hip check. If you freeze this video at the 0:02 mark, notice the backchecking forward was coming in at an angle, which forced the puck carrier to try to go wide. The D stepped up because he knew that the forward would be able to break up the play if his opponent cut to the middle. And the defensive partner has the other forward covered. Perfect time to step or step up.  
 
Now let’s look at the term “vision” or “seeing the ice.” This really means being able to read the situation, process the information in front of you quickly and make the right decision. It all happens too fast to be able to just look up when the puck is on your stick and figure it out.
 
If you are puck watching and focused on just the puck and the puck carrier and the puck gets away from that player and ends up on your stick, then what? You have to handle the puck, control it, look up and quickly process where everyone is so that you can make the best possible decision.
 
The game comes at you too quickly to consistently make the best available play in this situation. Sure, you can make a safe play or a smart, safe pass if the first thing you see when you look up is an open teammate. But there is just as much chance – if not more – that a player will just fire the puck off the boards right back to the opposing team, pass the puck to no one in particular or make the wrong decision and turn the puck over to set up a transition opportunity for the opposing team.
 
Making the safe play is never bad, but to play at the next level – or the highest level you possibly can – coaches and scouts need to see you make the best play on a regular basis. To be able to do that, it is essential to play the game with your head up at all times. This is key even when you don’t have the puck, because in sport where the puck changes possession eight times a minute, you never know when it might end up on your stick.
 
All players should be playing with their heads on a swivel at all times, keeping an eye on the puck while also scanning the ice to understand where everyone is. This not only helps if the puck turns over and comes to you, but also as far as being able to execute your defensive responsibilities and preventing players away from the puck from finding open space where they can be offensive threats.
 
“Back pressure” or “backchecking” simply is a way to describe how the forwards come back in a transition situation to support the defensemen to either prevent scoring opportunities or help force the attacking team in to predictable situations that make them easier to defend.

For forwards coming back, there are several points to keep in mind when it comes to backchecking, and understanding what the defensemen are seeing and trying to accomplish is of utmost importance.
 
  • Know how your team plays a 3-on-2. If the first D is playing the puck aggressively and the second D is covering the net drive, the first forward back has to do everything he or she can to cover the forward who lags behind and stays high or cuts across the high slot.
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  • Communication is key. As the puck approaches the blue line, let your defenseman know you are there. Give a little yell to help the D “see the ice” better and be able to make the right decision on how to defend the play as well as what to do with the puck if a turnover is created. Likewise, defensemen should take charge and not be afraid to direct backchecking forwards on where to go and who to pick up, especially when the flow of the play doesn’t make it obvious what the defenseman should do. This avoids confusion and prevents two players from taking on the same task while leaving an offensive player open.
 
  • Always keep skating hard back to the defensive zone. Never glide or let up, even if your teammates have even numbers with the attacking team or seem to have the play covered. The goal is always to OUTNUMBER the opposition as they enter the zone. You want to be there in case one of the defensive players gets beaten or falls or a puck is knocked loose so you can be the first one to help or retrieve the puck. If you’re playing a team with smart d-men, they are skating hard to join the rush, so what looks like a 3-on-3 can easily turn into a 4-on-3, and if the puck squirts loose to a trailing attacking player, that is going to set up a great scoring opportunity for them. The vast majority of times an even-numbered rush will be handled effectively, so most people won’t notice if the two trailing forwards were lazy getting back. But you can be sure that scouts will notice, and so will everyone else if a puck comes loose and the attacking team scores while you are gliding through the neutral zone. Also, If the puck comes loose and you are hustling back, you may be able to create a great transition opportunity and a possible odd-man rush going back the other way.
 
 
Notice here how the D sees that the puck carrier is coming to the near side of the ice. Since there already is another forward on the near wall, the D knows he has to stay with the puck and directs the backchecker to the outside lane on the far wall to make sure the third forward is covered.
 
As the video stops, observe how the second Ducks forward has hustled back to make sure they have the Wings outnumbered as the puck enters the zone, which means that he can help out if there is a breakdown or be there to scoop up a loose puck if a defensive play is made. Also notice how both D have closed the gap and are in a position to engage at the blue line – within a stick's length of the puck carrier and also in a position to break up a pass to the near wing.
 
 
 
When this clip starts, T.J. Oshie is the farthest Capital up the ice. Look how he never stops skating, even though his team has even numbers back defensively. Oshie skates hard all the way back into the zone. He never glides or assume his teammates are going to make the play. Oshie wants to outnumber the opposing team and give them no options or be in position in case a teammate is beaten or taken out of the play.
 
 
 
In this very short clip there are so many great things for young defensemen and forwards to see. Notice the gap between the D and the puck carrier as the puck approaches the red line. The defenseman is easily within two stick lengths of the puck, and by the time the forward gets to the blue line, the D is close enough – within a stick's length – to engage with a stick check or to step up and make a play. Also notice how is outside shoulder is lined up with the inside shoulder of the oncoming attacker, which helps keep him from cutting back to the middle.
 
Another thing preventing the forward from cutting back is the excellent back pressure being applied by the defensive forwards. As the player with the puck reaches the blue line, the defenseman knows that he doesn't have to worry about the cut back, because that is covered. If the player tries to pass or dump he's in position to stick check, and if he carries it into the zone the D knows he has nowhere to go but along the wall and is prepared to step up, which he does, and separate him from the puck.
 
Look at the defensive support as body contact is made, which allows the defenseman to make this play with confidence. This is why it's essential to be scanning the ice at all times so that your brain knows where everyone else is on the ice whether you have the puck or not. That mental snapshot allows your brain to process the situation and helps you make the best possible decision quickly. The more of these situations you see, the more comfortable you will get playing them, and you fill find yourself reacting quicker as your comfort level increases.