Transition Made Simple
I continue the thought exercise of simplifying moments. This one will be the 3 principles to teach your transition from defense to offense.
Once there has been a puck disruption on the ice, players tend to gather and condense the space on the ice to win it back. Upon gaining possession in tight space, a few things must happen for successful offense to start.
Movement, Direction, Create
I like to tell my players, "get out, get up, get offensive."
Movement- Get out
Move the puck from a high traffic battle to a teammate in space. Get puck out of battle.
Ex: This is most often seen in the DZ when a player in a battle bumps the puck out to a center or support player in the dot lane from a wall battle.
Moving the puck from a high concentration of bodies to a lower concentration.
This allows time to make the next play. Which might be skating directly at the next defender to isolate or bumping the puck to the weak side D if there is immediate pressure.
Direction- Get up
If you get the puck into space, then get moving.
Put players on your back by heading north out of a battle. Get up.
Non puck carriers responsible for beating an opponent up the ice to create numbers advantage.
Create- Get offensive
Recognize your numbers coming up the ice and that you have full possession, then create
You're on offense again so build, fill and finish.