Key Elements of Forechecking

1) Pressure The Puck – Applying pressure on the puck carrier is one of the keys to taking away a team’s time and space. The more time and space the puck carrier has to make a good play with the puck the more difficult he/she becomes to defend against.

2) Take Away Offensive Puck Support – Every puck carrier should have a minimum of two passing options at all times and good offensive teams support the puck carrier to set quality passing lane options. A key element of a good forechecking team is to takeaway passing lane options and exit options with their forecheck pattern (structure) and tactics.

3) Gap Control – Closing the gap on the puck and the puck carrier by F1 and defenders (F2, F3, D1 and D2) to block exits and take away passing options and the carry option. Playing the right gap as a group with the D supporting the F’s is key to a good forecheck result.

4) Protecting Middle Ice (Between the Dots) – Forecheckers take away their opponent’s ability to carry or pass the puck through the middle of the ice surface by taking an inside out approach angle checking.

5) Speed & Physicality – The forechecking unit use speed and physicality to defend. The ability to change speeds to take away their opponent’s ice with the puck is critical to forcing the opponent outside the dots and separating the puck carrier from the puck.

6) Defending in Layers – As a forechecking unit you support the puck defensively at different levels in the zone. It’s important to not get caught below the puck as a forechecking unit. Always inside out control.

7) Finishing the Check – No need for concussion checking, a good shoulder to shoulder check to create puck separation as part of your angling technique gets the job done. Playing body, stick, puck or stick, body, puck but not just the puck.

Tags: 1)Speed – quickness to defend – limit offensive options– force errors., 2)Pursuit – involves immediate and correct angling to limit opponent’s options, 3)Concentration – grouping of defensive players to restrict space, 4)Commit – determines whether the defensive player commits or contain the offensive player