Coaches Corner
Gap Control

PURPOSE
To develop 1 on 1 skills for defenders To develop an awareness of "gapping" To enhance foot speed

EQUIPMENT
4 pylons

TIME
10 minutes (D switch sides 1/2 way through)

PROCEDURE
1. Players are split into 4 equal groups, one in each corner of the ice. For half ice drilling, simply use both available corners. Split the # of defensmen equally according to the number of corners used.
2. On the whistle, a forward skates from the corner with a puck and goes around the pylon situated at the face-off dot outside the blueline in the neutral zone. Forward can either turn inside out or outside in.
3. The defenseman must turn with the forward, making sure to stay approximately a stick length aware, thereby "reducing the gap" between attacker and defender. Play the 1 on 1 back to the net, then the other corner starts and repeats the procedure.

KEY POINTS
First, defenseman MUST have faith in their feet, meaning that they will be forced to move very quickly as they pivot and head backward. Emphasize that it is OK to get beaten initially, as eventually their pivoting will get better....TEST YOURSELF!!
Tell forwards to work on change of pace, and do the drill quickly to ensure that the D must really pick up their feet.
Don't allow D to get lazy and turn early...the gap will be too large, and talented forwards will exploit them!

DRILL PROGRESSIONS
Once you see it done propely, you can use multiple pylons along the blueline and into the neutral zone. Forwards then have the option of faking into one pylon, then heading to another. This will force D to skate forward, pivot, then potentially pivot again to catch the forward.