Re: RPI Hockey 2012-2013 Part III: There Will Be Math Involved
All great stuff posted on this page of the thread - simplified, its speed and motion and creating options...whether on the power play or even strength or during odd man rushes. For all the years I coached youth hockey, I always told the kids that speed kills, and its true. It seems that we have recruited speed and want to play up tempo. Cant do that standing around. Absolutely have to have guys moving as well as the puck and getting the option for the pass into the slot or cross ice thru the box because the goalie cannot move as fast as the puck. Same with something like a 3 on 2 - guy with the puck needs to create time and space and the others need to break hard to the net with the last guy as a drop or a trail. the puck carrier then has options on either a shot or 2 passing alternatives....but never should a shot be passed or broken up. Just means that we didnt create the correct gapping and options for the carrier. All gets back to what I was trying to communicate last week - we have the speed, we just need to use it. I am so glad we have the kids we do and very obvious that they can flat out play...so let them. I'll never be disappointed if we constantly pressure the puck, play the body, use speed to our advantage, and play with a sense of urgency. We have said for the past severl years also, that we have the right goaltending, and we are strong enough defensively, but that 2 goals or less per game is just going to cut it. we start scoring 3-4, and we will have the record that we deserve.
All great stuff posted on this page of the thread - simplified, its speed and motion and creating options...whether on the power play or even strength or during odd man rushes. For all the years I coached youth hockey, I always told the kids that speed kills, and its true. It seems that we have recruited speed and want to play up tempo. Cant do that standing around. Absolutely have to have guys moving as well as the puck and getting the option for the pass into the slot or cross ice thru the box because the goalie cannot move as fast as the puck. Same with something like a 3 on 2 - guy with the puck needs to create time and space and the others need to break hard to the net with the last guy as a drop or a trail. the puck carrier then has options on either a shot or 2 passing alternatives....but never should a shot be passed or broken up. Just means that we didnt create the correct gapping and options for the carrier. All gets back to what I was trying to communicate last week - we have the speed, we just need to use it. I am so glad we have the kids we do and very obvious that they can flat out play...so let them. I'll never be disappointed if we constantly pressure the puck, play the body, use speed to our advantage, and play with a sense of urgency. We have said for the past severl years also, that we have the right goaltending, and we are strong enough defensively, but that 2 goals or less per game is just going to cut it. we start scoring 3-4, and we will have the record that we deserve.
