O-Zone Entry - Middle to Wide
Offensive zone entries occur when we are about to cross the red line with the puck. Our objective is to gain the middle of the ice - the area in between the dots (in green) - in the neutral zone. This will then open up space for us to drive wide and setup a scoring play.
If we can’t gain good ice, we dump the puck deep and forecheck.
How to Do It
The puck carrier looks to attack good ice (in between the dots) with crossovers, which will open up space to then go wide with the puck.
One supporting player always shadows the puck carrier.
Two other supporting players skate hard to join the rush as scoring threats.
If we cannot gain the middle of the ice, we dump the puck and forecheck hard.
Play 1 - Drop Pass Give / Go
F2 shadows F1. F2 calls for a drop. F1 drops the puck to F2 and immediately drives the net for a give go. F2 can also pass to F3 or D1.
Play 2 - Behind Net Give / Go
F1 keeps driving wide and protects the puck, taking it behind the net and out the other side. One F posts-up backdoor for a tap-in. with D1 coming in to the slot late.
Play 3 - Cutback
F1 tries to drive wide, but pressure closes in. F1 slams on the brakes to delay or cutback and looks to hit D1 in the slot or cycles the puck to F2.
