An odd man rush is when the attackers outnumber the defenders. It usually occurs after a turnover, and involves a change in direction of the play (if you're getting outnumbered as soon as the other team breaks out you need to back this whole process up and address how you respond to their breakout, but that's a different post).
Picture a situation where your team has the puck in their end, and all three forwards are in their end. They have three defenders in their end playing your three attackers, but they've also got two forwards who are slow getting back, or are high in their end. Your team loses possession and one of their high guys picks up the puck. What's next?
First, your team is facing away from the direction that the puck is now travelling, and their team is facing toward the direction its going - your end! They have to skate forward while some of your forwards have to turn around and try to catch up.
If all three of your forwards are deep they are essentially going to be out of the play. The opposition forwards who were floating back will pick up any puck chipped or passed ahead by their D-men and your two D-men will be outnumbered. The more often this happens the more often the opposition gets a scoring chance, and the more often that happens the more often they'll score. Goals are hard to come by. You can't give them away or dig yourself a hole. If you keep other teams under 3 goals per game, and in a perfect world, under 2 goals a game, you'll increase the number of your wins.
This is an easy problem to fix. Turnovers are going to happen. The other team will get the puck. That's the way the game plays out. Whether they come off rebounds, shots or bad bounces, turnovers will occur. Get ready for them and be prepared.
If you only send two attackers deep and keep one between the blue line and the top of the circles you'll have one forward ready to reverse and effectively back check. Additionally, he will be in position to pick up loose pucks that the other team's defence chip out, or be able to pick off bad break out passes. Even if the other team breaks out with three players, your team will have the same amount defending - your two defence men plus the forward who stayed high. Even strength means no odd man rushes and less chance for the other team to score.
Easy and straightforward. Nothing complex.
So, how can your team adopt this tactic? You can't force grown ups to do it. They have to buy in, and they can't have one guy calling the tune. It's rec hockey - there are no coaches and no GMs. Nobody is the boss.
Let the lines figure out how they want to execute the tactic. Talk privately with three guys on the team and have them share the job of spreading the message. Bring it up briefly before the game, and have guys shout it out from the bench when you see a line get too deep and get caught.
The defencemen can help with the message as well, just by bringing it up regularly and reminding the forwards. The more people who tel the forwards to do it, the better, because it becomes a team message. Team messages aren't resisted as much. It's a case of "we need to do this"instead of "you have to do this".
After the turnover in puck possession the forward from your team who is closest to the puck pressures the puck carrier as much as he can. No fly bys. He has to go straight at the puck carrier and make him either pass or make a move. You want the pass, which is why your forward has to go right at the puck carrier. Eyes on the center of the chest kind of thing. The quicker you make him pass the less chance that the pass will be a good one.
The second forward deep has to take away the first obvious break out pass. The more obvious he makes it that he's going to cover that outlet the more chance that the puck carrier will look for a different pass to make. That will usually be up the middle. Up the middle is usually not good for a defenceman who is under pressure.
We talked about anticipating the turnover, right? With your two low guys pressuring the opposition there's a good chance that a puck will end up going up the gut. Your high forward can either grab it or at least stop their hotshot forward from picking up and streaking away with the puck. Forcing them to move it quick leads to them icing it or turning it over, not to pretty break outs.
If they can't pass and break out quickly, with your three guys deep, there's no odd man rush. Thats fewer goals against. So, keep one forward high and ready.
Picture a situation where your team has the puck in their end, and all three forwards are in their end. They have three defenders in their end playing your three attackers, but they've also got two forwards who are slow getting back, or are high in their end. Your team loses possession and one of their high guys picks up the puck. What's next?
First, your team is facing away from the direction that the puck is now travelling, and their team is facing toward the direction its going - your end! They have to skate forward while some of your forwards have to turn around and try to catch up.
If all three of your forwards are deep they are essentially going to be out of the play. The opposition forwards who were floating back will pick up any puck chipped or passed ahead by their D-men and your two D-men will be outnumbered. The more often this happens the more often the opposition gets a scoring chance, and the more often that happens the more often they'll score. Goals are hard to come by. You can't give them away or dig yourself a hole. If you keep other teams under 3 goals per game, and in a perfect world, under 2 goals a game, you'll increase the number of your wins.
This is an easy problem to fix. Turnovers are going to happen. The other team will get the puck. That's the way the game plays out. Whether they come off rebounds, shots or bad bounces, turnovers will occur. Get ready for them and be prepared.
If you only send two attackers deep and keep one between the blue line and the top of the circles you'll have one forward ready to reverse and effectively back check. Additionally, he will be in position to pick up loose pucks that the other team's defence chip out, or be able to pick off bad break out passes. Even if the other team breaks out with three players, your team will have the same amount defending - your two defence men plus the forward who stayed high. Even strength means no odd man rushes and less chance for the other team to score.
Easy and straightforward. Nothing complex.
So, how can your team adopt this tactic? You can't force grown ups to do it. They have to buy in, and they can't have one guy calling the tune. It's rec hockey - there are no coaches and no GMs. Nobody is the boss.
Let the lines figure out how they want to execute the tactic. Talk privately with three guys on the team and have them share the job of spreading the message. Bring it up briefly before the game, and have guys shout it out from the bench when you see a line get too deep and get caught.
The defencemen can help with the message as well, just by bringing it up regularly and reminding the forwards. The more people who tel the forwards to do it, the better, because it becomes a team message. Team messages aren't resisted as much. It's a case of "we need to do this"instead of "you have to do this".
After the turnover in puck possession the forward from your team who is closest to the puck pressures the puck carrier as much as he can. No fly bys. He has to go straight at the puck carrier and make him either pass or make a move. You want the pass, which is why your forward has to go right at the puck carrier. Eyes on the center of the chest kind of thing. The quicker you make him pass the less chance that the pass will be a good one.
The second forward deep has to take away the first obvious break out pass. The more obvious he makes it that he's going to cover that outlet the more chance that the puck carrier will look for a different pass to make. That will usually be up the middle. Up the middle is usually not good for a defenceman who is under pressure.
We talked about anticipating the turnover, right? With your two low guys pressuring the opposition there's a good chance that a puck will end up going up the gut. Your high forward can either grab it or at least stop their hotshot forward from picking up and streaking away with the puck. Forcing them to move it quick leads to them icing it or turning it over, not to pretty break outs.
If they can't pass and break out quickly, with your three guys deep, there's no odd man rush. Thats fewer goals against. So, keep one forward high and ready.
About the Author:
Hamish Ortizco has played lots of beer league hockey and knows lots of hockey drills. For more discussion of how to win hockey games search his name on google.
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