Hockey Power Play Drills
A hockey power play practice is not the same as when you play penalty kill versus powder play during the practice. There are a bunch of different drills which can be made use of for a power play scrimmage.
The Passing Warm Up
The first drill is a warm up focused on the passing technique. The notion of two versus one passing is part of this drill. The main focus of the players during this drill is on calling for puck, swift puck movement and tape to tape passes. Four passes are made by the first two passing the puck. The first player should then pass it to the third player. He should then skate about the circle to steal the puck from the third player. All of the players then move about the circle, all the while moving the puck. When they get back in the starting position, the ones in the first two positions do four more passes back and forth. The drill is then repeated.
Split Passing- 4 Versus 2
This one is made to teach the techniques of penalty shots and power play. It requires the players to divide into two teams to create a competitive learning environment. The players on the same team are on opposing corners of the box. Defenders are present in either boxes and their motive is to stop any passes across the box and to block a pass. They can only come out of the box is by generating a turnover. The players outside of the box, have to move around the puck. They have to pass the puck after one stickhandle. If a team is able to pass it through the box to the team member, they receive a point. However, if the defender broke the pass then the last one to touch the puck has to go back to the middle with his team members there. However, the members who are outside passing the puck, have to keep doing it at all times. The trick is to provide support by moving without the puck and move it such that the middle portion is available for passing through the box.
Exploitation of the Seam Drill:
This drill polishes a skill that is useful in every power play there is. A player must be able to do exploitation of the seam and get in the position of dangerous scoring.
This drill also offers an opportunity for the defense, to receive the pass and to take back the puck to the center.
The Breakout Drill
The next drill is a breakout one and the main focus of this is on matching timing and on impending upon the ice together. This drill requires that the players support the puck, make decent passes, make horizontal passes up to the ice all the way and do not astray too far from the play.
As they come round the net, the defense is required to make a pass to the person beside the boards. The defense has to be in a good position for support and he does this by staying behind the puck carrier.
Then the defense receives back the puck and passes it along to the 3rd player. Then a three man weave has to be exhibited as the group skates down the ice.