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?
Right off the bat you have three players deep in their end, and facing the wrong way. Their three players in their end are facing the direction that the puck is now travelling. They just skate forward to get in the play, but your guys have to do a 180 degree turn and cover some ground to back check.
With your three forwards deep they are out of the play, and probably 80 feet from the puck. The opposing team's forwards grab the puck and start attacking energetically. The third defender on their team (if he wasn't already floating high) jumps in the play and your two defense men are outnumbered. This is an odd man scoring chance for the wrong team. The more chances they get the more goals they'll get. The more goals you give the more games you'll lose. If you can reduce goals against to 2 or less per game you'll win more games.
The answer is pretty straightforward. Be prepared for turnovers. You know that they are going to happen. It's the way the game goes. The other team will check you, you'll take a shot and they'll get the rebound, or there will be a bounce that goes their way. Be ready.
Keep at least one forward high while the other two go deep (sometimes you'll keep two forwards high, but start with one). Staying high means that one forward stays between their blue line and the top of the face off circles. It also means that he keeps his eyes open for a turnover, and if it happens he picks up the third man on the opposition as it attacks your end. Your D-men will cover the first two attackers. Your high forward will cover the third. No odd man rush. One less scoring chance for them.
Easy and straightforward. Nothing complex.
How do you effectively implement this tactic? You can't have one guy step up and act as the coach and tell other guys to do it. Nobody likes that.
You can tell the forwards it needs to be done, but tell the lines that its up to them to figure out who's going to do what role. That way nobody points fingers at any individual. If you give up an odd man rush you can just yell out "Hey, no odd man rushes you guys! Keep someone high!". The more guys on the team that are willing to yell that out the less often, obviously, it will need to be yelled out.
You can also have the D-men tell the forwards "Hey, keep one of you guys high. We're kind of [shitty/crappy/old/slow] so we need help with that third guy". I have never seen a forward argue with a D-man who says that, and I have seen them start back checking afterwards. If you get this part of the game sorted out on a basic level you can improve it by having the two forwards who go deep buy into the system.
When the other team gets the puck guy on your team who is closest to the puck attacks the puck carrier immediately, and tenaciously. The idea is to force the puck carrier to pass quickly. Quick accurate passes demand skill, and most beer league players don't have tons of that. If you make the puck carrier move the puck fast there's a better chance that he'll miss his target, which will lead to a turnover in favor of your team.
The next forward takes away the first obvious pass (which is often around the net and to the opposite side). If he makes it very clear that he's doing this it improves your chances because the puck carrier will see it and think that he better go somewhere else. If he makes the obvious pass anyway your second forward has a chance to get it. If he tries for a second option it will probably be up the middle.
Guess who should be cruising around there anticipating a turnover? Exactly - your high forward. If they rush the pass and you take their first option away you'll often have them dump it up the middle or off the boards. Up the middle and your high guy has a shot at keeping it in. Up the boards and your D-men can pinch to keep it in. The worst case scenario is that you force their D-man to just get it out of their end.
No easy break outs and no low pressure passes for the opposition means that they don't get as many odd man rushes. Without odd man rushes they have to beat you man to man, and that's not easy. Fewer goals against means more wins. Keep one forward high and anticipating the turnover and you'll cut down odd man rushes considerably.
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?
Right off the bat you have three players deep in their end, and facing the wrong way. Their three players in their end are facing the direction that the puck is now travelling. They just skate forward to get in the play, but your guys have to do a 180 degree turn and cover some ground to back check.
With your three forwards deep they are out of the play, and probably 80 feet from the puck. The opposing team's forwards grab the puck and start attacking energetically. The third defender on their team (if he wasn't already floating high) jumps in the play and your two defense men are outnumbered. This is an odd man scoring chance for the wrong team. The more chances they get the more goals they'll get. The more goals you give the more games you'll lose. If you can reduce goals against to 2 or less per game you'll win more games.
The answer is pretty straightforward. Be prepared for turnovers. You know that they are going to happen. It's the way the game goes. The other team will check you, you'll take a shot and they'll get the rebound, or there will be a bounce that goes their way. Be ready.
Keep at least one forward high while the other two go deep (sometimes you'll keep two forwards high, but start with one). Staying high means that one forward stays between their blue line and the top of the face off circles. It also means that he keeps his eyes open for a turnover, and if it happens he picks up the third man on the opposition as it attacks your end. Your D-men will cover the first two attackers. Your high forward will cover the third. No odd man rush. One less scoring chance for them.
Easy and straightforward. Nothing complex.
How do you effectively implement this tactic? You can't have one guy step up and act as the coach and tell other guys to do it. Nobody likes that.
You can tell the forwards it needs to be done, but tell the lines that its up to them to figure out who's going to do what role. That way nobody points fingers at any individual. If you give up an odd man rush you can just yell out "Hey, no odd man rushes you guys! Keep someone high!". The more guys on the team that are willing to yell that out the less often, obviously, it will need to be yelled out.
You can also have the D-men tell the forwards "Hey, keep one of you guys high. We're kind of [shitty/crappy/old/slow] so we need help with that third guy". I have never seen a forward argue with a D-man who says that, and I have seen them start back checking afterwards. If you get this part of the game sorted out on a basic level you can improve it by having the two forwards who go deep buy into the system.
When the other team gets the puck guy on your team who is closest to the puck attacks the puck carrier immediately, and tenaciously. The idea is to force the puck carrier to pass quickly. Quick accurate passes demand skill, and most beer league players don't have tons of that. If you make the puck carrier move the puck fast there's a better chance that he'll miss his target, which will lead to a turnover in favor of your team.
The next forward takes away the first obvious pass (which is often around the net and to the opposite side). If he makes it very clear that he's doing this it improves your chances because the puck carrier will see it and think that he better go somewhere else. If he makes the obvious pass anyway your second forward has a chance to get it. If he tries for a second option it will probably be up the middle.
Guess who should be cruising around there anticipating a turnover? Exactly - your high forward. If they rush the pass and you take their first option away you'll often have them dump it up the middle or off the boards. Up the middle and your high guy has a shot at keeping it in. Up the boards and your D-men can pinch to keep it in. The worst case scenario is that you force their D-man to just get it out of their end.
No easy break outs and no low pressure passes for the opposition means that they don't get as many odd man rushes. Without odd man rushes they have to beat you man to man, and that's not easy. Fewer goals against means more wins. Keep one forward high and anticipating the turnover and you'll cut down odd man rushes considerably.
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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