Global drill library

2 v 2 Net Front Corner Battles with Support is a competitive 2 v 2 small area game from the 2025 Buffalo Sabres Development Camp that practices corner and net front battles. The design of this drill encourages players to win the puck battle and pass it to the point for support and a shot, tip or redirect on net. Setup - Nets are in the corner as shown in the diagram. - Each team has 2 players at the point, 2 players in zone, and 1 goalie. - The drill begins with a coach flipping the puck into the zone. - Each team is working to retrieve the puck and score on the opposing teams net, while the defending team is working to get the puck back so they can score on the other net. - Coaches can require the defense to have to pass the puck to the point before they can transition to offense, or they can allow the defense to immediately attack the other teams goal. Variations - Coaches can require the defense to have to pass the puck to the point before they can transition to offense, or they can allow the defense to immediately attack the other teams goal. - Coaches can require the defense to only look for passes and redirects and no shots. - Coaches can require the defense to one touch or two touch everything so the puck is not sitting at the point. - Coaches can only allow the defense to go d to d once or twice (if they allow them to go back and fourth unlimited times it can slow the game down) - This drill is a variation of Defend Net Front Progression With 2 Point Players, which sets up the two goals on the goal line and gives the players more space but works on similar concepts and would be better for younger age levels.

Generating scoring chances by popping off the goal line and receiving a pass as the shoulders and hips rotate, for a quick release shot, or drawing the puck across the body to change angles if the defender steps up.

This small area game is played from the top of the circles and below. The coach has the pucks in the middle of the ice and the players are split into two teams and lines up at the top of the circles to define the boudary. How the game is played - The coach will dump a puck in and designate one team to have 3 players join the game while the other team will have two. The team that has three players must always have one player below the goal line. They can rotate players behind the net but they must always have 1 behind the net.

Receiving passes, protecting pucks and creating offense from one of the hardest areas on the ice.

In-tight shooting work around the net, focused on getting control of loose pucks and finishing before the goalie can reset.

Reading the play from behind the net: movement, awareness and being ready to strike when the puck comes out front.

The Box Game from Brad Flynn is a small area game that works on quick decision making, transitions, give & goes and net front play. Setup - Teams line up at the blue line. - Coach dumps a puck in the corner, which starts an in zone 2 on 2. - The 3rd person in each line jumps into the zone at the point and they are the "slide player" at the blue line. They are allowed to go to the boards, to the coach. The slide player can pass or shoot. - Anytime there is a change of possession, the team that got the puck must pass to their slide player and work to get open, or get to the front of the net. - Part 2 progression option: Coaches can move the slide players up to the tops of the circle, so there is a smaller amount of space, which will require quicker decision making and give the slide players more opportunities for quick shots to the net. Variations - Can reduce the playing area as shown in the video - Can make this a 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 game.

The Tomas Holmstrom Small Area Game from Spiros Anastas is a competitive net front battle drill designed to teach offensive players how to get inside for screens, tips, and rebounds while defenders work on box outs, containment, and blocking shots. A shooter fires from the top of the circles as players fight for positioning inside a defined box. Drill Setup - Draw a box from just inside the dots and hashmarks up to the top of the circles and back down to the goal line. Drill Setup - Players: Drill Setup - 3 offensive players inside the game - 2 defensive players with the option to add a third to increase difficulty or emphasize shot blocking - 1 shooter positioned outside the box at the top of the circles Drill Setup - Place 5 pucks outside the box for five consecutive reps. Drill Setup - On each whistle all offensive players must tag up outside any boundary of the box which can include the goal line, the sides, or the high line. Defenders do not tag up but must track where attackers enter. The shooter can only shoot after the whistle but may delay to wait for a screen or tip. Shots only with no direct passes. After five reps switch offense and defense and keep score. Coaching Points - Offense: Coaching Points - Defense: Coaching Points - Shooter: Coaching Points - Goalie: Variations - Can make it 3 v 2 or 3 v 3 - Can require the defenseman to shoot further away - Can allow the defenseman to pass for redirects or one timers Variations - View more drills and content from Spiros Anastas