The term backchecking invokes effort and intensity, while tracking details the reads and routes players take against counter-attacks originating from the offensive zone. Tracking occurs almost exclusively in the context of a 1-2-2 or 1-1-3, as the defensive team won’t have the time to morph into another shape. In the example above, F3, the first forward back, hounds the puck carrier until the red line, allowing D1 to gap up and possibly step up to deny the entry.