Our strategy on the ice.

over the next couple of days im hoping to get a chance to post our on ice strategies. This will direct everyone where to be on the ice, the range of movement each player has on defense, and any type of offensive strategies i would like to see from everyone while on the ice, keep checking back for the info.

Cool

Basic Strategy: this is nothing hardcore, fairly simple and common sense:

Defense: -ALWAYS make sure the opposition is not set up in front of the goalie. If there is someone there make sure they are cleared out.
-If the puck is in the low boards or behind the net, and a defenseman has to go chase the puck make sure the other defenseman slides over, or the center drops down, somone ALWAYS has to be protecting the slot at all times. There should NEVER be a player on the oppostion in the slot unmanned ever.

Forwards: -For the most part, just cover the defenseman and stay close to them, dont allow them to get a good slapper that can be deflected or just drivin straight on the net.
-NEVER break out of the defensive zone unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure we have control of the puck.
-Forwards that drop back can go as low as the high slot, or in other words the high circle.
-The center should stay by the opposition's center at all times, the center is the only forward that has free movement in the defensive zone, if the center wants to help the defense along the boards or down low, make sure that the oppostion's center is within arm's lenght.
-I want the players on the thunder, when in the defensive zone to try to maintain a box defense like when on the penalty kill, and the center can freely move around.

Goalies: -All i need from the goalies is to make the save, haha, and control the rebounds, i know they are hard to control but with that said i just want the rebounds keep out of the slot.

When there is a breakout or i dont want the defensemen to jump in the rush unless they know they wont get caught out of postion. When in the offensive zone, if a defenseman goes deep in the zone, make sure a forward covers up the vacant point. Always have at least two people back in case of a breakout.

I WANT COHESION ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE, I DONT WANT ALL FIVE PLAYERS SCRAMBLING TO GET THE PUCK ALONG THE BOARDS, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THERE POSTION, AND WHERE THEY NEED TO BE ON THE ICE AT ALL TIMES.

very good i will try to follow this as much as i can and will be sure to refer to these ideas if i am goalie coaching (if im the only one with a mic) otherwise i hope people will follow this. should be a solid defense that will stop alot of one timers and help with rebound control.

i set up the defense the way i did because if u, or any of the other goalies for that matter, let a rebound ge in the middle of the ice i wanted at least one defenseman to be there, even if they miss it then at least there isnt an opponent sitting there open, so u dont have to worry too much about it, all u need to do is stop the puck 92% of the time and we'll handle the rest haha.

Good idea. I like to use this strategy alot myself, it really does cut down on the ridiculous "oh I could/should have been there" goals.

I also have a mic so I will be able to help out/work as a team member as well.

yeah i hope as well as i think it will, so i dont have ppl scratching there heads saying who should have been there. and also some ppl on the team have mics, but most i dont think they do so u can communicate to some but not to everyone.

i like the strategy...too bad im not on the roster yet. lol oh and i have a mic too, so ill be able to communicate well.

you are on the roster not this one though, if u go to the team website http://nyeashl.blogspot.com and click player roster ur on there, and like i told the other ppl i think a majority of the ppl dont have mics but u can talk to the ones that do.

Great,simple strategy. (;

awesome strategy! ill try my best to adhere to all of the stipulations above, if i screw up a few times at 1st "im sorry" but i'd immagine we will all be a lil trigger happy at start, but protecting the slot is SO key.

thats really the most important part to me, i want them to earn their goals, i dont care if people are scrambling at first, i now everyone will be, all teams, so im just worried about not giving up cheap goalies

hopefully most of us have played hockey before. as long as we all understand the basics of cycling, i think we will be fine. we all can't chase the puck.

the way i look at it is if we go into this with the attitude of 'it doesn't matter who scores, a goal is a goal' i think we will come out on top. play unselfishly.

So far, there are really only two real life hockey strategies that I can think of that would work here.

Offense- One of them is called triangle offense. It's very simple. When the puck carrier enters the zone, he drives wide of the net. The second man entering the zone drives to the far post. The third man in drives to the slot/high slot. This forms a triangle to work the puck in, hence the name. Remember, it's all relative to the puck carrier, regardless of position.

In general, when in possession of the puck in the offensive zone, someone should occupy the slot at all times. This guy is going to take a beating, but it sets up screens, deflections, etc...

Defense- This applies to anyone skating backwards with the puck carrier in front of them. ALWAYS stay inside (towards the goal) of the puck carrier. This forces him to (most likely) make a move to the outside, as well as forcing a shot from the outside. I'd give up a shot from the outside any day. 95% of the time, it's not gonna go in.

In general, never allow anyone to occupy the slot unchallenged. Feel free to beat on them, just don't slash them. I have yet to see a game of NHL 09 where the ref calls a penalty for checking the man in the slot. Also, forwards should always stay in their lane (divide the ice into thirds) when backchecking.

Power play- I feel that a shooting power play works best in this game, unless you can get open in the slot. Basically, the forwards set up around the slot outnumbering the defensemen, setting up screens and deflections, feeding the puck to our own defensemen to take the shot.

Penalty killing- Box pattern works best in the game, man to man is probably best here. Good penalty killing requires good communication, and unless we all have headsets, that's not gonna happen, so just do the best you can.

Breakouts - To get out of the defensive zone when our defenceman has the puck, the LW and RW should be near their respective boards, about 1/3 of the way in from the blue line. The center is free to move wherever he feels he has the best play on the puck.


Any questions or other thoughts, feel free to reply.


There are other strategies I know, but they require outstanding passing, and extremely skilled players, so I think it's best to just keep it simple, especially in a video game.

i left most of the stuff out that ur were talking about but i understand what u said completely. i already stressed the need for a presence in the defensive slot, unfortunately most people dont listen to that advice, i no personally i try to set up in the slot becuase i know the computer helps get deflections, etc. but i understand what ur saying.