Equipment Needed
- One puck per pair
A reliable stick matters here
A durable practice stick holds up to the repeated lift and poke-check attempts this drill is built on.
Shop Hockey Sticks on Amazon As an Amazon Associate, FreeCoachingDrills.com earns from qualifying purchases.Setup
- Pair players up with one carrying the puck slowly, one defending.
Instructions
- The carrier stickhandles slowly in a small area.
- The defender practices timing a stick lift (lifting the carrier's stick blade) or a poke check (a quick jab at the puck) without reaching with the body.
- Reset after each attempt and try the other technique.
- Switch roles after a set number of attempts.
Coaching Points
- Active stick, not active hands - keep both hands on your own stick.
- Time the poke check to when the puck is slightly away from the carrier's stick.
- Stay in a defensive stance even while attempting the stick check - don't fully commit and open up.
Variation
Speed up the carrier gradually so defenders learn to time the check against real puck movement.