Advice: Holding the point with cherry pickers

[deeman]

First post here and I have learned a lot from this board in the last week since I’ve discovered it.

I have played defense in beer leagues for a while. I am not sure how to react to the cherry pickers which seems to be more frequent in the various groups I play with. If the play is in the offensive zone and I am at the point how should I react to a forward who floats into the neutral zone? If I go back there to hang with him and prevent him from getting a pass, it’s easy for the other team to clear the zone and make good movement back to our zone since I am not holding the point. If I let the cherry picker linger he is in a perfect spot to take a pass.

Also, how about trying to block a pass near the blue line in order to keep the puck in the offensive zone and inside the point? If I commit and try to block a pass and get burned it’s an easy 2 or 3 on 1 (hoping that the other D dropped back to cover the break) and I am guessing I need to quickly get back and pick-off a potential player. It’s always confused me to be aggressive and risky or conservative by dropping back and leaving my post in order to prevent a 2 or 3 on 1.

Thanks!!

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[Burke the Legend]

You gotta drop back a bit to cover him well cuz even tho he is being useless and lame for his team by creating a 4v4 situation which helps your team on offence, you will look bad if he actually does get that pass and goes on a breakaway.

When you do drop back tho, make sure to shame him by loudly taunting him for being such a lame cherry picker and maybe he will get the message. Cherry pickers are scum.

 

[SelleckStache]

You gotta drop back a bit to cover him well cuz even tho he is being useless and lame for his team by creating a 4v4 situation which helps your team on offence, you will look bad if he actually does get that pass and goes on a breakaway.

When you do drop back tho, make sure to shame him by loudly taunting him for being such a lame cherry picker and maybe he will get the message. Cherry pickers are scum.

Also, make sure you keep him in front of you and chop his ankles juuussst a little

 

[Jarick]

If there's no passing lane to him, all they are doing is giving your team a free 5-on-4. Cover the passing lane and you're set.

Seems like the lower level of play, the better risk/reward ratio for cherry picking. At the NHL level any defenseman will pick off a pass to a cherry picker. And teams are so skilled and good with a man advantage that they score far more often. You never see it.

But at low levels, a lot of guys at the point will miss that pass and it's a legit play. Plus the man advantage is so much more frequently broken up when guys can't stickhandle in tight spots or make pinpoint passes.

 

[FiveAndGame]

It is the responsibility of the weak-side defenseman to drop back to cover the cherry picker. If the strong-side defenseman plays the boards and stops the defending team from banking the puck of the boards and the weak-side defenseman prevents the pass you have a very strong 4-4 against the opposing team.

 

[CarlWinslow]

You gotta drop back a bit to cover him well cuz even tho he is being useless and lame for his team by creating a 4v4 situation which helps your team on offence, you will look bad if he actually does get that pass and goes on a breakaway.

When you do drop back tho, make sure to shame him by loudly taunting him for being such a lame cherry picker and maybe he will get the message. Cherry pickers are scum.

Meh, as a person who has been accused of this, I don't care if someone's attempts to shame me. If I anticipate my team will be taking the puck away and I see a scenario that may result in a breakaway, I'm taking off.

 

[rinkrat22]

It is the responsibility of the weak-side defenseman to drop back to cover the cherry picker. If the strong-side defenseman plays the boards and stops the defending team from banking the puck of the boards and the weak-side defenseman prevents the pass you have a very strong 4-4 against the opposing team.

I would agree with this. I would ask though, who is in possesion of the puck? if your team does and you are the weak side Dman just keep an eye on the guy. if your team is in a position that possesion my be lost cheat a little but I wouldn't go stand near the guy. If it's a situation where its a 50/50 puck cheat a little more, if they are gaining possesion get back and cover them.

Many parts of playing D come with experience, thats why Defensemen take longer to develop.

 

[FiveAndGame]

I would agree with this. I would ask though, who is in possesion of the puck? if your team does and you are the weak side Dman just keep an eye on the guy. if your team is in a position that possesion my be lost cheat a little but I wouldn't go stand near the guy. If it's a situation where its a 50/50 puck cheat a little more, if they are gaining possesion get back and cover them.

Many parts of playing D come with experience, thats why Defensemen take longer to develop.

Good point. If the defending team is in possession of the puck, it is probably better for both defensemen to back off and have your forwards forecheck. However, if your team has possession of the puck then I would hold the strong side boards and allow the weak-side dman to drop back to the bottom of the circle along the red line. The weak-side dman should be ready to immediately jump back into the high slot if a chance for a one-timer is available.

Like you said, playing d is all about experience. Knowing your capabilities as well as your own weaknesses will definitely help.

 

[GrafSk8r12]

Meh, as a person who has been accused of this, I don't care if someone's attempts to shame me. If I anticipate my team will be taking the puck away and I see a scenario that may result in a breakaway, I'm taking off.

This times infinity.

 

[Clarkington III]

You gotta drop back a bit to cover him well cuz even tho he is being useless and lame for his team by creating a 4v4 situation which helps your team on offence, you will look bad if he actually does get that pass and goes on a breakaway.

When you do drop back tho, make sure to shame him by loudly taunting him for being such a lame cherry picker and maybe he will get the message. Cherry pickers are scum.

This for sure. If nothing else, it lets him know that you know what he is doing and maybe he stops which gives you something less to think about.

Meh, as a person who has been accused of this, I don't care if someone's attempts to shame me. If I anticipate my team will be taking the puck away and I see a scenario that may result in a breakaway, I'm taking off.

Yep me too. Though there is a difference between actual cherry picking and then someone taking off in anticipation. One has you circling around the neutral zone/blueline waiting to take off and the other has you playing your zone/man and then leaving when you can.

 

[Wilch]

I cherry pick when I play against crappy players, especially if the opposing team has a weak blueline.

And pretty much what Jarick said, you got to gauge the situation first.

You'll usually see more cherry pickers on lower level of play, and they're usually ringers. Stay close to them and get between them and where the puck is.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

I cherry pick when I play against crappy players, especially if the opposing team has a weak blueline.

And pretty much what Jarick said, you got to gauge the situation first.

You'll usually see more cherry pickers on lower level of play, and they're usually ringers. Stay close to them and get between them and where the puck is.

<Thinly veiled brag at being a ringer.>

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

OP

I think one thing that helps is changing your mentality with Cherry Pickers.

Changing it from "I have to intercept/stop the pass" to "I have to disrupt/create problems for the pass". If that makes sense.

Chances are much greater at disrupting the clear pass etc than trying to stop it all together.

As was mentioned generally its ringers you are battling on a Cherry Pick. Just making it an effort for them to get in the clear is enough to turn them off. They are lazy.

We had two different guys do this in our last two games.

The first game this guys from Korea who is an exceptional skater and player was blatantly cherry picking. Even at the end of the game with our tender pulled. I hate that. Its lazy and dishonest.

Second game we had a Canadian guy whos one of the best in the league decent skater awesome hands and shot doing exactly the same thing. Except this time they were losing so it was slightly less offensive. But still lazy and dishonest.

 

[Wilch]

<Thinly veiled brag at being a ringer.>

I should add, either ringers or just plain lazy.

With me being the latter.

 

[deeman]

Thanks for the great input fellas. I like the theme of just try to intercept the pass to the pickers.

Again - thank you!

 

[vapor11]

Thanks for the great input fellas. I like the theme of just try to intercept the pass to the pickers.

Again - thank you!

Intercepting may work sometimes but you have to be the judge of when to intercept and when to fall back.. if they are more skilled players fall back as all it would take is a simple flip pass up and the cherrypicker is going to beat you to the puck and have a breakaway

 

[Fanned On It]

Kinda off topic but there is this cherry picking winger (and sometimes CENTER... don't even get me started on that) on my D league team (lowest level) and I've gotta say that the whole bench thinks he is the laziest hockey player to ever live. The guy plays up 2 levels but he absolutely blows... he skates like a duck (if you could imagine) and just generally doesn't know anything about hockey and whenever the puck is in our zone he'll come back to the zone for a couple of seconds and then just head out to center ice and literally wait there. The puck could be in our zone for an entire minute and he wouldn't help out on defense... it's ridiculous and I give him hell for it. I tell him that he's a sorry excuse for a hockey player because he only plays one side of the ice lol. The worst is when he does this while playing center ice position... he just leaves his defensive post un-manned and heads out... ugh what a terrible player lol.

 

[Jarick]

We have one of those! Beyond frustrating for everyone else on the team.

 

[Wilch]

The worst part is when those kind of players complain to their teammates about not being able to hit them with a good breakout pass.

 

[CornKicker]

the actual answer is ask your goalie. our goalie loves breakaways and rarely gets scored on so he says play high, let the picker hang. it essentially creates a power play over and over.

 

[mikitas donut]

Kinda off topic but there is this cherry picking winger (and sometimes CENTER... don't even get me started on that) on my D league team (lowest level) and I've gotta say that the whole bench thinks he is the laziest hockey player to ever live. The guy plays up 2 levels but he absolutely blows... he skates like a duck (if you could imagine) and just generally doesn't know anything about hockey and whenever the puck is in our zone he'll come back to the zone for a couple of seconds and then just head out to center ice and literally wait there. The puck could be in our zone for an entire minute and he wouldn't help out on defense... it's ridiculous and I give him hell for it. I tell him that he's a sorry excuse for a hockey player because he only plays one side of the ice lol. The worst is when he does this while playing center ice position... he just leaves his defensive post un-manned and heads out... ugh what a terrible player lol.

That's awful. I'm not a great player myself, but I bust my ass and play hard. I get in the right spots and may flub shots but no one gets on my case because I try my best and skate hard. What's the point of playing if you're going to be lazy?

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Meh, as a person who has been accused of this, I don't care if someone's attempts to shame me. If I anticipate my team will be taking the puck away and I see a scenario that may result in a breakaway, I'm taking off.

Same here. I'm a speedy winger and when I'm on the weak side, as soon as my dmen or center/winger get the puck and see me, I want them to flip the puck high or off the boards, anywhere on the ice. Why wouldn't I take advantage of a potential break away? the dmans job is to keep himself between me and the puck. If I have to skate across the ice to grab a dumped puck, the dman should have enough time to skate back and defend.

 

[Bring Bak Damphousse]

Meh, as a person who has been accused of this, I don't care if someone's attempts to shame me. If I anticipate my team will be taking the puck away and I see a scenario that may result in a breakaway, I'm taking off.

I can get you that pass...and than catch you for the two on 0

 

[rinkrat22]

Same here. I'm a speedy winger and when I'm on the weak side, as soon as my dmen or center/winger get the puck and see me, I want them to flip the puck high or off the boards, anywhere on the ice. Why wouldn't I take advantage of a potential break away? the dmans job is to keep himself between me and the puck. If I have to skate across the ice to grab a dumped puck, the dman should have enough time to skate back and defend.

I wouldn't think, or at least I dont, consider a flying weak side winger on the breakout a "cherry picker". I feel like a guy that basically stays in the neuteral zone to be cherry picking. If you're in the Dzone helping out and your team gains possesion its your job as the weak side guy to get up ice to open up the neutral zone and make the defending team back off their foreheck a bit to give the guys a little more space. As a D man even if I cant get you the puck you are relieveing some pressure by getting up ice when your team gains possesion.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I wouldn't think, or at least I dont, consider a flying weak side winger on the breakout a "cherry picker". I feel like a guy that basically stays in the neuteral zone to be cherry picking. If you're in the Dzone helping out and your team gains possesion its your job as the weak side guy to get up ice to open up the neutral zone and make the defending team back off their foreheck a bit to give the guys a little more space. As a D man even if I cant get you the puck you are relieveing some pressure by getting up ice when your team gains possesion.

Well, what I do really isn't "cherry picking" in my mind but I get called one all the time by the opposition. Which is absolutely fine considering I average 2 points a game. I do play defense but several times a game, when I see the chance, I'll sneak behind the D and I'm gone. I really couldn't care less if someone says something, I usually find it funny when both dmen will back out of the offensive zone to follow me. It only helps my team, putting them a man up in the defensive zone.