Oct 14 against the Rangers. 40 seconds to go. Jackets up 3-2. Face off in the defensive zone. Which two defensemen are you putting in? (Pick 2)

[I3LI3]

I’m trotting out Z and Provy without hesitation.

 

[CBJx614]

That's how you end up with a D trying to flip the puck out on their backhand.

If you lose the face-off, sure. If you win it, depending on what D gets it, it's either straight up and out or a quick D to D and a quick chip off the boards or glass.

 

[majormajor]

If you lose the face-off, sure. If you win it, depending on what D gets it, it's either straight up and out or a quick D to D and a quick chip off the boards or glass.

I think you want to avoid any D to D passing in that situation, really almost any passing. It's a turnover risk, the forecheckers are going to be on you. I've seen it before where the guy stuck on his back hand keeps trying to pass it to the guy who can clear from his forehand and the forecheckers will target that.

 

[ProfessorFink22]

I think you want to avoid any D to D passing in that situation, really almost any passing. It's a turnover risk, the forecheckers are going to be on you. I've seen it before where the guy stuck on his back hand keeps trying to pass it to the guy who can clear from his forehand and the forecheckers will target that.

Most important player in that situation is the far side winger - he's gotta quickly get to the far boards right up against their team's Dman and get a stick on any rimmed puck to deflect it out. Or it's pretty common to have a hard pass right at them that they just deflect past the Dman.

People talk a lot about winning battles in corners, but those Dman/Winger battles right inside a team's blueline are some of the most important ones in hockey that no one talks about... I say this as a lifelong center