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Closing, Controlling, and Creating Space

This is an excerpt from Elite Hockey Defense by Dave Cameron.

Closing, Controlling, and Creating Space
The goal for the defensive team and defensive players is to take away space from the offensive team. One of the first things that defensemen at any age can work on is closing off space quickly and pushing the opponent away from the net. The faster that defensive players can take away time and space from an offensive player, the better. Any good offensive player is more effective if they have time and space to make a play. Defenders can close the space by working with their stick to go stick to puck, and they can work to close space quickly by moving their feet. First, we need to define what it means when the defense closes, controls, and creates space.

Closing space means reducing the space available to the opponent. If the offensive player has their back turned to the defensive player or is planning on controlling a rimmed puck, the defensive player works to close quickly. Their first two or three steps are hard to make the offensive player know that an opponent is coming at them. The defender leads with their stick and works to go hip to hip with the offensive player. One caution about closing quickly is to avoid exposing the chest or the logo on the jersey. If the offensive player sees the defensive player’s chest square on, they have an opportunity to apply a reverse hit (or “sting”). They can plant their shoulder right in the defender’s chest and push them back off the puck and off balance.

Controlling space means preventing the opponent from doing what they want to do. If the offensive player is facing the defensive player and already has possession of the puck, this is not the time to sprint at them because they can move the puck and jump past the defender. The defensive player must work to control the space and not allow their opponent to do what they want to do. The defensive player works to take away the offensive player’s primary option. This can start with using a good angle and steering the opponent where the defender wants them to go.

Creating space means opening up space to work in for themselves or a teammate. A player can do this by pushing an opponent off the puck or by sealing the wall with their body to allow a half a second to make a play. Players can also create space by skating into an opponent’s space as they are attacking. The opponent must then move around the player, which can create space for a teammate.

Now, in defining those concepts, situations occur where closing space, controlling space, and creating space differ.

50-50 Puck Advantage
If the defense can close space quickly, they make it a little harder for the offense to maintain the puck in the offensive zone. Ideally, the defense can create 50-50 pucks in which they can use their position to create an advantage. A 50-50 puck is a battle scenario in which either player can win possession of the puck. Body position and location on the ice can give one player a better chance to get possession of the puck.

Suppose that a puck is in the corner and you and I are standing net front. We are going to race to get the puck, but I do not have to win the race to the corner. All I must do is win the first few steps and move my body in front of yours. Rather than skating beside you for 35 or 40 feet (10 or 12 m) to the corner, if I can win the first 6 to 8 feet (2 to 2.5 m) and move in front of you, I will win the race to the corner. This idea can work for any player all over the ice. What players are working to do with 50-50 puck battles is finding a way to turn the odds in their favor. By using their body, their skating, their stick, and their awareness, they can create a better chance to win more battles. When they can win more battles, they become more of an asset on the ice as a defensive player.

Offensive-Zone Cutback
The concepts of closing, controlling, and creating space can also be viewed from an offensive perspective. The offensive player does not want to be pinned or forced to work in tight spaces. For that reason, forwards work to create space by spinning, turning, and faking.

A situation that comes up in games is the offensive-zone ­cutback. If the forward is climbing in the zone and pushes off the wall, they are trying to do two things. First, they are trying to get to the net. Second, they are working to create space if they do not get to the net. If they spin or cut back toward the boards, the defenseman must does not turn away from them and allow them to create space. The defensive player who is on the puck carrier must stop, face them, and work to get their stick back into position.

The idea of taking away space and keeping defensive-side positioning is something to think about on the offensive-zone cutback. The offensive-zone cutback is a strong move for forwards because it challenges the defensive team. The move can cause a defenseman to overcommit. The attacking player can bring another defender down to them as they are climbing, opening a passing lane to a teammate. As the forward climbs in the zone, an offensive defenseman can activate down the wall as well to create space. By forcing players to react to what they are doing, a forward gains confidence. All forwards want to have the puck on their stick, and they should want to challenge the net to score. The job of the defensive players (and teams) is to prevent the offensive team from creating space.

Common Error
Some players fail to move their feet as they watch plays develop. Therefore, the offensive player has time and space to make a play. By closing the distance between themselves and the puck, the defensive player can force the offensive player to throw the puck away.

Common Error
An error I often see from forwards in the slot is having two hands on the stick with the stick in the air. The player lifts their stick above their head to bring it over the top and back around, but the result allows pucks to get through. The F3 is not taking up as much space. By having one hand on their stick and their stick on the ice, the F2 and F3 take up more space and are harder to work around. If players think about keeping their stick on the ice and simply pull their stick back and reengage, they can cover space quicker.

1 on 1 × 2
Level of Difficulty
Easy

Players
Full team or six defensive players

Objectives
To work on defensive-side positioning against offensive players trying to score

Setup
Two offensive players set up on the wall—one on the hash marks and one in the corner. One defender lines up at the bottom of the circle. A coach has pucks in the high slot.

Procedure
The coach passes to the player in the corner, and the offensive player attacks to the net. The defensive player tries to shut down the play by keeping good stick and body position and by closing space quickly. When that play ends, the coach spots a puck to the second offensive player, who again is looking to score. The defensive player tries to close down that play as well, working to keep defensive-side positioning.

Coaching Tip

• This drill requires the defensive player to react to what they see and move their feet to close off space.
  

Variations

• The second offensive player can move to the opposite side of the net and start on the goal line.
• To push their players, the coach can make the drill longer by having four separate 1 vs 1 battles lined up on both sides. The defensive player must react to where the coach passes the puck.
  
  

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