1. Penalty Kill – Opening Remarks
Penalty Killing is a critical part of the game from a defensive standpoint. Momentum is won & lost by the penalty kill at pivotal points in every game. It is an area of the game that requires players to work together in total unison to avoid breakdowns.
It’s not glamorous with offensive accolades & it doesn’t show up on the score sheet individually, but it requires extreme intelligence, courage, & passion.

2. Penalty Kill Principles
Aggressive vs Positional
-Appropriate pressure
-Keep shifts under 30 seconds (time on ice)
-1 goes, we all go (trigger moments)
-Discourage passing lanes with good stick position
-Protect scoring areas (promote perimeter play)
-Outnumber & overload (good angles & force passes through you)
-Develop a mindset based on your principles
-Adjustments are made….
but the Principles stay the same.

3. PK KEYS -Faceoff wins & exit plans
-Clears 200 ft (one chance to clear mentality)
-Be fresh, proper changes eliminate fatigue
-Stick & body positions
-Commitment / Desperation / Courage (Shot blocking & sacrifice)
-Intelligence (develop killers through instruction), some players are naturals
-Communication (everyone must be on the same page)
-Have a language for your killers

4. Penalty Kill - INZONE Team Philosophy “Trigger Moments” -Rebounds
-Bouncing / rolling pucks
-Opponent facing wall
- Pucks rimmed on wall
-Everyone jump together
Situational Scenarios
-Transfer vs Non-Transfer
-D strong side vs D backside
Be flexible & adjust accordingly

5. CREATE AN ATTITUDE ON THE KILL
-Challenge the killers (practice, video, dialogue)
-Players take pride in the kill (positive reinforcement)
-Team within team (t-shirts, hats)
-Competition with PP in practice
-HAVE THEM TAKE OWNERSHIP!

6. DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES
Aggressive
+ Force plays to be made under pressure
+ Hard to play against
- Susceptible to breakdowns
Positional: Aggressive on trigger moments
+ Less susceptible to grade A chances
- Potential for more puck possession by PP
*Evaluate your Killers
*Evaluate the level of skill of Power Play
*Depends on the age group

7. Personnel System -Players with good mental skills & anticipation
-Players speed, range, intensity
-Players that execute system / philosophy
-Coach what you have (that’s the challenge of coaching)
System
-Positional system vs. aggressive system
-Zone by zone attack plan
-Situational awareness (today’s PP setups)
-Practice situations

8. Practice Situation
Transfer Drill for Forwards
Defense Jump Drill

9. PK FACEOFFS -Read setup of PP (preparation, pre-scout)
-These are split second decisions
-Must be on the same page
-Key points
-which way do our defense shoot
-right faceoff / left faceoff (Paul Gaustad)

10. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – Loss Inside forward hold slot read (shot lane)
Center get out to D (inside out)
Board d off wall, loose, front shots (can anticipate pass to ½ wall & BE AGGRESSIVE)
Net D hold net, loose, front shots
Penalty Kill

11. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – WINS D Switch (SELANNE)
D switch sides (or if 2 D same hand)
Board D pick board wing
Inside D play off line, retrieve puck, clear off strong side wall
Inside forward, angle out through middle to wall D,
help with clear
Center fold under inside forward
Penalty Kill

12. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – WINS D Bump D strong sides
Board D gets puck – bumps to inside D – forehand clear
Inside forward lines up on hash marks – sets inside pick
Center win faceoff – holds – release to middle
Penalty Kill

13. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – WINS D Bump Rim (vs 4 up) D strong sides
Board D hold – bump puck to inside D, inside D rim
Inside forward set pick
Center hold – release to middle ice

14. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – WINS Drop Wing Low
D bump to D or board D bump behind net
Inside forward drop low to corner for puck
Center release & push out through middle ice (Read)

15. Penalty Kill FACEOFF – WINS D Behind Center
D1 lineup behind center, expect win
D2 on wall, holdup
F1 inside hold
Center win draw back
Penalty Kill

16. Penalty Kill - FORECHECK
DEFINE ROLES, OBJECTIVES, RESPONSIBILITIES
Aggressive
F1 – hunt
F2 – react
D – Gap up
Situations – lose man, F2 control middle
Force puck outside at entry site
The goal is a non-possession entry
(This allows pressure, overload, outnumber)
Cut ice in ¼
Understand pop out areas (use it for clears)
Pressure – Recover - Replace
Forecheck Options
Aggressive up ice
Nashville 1-3
1-3 vs drop play
Moving box
Different Styles
St. Louis moving box
NYR fwd middle

17. Penalty Kill FORECHECK 1-3 Middle Push
F1 –swing through, lock side, skate forwards
F2 –take away middle pass, create direction (outside pass)
D1 & D2 – gap up, stay together, step up on wide pass
Fwd’s – be a part of the breakout

18. Penalty Kill FORECHECK Lock & Push 1-3 F1 –swing through, lock
F2 –push from locked side in NZ
D1 & D2 – gap up, shift

19. Penalty Kill FORECHECK 1-3 Momentum Re-attack (Early vs Drop)
Eliminate drop in Neutral zone
Force puck out of D hands early
2 options – swing through re-attack or push from side

20. Penalty Kill -BE AGGRESSIVE Non-Possession entries (Rim/Chips)
-Shrink all non-possession entries
-BE AGGRESSIVE
D1 pressure puck (confrontation)
D2 close for overload battle/seal low out wall
F1 push down from the top, stay tight, seal wall out
F2 pop out area, cut ice in 1/4, protect net front

21. Penalty Kill - INZONE Player Responsibilities & Roles SSD
Primary Responsibility – hold dot (don’t back off), shot lane (no far side shots), inside stick for tip play
Secondary Responsibility – collapse hard stick on puck on low pass
Note – jump on low wall walk below hash marks
NET D
Primary Responsibility – seal backdoor (nothing gets through)
Secondary Responsibility – Diagonal seam pass, stay loose
SSF
Primary Responsibility – cut ice in ½, push puck down
– If not: D walks, follow pass & cut ice in ½ other side
**DO NOT ALLOW PASS BACK TO TOP**
Secondary Responsibility – Slot help, T intersection, on low plays (collapse)
WSF
Primary Responsibility – Be on the rail
– Take away seam through to offside (umbrella seam)
Secondary Responsibility – Slot help, T intersection, read low play, slot
presence or not? Can help with backdoor

22. Penalty Kill
CLEARS
Share the Clears