Two-On-One Rushes
Posted by jtbourne on February 8, 2010 · 16 Comments
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As corny as attaching sports success with vindication and healing may be, there’s no denying the people of New Orleans deserved a little pick-me-up. Hell, I cry for stupid sports moments (awww, baby Brees!), I can’t imagine how this felt for them. Let’s observe how they felt about dere Saints:
I love me some horns.
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The Simple Art of the Two-On-One
by jb
One of the best moments in hockey is when you’ve just chipped the puck past a pinching defenseman, and have picked it up on the other side.
You’re on a two-on-one.
It’s better than the breakaway, which requires top speed, optimal effort, and a lot of thinking.
The two-on-one is just relaxing. It’s a Corona commercial with a smile. It’s a rare treat:
You spend the whole game unloading the puck the second you get it, so it feels so good to just have it for a sec.
If I’m on my off-side (stick to the middle), I like my odds of scoring better than a breakaway. You’ve got a built in decoy.
Some simple rules to maximize your effectiveness:
1) If you can pass the puck early, it’s a must. As the rush begins, the goalie has his angles set on the puck carrier, coming out from the goal-line squarely. He knows all too well where he is in the net. Also, the defensemen usually gives room for an early pass (just inside the blue line), so take it, and make the goalie less sure of his angle.
2) For quick evaluation: Is the ice bad? Are you on a two-on-one with Rockhands McDump-n-Chase? Is the goalie hot? What hand is your linemate?
You’re not passing on bad ice. You’re not passing to a plug (unless the goalie and d-man make you). You have to make a hot goalie move with a pass. And you need to know what hand your teammate is, so you know if you’re giving him a one-timer or a re-direct.
Hey, where does Regier play these days?
3) Narrow the ice (bring the puck inside the dots, at least). Taking it wide is a good idea on a three-on-two, but you have to get yourself in a good shooting angle to make the goalie take both skaters seriously as options. Obviously that brings you closer to the d-man, but you’re good enough to dish if pressured, right?
Let’s say you chose to shoot. Good call. Your coach is happy with you.
That means you want the goalie to think pass, of course. I (and many others) usually went with a simple three-step play when I chose to keep (three steps can be simple when they all involve doing very little physically). Goalies at the higher levels respect the shooters, and the d-man is responsible for the pass. That said, the goalie still has to make a Herculean effort to get across when a pass is made, so he’s on in his toes jussst in case. My method:
1) I liked to let the goalie think he was a step ahead of me. I’d skate in looking directly at the net like I was going to shoot. He’s very aware you might not.
2) After a clumsy fake shot (which lets the goalie “read” the pass), I’d make a quick move over to pass, which is just a look at your teammate, and a stick-handle in his direction
3) Now SHOOT! The goalie has to react quick on pass plays, so if even so much as shifts his weight in the wrong direction he’s too frozen to do anything magnificent. There’s your edge, now just hit your spot.
If you intend to pass:
1) Way too many looks at your teammate early on.
2) Immediately snap your head to the goalie and drop your shoulder.
3) Stick-handle and dish – it’s actually alright to not rush it over immediately. It has no chance of going in if you don’t make sure it hits the guy’s tape.
What’s great about the three-parter is, you start out looking where you’re finishing, so you get to soak in the information about what’s going on around you.
"Hey Geno, I have a new 54 part 2-on-1 move we should try"
If you don’t have the puck, you’re whole job is to read speeds – the defenseman’s first, then your linemates. It’s the guy without the puck who decides if the pass across is best going behind the d-man, under his stick, or high.
You’ll think what I’m about to say is ridiculous in the wake of my easy-finish two-on-one advice, but it’s an important tip: don’t over-think it.
And this is where professionals and amateurs differ – those guys practice or play six days a week. You play six days a ….month? They probably take 50-70 two-on-ones a week, starting at age 15. By the time they’re in their mid-20’s, that odd-man rush isn’t a stressful event. It’s on auto-pilot, baby.
It’s a corona with a smile. What does yours taste like?
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I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with a NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL. My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now a columnist for USA Today, Puck Daddy (Y!) and Hockey Primetime.com.
Someone forgetting to remove their skate guards is CLASSIC!
Just like the old clear tape on the blades prank never gets old.
When I played D that early pass at the ringette line was the one that I would jump. Its never in the air, and its usually fairly lazy compared to the others. And really if they get it through must people freeze and overthink 2 on O’s.
One of my best friends lives in New Orleans and the post-game phone call from the Quarter was an absolute CLASSIC. I almost wish I had not picked up so I could have saved the chaos in my voicemail forever. That on TOP of Mardi Gras? Insanity….
Poor kid with the skate guards on. But at least his most embarrassing moment EVER is over with now. He can relax.
Oh you skaters think you’re so clever. There’s one guy I play who keeps burning me on 2 on 0s with some damn good fakery. I’m going for a flying two-pad stack a la Hasek next time. Burn me enough and I’ll stop giving a crap about your well-being.
Can we discuss how great it is to hear Mike Milbury and Pierre McGuire (is Paul Shaffer is doppleganger?) bicker back and fourth every Sunday when watching the NHL on NBC? I think watching Milbury refrain from ripping that Q-tip’s head off is the most entertaining part! I love my hockey, but I can’t wait til Intermission..
Thanks for the tutorial, Justin. I guess now I need to learn how to fake shots and passes!!
I don’t know if there is any data to support this but it seems to me that about 90% of 2-on-1′s in the NHL end up shooting. And maybe they are subtle, but they do not seem to be checking off items on the to do list. They definitely wait, wait, wait, but almost always shoot, shoot, shoot.
Yep, good call Mike, super subtle. Like two stickhandles with the blade facing different ways. Net, pass, goal.
@ mike, it’s probably b/c defensemen in the NHL play the pass so much better than your avg rec leaguer. also, the decision making of an avg nhler is light years faster than that of a rec leaguer. by the time us beer leaguers are done with the checklist, we’ve skated the puck past the goal line.
I’m the pinching defenceman…more tips from a pro…nice!
As an old goaltender from the dark ages(late 60′s-70′s) . I always wanted my d-man to force the play as early as possible preferably forcing him wide to force the pass. Swedish video is excellent, reminds me of the best prank I ever witnessed. Most of you are to young to remember the leather “Charlie Burns” helmets from the 60′s.They had rawhide laces on the backplate of the helmet . I was at old Bowdoin Arena in Maine with the old chain link fencing behind the nets the team that had taken the ice was doing sprints and a player took a breather resting against the fence someone tied the lace on his helmet to the fence when he stearted his sprint he skated forward but his head remained stationary having him kind of leviate till his helmet came off .He never knew who the culprit was.
Great tip Justin. There is one thing I want to point out though: rec league goalies (for the most part) never go for the head and/or shoulder fakes; they always seem to be strickly looking at the puck. Therefore I’m always passing on a 2-on-1. It’s easier to beat a moving goalie than one who is square to the shooter. (Thanks Coach Huglen for making all of us work on saucer passes in college!)
i know your move very well bourney..head down with blinders on and rip 1 off the glass!! just missed
According to hockeydb.com Regier is playing in Austria. So there ya go
I could read hockey tips from you on a daily basis, keep em coming!
Hey, Bret… By now you have probably watched Milbury and JR on the USA vs Switzerland men”s hockey broadcast, arguing about absolutely everything. Great entertainment! Much more to come, I’m sure!