London's OZ Faceoff Variation
Give the opposing team something to think about with one small change
When I coached in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, one of our divisional rivals ran six different offensive-zone faceoff plays. I thought it was too many. We only had two.
Did we leave a handful of goals on the table during the course of a season? Perhaps. But we also saved practice and meeting time by being minimalistic. Faceoffs are a low-frequency, low leverage part of the game, so I don’t spend a ton of time thinking about them. There are typically more urgent and higher-benefit areas to invest in.
That being said, I recently came across a neat OZ faceoff variation employed by the OHL’s London Knights.
On an offensive-zone faceoff, London (in white) inverts its board-side winger and board-side defenseman.
In the frame above, LD is lined up opposite the other team’s right winger while LW is in space, ready to receive the puck off the center’s draw-back.
Scenario 1: Scramble
If neither team wins the faceoff cleanly:
The inside winger (RW) helps C win the puck
The board-side D (LD) holds up the opposing RW, then recovers toward his point
The board-side winger (LW) activates down the wall as an automatic passing option
The inside D (RD) holds his ground in the middle of the ice, near the blue line
Scenario 2: Clean Loss
If the opposing team wins the puck behind its goal line, London starts in a 1-1-3 and then shape-shifts:
Inside W pressures behind the net
C ties up the opposing C
Board-side D gaps up to the opposing W
Board-side W reads the play as the high F3
In the clip above, London’s inside W (F1) and C (F2) force a turnover in the corner, then set up the board-side W (F3) attacking downhill for a scoring chance.
To the initiated, the sequence looks similar to Nashville’s smoked brisket OZ play (read more about that here).
Scenario 3: Clean Win
Off a clean win, London looks to get the puck into the hands of its skilled wingers high in the zone:
Ds stay outside the dot lanes to spread the zone laterally
Ws create a shooting opportunity against opposing Ds (who are struggling to flex out)
C gains body position off the draw and looks to be first on the ensuing puck retrieval
Ws attack downhill for a second shooting opportunity after C wins the retrieval
Summary - London Boardside D/W Inversion
Pros:
Minimal practice and meeting time required to implement
Simple reads on Scramble, Win and Loss scenarios
High-slot opportunities either in OZ possession or forecheck
Cons:
No shot threat from the board-side D
Incompatible with a Wingers Split/2-1-2 OZ FC off a loss
Requires wingers who are comfortable & effective playing high in the OZ
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