The Hockey Tactics Newsletter

Share this post
Playoff Playbook: WSH's NZ Trap
jhanhky.substack.com
2022 Playoffs

Playoff Playbook: WSH's NZ Trap

Do you believe in Miracles?

Jack Han
May 4
Share this post
Playoff Playbook: WSH's NZ Trap
jhanhky.substack.com

Going into the WSH-FLA series, not many hockey fans give the underdogs much of a shot.

Twitter avatar for @JFreshHockeyJFresh @JFreshHockey
Who will win, Florida or Washington? You voted. #FlaPanthers: 96% #AllCaps: 4%
Image

May 3rd 2022

3 Retweets162 Likes

Panthers-Capitals in 2022 or Soviet Union-Team USA at the 1980 Olympics?

The polling data presumably look similar.

And yet, WSH overcomes a 2-1 third-period deficit to win Game 1.

Against an explosive Panthers’ attack, the Capitals’ forecheck is the wildcard team’s biggest asset.

Twitter avatar for @ShutdownLineCorey Sznajder @ShutdownLine
Caps-Cats statcap Washington pretty much played a perfect game against Florida. Forced a lot of blue line turnovers, dump-ins & point shots while getting their own chances off the rush. Not many teams have been able to do this to the Panthers.
Image
Image

May 4th 2022

3 Likes

Instead of a typical, predictable 1-2-2 offensive-zone forecheck, Washington sends two forwards deep in the zone while F3 read the play above the circles, near his defensemen.

Via Hockey Tactics 2022: The Playbook

Florida’s players never know when they have time to retrieve a puck cleanly, or whether WSH’s F2 is rounding the net and loading up for a big hit. If FLA gets rid of the puck early, WSH’s D1 would pinch down the far side to keep the puck in the zone.

Whenever FLA gains the neutral zone, all five WSH skaters track back hard to get into a 1-3-1 neutral-zone trap, the same scheme used by the 1980 Miracle on Ice team coached by Herb Brooks.

Via Hockey Tactics Retrospective

This NZ forecheck is somewhat different than the 1-1-3 Washington used in the regular season. All five skaters are above the puck (between the carrier and the WSH net), with D2 sags back and pivots early to retrieve dump-ins.

This defensive adjustment creates WSH’s equalizing goal early in the third period.

MacKenzie Weegar, FLA’s most reliable transitional defenseman, carries into the trap.

Alex Ovechkin, the F1, pokes the puck with an extended stick.

Evgeni Kuznetsov, the F2, is off to the races.

Tied game.

Unlike their opponents, FLA does not go to a trap and instead look to get players up-ice in a 1-2-2 NZ FC.

On a regroup, defenseman Brandon Montour sprints into the play, leaving Weegar and forward Claude Giroux as the last two players back in the 1-2-2.

T.J. Oshie recognizes the opportunity and hustles past Giroux, who is less comfortable defending the rush than Montour or Weegar.

3-2 Washington, who’ll add an empty-net goal with seconds remaining in the game.

Get $10 off on the best NHL tactical resource

Learn from the NHL’s best by reading Hockey Tactics 2022, loved by 1000s of players, coaches and fans. Use coupon code playoffs at checkout to get $10 off.

Share this post
Playoff Playbook: WSH's NZ Trap
jhanhky.substack.com
TopNew

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2022 Jack Han
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Publish on Substack Get the app
Substack is the home for great writing