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Board reception, pull and outlet

Control a gentle pass traveling along the boards, pull it into open ice, and complete an outlet to a separate teammate.

10U · 12UIntermediate8 minutes3–3 players
Original drill diagram
Board reception, pull and outlet: player positions and movement FRO
The upper rink boundary represents the boards. F slides a puck along them to R, who pulls it down into open ice and passes to O. The short solid arrow shows the puck-control pull, not a skating route. Two cones mark the receiving section. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Stick, Pucks, Cones, Rink boards

  1. Use 25 feet of straight boards away from a door. Receiver R waits beside the boards, feeder F stands 12 feet farther along them, and outlet O waits 10 feet into open ice beside R. Two cones mark a 6-foot receiving section. F has three pucks used one at a time.
  2. R looks over the inside shoulder to locate O, then presents the blade near the boards. F slides a gentle flat puck along the wall into the marked section; do not fire a hard rim around a corner.
  3. R receives with the stick and brings the puck to a controlled stop near the wall. Keep skates stable; no skate pin or body pin is required. If the puck escapes the section, stop and retrieve before restarting.
  4. R pulls the puck 2 feet away from the boards, looks at O’s blade, and passes flat to O. O settles each puck and sets it aside, clear of the passing lane, until F has finished all three feeds.
  5. On a stop signal, collect the three pucks. Rotate F to R, R to O, and O to F; complete two sets per receiver if time permits. Count controlled wall receptions followed by an outlet within reach.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Check inside, catch at the wall, pull free.”
  • Keep the top hand clear of the body so the blade can control the wall-side puck.
  • Look at the outlet again after pulling away; do not pass solely from memory.

Common mistakes

  • R reaches for the puck with straight legs and loses balance. Try: move the receiving stance closer before the feed.
  • Puck rebounds off a rigid blade. Try: soften the lower-hand grip and use a slower feed.
  • Outlet is attempted while the puck is still against the wall. Try: complete the short pull into open ice first.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: F starts 6 feet away and slides a very slow puck along the boards.
  • Harder: O shifts 3 feet to either side before the feed, requiring R to update the outlet target.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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