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Two-on-one gate choice

Use a teammate’s width to choose between carrying and passing against one defender.

10U · 12U · 14U+Intermediate8 minutes3–3 players
Original drill diagram
Two-on-one gate choice: player positions and movement 12D
1 and 2 attack the two gates on the right; D defends both. Dashed and solid arrows show alternative choices from the initial position, not a mandatory passing pattern. 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, Cones, Stick, Pucks

  1. Mark a rectangle 25 feet long and 20 feet wide. Put two 4-foot gates on its far edge, separated by 8 feet. Attackers 1 and 2 begin at the near corners; defender D starts midway inside.
  2. Attacker 1 starts with the puck. Both attackers advance while D tries to intercept or take the puck with the stick. Use stick-only pressure; body contact is not part of this game.
  3. Attackers score by carrying the puck under control through either far gate. A pass through an empty gate does not score; the receiver must collect and carry through.
  4. End the attempt after a score, the defender gaining possession, an out-of-bounds puck, or 15 seconds. Reset at the near edge and rotate D after three attempts.
  5. Run eight minutes including brief pauses. Ask the carrier which gate the defender closed, then count successful decisions as well as scores.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Make the defender choose.” Keep the attackers far enough apart to create two options.
  • The player without the puck stays available ahead or beside the carrier.
  • Defender D works between the attackers and the gates rather than chasing behind the puck.

Common mistakes

  • Attackers bunch together. Try: start them at opposite near corners again.
  • Carrier passes automatically into D. Try: allow a carry when the defender blocks the passing lane.
  • Defender never gets a turn. Try: rotate after three attempts regardless of the outcome.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: D begins 5 feet closer to the gates, allowing attackers time to establish spacing.
  • Harder: narrow each gate to 3 feet while keeping the rectangle and player count unchanged.
Research context & source notes

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

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